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<br />Furthermore, we rely heavily on local subcontractors and suppliers by establishing vital pre-event standby agreements.
<br />We dispatch "first-responders" as well as our own equipment 24 hours prior to predictable events and stage the
<br />equipment safely from the projected strike point to ensure that we exceed response commitments. For the City, in the
<br />event of a looming natural disaster, equipment and manpower would be strategically staged throughout and outside of
<br />the state and away from potential danger to safeguard against possible mobilization impediments and to ensure the most
<br />rapid deployment following the conclusion of the event. .
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<br />AshSritt experienced similar impediments during our response for Hurricane Katrina, but utilizing our expansive
<br />network of subcontractor partners, we were able to converge on the area from a number of areas and quickly establish
<br />multiple mobile command and communication centers. As communication infrastructure will likely be dismantled or
<br />erratic directly following a major event, rapidly establishing workable and flowing communication lines is vital.
<br />AshSritt will deploy a variety of communication assets to the region, including satellite phones and internet service, and
<br />will follow establish communication protocols on the chain of command to ensure the right communication gets to the
<br />correct person or party. Communication equipment and assets are discussed in greater detail following in this section.
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<br />Also of note, once a recovery project is underway, in order to maintain operational integrity and high levels of steady
<br />production, subcontractor "area or project jumping" is discouraged and prevented. Effective disaster recovery
<br />operations hinge highly on work crew responsibility, and, as such, equipment and manpower deployment is conducted
<br />in a methodical manner that stresses subcontractor area "ownership" and accountability. Committed subcontractors are
<br />contractually obligated to complete their assignments as instructed, with the best interest of the public (persons and
<br />property) and the environment in mind. Corrective actions and penalties are assessed for any work rule transgressions
<br />or violations. Our subcontractor screening process, as well as our comprehensive truck certification process, ensures we
<br />avail ourselves of the highest quality and safest equipment and machinery.
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<br />. Technology & Managerial Prowess. AshSritt management personnel are educated and experienced, and
<br />empowered to make operational decisions to keep a projects advancing and on track. Management has a selection of
<br />communication and data management tools at their disposal including: satellite phones, two-way radios, GPS units,
<br />PDAs, laptops, wireless cards and proprietary technologies in which they are highly proficient using. As a general firm
<br />policy'and out of necessity owing to the nature of the disaster recovery business, our managers are cross-trained on the
<br />broad functions of response and recovery means and methods. Our project management systems, both procedures and
<br />technology employment, have been developed and enhanced over our decade of existence. Our management model is
<br />deeply committed to leveraging new technologies to apply effectively to recovery missions.
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<br />AshSritt management are conversant with and always work within the guidelines set forth in the Robert T. Stafford Act,
<br />Title 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations (44 C.F.R.), and through FEMA and state directives and guidance. Further,
<br />as emphasized herein, we conduct our operations within OSHA and EPA standards and policies. We continually
<br />indoctrinate ourselves, as these governing directives and policies change, to ensure that we can fully and accurately
<br />inform our clients and ourselves to serve our mutual interest. We strive constantly to harness the value of new
<br />technologies to both educate ourselves and our clients, and to bolster our abilities to comply with the many governing
<br />authorities and statutes encompassing disaster response activities.
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<br />. Business Capability & Continuity. Through AshSritt's wide network of business partnerships and shared resources
<br />and facilities, we have the capabilities to respond to any disaster, anywhere, even in the event our corporate offices are
<br />incapacitated during a concurrent disaster. Through our satellite offices, mobile command centers, and variously
<br />located computer servers (for backup and security), we are poised to virtually eliminate down time and loss of
<br />continuity. We have experienced these challenges first-hand, and have the track record and proven capabilities to
<br />manage any possibility (and we have witnessed that "any" possibility is usually the rule in the wake of disasters).
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<br />. Training and Planning. To ensure the smoothest response and integration with our clients in managing any scale
<br />disaster event, we highly value and encourage pre-planning and training. AshSritt conducts annual training and/or
<br />specific workshops and presentations for all of our clients. Our training and workshop programs are customized and
<br />current. They cover topics ranging from new policy changes of the federal Public Assistance Program, to recent FEMA
<br />guidance, to technical assistance overviews, and to mobilization and operational considerations, including temporary
<br />debris site selection and evaluation, emergency facility and route designation and priorities, review of debris
<br />management plans, local subcontractor participation (with accompanying training workshops), recovery systems
<br />training (i.e., Debris Management System (DIMS), GIS assets and systems, billing protocols, etc.), and other area-
<br />specific operational considerations and caveats.
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<br />AshBritt, Inc. I Sunny Isles Beach, FL I RFP No. 08-07-01
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