In October I was invited to observe emergency response exercises held by the North Logan and Hyde Park Stakes. The purpose of the exercises was to test the process of assessing the households in the Wards, as well as the ability to communicate those findings to the Stake Communications Specialist, who in turn forwarded pertinent information to the EOC’s of the respective cities. In North Logan, the exercise also involved their CERT personnel, moving beyond the assessment and reporting phase into response and recovery operations.
With this experience fresh on my mind, tonight's training topic will summarize 4 critical steps to take after an emergency occurs. As a reference, follow this link to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Stake and Ward Emergency Planning Guide. Section 3 of that guide outlines these steps:
Account
Assess
Respond
Report
Account. The Church respects and may defer to civil authorities and their response efforts in an emergency, but Church leaders may also take independent action on behalf of Church members. Ward and stake councils have responsibility to account for all missionaries and members and to help with life-threatening circumstances. The ministering companionship network can be utilized, or in some instances Wards will create sectors within their boundaries, with assignments given to specific individuals to assess the status of the households within their sector and report their findings to the command post.
Assess. This step takes a deeper look at the needs of the households affected by the emergency, identifying the disruption that has occurred, and what can be done in the short, medium or long term. For example, if the disruption is damage to homes, a short-term need could be using a meetinghouse for shelter, a mid-term need could be performing minor repairs to homes or purchasing tents, and a long-term need could be constructing more permanent shelters.
Respond. Planning for an emergency includes how to supply basic provisions and services—such as food, medical aid, temporary shelter, sanitation, and clothing—for members and others, something the Church does well during an emergency. It may also be necessary to provide assistance to members who have suffered damage to homes or belongings, emotional trauma, injury, or loss of livelihood. When the response involves heavy equipment or supplies outside the Church’s expertise, coordinate response efforts with civil authorities, private citizens and community relief organizations.
Report. This is where Stake and Ward Communications Specialists and EOC radio operators shine, using our equipment and knowledge to keep the flow of information constant even if normal communications systems fail. Regardless of the mode of communication you must use, as you plan, consider how you will report the condition of:
Missionaries and members, as well as their locations.
Member housing
Church properties
The community (including roads, public utilities, commerce, facilities, and other infrastructure).
This information should flow from the Wards to the Stake and through priesthood lines up to the Area Presidency. Additional reporting channels are your local government officials and the Cache County EOC, depending on the nature of the resources you need to manage the emergency.
The Emergency Planning Guide includes links to disaster reporting and resource request forms the Church has developed. Cache County Emergency Managers have also developed specific forms used for reporting.
I encourage all operators to follow the link to the Stake and Ward Emergency Planning Guide found in the blog post for additional planning and response guidelines.