Planning for the Whole Community Building Effective Community Partnerships in Rural Communities Iowa Partners in Preparedness Conference Des Moines, Iowa June 22-23,2011

 FEMA is only one part of the Nation’s emergency management team—the Whole of Community makes up the whole team.  That team includes our federal partners, state, local and tribal leaders, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, faith based and community organizations, and most importantly the general public. It will take every member of the team working together for us to be successful.

 Time and again, history has shown that we can’t plan for easy, we must plan for the real – for the actual communities we live in.  Effective planning for disasters planning for everyone in a community, including people of all ages and those with various access and functional needs. This shift in mindset can’t just happen at FEMA – it needs to happen at every level, with every member of the team.

 Whole of Community is a more inclusive approach to emergency management that embraces all facets of society.  Being prepared as a nation means moving beyond a federal or “government- centric” approach to emergency management. As a team, we need to implement solutions that serve the entire community while also leveraging the resources that the entire community brings to the table.

 Recognize that community organizations and groups are another key member of our team.  Every day, in each of our communities, there are organizations, groups, and individuals that are providing services that are needed during a disasters. As emergency managers, we need to start engaging those groups as part of our emergency management team and leverage their resources and services to better serve the needs of the whole community when a disaster strikes.

 Disaster survivors are a resource, not a liability.  Every member of a community is affected when disaster strikes, and every member of the community can help with the response and recovery. Simple steps like having a family preparedness kit and communications plan can help alleviate the strain on local first responders. Organizations and networks that exist in our communities every day can be tapped to help meet the needs of their neighbors during a disaster. And no one has the market cornered on good ideas – we need new perspectives at the table as we work through the difficulties of planning for, preparing for, and responding to disasters.

Defining Success – Whole Community at Work  Help for the Individual  Identifying solutions when Federal Assistance end or cannot assist  Ensuring the whole community is part of response & recovery  Organizing an effective Mission  Formation of LTRCs and strengthening VOADs and COADs, in support of our State and Local partners  Collaborating for progress 7

Collaboration The Secret to Success

“Collaboration is difficult and costly. There is no immediate or obvious reward for collaboration when not in crisis. There are glaring penalties for lack of collaboration during crisis.” - National Philanthropy Summit - Planning Disaster: The Role of Philanthropy in Anticipating and Responding, October 12-14, 2009.

Questions??? FEMA Region VII Jono Anzalone Regional Voluntary Agency

Supplemental Reading and Reference Material

Goals of Collaboration Groups  Enhance Communication, Cooperation, Coordination and Collaboration  Enhance community’s ability to prepare, respond, recover and mitigate  Alleviate the suffering caused by disasters  Coordinate human services in disaster  Develop plans, train, and exercise for disaster operations  COADs are recommended for communities

COAD Guiding Principles  All disasters are local events. Success is achieved when the community takes responsibility for all phases of emergency management.  The best time to develop networks (i.e. COADs, VOADs, Citizen Corps Councils and LEPC), and create relationships is prior to an event, but collaborative efforts should take place in all phases of emergency management.  State VOADs, coordination groups, state and federal organizations should serve as collaborative role models and provide guidance and support to emerging community collaborative efforts.  Strong partnership efforts are essential to maximize strengths and avoid suppression or omission of any organization or group.  Community leadership, public and private, should be utilized in planning, directing and implementing the disaster recovery.

