Begin here: Your community’s response
Follow this example and adapt it to your specific community. Consider this as a starting point and add or delete as necessary. Working together to divide up the various aspects and making arrangements will bring about a quicker result and engages more of the community within which you live. Another bennfit is getting to know your neighbors, business owners, facilities and other organizations.
The more that is determined ahead of any emergency or disaster will make it better to implement and manage the chaos that will occur.
The more that is determined ahead of any emergency or disaster will make it better to implement and manage the chaos that will occur.
Section 5: Your community’s response
Local ideas and solutions for challenges you may face
Local resources
Local vulnerabilities
Checking on people and damage
Medical assistance
Shelter
Water
Food
Sanitation
Key resource statements
Local ideas and solutions for challenges you may face
The following pages include prompts, ideas and local resources for assisting with the common needs of communities after an emergency, as listed below.
› Checking on who and what has been affected
› Medical assistance
› Shelter
› Water
› Food
› Sanitation
Community Response Plans
Where a community has gone through a Community Response Planning Process (see Community Response Planning page), there are details about the local resources available to help solve these problems.
In communities that have not yet been through that process, there are prompts and questions that may assist you in finding solutions.
https://wremo.nz/about-us/initiatives/community-response-planning/
Life-threatening situations
› Help if you can, but do not put yourself in unnecessary danger to save someone else. You don’t want to become a casualty too.
› Attempt to contact the emergency services by calling 911 in all life-threatening situations. Sometimes all you can do is keep other people from being harmed.
Let people know that there is a hazard, and keep other people away from the hazard if you are able. This may include helping people evacuate an area.
› Report back to the Community Emergency Hub:
– What the problem is.
– What you have done.
– What still needs to be done, if anything.
› Information about life-threatening situations should be reported to the Emergency Operation Center.
Local resources
During Community Response Planning the following local resources were identified that could be useful for various purposes during an emergency. Use this information as a starting point when looking for solutions to community needs. Local resources may need to be shared with nearby communities, so communicate with your neighboring hubs to work out the most efficient use of the available resources. Check with the owner to coordinate the use of their resources.
Coordinate with neighboring Community Emergency Hubs (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Nearby neighboring Community Emergency Hubs
› Local Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT)
› Local Map Your Neighborhoods (MYN)
› Local School Hub, Church Hub, HOA Hub, etc.
› Local authorities
Places and spaces (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Golf Club, Lodge, Hotel, Hall, etc.
› Local School, Church, Parking Lots, etc.
› Parks, Open Fields
› Streams
Groups and networks (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Local City CERT EOC
› Local First Responder
› Organizations, Clubs, Group, Guild, etc.
› Golf Club, Lodge, Hotel, Hall, etc.
› Local School, Church, Park, etc.
› Social Media, Nextdoor, Facebook, Twitter, etc.
Services in the community (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Local builders/handy people
› Local doctor, nurse
› Local policeman
› Local fireman
› Local veternarian
Infrastructure (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Water tanks (hot water, barrels)
› Septic tanks
› Personal freezers
› Generators
› 4-wheel drive vehicles
› Quad bikes
› Gas/Diesel containers supply
› Trailers
› Wheel barrows, Dollies, Wagons, etc.
Notes (add blank page)
Local vulnerabilities
During Community Response Planning the following potential vulnerabilities were identified. These may need further attention or assistance.
Places and spaces
› Hilly areas that are susceptible to landslips. (Example; Scholls or Taylors Ferry or Patton Roads.)
› Areas of likely liquefaction, In-fill dirt, Marsh areas, etc.
› Gas stations, Chemical storage tanks, Gas lines, etc.
› Electrical high-tension wires, Electrical substations, etc.
› Industrial areas of unidentified materials and usage.
Groups and networks (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Rest Homes
› Senior Care Centers
› Childcare Centers
› Preschools
Services in the community
› No emergency services
› No food and consumer goods supply chain
Infrastructure
› All services likely to be disrupted for many weeks
› Lack of cellphone coverage – text may only be available
› No electricity
› No public water supply
› No fuel / gas supply
› No sewerage system
› Broken storm water pipes
› No telecommunications
› No internet
› No banking and ATMs
› Isolation due to lack of road access
› Roads in area vulnerable to landslides
Notes (add blank page)
Checking on people and damage (MYN)
Everyone in the community is checked on after an emergency – whether it’s for rescue and medical assistance, or just basic support and information.
