Be Prepared

That is far more than the Boy Scout motto.Those are our marching orders as a COAD. In fact that is our sole purpose until a disaster strikes Hancock County.  Training and exercises are where we learn, by testing, how good the plans are that we have made..

We are going to hold a series of workshops to take a brief walk through of various circumstances and how our plans say that we would respond.  All of these will be at the EOC at 640 South Franklin Rd, Greenfield. All will start at 3:30 PM. The plan is to finish in 45 minutes, no longer than an hour.  We will focus on one area with each workshop but how the pieces fit together with other COAD functions and the greater EMA function will necessarily be a part of what we look at.

Here are the dates and subjects (first is firm, others are tentative):
March 5 – Shelter with Transportation and Pet Care
March 24 – Command & Control with Communications (Setting up our Command Center and staffing EOC)
April 16 – Food & Hydration with Warehousing
May 5 – Volunteer Reception Center with Long Term Recovery Group

We know we have barely begun thinking about some of these areas and there are minor and major tweaks required in others. The purpose of the workshops is to clarify and prioritize our work areas.

Respond to email or call me at 317-372-2304 with questions or RSVP.

Hancock County COAD Team
www.HancockCOAD.org

We know hundreds of volunteers will show up when a disaster strikes Hancock County. That is one of the great things about where we live – people help one another.

How quickly and efficiently those neighbors will be made available on task will depend upon training done in advance of the disaster.  Knowing what to expect in a disaster setting and having the proper tools is key to keeping the volunteers safe and appropriately serving the victims.

We have several sessions scheduled. All will be held at Calvary Baptist Church, 1450 West Main, Greenfield, IN
Cost is $20 for the manual, lunch and snacks. Scholarships are available if that would keep you from coming. You can register by responding to this email or completing the Contact Us form on the web site.

March 21 – Preparing Your Congregation for Disaster – $20

March 28 – Shelter Volunteer Training – $20

April 18 – Introduction to Disaster Services (Basic Training) – $20

Resources Available to Help Your Organization Survive

Yesterday, Retta Livengood gave a very informative presentation on the steps to make your small business, church or non profit resilient to disaster. Some of the material presented can be accessed here:
www.DisasterSafety.org/open-for-business

There are additional resources available for both your family and your organization at: www.ready.gov or by contacting Hancock County COAD through our web site linked below.

Statistically, 40 percent of businesses do not reopen after a disaster, with another 25 percent failing within one year post-disaster and another 15% within two years. Development of a business continuity plan will significantly improve your chances of survival. It is the conversations to develop the plan that are more important than the plan itself. Don’t just fill in the blanks on a template but rather gather your staff and discuss the process openly. Don’t be an information hoarder. Who will carry out the plan if you are incapacitated?

If you are part of the leadership of an organization that would like a short presentation/demonstration about preparedness, let us know.

www.greenfieldcc.org
www.HancockCOAD.org

Your Hancock County COAD Team
COAD = Community Organizations Active in Disaster