COAD Guiding Principles  Citizens should be viewed as valuable volunteer resources to accomplish important tasks necessary for the community’s recovery.  Essential functions that may be required for community recovery include volunteer coordination, case management, donations management, education, advocacy, spiritual care, mass care, mental health, information and referral, funding, and organizing the structure of the recovery group.  Adjoining jurisdictions should establish relationships to assist one another in the sharing of expertise and resources to support all phases of emergency management in the region.  Recovery efforts should be flexible enough to accommodate the needs of diverse cultures, lifestyles, and special needs.  Recovery is a dynamic process that continually evolves

Types and Levels Of Coordination Groups  NVOAD National Voluntary Organizations Active In Disaster  VOAD State Voluntary Organizations Active In Disaster  COAD Community Organizations Active In Disaster  Citizen Council  LTRC Long Term Recovery Committee

Role of NVOAD Partners  Currently NVOAD has 50+ members from the voluntary and faith community  Every state and several territories have a State VOADs  VOAD covers State level organization  Most members of the VOAD are involved in all phases of emergency management with an emphasis on response and recovery initiatives

NVOAD  Provides the venue for agencies to coordinate, collaborate, communicate and cooperate on disaster planning, training and response  Occurs at NVOAD, VOAD and COAD levels  Recognizes that the agencies, rather than the VOAD, provides direct disaster services  Supports and promotes the establishment of a long-term recovery process

After Hurricane Camille: National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) is formed to discuss concerns about: +service delivery gaps +service delivery duplications +conflicts between agencies

NVOAD begins meeting on a regular basis to share: +news about member agency activities +common concerns and service delivery frustrations +minimize duplication of services +identify gaps in services +manage disasters more effectively and efficiently

National VOAD: National members currently include: + American Baptist Men USA (ABM) + Adventist Community Services (ACS) + American Radio Relay League (ARRL) + American Red Cross + Ananda Marga Universal Relief Team + Catholic Charities USA + Christian Disaster Response + Christian Reformed World Relief Committee + Church of the Brethren + Church World Service (CWS) + Episcopal Relief and Development + Feeding America + Friends Disaster Service + Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) + International Relief Friendship Foundation + International Aid + Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) TODAYTODAYTODAYTODAY 20

National VOAD: National members currently include: + Mennonite Disaster Services (MDS) + National Emergency Response Team (NERT) + National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA) + Nazarene Disaster Response + Northwest Medical Teams International + The Phoenix Society For Burn Survivors + The Points of Light Foundation + Presbyterian Disaster Assistance + REACT International + The Salvation Army + Society of St. Vincent DePaul + Southern Baptist Disaster Relief + United Jewish Federations of North America + United Methodist Committee On Relief (UMCOR) + United States Service Command + World Vision TODAYTODAYTODAYTODAY 21

National VOAD begins organizing STATE VOAD Groups

Local VOAD’s begin organizing – sometimes spontaneously

National VOAD: State / 4 Territorial VOADs 1 State Currently Without a VOAD +County & City COAD’s (Community or County Organizations Active in Disaster) being formed in U.S. +Other nations (e.g. Japan) forming VOAD movements +Annual VOAD Conferences TODAYTODAYTODAYTODAY 24

VOAD Movement: +National / State / Local VOAD’s committed to the 4 C’s: = Cooperation = Collaboration = Coordination = Communication +Working hard to: = form interagency partnerships = formulate interagency response and recovery strategies before disasters strike! TODAYTODAYTODAYTODAY 25

National, State and Local VOAD’s Do … Provide a forum for member agencies to practice Cooperation Coordination Collaboration Communication 26

VOAD’s Accomplished Through … Meetings Education and Training Coordination With Responders Publications - Websites EOC Representation 27

Q: WHAT SERVICE(S) DOES VOAD PROVIDE TO HURTING PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES? A: NONE!! 28

VOAD Does Not … Provide direct service(s) to clients or communities. This means that there are … No VOAD Warehouses No VOAD Volunteer Centers No VOAD Response Teams No VOAD Donation Sites No Oversight of Members 29

What Agencies Should Come to the Table?  Community Organizations  Faith-based Groups  Voluntary Organizations  Civic Clubs  Social Service Agencies  Local Businesses  Emergency Management  Centers for Independent Living  Area Offices on Aging

LTRC Functions  To identify available resources, identify gaps in resources, identify sources for closing gaps  To assess unmet needs through development of a case management system