› Contact everyone in the community as soon as possible.
› Record and report information on people and damage back to the Hub.
› Regularly check everyone in the days following the event as people’s circumstances may change.
+ Useful
How can you make sure that everywhere has been checked? (MYN)
– Start with known affected areas or groups that might need extra assistance.
– Draw upon any local lists and knowledge.
– Coordinate a street-by-street, house-by-house check. Use the area maps in the Hub.
– Record any information on the impact to the community. (Example, status of roads, building damage, and peoples unresolved needs, etc.)
Report the information back to the Information Coordination person at the Hub.
Staying in contact with people as outlined in task one should be done frequently, as people’s circumstances can change after an event.
If you can’t give someone immediate assistance, collect information about their needs and bring that back to the Hub. See if you can find an answer to their needs with the resources available in your community.
What groups could be available to walk around the community to check on people and look for damage? (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Golf Club – Road
› Church – Road
› Community Center – Road
› Recreation Center – Road
› Neighbors
› Teenagers
› Area CERTs
› Area MYN
Where should we check first?
› Family
› Elderly
› After-school children
› Neighbors
› Animals and pets
› Worst affected areas and areas where hazards/damage are obvious
How would we coordinate this? (MYN)
› Coordinate from the Hub
› Send teams from Hub to check on defined areas, record on Hub Map
› Keep a paper record at the Hub so known where has been checked, when. (This way know where need to recheck over time.)
› Work with what and who have volunteers at the time.
› Group volunteers with a mix of skills, physical capabilities, and leadership
› Use text or radio (walkie talkies) messages to pass information back to the Hub
Medical assistance (MRC, CERT)
Community members who need medical assistance are directed to medical assistance.
› Identify and coordinate community resources that can be used to assist and treat the injured.
› Identify and check on people with day-to-day medical needs.
› Direct the community to medical providers that are known to be open.
› Identify and coordinate people in the community with medical skills who can help.
+ Added Info!
In all life-threatening situations, attempt to contact the emergency services by calling 911.
Injured and sick people should go to the nearest open medical center first.
People with first aid skills should go to their nearest open medical center or go to the Hub.
Check on neighbors and people known to have health issues or disabilities.
Look after own hygiene – wear gloves when touching others, body fluids.
+ Useful
Find out if the local medical providers are open and operational so that you can let the community know where to go.
Coordinate transportation for those who are in need and cannot get to the medical center.
Where are the nearest medical providers? (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Medical Center – Road
› Hospital – Drive
› Local first responders
Where else could we provide medical assistance if the above facilities are not available? (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Hub Triage area
› Golf Club – Road
› Local Church – Road
Who can help provide medical assistance? (MRC, CERT)
› Doctors and Nurses in the community
› Vets and vet nurses
› People with First Aid training/certificates
Where can we get extra supplies? (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Medical Centre – Road
› Hospital – Drive
› First aid kits in businesses, houses and vehicles
How do we get people to medical assistance or medical assistance to people?
› Quad bikes
› Ride on mower with trailer
› Boats from Williamette and Columbia Rivers
› Take 4WD’s over the bridge (via Sellwood, Tilikum Crossing)
› Use sheets with signs that say “Medics Required” to get attention of helicopters and planes flying over
› Emergency flares
Shelter
Ensure everyone in our community has somewhere safe and comfortable to stay.
› Find places where people can shelter from the weather if they can’t stay at home.
› Find comfortable places where people can rest and sleep.
+ Added Info!
Small repairs may make homes safe enough to stay in. (MYN)
If people need to leave their homes, encourage them to take as much bedding as possible.
Encourage people to stay with friends or family if possible. Ask neighbors or others in their street if they have spare room.
People in the community may have spare beds, air mattresses, and couches available to offer to people without a place to stay.
+ Useful
Many people will be able to stay in their own homes, and this is ideal as people are much more comfortable in a home environment. Are there simple repairs that could be done to make a home safe enough for people to stay there?
