Community Neighborhood Emergency Preparedness Program

Florida Community/Neighborhood Emergency Preparedness Program (NEPP) Overview for New NEPP Communities

Objectives: Mission and purpose of NEPP Benefits How to participate Process

NEPP Vision Florida communities and neighborhoods will be prepared, self-sufficient, and resilient to all hazards.

NEPP Mission To support communities and neighborhoods in becoming self-sufficient and self-supporting in times of disaster or local emergencies

What is NEPP? A program to organize and educate communities/neighborhoods to increase their level of preparedness to handle all types of emergencies. A program designed to engage and mobilize community/neighborhood teams.

What is NEPP? Prepares community/neighborhood teams to collaborate before, during, and after a biological, natural, or man-made emergency through: Planning Communicating Information sharing Coordinating activities Utilizes personal and community empowerment strategies to mitigate the massive surge on medical resources anticipated in a disaster situation.

Why have a NEPP? On any day, a serious disaster could strike: A hurricane on one of Florida’s many costal communities A terrorist attack A hazardous material transportation accident An air transportation accident It makes sense to invest NOW in preparing for the day a disaster strikes home.

Why have a NEPP? Strengthen “sense of community” and responsibility. Keep thousands of automobiles and residents off the roads during a disaster. Reduce the number of “worried well” going to hospitals and health care facilities during a disaster by encouraging sheltering in place.

Current Community NEPP Status Sustaining 21 communities in 9 counties (Regions 1, 2, and 3) Community Emergency Preparedness Plans have been developed to prepare 20,655 Florida residents Participants represent: Apartment Complexes, Churches, Cities, Community Centers, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Communities, Homeless Shelters, Neighborhoods, Retirement Centers, etc.

NEPP Site Map

Goal Expand program to all 7 Florida regions Start up 12 new communities in 6 new counties (Regions 4, 5, 6, and 7) Sustain 21 existing communities for a total of 33 communities

Benefits to CHDs All emergencies are local – community focus Promotes sheltering in place –mitigates the massive surge on medical resources –Keep thousands of automobiles and residents off the roads during a disaster All hazards approach Proactive CHDs are seen as being an asset public health

How to Participate; Process: Support and assist communities achieve a higher level of preparedness planning by: Assess community needsAssess community needs Train community leadsTrain community leads Plan for all hazardsPlan for all hazards Train all community membersTrain all community members Review the Community/Neighborhood Emergency Preparedness Plan and revise annuallyReview the Community/Neighborhood Emergency Preparedness Plan and revise annually

Deliverables:Deliverables: A completed Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with each community is submitted to Florida Department of Health, Office of Public Health Nursing (OPHN), by December 15, 2009 Each Community will have completed and submitted their Emergency Preparedness Plan to OPHN for review, by June 15, 2010 All funding for supplies will be spent, by June 15, 2010

Deliverables: 1.Attendance on monthly scheduled NEPP conference calls during the entire funding period by the County Health Department NEPP Coordinator and/or designated representative. A toll free number will be provided for participation. 2.By November 30, 2009, develop a deployment strategy that lists the methodology to be used in program implementation: agendas for residential meetings, minutes taken at such meetings, and status reports communicated to residents 3.By December 15, 2009, the completed MOA is submitted to FDOH, OPHN.

Deliverables: 4. By January 15, 2010, maps of participating communities/neighborhoods will be provided to NEPP Program Manager. 5. By January 30, 2010, roles and responsibilities of teams, as well as specific residents, will be identified in new communities.

Deliverables: 7. By February 30, 2010, community/neighborhoods will have identified the community members, along with the mode of transportation they will use to access the Point of Distribution (POD) location to bring back supplies to the residents. 8. By February 30, 2010, the strategy for distribution of supplies will be developed for all communities. 9. By March 30, 2010, complete initial education in new communities.

Deliverables: 10. By April 30, 2010, establish a team with community members and residents that are available to assist to “step-up” and facilitate preparedness and response activities in the neighborhood/community. 11. By June 15, 2010, Community/Neighborhood Emergency Preparedness Plans NEPPs will be completed and submitted to OPHN for review.

Deliverables: 12. By June 15, 2010, all funding for supplies will be spent. 13. By August 1, 2010, NEPP plans will have been reviewed by Regional Special Needs Consultants (RSpNCs) and NEPP Program Coordinators. 14. By August 6, 2010, feedback on each of the NEPP plans will be provided to CHD POCs, RSpNCs, and participating communities.

Our Commitment to You: Resources –Community/Neighborhood Emergency Preparedness Program Toolkit –Start up Kit Feedback on each of the community plans by August 6, 2010

Toolkit Contents

Start Up Kit Contents

ResourcesResources  Other preparedness educational materials include: –Pan Flu –Vulnerable populations and special needs –Family preparedness and evacuation plans –Home Care train-the-trainer/presenter program

Review community/neighborhood specific information such as proximity and availability of: Local fire stations Emergency Medical Services Hospitals Public transportation Other community resources Determine resource shortfalls and identify planning and training needs. Assess Community Needs

Train Key Community Members DOH/CHD liaisons are available to provide initial trainings and resources: Home Care train-the-trainer/presenter program  Other preparedness educational materials:  Pan Flu  Vulnerable populations and special needs  Family preparedness and evacuation plans

Plan for Events Identify individuals and mode of transportation to access the Point of Distribution (POD) to bring back supplies for residents. Educate residents with an all-hazards focus. Know who can help and who has other commitments. Define needed core educational/training requirements.

Plan for Events Use meeting resources: Prepare and distribute meeting agendas. Compile meeting minutes including number of residents present. Share minutes and status reports with residents.

Training the Community Communicate community/neighborhood specific information. Present and review community/neighborhood emergency preparedness plan. Distribute emergency preparedness plan to all residents. Use sign-in sheet to measure number of community residents represented.

Training the Community Survey community members/residents on current level of preparedness. This will be used to measure success later in the program. Present training on topics with an “all hazards” approach as it relates to the community/neighborhood, and how to be prepared.

Review of the Community/ Neighborhood Program Community/residential teams will assess neighborhoods at the end of program year and report on progress, level of readiness, and lessons learned. Program office will determine level of self- sufficiency based on NEPP guidance and review of Emergency Preparedness Plans. Program office will provide feedback on community preparedness plans.

NEPP Contact Information Rhonda (Ronnie) Fetzko, RN, BSN, MPH State NEPP Program Manager Florida Department of Health Office of Public Health Nursing , ext 3869

Local NEPP Contact Information CHD Planner: Karen Elmore – IRSC Office – Lake Forest Bud Sommers –