Second Summer this week but all three winters are coming.

It’s time to talk about providing shelter for those without adequate, safe heat during severe winter weather.

Pre-season planning for Warming Center Operations Thomas Lopez, Center Township Trustee EMA/COAD meeting October 2, 7:00 PM EOC 640 South Franklin, Greenfield

Come join us and hear how you can volunteer to keep Hancock County residents safe this winter.

 

Have you struggled to find what you need when you start a project?

During disaster response and recovery the chaos and confusion of receiving and distributing “stuff” often overshadows the more urgent task of putting people’s lives back together. [See picture below of a recent instance] A good plan put together during the calmer pre-disaster time can greatly reduce that chaos and make the recovery effort more effective.

That is exactly what we are going to talk about at the next meeting of the Emergency Management and COAD volunteers. If you want to know more about either organization join us on September 4th (Thursday) at 7:00 PM at the EOC (640 South Franklin, Greenfield).

When an emergency strikes Hancock County, medical professionals and the Hancock County Health Department will need lay volunteers to support the response effort. The tasks to be performed might range from registration to walking traffic control. In Hancock County, the Health Department is looking to the volunteers with Hancock County COAD to provide the support that was formerly provided by a Medical Reserve Corps.

Indiana Department of Health has recently provided funds to the Hancock County Health Department to assist in the recruitment, training and administration of lay volunteers, including unaffiliated volunteers who respond from other parts of the state and county. Since Hancock County Health Department partners with Hancock County COAD (Community Organizations Active in Disaster) they have extended funding to the COAD to foster that recruitment, training and administration.

Hancock County COAD recently ran an exercise to test their Volunteer Reception Center response at Brandywine Community Church. If you are interested in learning more about how you can be prepared to assist your neighbors during an emergency please contact  Kate Dennis at (317)  477-1125 or Jim Peters at https://hancockcoad.org/contact-us.

Photo caption: Kate Dennis, Hancock County Health Department Public Health Emergency Preparedness Coordinator presents check to Bob Benefiel (l) and Russell Shirley (r), Hancock County COAD Board members.