Long Term Recovery Committee Structure  LTRC should be made up of agencies with resources to address disaster related needs  Resources include: money, goods, volunteers, administrative services  LTRC ideally will meet at the same time and day each week  Meetings will be very frequent early in the process and will predictably taper off as the long-term recovery process goes on

Keys to Successful Operations  Early and Ongoing Communication Communication within 24 hours of the event Physical meeting within two days, if necessary  Community Involvement  Creative Initiatives  Inclusive and In Partnership Voluntary Organizations Faith-based Organizations Government Resources Community Organizations Local Health Providers and Social Service Agencies

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“Disasters are always inclusive. Response and recovery are not, unless we plan for it.” June Isaacson Kailes

“My experience tells me if we wait and plan for people with disabilities after we write the basic plan, we fail.” Craig Fugate, FEMA Administrator

“We don’t plan for easy in FEMA … we plan for real.” Administrator Fugate March 2010

Prior to an Emergency or Disaster  Include in State and Local plans a process for locating, purchasing, and storing as much of the supplies and equipment (DME and CMS) as possible and practical to meet the needs of children and adults with and without disabilities who have access and functional needs  Emphasis is not on stockpiling supplies pre-disaster  Develop agreements with area organizations to procure and maintain equipment (e.g., generators, oxygen concentrators, etc.)

Prior to (cont’)  Develop provider agreements with the private sector to ensure that necessary equipment and supplies, that have not been purchased and/or stored, will be available during an emergency or disaster

Case Study – Is All This Really Possible?  A rural Midwest community with a population of 10,000 people is planning for potential flood evacuation.  Based on this example, what percentage of the population might be anticipated to seek shelter?  What percentage might have an access or functional need?  Of these individuals, how many may present with a disability? Are the numbers overwhelming for this rural community? 41

KEY POINTS  While planning and resource identification take time, FNSS Guidance does not require large outlay of capital:  FNSS is not another unfunded mandate  Plan…Plan…Plan  Ask, “who is missing from the planning table?”  Homeland Security Grant Program  As new dollars are made available, purchase access and functional needs equipment (ex. universal cots)  Mass Care Planners to help with access and functional needs integration  Exercise to include partner organizations

Multi-Sector Partnerships  Let’s take a moment to frame our discussion about developing successful partnerships that engage volunteers. Often, these partnerships cross sectors and engage us in relationships with partners from all three sectors (business, nonprofit, and government).  One thing we’ve learned is that all three sectors need to develop a mutual understanding of one another and their respective agenda, cultures, and operating practices in order to develop effective partnerships.

Foster and manage the partnership’s working relationships as thoroughly as the partnership’s work.  Does the partnership have a charter, such as a Memorandum of Understanding or a letter of agreement that states the purpose of the partnership and identifies roles and responsibilities for the partnering organization, including volunteers?  Do the participating organizations view the partnership as a mutually beneficial relationship in which each partner brings value and receives value?  Are you fostering positive relationships in the partnership? Are you being flexible, communicating, and accountable?

The Role of Public Health  Recent release of Public Health Preparedness Capabilities: National Standards for State and Local Planning March2011  Section on Mass Care and Volunteer Management df

Whole Community - Partnerships  National Council on Independent Living  July 2010 MOA  National Disability Rights Network  March 2011 MOA

“It is time children, people with disabilities or any other segment of our communities who have traditionally been underserved, to be more fully and consistently integrated into preparedness and planning efforts at every level of government." Craig Fugate, FEMA Administrator

Remember: PLAN  Pull together stakeholders, providers, agencies and organizations to identify, assess and determine what FNSS the community requires.  Locate, purchase or contract for all necessary FNSS supplies, equipment and staff.  Act quickly to implement FNSS when an emergency or disaster occurs.

Questions??? FEMA Region VII Jono Anzalone Regional Voluntary Agency