Red Cross NCR looking for partner support with Mass Care Volunteers

Dear Volunteers,

Here is YOUR opportunity to volunteer during Inauguration!

The Red Cross of the National Capital Region has been asked to perform a number of essential roles during Inauguration Week (1/15/09 through 1/22/09), including sheltering local victims of daily disasters (e.g. fire victims) while there are no hotel rooms within 200 miles, sheltering and feeding emergency services personnel coming in from across the country and being on standby to shelter thousands of people should there be an unexpected event that interrupts the festivities.

If you would like to be trained to volunteer for inauguration in Mass Care and Shelter Operations, please let us know!

Very much looking forward to your reply and to your support.


Elliot Harkavy, NGO Partner Services Lead
American Red Cross of the National Capital Region
harkavye@redcrossnca.org

Andrew Levy, NGO Partner Services Deputy
American Red Cross of the National Capital Region
neighborshelpingneighbors@live.com

NWS Open House A Win Win for Community And Volunteers

Photo Source: Joshua Kinard

Several volunteers from local Citizen Corps Council organizations, American Red Cross of the National Capital Area and Fairfax County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) were on hand at the National Weather Service Baltimore/Washington Forecast Office Open House.

Terry Akins, Judy Howell, Andrew Levy, Ian Sterne, and Margaret Fowke spoke about the value of these programs, how to prepare for a disaster, ways to volunteer, and training programs available to the public.

The weekend also provided the opportunity for the volunteers to see the operations of the forecast office. A couple of CERT members, including a current CERT student, also attended the Skywarn class that was offered during the open house.

Thank you to the NWS for providing the wind and cold front, and a special thanks for Margaret Fowke (NWS and Red Cross Volunteer) who provided a behind the scenes tour of the facility.

Red Cross makes a difference in disasters and every day!

As we continue with National Preparedness Month 2008, who thought it would be National Call To Action Month.

Recently the local Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) website featured a Regional Disaster Coordination Center (RDCC) video showing some of the services that were offered during recent storms through the American Red Cross of the National Capital Area.

Take a few minutes to view the Regional Disaster Coordination Center (RDCC) video.

If you are interested in disaster response, training, public awareness, making a difference in people's lives and want to get your hands dirty, then you should take a few minutes and consider volunteering through your local Red Cross Chapter.

From a local fire with residents displaced to a major disaster, the Red Cross is there!

Many chapters offer DAT (Disaster Action Team) Camp training, which covers:

• Fulfilling Our Mission
• EIS Orientation
• Mass Care
• Client Casework
• Shelter Operations
• Shelter Simulation

Consider getting trained, volunteering and responding through an organization where it all started.

American Red Cross

Unlike other organizations that might take months or years before your training is put to use, gain skills through the Red Cross that you can put to use right away!

911 What's Your Emergency? Our People!

Like many mornings, we started our day with some time in the Central 911 Call Center.


Yesterday, in the afternoon, there was the opportunity to get to know the EMS, Search and Rescue, and Fire folks in their HOT quarters.

The fire chief explained when he hires new people, he looks for people with "heart". People who have a passion for doing this type of work. "Heart" is so apparent with everyone we have come
across here, volunteer or professional employee. And both work very well together.

As was mentioned in summary at one of my training sessions, a participant said, at the end of the day, it is about the people. That could not be more true!

It was great to spend time with the Central 911 team and get to know them.

The next time you are with your volunteers, please think about this... do you know ANYTHING about their families or their interests??? Or is that not important for YOU to get your job done? It is important for you to be honest with yourself.

And never forget to

Remember the PEOPLE!

ICS and CERT Training On The Other Side Of The World - Still The Same Message

Pictured above is Col. Mario Verner Monsanto, Chief Operations Officer, Central Communications and Emergency Response Center (Central 911) and Executive Officer of the city Disaster Coordinating Council. He presented an orientation on disaster management and introduced my sessions.

We had the opportunity to present the following classroom based courses:

• IS-100 Introduction to the Incident Command System
• IS-200 ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents
• IS-700 National Incident Management System (NIMS), An Introduction
• Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Training

As many of the participants are already experienced responders, there was limited focus on the hands on portion of the class.

We joked that I was transported to the training via a motorcade, as pictured below.

In attendance were representatives from Central 911 leadership, City Disaster Coordinating Council, Philippines National Red Cross, United Nations, barangay, multiple rescue groups, church based organizations, and other representatives.

Part of the discussions were about working together.

A challenge was presented to all the barangay to spend 1 hour with another barangay response team in an informal setting. Doing something like basketball or anything. This would provide the opportunity for neighbors to get to know neighbors as their barangay are right next to each other. A very simple challenge with a year for them to complete. Everyone agreed that even getting people together for this type of training and really getting to know each other goes a long way.

A Beginning, Not an End

Yesterday was the culmination and award ceremonies for National Consciousness Month. It was a true honor to be part of the festivities.

During this past month, we had the opportunity to participate and evaluate the following tabletops, exercises, and drills. In addition, taught several classes and train-the-trainer sessions.

