Volunteers in the National Capital Area Complete Red Cross ECRV Training

(Source: ecrv4703.org)

Congratulations to the 11 volunteers who
recently completed ECRV Operator Training.
They join others who have completed
the 40 hour hands-on training program.

The American Red Cross Emergency Communications Response Vehicle (ECRV) is "... among the first to arrive at a disaster area, and, without benefit of ANY local infrastructure (power, landline phones, cell phones, radio towers, etc.) deploy laptops and Internet Protocol (IP) phones, all connected to the American Red Cross network (by satellite), thus providing critical email, disaster applications access, and voice communications capabilities to those who are providing the initial disaster response.

In addition, the truck contains fourteen radios, all designed to fill specific communications gaps that are likely to occur in a large disaster. The truck also carries 10 cell phones that can be issued if cell service is available, and ten handheld radios to further facilitate communications between disaster workers." (ecrv4703.org) There are currently 12 ECRVs located across the United States.

If you are interested in learning more about the ECRVs and how you can train to deploy, in the Washington DC area,visit ecrv4703.org

For other locations and additional information visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ECRV

Hopefully this is not a sign of the times - McGruff gets punched by a bus driver.

According to the article, "McGruff the Crime Dog, the stern but beloved police mascot who teaches kids how to stop crime before it happens, became a victim himself this weekend when a Metro bus driver punched him in the face as a stunned group of children watched, authorities said."

The complete article, which goes into further detail and potential charges/history, can be found at:

http://www.dcexaminer.com/local/Metro-bus-driver-takes-bite-out-of-McGruff-the-Crime-Dog-40558982.html

Looking for that National Update?

"National Situation Updates are compiled for use in emergency management planning and operational activities. Updates include information and graphics gathered from a variety of sources including other federal agencies and departments, state and local government, and the news media."

National Situation Updates are available from FEMA at:

http://www.fema.gov/emergency/reports/index.shtm

"Updates are published daily Monday through Friday by the Information Coordination Unit, Assessment and Analysis Branch, Operations and Planning Division, Response and Recovery Directorate at FEMA Headquarters, Washington, DC."

Preparing for Disasters

The following article was distributed last week through fema@service.govdelivery.com

(6) IBM Center for The Business of Government Report – Preparing for Disasters:

IBM Center for The Business of Government. Preparing for Disasters. Washington DC: IBM, October 30, 2008, 62 pages. At: http://www.businessofgovernment.org/pdfs/OBrienReport.pdf

This new IBM document contains two essays. The first is on “Keys to Effectively Partner in Temporary Networks,” by William Ross O’Brien. The second is on “Emergency Management Networks in California,” by Richard Callahan, Dan M. Haverty, and Ross Clayton.

From the Introduction by Albert Morales and David Abel with IBM:

The first essay, “Keys to Effectively Partner in Temporary Networks,” by Ross O’Brien, examines the roles of nongovernmental organizations in large-scale emergencies. He interviewed aid workers who participated in the response to the Asian Tsunami in 2004 and leaders in nonprofit organizations involved in the response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005. He observed a series of characteristics that helps explain why some aid organizations were more effective emergency responders. Organizations that display these characteristics are more capable of creating and using temporary networks to address a specific emergency event. He offers advice on what both nonprofit and public managers might do to prepare for such networks in advance.

Separately, but similarly, Dr. Richard Callahan and his colleagues Dr. Dan Haverty and Dr. Ross Clayton examine in the second essay, “Emergency Management Networks in California,” how the State of California has developed a series of emergency response networks and specific tools for preparing and responding to emergencies, whether the emergencies are forest fires, homeland security events, or public health episodes. California has one of the most developed set of emergency response networks in the country, in part from its history with disasters dating back to the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. A number of innovations, such as the Incident Command System, were developed by California and are now used nationally.

Together, these two essays provide useful insights for both nonprofit and public managers in preparing for potential future disasters. We hope this report will help them be more prepared.