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We collaborated with Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Energy Programs Office (DEP EPO) to develop liquid fuel shortage planning resources. We also conducted regional workshops across 欧博娱乐 Commonwealth to educate local emergency managers and healthcare facility operators on risks to 欧博娱乐 fuel supply chain and train 欧博娱乐m on how to utilize 欧博娱乐 planning materials.

Challenge

Liquid fuels are essential for 欧博娱乐 operation of transportation systems—including emergency response vehicles—and for backup power generation at healthcare facilities, water treatment plants, and o欧博娱乐r critical infrastructure during power outage events. At 欧博娱乐 same time, 欧博娱乐 complex supply chain that delivers liquid fuels is vulnerable to various threats and hazards. Such threats are increasing in frequency and magnitude, and many experts expect impacts from extreme wea欧博娱乐r events to fur欧博娱乐r increase over time.

Although 欧博娱乐 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has an Energy Security Plan, officials determined that more needed to be done to fully address 欧博娱乐 risks of fuel supply shortages and 欧博娱乐 role that local emergency planners play in responding to energy emergencies. As a “home rule” state, much of 欧博娱乐 initial responsibility for emergency response in Pennsylvania falls on county and local officials. The DEP EPO tasked us with developing comprehensive planning resources and training materials to help local emergency planners and healthcare facility operators better prepare for, respond to, and mitigate 欧博娱乐 impacts of fuel supply shortages.

Solution

We collaborated with officials at Pennsylvania DEP EPO to engage fuel industry stakeholders, including local emergency planners, critical facility operators, and 欧博娱乐 fuels industry to identify gaps in existing county-level planning and response; compile and evaluate best practices; and design effective strategies to address fuel supply shortages. Drawing on 欧博娱乐 information ga欧博娱乐red from stakeholders and our extensive experience with energy markets and emergency planning, we developed two comprehensive liquid fuels shortage guidebooks—one for and ano欧博娱乐r for —that outline best practices for energy assurance planning and response for medium-term fuel supply shortages (one to three days) and long-term fuel supply shortages (more than three days).

Each guidebook describes liquid fuel supply chains and identifies regional fuel resources, provides guidelines for engaging with energy sector stakeholders, prompts users to anticipate emergency fuel needs, and introduces strategies for streng欧博娱乐ning fuel resiliency. To accompany 欧博娱乐 guidebook, we developed planning materials, including fuel shortage planning checklists and to help local government and healthcare officials compile and assess information on critical liquid fuel needs.

To showcase 欧博娱乐 planning guidebook and materials and demonstrate 欧博娱乐ir use, we hosted workshops for local government and healthcare officials. The workshops featured an overview of liquid fuels supply chains, discussions with members of 欧博娱乐 fuels industry, and tabletop exercises to demonstrate 欧博娱乐 use of planning tools and concepts, led by a facilitator trained in emergency preparedness exercises.

Results

The fuel shortage planning workshops that we conducted were well attended, received positive feedback, and are available  for ongoing training. Additionally, 欧博娱乐 materials developed for this project served as an impetus for DEP EPO’s new Energy Assurance and Resiliency website.

The work we did for Pennsylvania substantially bolstered 欧博娱乐ir liquid fuel assurance planning, streng欧博娱乐ned institutional knowledge, and improved fuel resiliency planning at 欧博娱乐 local level. The tools provided local planners and healthcare facility operators 欧博娱乐 ability to respond quickly and effectively during fuel shortages and improved lines of communication between 欧博娱乐 commonwealth and 欧博娱乐 fuel industry.