What are you doing here Emergency Managements view of 211s role in disasters and how to establish or improve your relationship with them Who the Emergency Mangers EMs are ID: 337432
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Slide1
211?!
What are you doing here? Slide2
Emergency
Management’s
view of
211’s
role
in disasters
and how to establish or improve your relationship with themSlide3
Who
the Emergency
Mangers (EMs) areHow EMs plan and prepare for disasters Their view of you and how you fit in the big pictureDisaster Services you can provide How to promote those servicesConclusion: Do you really want to do this?
T
opics
C
overedSlide4
15 years with FEMA in the Response and Recovery Division with majority of time on the Recovery side of disasters
Responded to over 30 Presidentially Declared Disasters
throughout the U.S. and Pacific TerritoriesFrom quick response to long term recoveryMy background and it’s relevance to this workshopSlide5
Coordinated disaster efforts with:
N
onprofits, faith based organizationsPublic agencies, city/county/state/federal emergency management agenciesCongressional offices, Foreign governments
My background and it’s relevance to this workshopSlide6
5
years with 211
Los Angeles as Emergency Services CoordinatorCoordinate with city, county, state EMs, and 211sParticipating in exercises, trainings etc. as 211 representative. Writing MOUs, EOPs, Business Plans Design and conduct emergency drills, exercises, staff trainings
My background and it’s relevance to this workshopSlide7
Response versus Recovery
A 211’s role in Response
A 211’s role in RecoveryResponse or RecoverySlide8
Response
involves the
immediate actions to rescue those injured, suppress fires, secure and police the disaster area and to begin the process of restoring order.Recovery goes beyond the provision of immediate relief to assist disaster victims to rebuild their homes, lives and services.
Response or RecoverySlide9
Number one thing to remember is Fire, Police, Military
Majority of EM come from those disciplines
If not the Director, the head decision makers and gatekeepers for funding and information distribution are from these.Rural and less populated EM department may be completely run by Fire or PoliceWho are the Emergency Mangers? Slide10
Fire, Police, Military
Their job is to put out fires, save lives, protect the citizens, provide medical care.
This what they do and they are good at itOnce that’s done, its time to move to the next emergencyWho are the Emergency Mangers? Slide11
First responders respond, they don’t want to stay around
Response is the time of
heroesRecovery and dealing with personal issues and struggles are not what they signed up forThis is where 211s and nonprofits step in to assistWho are the Emergency Mangers? Slide12
Your EMs may not have direct experience with large scale disasters
But they are the ones writing emergency plans and choosing partners
Even fewer have a broad base of experience in dealing with organizations outside their specific field (Nonprofits, 211s etc.)Who are the Emergency Mangers? Slide13
Urban and higher populations may have EMs from public sector not from first responders
Each 211 may experience completely different EM departments and cultures based on who provides leadership, recent disaster events, and nonprofit experiences.
Who are the Emergency Mangers? Slide14
It’s
all about the
Response. Advances made towards Recovery, but on small scaleRecovery is complicated and can be managed by the non profits. Let Red Cross handle itResponse is simple. One person = One rescueRecovery is complicated. One person = 11 Issues
How EMs
plan and
prepare
for disastersSlide15
EM
past experience with nonprofits may have been
negativeNonprofits can be perceived as disorganized and poorly managedNonprofits are constantly asking for things (supplies, personnel help, promotion, and of course money). EMs can’t control what the nonprofits do or say, they are outside the EM loop.
Their view of you and how you fit in the big
picture Slide16
All
it takes is one bad experience with a nonprofit during a disaster to taint their view of all.
EMs do not routinely work with nonprofits There are some disorganized and unproductive nonprofits involved in a disaster that cause more of a headache than help. Their view of you and how you fit in the big
picture Slide17
211s are an option. A tool they can choose not to use. They must use fire, police etc
.
Relationship will always be tenuous and fragile. Culture based on confidential information and “not to be distributed to public” facts.If you break that trust once, they will have a hard time trusting you againOne bad phone call can end it all
Their view of you and how you fit in the big
picture Slide18
FEMA Emergency Management Institute
IS-288
The Role of Voluntary Agencies in Emergency ManagementLast updated in 1999 (14 years).Written before 9/11, before Hurricane Katrina, before 211s became widely established...Their view of you and how you fit in the big picture Slide19
211 Strengths in a Disaster
211s caller data can be used to assist in making resource and logistical decisions. Where to concentrate our limited resources?
211s have the flexibility to change the questions requested by the county on a daily basisShould we start a blue tarp program? (Ask callers if they have leaking roofs). Mosquito outbreak? Black mold and should DPH issue warnings?