You may have visitors to your community who don’t live locally – commuters, shoppers, employees, etc. These are the people most likely to need accommodation in your community.
Encourage people to make their spare beds and guest rooms available.
Don’t wait for the perfect solution, shelter from the weather is a priority over comfort. Bad weather means the need for shelter is much more urgent than on a warm sunny day.
Tell the Emergency Operations Centre (through the Communication desk) the number of people who need accommodation.
Who could help make people’s homes safe, weather proof and comfortable? (MYN)
› Local builders, plumbers, electricians, roofers and other tradespersons
› Handy people
› DIYers
Where can we get resources to make repairs? (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Many people have tools and equipment to make repairs
› Recreation Center - Road
› Golf Club - Road
› Farm – Road
› Riding School – Road
Where could we get bedding and clothing supplies to keep people warm and comfortable? (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Bed and Breakfast – Road
› Lodge – Road
› Local accommodation providers
› People’s homes
What facilities could be used for temporary shelter if people can’t stay at homes or with friends? (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Church – Road
› Golf Club – Road
› Hall – Road
› Bed and Breakfast – Road
› Lodge – Valley Road
› Riding School – Road
› Local accommodation providers
› Motor homes / Caravans / Tents / Tarps
What open spaces could accommodate temporary shelter? (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Golf Club – Road
› Parks and Flat land
› Clubs
› Encourage people to put up a tent in their own yards
Water
Our community has access to clean water for drinking and water for cooking and hygiene purposes.
› Ensure everyone knows how to treat drinking water.
› Coordinate community water sources for drinking, cooking and hygiene.
› Arrange a place in the community where water can be distributed if needed.
+ Added Info!
Water reservoirs are all around the region but automatically seal if lines are damaged. (Example) Clean Water Services technicians must manually attend to the valves. This will take time so look for other sources of water within the community right away.
Some schools and community centers have large water tanks installed. If there is one in your community check to see what their plan is for using the water.
+ Useful
Local streams and open bodies of water are not reliable sources of clean water. Chemical pollution and heavy metal contamination is not removed by boiling water or adding bleach.
Treat any non-bottled water. Boil it if you can, if not use bleach to treat.
BEST CHOICE: BOIL.
Boiling water will kill most types of disease-causing organisms. If water is cloudy, filter it through a clean cloth. Boil water for one minute, let it cool, and store it in clean containers with covers.
IF YOU CAN’T BOIL: ADD BLEACH.
Bleach will kill some (not all) types of disease-causing organisms. Just like boiling, filter cloudy water through a clean cloth first. Use only regular, unscented, liquid household bleach. Add two drops of bleach per quart of water or add 1/8 teaspoon (or 8 drops) for each gallon of water. Stir well, let it stand for 30 minutes before using, then store in clean containers with covers.
Where can we find water? (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Golf Club – Road
› Farm – Road
› Every house has their own water tanks
› Local stream
› Country Club tanks
Where can we find water for washing and cleaning?
› Personal hot water heaters, barrels
› Toilet bowls and tanks
› Rivers and streams
What water supplies should be avoided or need treatment before drinking?
› Stream water
› Tank water
› Do not drink pool water or sea water
What places would be good distribution points? (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Riding School – Road
› Farm – Road
› Recreation Center, Parks,
› Public areas, like the Community Emergency Hub and Golf Course
How do we get water to people who are unable to leave their homes?
› Volunteers walking or cycling around
› Carry in bottles, containers, buckets
› Bikes, scooters, motorbikes, cars
› Wheelbarrows, wagons, buggies, strollers, wheelie bins
› Horses
Food
People in our community have enough food to sustain them.
› Encourage people to share food with those who don’t have access to it.
› Organize a way to feed large groups of people who are displaced or do not have food of their own.
› Coordinate food supplies in the community.
+ Added Info!
Assist with coordination of food supplies in the community where necessary.
Encourage people to share food with those who don’t have access to it.
Inform people to use foods in the refrigerator first, then those in the freezer, and finally dry goods from the pantry.
Collect community resources to feed everyone
– Street BBQs, Cook-outs
– Have places where excess food can be coordinated from
Where else could we find food? (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Livestock on farms
› Neighborhood vegetable gardens
› Walk in chillers, restaurants, deli's, fast food, bars, etc.