• Central 911/Davao City Disaster Coordinating Council (DCDCC) Corporate Service Corps (CSC) Kickoff Meeting
• DCDCC/City Fire and Bomb Drill Tabletop Exercise - Final Planning Meeting
• RDCC Samal Island Water Rescue Exercise Tabletop Exercise - Final Planning Meeting
• DCDCC/City Fire IOC Fire Drill - Evaluator
• DCDCC/City Fire DTI Bomb Drill - Evaluator
• High School Earthquake Exercise, Evaluator
• Inter-Barangay First Aid Competition
• G402 Executive ICS and International Best Practices Training Session - DCDCC Executive Committee - Instructor
• Barangay Leaders Incident Command System (ICS) Train-the-trainer and International Best Practices Training Session - Instructor

These are just some of the many events that took place as part of National Consciousness Month.

Congratulations to all those that received awards.

Liability Insurance - Does Anyone Have The Same Answer?

While in Toronto and others places that I speak, the question often comes up from volunteers, "what about liability insurance?"

Could I lose my house if I am just using my training and trying to do the right thing?

For example, if you see an accident happen and pull over on the side of the road and use the skills that you learned from a training class, would you be covered by the agency that trained you?

A volunteer may hear they are covered under the "Good Samaritan Law". And more often than not, in this example, that is probably how you are covered.

* Note - It is important to note there are often specific regulations as it relates to traffic management.

You will see there is much discussion in the industry about this. For example, check out the description and comment on Wikipedia -> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Samaritan_Law

Some additional questions to consider:

- What if a person is asked to volunteer in a booth at a fair providing awareness to the public, are they covered?

- If a person is trained to act in a disaster, but there is no formal deployment plan and they help their neighbor are they covered?

- What if you are trained by one agency but deployed by another or volunteer for multiple agencies?

- Are you covered when you are at a training exercise?

- What about when you drive to the meeting or activity, are you covered?

- etc.

Some jurisdictions require activation or a state of emergency to be declared at the state level for certain coverage and deployment to occur.

Have you ever asked these questions and found the person you volunteer for needed to research it? Have you ever asked multiple people and got different answers? If so, which answer really applies?

Bottom line, if you have any concerns about this, you might want to ask for the official document that specifically highlights the coverage. And if you find that for your type of volunteering that it is not covered, might you want to ask why? After all, are you not an extension of that agency?

And no matter what you hear, you might also consider a personal liability umbrella insurance policy. The following website provides some addition information -> http://personalinsure.about.com/cs/umbrella/a/aa110503a.htm

Again, keep in mind, this is just something to think about and not legal advice.

Red Cross and Citizen Corps Council Team Up To Offer Free Mass Care and Shelter Operations Training

The American Red Cross of the National Capital Area and the Fairfax County Citizen Corps Council would like you to attend Mass Care Overview and Shelter Operations training that will be held:

Date: Saturday, April 5, 2008
Time: 9:00am - 5:00pm (8:30am Registration/Sign-in)
Location: American Red Cross of the National Capital Area
2nd Floor Boardroom
8550 Arlington Blvd., Fairfax, VA 22031

It’s FREE training.

Please email, Meirina Hutabarat, HutabaratM@redcrossnca.org or call 240.485.3022 if you are interested in attending this course. We need your name, your address and day-time phone number.

Mass Care Overview

Purpose

The purpose of this basic level Disaster Services training is to provide an overview of the activities performed by the Mass Care group in support of a disaster relief operation.

Learning Objectives

After completing this course, participants will be able to—
• Describe the role of Mass Care workers on Red Cross disaster relief operations and services they provide.
• Explain how Mass Care workers deliver quality service to clients.
• Match their interests, abilities, and skills with those needed in each Mass Care group activity.
• Develop a plan of action for involvement in Mass Care activities at the local Red Cross chapter.

Shelter Operations

Purpose

The purpose of this basic level Disaster Services course is to prepare employees and volunteers of the Red Cross and other agencies to manage shelter operations effectively and sensitively as a team while meeting the needs of people displaced as a result of a disaster.

Learning Objectives

After completing this course, participants will be able to–
• Describe the procedures for opening, operating and closing shelters.
• Explain ways to demonstrate quality service.
• Organize available human resources as a shelter operations team.
• Identify resources available to assist shelter workers.
• Organize the physical facility and material resources to meet the needs of the people in the shelter.

South County (Fairfax) Gets CERT Class

Fairfax County CERT has entered into a new training partnership with the City of Alexandria, Virginia to train CERT students located in the south section of Fairfax County. This new training partnership will commence with the upcoming spring 2008 Fairfax County CERT training schedule.

Fairfax County CERT will be teaching three new classes starting March 17th, 2008. Two of the classes will be held at the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Academy. The other will be held at the city of Alexandria Fire Academy with portions of this class being held at the at the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Academy. This class will be taught by a mix of instructors from Fairfax County fire and rescue and Alexandria city fire department.

The new training partnership will introduce interoperability between Fairfax county CERT and Alexandria city CERT where none has existed previously. The new agreement ensures the best possible training for CERT members in the south Fairfax county area. This also ensures the most efficient use of Citizen Corps program funding.

Additional information on Fairfax County CERT can be found at: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/oem/citizencorps/cert.htm

To signup for one of the upcoming courses, http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/contact/mailform.asp?ref=8004