Community Disaster Response and Recovery from the Ground Up

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Community Disaster Response and Recovery from
the Ground Up
Presented by Donna Bauer President, MNVOAD
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The 4 Phases of Disaster Response
Citizens Emergency Responders Volunteers
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Challenges Facing Disaster Response

• Complex service delivery issues
• - Logistics
• - Coordination
• - Leadership
• Financial constraints
• Newly identified potential hazards
• Multiple large scale disasters at the same time
• Different levels of training and experience

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Current Capacity to Respond

• 1 Sworn police officer for every 385 people
• 1 Firefighter for every 280 people
• 1EMT/Paramedic for every 325 people

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• Responding to Disaster
• Inside and Outside
• The Box

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MNVOAD In the Box

• The State Counterpart to NVOAD
• A member organization that works to provide more
  effective service to people who have been, or may
  be in the future, affected by disaster through
  communication, coordination, cooperation,
  collaboration, convening mechanisms and outreach.

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MN VOAD ORGANIZATIONS INDEPENDENTLY PROVIDE
SERVICES
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Voluntaries Responding In the Box

• Mass Care (Feeding Sheltering)
• Donations and Emergent Volunteer Coordination
• Damage Assessment
• Debris Removal
• Resource Coordination (Casework)
• Crisis Counseling
• Pastoral Care
• Child Care
• Housing
• Animal Care

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MNVOAD In the Box

• Meetings collaboration and coordination of
  Voluntary Agencies
• Trainings and Education MNVOAD, HSEM, FEMA,
  AMEM, MEMA, CERT and cross training
• Drills Annual nuclear exercises, drills and
  tabletops
• Panels MN Responds, Metro Area Evacuation
  Planning Task Force

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MNVOAD Out of the Box

• Advocacy
• Developing an IHP video and brochure for clients
• Develop marketing materials for VOAD and
  establish basic media functions
• Develop new relationships with professional
  responders and citizen responders

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Voluntaries Responding Out of the Box

• Providing services outside their service delivery
  area. - NECHAMA - MN ADC - Hope for the City
• - 2nd Harvest Foodbank
• Developing new service areas
• - LSS Mission Snowbird - 211 fielding disaster
  calls and tracking donation offers
• - NECHAMA partnering with Operation Lifeline

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Citizen Corp Inside the Box

• Before Storm Prepare and train with
  Professional Emergency Responders
• Before Storm Participate in community
  preparedness activities, outreach and awareness
• Immediately After Storm CERT members perform
  traditional neighborhood stabilization duties
  until professional responders arrive.

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Citizen Corp Outside the Box

• Before Storm CERT members (with ham licenses)
  serve as SKYWARN spotters.
• Before Storm CERT members cross train with
  voluntary agencies and participate in large-scale
  non-CERT drills
• CERT Duties Completed Partner with VOLAGS to do
  Damage Assessment, Donations Management or
  Feeding.
• -Partner with VOAD to man EOC Phone hotline or
  coordinate volunteers.

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Why We Need to Think Outside the Box

• To prepare our citizens for disaster and involve
  them in the response
• To address the needs of those with limited
  resources and physical and emotional challenges
• To improve collaboration between Government and
  Voluntary responders
• To establish closer ties between the Citizen
  Corps and Voluntary programs
• TO BUILD CAPICITY

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Bridging the Gap to Improve Services

• Avoid unnecessary duplications in services
• Identify gaps in services provided
  (opportunities)
• Give all a chance to serve
• Honor our partners contributions
• TO SERVE CLIENTS WELL

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Working Cooperatively is the Best Strategy

• Individually, our groups and organizations do
  good work.
• Together, we can do GREAT work

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FINDING THE RIGHT FIT
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Questions?
Presented by Donna Bauer President, MNVOAD