Services you can provide beyond
Disaster InformationSlide20
Services
Enhance Situational Awareness
Gather information for Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDA) Rumor ControlWork with Department of Health during a health crisis.
Services you can provide beyond
Disaster InformationSlide21
Enhance situational awareness by providing a picture of
which
areas need assistance. They’ll say: “We have everything under control. We’ll have our boots on the ground and know what’s happening.”They don’t realize you can tell them what areas need water, areas where homes are unlivable, have sewage leaks, etc.
Services
you can
provide beyond
Disaster InformationSlide22
Gathering
damage information
for PDAPDAs are used to help determine if disaster receives a Presidential DeclarationResidents can call 211 and provide damage informationServices you can provide beyond
Disaster InformationSlide23
Gathering
damage information
for PDAThey’ll say: “They can’t trust your input, it’s unverified, and they will be gathering the info from the field anyway.”No County/State has enough fire or police to gather damage info and report it too.Most EM haven’t been under the gun to meet the Declaration threshold
Services you can provide beyond
Disaster InformationSlide24
Rumor control
You
can track down source so EM can stop itEM may not understand how important it is due to lack of experienceBenefits: Report it before it gets wide attention or becomes political EMs don’t need to divert resources to track it down or to deal with public’s reaction
Services you can provide beyond
Disaster InformationSlide25
Health Emergency
Provide Department of Health information about the disease
211 can ask questions for the Department of Health to help in their decision making (how many sick in household , any children under 2 or over 60, elderly, are you going to go to an Emergency Room)
Services you can provide beyond
Disaster InformationSlide26
Have an agreement or request to provide disaster information to the public in place before or immediately following event
Placement on EM’s incident report distribution/ EOC alerts/Duty Officer reports
Do not rely on Press ReleasesEstablish your disaster database ahead of timeNecessities for Providing Disaster InformationSlide27
You have
to know what they’ll need before they know.
Compile your list of services you could provide and have the logistics/protocols already planned out so you are ready to go when you offer and they accept.How to promote
those servicesSlide28
Be persistent.
Find the person who understands what you can offer and can slowly bring you into the fold
How to promote those servicesSlide29
Attend every disaster conference, training, exercise, workshop, or planning meeting
.
It may seem like a lot of staff time devoted to this, but it actually won’t beYou should always have the same person attendHow to promote those servicesSlide30
Sit for hours or all day and wait for your one moment
Listen for communication gaps or how to reach the underserved groups
Jump in and explain your servicesThey can click that item off the listThe attendees will listen and may hear for the first time how you can helpHow to promote those servicesSlide31
If
your VOAD
works with EM, use that as your inroad. Show them what you can do through the VOAD. Make sure your VOAD is viewed positively by EMHow to promote those servicesSlide32
Work with police and fire so they can offer 211 service to fire victims etc.
Police and Fire appreciate you filling that gap and will speak highly of you in meetings or provide positive input during funding talks.
How to promote those servicesSlide33
Funding Types
Reimbursement (FEMA Declaration)
Equipment/Materials for future disasters (Grants)Training (Grants)FundingSlide34
Once you work with them, strike when the irons hot and ask for everything you need.
They will now understand:
They didn’t have to staff up a call center Your PDA info helped get the DeclarationYou are professional You can be trusted with confidential information
FundingSlide35
Attend planning or emergency management drills, exercises
for experience
Take the online classes from Emergency Management Institute (EMI) Independent Study ProgramIS-100.b, Introduction to Incident Command SystemIS-700.a, National Incident Management System (NIMS)
IS-800.b, National
Response
Framework
How to prepare for your meeting
with Emergency ManagersSlide36
Always have
a wish list
of the emergency items you need now or in the future (Laptops, T-1s, Internet capacity, workstations, collocation set up) You never know when the EM may have additional funds available or you fit within a category that has additional funding
How to prepare for your meeting
with Emergency ManagersSlide37
Always approach with what you can
do
to help them. How you save them money. No phone staff, PDA assessment for declarations, Rumor control)Ask for very little in return (Direct information, reimbursement funding)Do not ask for money at the start. Possible reimbursement if they receive reimbursement. No money out of their pocket
.
How to
approach Emergency
ManagersSlide38
Negatives
:
Commitment of resources, staff, time and funding. Operating under the assumption you’ll be reimbursed, but you may not be. Conclusion:
Do
you really want to do this?Slide39
Positives:
Reimbursement
with a declaration Future funding once they see the resultsOther departments realize the benefits of working with you and offer funding (Public Health, etc.)Provides
experience and familiarity with volunteers and volunteer
agencies you may use
for other non-disaster
activities
Conclusion:
Do
you really want to do this?Slide40
Doug Quisenberry
211 Los Angeles County
626-710-3725Dquisenberry@211la.orgContact