› Fridges and freezers
› Pantries
› Fishing
› Bushes
How could we organize to feed large groups of people?
› Set up a volunteer cooking/preparation site to the Community Emergency Hub
› Take portable cooking equipment and BBQs, charcoal, propane tanks, etc. and make meals together
› Cook together, Eat together
› Use perishable food first
Where can we get cooking and catering supplies? (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Farm – Road
› Hall – Road
› Bed and Breakfast – Road
› Lodge – Road
› Golf Club – Road
› Lodge – Road
› People’s own supply
› Local accommodation providers
› Restaurants, Fast food, Deli's, Bars, etc.
How do we get food to people who are unable to leave their homes?
› Use Social Media to get people to go out and distribute food
› Volunteers walking or cycling around
› Carry in boxes, containers, buckets
› Cars, bikes, scooters, motorbikes
› Wheelbarrows, buggies, strollers, wheelie bins
Sanitation
Ensure everyone has access to an appropriate place to go to the toilet.
Use a two bucket system – one for liquids and one for solid waste. Can be used indoors and then emptied in a hole in the ground.
› Identify and source sanitation supplies and tools from within your community to build emergency toilets.
› Organize a pit latrine, also known as pit toilet or long drops throughout the community and in locations close to groups who might not have the ability to organize one themselves.
› Identify and coordinate people who can help dig or build toilet facilities.
› Identify a suitable space for a long drop toilet at the Hub.
+ Added Info!
Wash your hands regularly or use hand sanitizer, boiled water with soap or gloves if clean water is unavailable.
Use a two bucket system; one for liquids and one for solid waste. Mix with sawdust. Can be used indoors and then emptied in a hole in the ground.
Could you organize a pit toilet or long drops throughout the community and close to groups who might not have the ability to organize one themselves?
Where are suitable locations for facilities that won’t cause problems?
Could you build a private space for a pit toilet at the Hub or other open space?
- When digging a pit latrine, also known as pit toilet or long drop, dig a hole up to one yard deep and 10” to 16” wide.
- After each use, cover the waste with soil or other mulch.
- When the hole is full (about 10” below the surface), fill with soil and dig a new long drop.
Key resource statements
Sheriff / Police
During an emergency, Sheriff / Police across the region will focus on assessing the situation and will be tasked by their Central Communications Center.
Fire and Emergency
The focus of Fire and Emergency after a significant earthquake will be lifesaving activities and suppression of fire, as allowed by limited water supply.
Water
Water Reservoirs have seismic valves to retain water after an earthquake. Technicians must inspect the reservoirs and alter the valve systems before the water inside can then be made available for people to manually collect. It will take a number of days to complete this process. Community water stations may be available from a number of days to weeks out.
Supermarkets
Supermarkets are likely to be closed immediately after an earthquake due to the mess and danger caused by stock falling from shelves.
They will try to make available whatever supplies they can, in coordination with the Hub to make sure these resources are efficiently used.
While supermarkets appear to hold a lot of stock, in reality if they cannot be restocked this will not go far for a whole community.
Medical Centers and Hospitals
People needing medical assistance, and anyone able to assist in the provision of medical assistance should go to their nearest medical center, not the hospital.
Each hospital has their current patients to look after, as well as the most severely injured following an emergency event.
The medical center will assess who needs to go to the hospital, if they can get there.
List of Abbreviations
CERT, Community Emergency Response Team
- educates volunteers about disaster preparedness for the hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations.
https://www.ready.gov/cert
EOC, Emergency Operations Center
- is a physical location designed to support emergency response, business continuity and crisis communications activities.
https://www.ready.gov/business/implementation/incident
MRC, Medical Reserve Corps
- provide trained medical and non-medical volunteers to support local community public health, build community resiliency, and respond to public health emergencies when needed.
https://mrc.hhs.gov/HomePage
MYN, Map Your Neighborhood
- guides you and your neighbors through simple steps to help enhance your preparedness for an emergency. These steps will help you to quickly and safely take actions that can minimize damage and protect lives. It is designed to improve disaster readiness at the neighborhood level.
https://mil.wa.gov/map-your-neighborhood
from -
Community Emergency Hub
https://getprepared.nz/my-community/hub-guide/
https://wremo.nz/about-us/initiatives/community-response-planning/
Local ideas and solutions for challenges you may face
Local resources
Local vulnerabilities
Checking on people and damage
Medical assistance
Shelter
Water
Food
Sanitation
Key resource statements
Local ideas and solutions for challenges you may face
The following pages include prompts, ideas and local resources for assisting with the common needs of communities after an emergency, as listed below.
