Editor’s note: this topic will close on Wednesday, August 27.
Share your thoughts, innovative ideas, and proven practices on how faith-based and community organizations can advance the whole community approach to emergency management.
A comprehensive approach by elementary and junior high aged youths to provide a fun and engaging approach to drug prevention and abuse, bicycle safety, and emergency preparedness. Our schools and communities can all benefit by encouraging one another to be safety and security conscience.
a simple act like spray painting in clear large easy to read letters . the words "NO COPPER" have proven effective in stopping looters and scrappers from picking through a home thought to be empted or scrapped ,even if the building is full of valuables the visual deterrent is a great ruses.
Utilize Faith Based (Churches and other Organizations) to form partnerships with other Faith Based (Churches and Organizations). Conduct appropriate screening of members, organize fellowship events, establish transportation and other logistic resources, pursuant to assignment of families from one organization as sponsors to host another family in the event that a mass evacuation of a displaced populace is required. ...more »
Have DHS' Center for Faith-based & Neighborhood Partnerships develop a volunteer Chaplain program with the aid of the faith based disaster responbse organizations. Program should take into account what current organizations are requiring and doing so they can be incorporated as resources for affected areas. Develop a CPG to assit the faith based community and its tie in with the mental health community.
While church preparedness has been addressed, I have not noticed how to prepare a church to become a shelter when asked. During our Colorado floods, our church was/is a shelter. I noticed that our church was ill prepared to cope with the adjustments necessary. Some of these were: a helicopter landing pad, rescheduling church activities, Large signs to properly direct parishioners to new access doors to avoid confusion ...more »
The Disaster Distress Helpline (a program of SAMHSA administered by Link2Health Solutions, a subsidiary of the not-for-profit Mental Health Association of NYC) encourages EMgrs & others working in disaster response to help educate survivors of disaster, first responders, loved ones of victims and the general public regarding the importance of anticipating emotional needs when disasters and other emergencies strike. ...more »
In coordination with our GIS department for data support, we have prepared a letter which will go to all churches in the county offering an emergency preparedness presentation and to learn about their disaster response/relief capabilities; gauging their level of interest in committing to a recovery related function. Based on our recent gap analysis we are looking for Neighborhood Distribution & Information Points (NDIP) ...more »
One thing Sandy; in particular, Staten Island, taught me is that the very first relief and recovery on the ground occured through the work of the victims of disasters themselves. It is often difficult for government, or even VOADs to integrate the overall relief effort with what what these "neighbors helping neighbors" are doing. These spontaneous groups can be supported by, coordinated with, and allowed tech support, ...more »
I am a PhD student in systems engineering. If you are an NGO-faith based or not- which participates in natural disaster relief and would like to participate in a study involving 1-2 surveys, please email me at miskovic@gwu.edu
Leadership Knowledge In the event of an emergency, does your leadership have the knowledge to do the following? 1. Knowing how to correctly respond to and summon help for a medical emergency? 2. Knowing how to correctly report a fire, smoke or gas leak emergency using the 911 emergency numbers? 3. Knowing the locations of the manual fire alarm pull stations in their area? 4. Knowing how to correctly respond to a ...more »
Some time ago I did some research into this area of disaster management. I'm a Christian women with a back ground in sales a marketing. I found at a particular software referral site ( www.sourceforge.com) information about how then Govenor Schwarzenegger had help to pass laws that would give the secular market place access to emergency software that was used by our federal government and fema. I was truly pursuing this ...more »
The Isaiah Fund is a permanent national faith-based major disaster response pooled loan fund that was created after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. It focuses on the long-term rebuilding efforts in low- and moderate-income communities following major disasters. Last fall, the Isaiah Fund co-hosted a consultation with the Initiative for Responsible Investment, which is housed at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. ...more »
Neighborhood CERT graduates have acquired an Amateur Radio license and purchased handheld radios. Training and exercise programs presented by the volunteer CERT Radio program emphasize sustainability, self-reliance, and, through use of an international standard protocol, cooperation in a large group. Radio networking among neighbors who live in and are familiar with the affected areas are thus able to maintain effective, ...more »
Bring down the process to the core level. What is it that faith-based, NGOs, nonprofits, and volunteers (let's call these respectively the "Purple Circle", and fit any organization tied to assisting in these activities, especially down to the local level. Consensus of the groups and individuals of the aforementioned agree upon, they wish to assist in the prevention of loss of life and property, educate people on what ...more »
Since 2005 we have been providing supportive services to troubled youth, then to homeless individuals, women with children who are homeless, DOC re-entry for those with special needs, and veterans. We have previously submitted a plan to end homeless in America,through rebuilding infra structure, and housing through employing, training, and/or providing stipends or credits to those individuals working on projects, ad housing ...more »
Use organizations that train management agents and association board members ( such as "http://www.caionline.org/about/who/Pages/default.aspx") to include readiness and preparation as part of thier training.
As RACES (the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service) is already nationally established, well organized and equipped for disaster communications, it might be a better place to "plug-in" CERT so that many of the 'sustainment of volunteers' issues associated with city level politics are addressed. If FEMA enabled / encouraged citizens to form their own CERT units for attachment where needed, I know of several motivated ...more »
Impacted by Hurricane Katrina, human service providers in Northwest Alabama came together in 2006 to develop a simple-to-use technology solution that would improve their disaster preparedness and recovery efforts. Collaborative discussions led to the creation of CharityTracker, a secure online hub for real-time communication and data exchange. Today, this technology is now at work in over 500 cities, helping thousands ...more »
On 6/5/10, tragedy occurred when EF-2- 4 tornados roared through OH, killing 5 and leaving a path of destruction. It is a scene that is too familiar to WSOS Community Action Commission. In Nov 2002 and 2011, tornados/floods also hit, leaving families in need. Each time, faith and community based orgs came together and created Long Term Recovery Teams (LTRT) to stabilize and case manage families through the crisis. Families ...more »
Since so many of us go to Church, it seems like the perfect place to begin. Congregations can access their members to see who has or can train and teach preparedness for their communities. I believe that all condensed housing areas, ( apartments, condos, gated communities and etc.) can have training and even store supplies that are accessible to their areas also. I am willing and able to work with others in planning ...more »