FEMA Promising Practices: Closing Gaps in Local Emergency Plans and Grassroots Emergency Planning

FEMA Promising Practices: Closing Gaps in Local Emergency Plans and Grassroots Emergency Planning

14th May, 2015

This presentation will share two practices that brought people together to bring about increased knowledge and action on emergency preparedness. First, we will hear about the lessons learned from the Massachusetts Active Planning project, which brought together local disability community members with their localities, to work collaboratively, share resources and expertise about emergency preparedness and response for and with people with disabilities, ultimately enhancing resilience for the whole community. Our speakers will focus on a replicable collaborative, inclusive Community Stakeholder Meeting (CSM) gap analysis process to address issues of community-wide concern, such as needs assessment, resident participation in local emergency planning, risk communication, public preparedness education and creative use of community resources to address emergency needs, for example in emergency shelters. Our second set of speakers will describe an effort to get people with disabilities and other access and functional needs to prepare for emergencies, for that group to communicate needs to emergency responders, and to encourage businesses and local civic leaders to plan cooperatively for needs through periodic community meetings.

Learning Objectives

  • Understand how to identify key stakeholders in the community and learn strategies for collaboration.
  • Learn how to perform a gap analysis of your local emergency plan using the Active Planning Workbook and identify priorities and strategies for plan improvement.
  • Learn strategies and practical steps for improving the general state of emergency preparedness in a community.

Presenter:

  • Sue Wolf-Fordham, J.D., received a B.A. from Smith College and a J.D. from Boston University School of Law. Post-graduate fellowships include work at the Harvard University Ukrainian Research Institute, and a federally funded Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities (LEND) fellowship at the E.K. Shriver Center, UMass Medical School. A Project Director at the Shriver Center since 2008, she directs the Emergency Preparedness and Response Initiative, including Active Planning for Mass Care Sheltering and Evacuation of People with Disabilities, acting as lead developer, subject matter expert and trainer. She currently manages a project to develop an online scenario-based simulation course to teach Emergency Medical Service (EMS) personnel equitable and efficient response for and with individuals with disabilities. A parent emergency planning toolkit she developed is currently in translation for implementation throughout Japan.
  • Nancy Shea, J.D., MPA, received a B.A. from the University of California and a J.D. and MPA from Suffolk University Law School and its Sawyer School of Business. She participated in a federally funded Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities (LEND) fellowship at the E.K. Shriver Center, UMass Medical School. Since 2011 she has been a project coordinator, researcher, curriculum developer and trainer for the Emergency Preparedness and Response Initiative. She was the Project Coordinator for Active Planning for Mass Care Sheltering and Evacuation of People with Disabilities serving as a subject matter expert, trainer and facilitator. She also teaches a course in Disability and the Law at the UMass Lowell.
  • Ted Stamp has worked as an Independent Living Advocate for the Southwestern Center for Independent Living since 2006. His advocacy on behalf of people with disabilities primarily includes: communicating with state and federal legislators about a number of disability policy issues; addressing local accessibility concerns like building entrances and sidewalks; writing articles for the agency newsletter; participating on local and regional transportation committees; and reaching out to local and regional emergency preparedness staff and making presentations related thereto. For his work this year on emergency preparedness outreach in his community, in September he and Tammy VanOverbeke were awarded the 2014 Preparedness Award by the Association of Minnesota Emergency Managers (AMEM).
  • Tammy VanOverbekeis a lifelong resident of Lyon County and a certified emergency manager through the MN Dept. of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. She worked as an emergency medical technician for Marshall Ambulance and North Medical Transportation for 18 years and has been the Emergency Management director for Lyon County since February 1991. She has responded to and planned for many disasters, including tornados, floods, train derailments, a bus crash, large fires, blizzards, ice storms, hazardous material releases, search and rescues, etc. She has worked in many jurisdictions outside of Lyon County on disaster response, and responded to Hurricane Andrew in 1992. She was recognized for her work by President Clinton in response to the flooding in 1993. She is active with SWEPT (SW Emergency Preparedness Team) and is passionate about giving back to the community and helping people get through their hardest times. For her work this year on emergency preparedness outreach in her community, in September she and Ted Stamp were awarded the 2014 Preparedness Award by the Association of Minnesota Emergency Managers (AMEM).

Handouts for Sue Wolf-Fordham and Nancy Shea:

Handouts forTed Stamp and Tammy VanOverbeke:


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