› Checking on who and what has been affected
› Medical assistance
› Shelter
› Water
› Food
› Sanitation
Community Response Plans
Where a community has gone through a Community Response Planning Process (see Community Response Planning page), there are details about the local resources available to help solve these problems.
In communities that have not yet been through that process, there are prompts and questions that may assist you in finding solutions.
https://wremo.nz/about-us/initiatives/community-response-planning/
Life-threatening situations
› Help if you can, but do not put yourself in unnecessary danger to save someone else. You don’t want to become a casualty too.
› Attempt to contact the emergency services by calling 911 in all life-threatening situations. Sometimes all you can do is keep other people from being harmed.
Let people know that there is a hazard, and keep other people away from the hazard if you are able. This may include helping people evacuate an area.
› Report back to the Community Emergency Hub:
– What the problem is.
– What you have done.
– What still needs to be done, if anything.
› Information about life-threatening situations should be reported to the Emergency Operation Center.
Local resources
During Community Response Planning the following local resources were identified that could be useful for various purposes during an emergency. Use this information as a starting point when looking for solutions to community needs. Local resources may need to be shared with nearby communities, so communicate with your neighboring hubs to work out the most efficient use of the available resources. Check with the owner to coordinate the use of their resources.
Coordinate with neighboring Community Emergency Hubs (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Nearby neighboring Community Emergency Hubs
› Local Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT)
› Local Map Your Neighborhoods (MYN)
› Local School Hub, Church Hub, HOA Hub, etc.
› Local authorities
Places and spaces (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Golf Club, Lodge, Hotel, Hall, etc.
› Local School, Church, Parking Lots, etc.
› Parks, Open Fields
› Streams
Groups and networks (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Local City CERT EOC
› Local First Responder
› Organizations, Clubs, Group, Guild, etc.
› Golf Club, Lodge, Hotel, Hall, etc.
› Local School, Church, Park, etc.
› Social Media, Nextdoor, Facebook, Twitter, etc.
Services in the community (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Local builders/handy people
› Local doctor, nurse
› Local policeman
› Local fireman
› Local veternarian
Infrastructure (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Water tanks (hot water, barrels)
› Septic tanks
› Personal freezers
› Generators
› 4-wheel drive vehicles
› Quad bikes
› Gas/Diesel containers supply
› Trailers
› Wheel barrows, Dollies, Wagons, etc.
Notes (add blank page)
Local vulnerabilities
During Community Response Planning the following potential vulnerabilities were identified. These may need further attention or assistance.
Places and spaces
› Hilly areas that are susceptible to landslips. (Example; Scholls or Taylors Ferry or Patton Roads.)
› Areas of likely liquefaction, In-fill dirt, Marsh areas, etc.
› Gas stations, Chemical storage tanks, Gas lines, etc.
› Electrical high-tension wires, Electrical substations, etc.
› Industrial areas of unidentified materials and usage.
Groups and networks (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Rest Homes
› Senior Care Centers
› Childcare Centers
› Preschools
Services in the community
› No emergency services
› No food and consumer goods supply chain
Infrastructure
› All services likely to be disrupted for many weeks
› Lack of cellphone coverage – text may only be available
› No electricity
› No public water supply
› No fuel / gas supply
› No sewerage system
› Broken storm water pipes
› No telecommunications
› No internet
› No banking and ATMs
› Isolation due to lack of road access
› Roads in area vulnerable to landslides
Notes (add blank page)
Checking on people and damage (MYN)
Everyone in the community is checked on after an emergency – whether it’s for rescue and medical assistance, or just basic support and information.
› Contact everyone in the community as soon as possible.
› Record and report information on people and damage back to the Hub.
› Regularly check everyone in the days following the event as people’s circumstances may change.
+ Useful
How can you make sure that everywhere has been checked? (MYN)
– Start with known affected areas or groups that might need extra assistance.
– Draw upon any local lists and knowledge.
– Coordinate a street-by-street, house-by-house check. Use the area maps in the Hub.
– Record any information on the impact to the community. (Example, status of roads, building damage, and peoples unresolved needs, etc.)
Report the information back to the Information Coordination person at the Hub.
Staying in contact with people as outlined in task one should be done frequently, as people’s circumstances can change after an event.
If you can’t give someone immediate assistance, collect information about their needs and bring that back to the Hub. See if you can find an answer to their needs with the resources available in your community.
What groups could be available to walk around the community to check on people and look for damage? (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Golf Club – Road
› Church – Road
› Community Center – Road
› Recreation Center – Road
› Neighbors
› Teenagers
› Area CERTs
› Area MYN
Where should we check first?
› Family
› Elderly
› After-school children
› Neighbors
› Animals and pets
› Worst affected areas and areas where hazards/damage are obvious
How would we coordinate this? (MYN)
› Coordinate from the Hub
› Send teams from Hub to check on defined areas, record on Hub Map
› Keep a paper record at the Hub so known where has been checked, when. (This way know where need to recheck over time.)
› Work with what and who have volunteers at the time.
› Group volunteers with a mix of skills, physical capabilities, and leadership
› Use text or radio (walkie talkies) messages to pass information back to the Hub
Medical assistance (MRC, CERT)
Community members who need medical assistance are directed to medical assistance.
› Identify and coordinate community resources that can be used to assist and treat the injured.
› Identify and check on people with day-to-day medical needs.
› Direct the community to medical providers that are known to be open.
› Identify and coordinate people in the community with medical skills who can help.
+ Added Info!
In all life-threatening situations, attempt to contact the emergency services by calling 911.
Injured and sick people should go to the nearest open medical center first.
People with first aid skills should go to their nearest open medical center or go to the Hub.
Check on neighbors and people known to have health issues or disabilities.
Look after own hygiene – wear gloves when touching others, body fluids.
+ Useful
Find out if the local medical providers are open and operational so that you can let the community know where to go.
Coordinate transportation for those who are in need and cannot get to the medical center.
Where are the nearest medical providers? (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Medical Center – Road
› Hospital – Drive
› Local first responders
Where else could we provide medical assistance if the above facilities are not available? (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Hub Triage area
› Golf Club – Road
› Local Church – Road
Who can help provide medical assistance? (MRC, CERT)
› Doctors and Nurses in the community
› Vets and vet nurses
› People with First Aid training/certificates
Where can we get extra supplies? (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Medical Centre – Road
› Hospital – Drive
› First aid kits in businesses, houses and vehicles
How do we get people to medical assistance or medical assistance to people?
› Quad bikes
› Ride on mower with trailer
› Boats from Williamette and Columbia Rivers
› Take 4WD’s over the bridge (via Sellwood, Tilikum Crossing)
› Use sheets with signs that say “Medics Required” to get attention of helicopters and planes flying over
› Emergency flares
Shelter
Ensure everyone in our community has somewhere safe and comfortable to stay.
› Find places where people can shelter from the weather if they can’t stay at home.
› Find comfortable places where people can rest and sleep.
+ Added Info!
Small repairs may make homes safe enough to stay in. (MYN)
If people need to leave their homes, encourage them to take as much bedding as possible.
Encourage people to stay with friends or family if possible. Ask neighbors or others in their street if they have spare room.
People in the community may have spare beds, air mattresses, and couches available to offer to people without a place to stay.
+ Useful
Many people will be able to stay in their own homes, and this is ideal as people are much more comfortable in a home environment. Are there simple repairs that could be done to make a home safe enough for people to stay there?
You may have visitors to your community who don’t live locally – commuters, shoppers, employees, etc. These are the people most likely to need accommodation in your community.
Encourage people to make their spare beds and guest rooms available.
Don’t wait for the perfect solution, shelter from the weather is a priority over comfort. Bad weather means the need for shelter is much more urgent than on a warm sunny day.
Tell the Emergency Operations Centre (through the Communication desk) the number of people who need accommodation.
Who could help make people’s homes safe, weather proof and comfortable? (MYN)
› Local builders, plumbers, electricians, roofers and other tradespersons
› Handy people
› DIYers
Where can we get resources to make repairs? (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Many people have tools and equipment to make repairs
› Recreation Center - Road
› Golf Club - Road
› Farm – Road
› Riding School – Road
Where could we get bedding and clothing supplies to keep people warm and comfortable? (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Bed and Breakfast – Road
› Lodge – Road
› Local accommodation providers
› People’s homes
What facilities could be used for temporary shelter if people can’t stay at homes or with friends? (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Church – Road
› Golf Club – Road
› Hall – Road
› Bed and Breakfast – Road
› Lodge – Valley Road
› Riding School – Road
› Local accommodation providers
› Motor homes / Caravans / Tents / Tarps
What open spaces could accommodate temporary shelter? (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Golf Club – Road
› Parks and Flat land
› Clubs
› Encourage people to put up a tent in their own yards
Water
Our community has access to clean water for drinking and water for cooking and hygiene purposes.
› Ensure everyone knows how to treat drinking water.
› Coordinate community water sources for drinking, cooking and hygiene.
› Arrange a place in the community where water can be distributed if needed.
+ Added Info!
Water reservoirs are all around the region but automatically seal if lines are damaged. (Example) Clean Water Services technicians must manually attend to the valves. This will take time so look for other sources of water within the community right away.
Some schools and community centers have large water tanks installed. If there is one in your community check to see what their plan is for using the water.
+ Useful
Local streams and open bodies of water are not reliable sources of clean water. Chemical pollution and heavy metal contamination is not removed by boiling water or adding bleach.
Treat any non-bottled water. Boil it if you can, if not use bleach to treat.
BEST CHOICE: BOIL.
Boiling water will kill most types of disease-causing organisms. If water is cloudy, filter it through a clean cloth. Boil water for one minute, let it cool, and store it in clean containers with covers.
IF YOU CAN’T BOIL: ADD BLEACH.
Bleach will kill some (not all) types of disease-causing organisms. Just like boiling, filter cloudy water through a clean cloth first. Use only regular, unscented, liquid household bleach. Add two drops of bleach per quart of water or add 1/8 teaspoon (or 8 drops) for each gallon of water. Stir well, let it stand for 30 minutes before using, then store in clean containers with covers.
Where can we find water? (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Golf Club – Road
› Farm – Road
› Every house has their own water tanks
› Local stream
› Country Club tanks
Where can we find water for washing and cleaning?
› Personal hot water heaters, barrels
› Toilet bowls and tanks
› Rivers and streams
What water supplies should be avoided or need treatment before drinking?
› Stream water
› Tank water
› Do not drink pool water or sea water
What places would be good distribution points? (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Riding School – Road
› Farm – Road
› Recreation Center, Parks,
› Public areas, like the Community Emergency Hub and Golf Course
How do we get water to people who are unable to leave their homes?
› Volunteers walking or cycling around
› Carry in bottles, containers, buckets
› Bikes, scooters, motorbikes, cars
› Wheelbarrows, wagons, buggies, strollers, wheelie bins
› Horses
Food
People in our community have enough food to sustain them.
› Encourage people to share food with those who don’t have access to it.
› Organize a way to feed large groups of people who are displaced or do not have food of their own.
› Coordinate food supplies in the community.
+ Added Info!
Assist with coordination of food supplies in the community where necessary.
Encourage people to share food with those who don’t have access to it.
Inform people to use foods in the refrigerator first, then those in the freezer, and finally dry goods from the pantry.
Collect community resources to feed everyone
– Street BBQs, Cook-outs
– Have places where excess food can be coordinated from
Where else could we find food? (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Livestock on farms
› Neighborhood vegetable gardens
› Walk in chillers, restaurants, deli's, fast food, bars, etc.
› Fridges and freezers
› Pantries
› Fishing
› Bushes
How could we organize to feed large groups of people?
› Set up a volunteer cooking/preparation site to the Community Emergency Hub
› Take portable cooking equipment and BBQs, charcoal, propane tanks, etc. and make meals together
› Cook together, Eat together
› Use perishable food first
Where can we get cooking and catering supplies? (Name with addresses. Mapped)
› Farm – Road
› Hall – Road
› Bed and Breakfast – Road
› Lodge – Road
› Golf Club – Road
› Lodge – Road
› People’s own supply
› Local accommodation providers
› Restaurants, Fast food, Deli's, Bars, etc.
How do we get food to people who are unable to leave their homes?
› Use Social Media to get people to go out and distribute food
› Volunteers walking or cycling around
› Carry in boxes, containers, buckets
› Cars, bikes, scooters, motorbikes
› Wheelbarrows, buggies, strollers, wheelie bins
Sanitation
Ensure everyone has access to an appropriate place to go to the toilet.
Use a two bucket system – one for liquids and one for solid waste. Can be used indoors and then emptied in a hole in the ground.
› Identify and source sanitation supplies and tools from within your community to build emergency toilets.
› Organize a pit latrine, also known as pit toilet or long drops throughout the community and in locations close to groups who might not have the ability to organize one themselves.
› Identify and coordinate people who can help dig or build toilet facilities.
› Identify a suitable space for a long drop toilet at the Hub.
+ Added Info!
Wash your hands regularly or use hand sanitizer, boiled water with soap or gloves if clean water is unavailable.
Use a two bucket system; one for liquids and one for solid waste. Mix with sawdust. Can be used indoors and then emptied in a hole in the ground.
Could you organize a pit toilet or long drops throughout the community and close to groups who might not have the ability to organize one themselves?
Where are suitable locations for facilities that won’t cause problems?
Could you build a private space for a pit toilet at the Hub or other open space?
- When digging a pit latrine, also known as pit toilet or long drop, dig a hole up to one yard deep and 10” to 16” wide.
- After each use, cover the waste with soil or other mulch.
- When the hole is full (about 10” below the surface), fill with soil and dig a new long drop.
Key resource statements
Sheriff / Police
During an emergency, Sheriff / Police across the region will focus on assessing the situation and will be tasked by their Central Communications Center.
Fire and Emergency
The focus of Fire and Emergency after a significant earthquake will be lifesaving activities and suppression of fire, as allowed by limited water supply.
Water
Water Reservoirs have seismic valves to retain water after an earthquake. Technicians must inspect the reservoirs and alter the valve systems before the water inside can then be made available for people to manually collect. It will take a number of days to complete this process. Community water stations may be available from a number of days to weeks out.
Supermarkets
Supermarkets are likely to be closed immediately after an earthquake due to the mess and danger caused by stock falling from shelves.
They will try to make available whatever supplies they can, in coordination with the Hub to make sure these resources are efficiently used.
While supermarkets appear to hold a lot of stock, in reality if they cannot be restocked this will not go far for a whole community.
Medical Centers and Hospitals
People needing medical assistance, and anyone able to assist in the provision of medical assistance should go to their nearest medical center, not the hospital.
Each hospital has their current patients to look after, as well as the most severely injured following an emergency event.
The medical center will assess who needs to go to the hospital, if they can get there.
List of Abbreviations
CERT, Community Emergency Response Team
- educates volunteers about disaster preparedness for the hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations.
https://www.ready.gov/cert
EOC, Emergency Operations Center
- is a physical location designed to support emergency response, business continuity and crisis communications activities.
https://www.ready.gov/business/implementation/incident
MRC, Medical Reserve Corps
- provide trained medical and non-medical volunteers to support local community public health, build community resiliency, and respond to public health emergencies when needed.
https://mrc.hhs.gov/HomePage
MYN, Map Your Neighborhood
- guides you and your neighbors through simple steps to help enhance your preparedness for an emergency. These steps will help you to quickly and safely take actions that can minimize damage and protect lives. It is designed to improve disaster readiness at the neighborhood level.
https://mil.wa.gov/map-your-neighborhood
from -
Community Emergency Hub
https://getprepared.nz/my-community/hub-guide/
https://wremo.nz/about-us/initiatives/community-response-planning/