Disaster Preparedness & Response

COMMUNITY MEMBERS - During Tropical Storm Isabel and her aftermath, many individuals and organizations responded nobly in an effort to help out their fellow citizens. Hurricane Season is once more upon us. If you or your organization is interested in volunteering for disaster preparation and response initiatives, please contact the VCAAC at 410-897-9207 or send an e-mail to info@volunteerannearundel.org. You can also register directly with the VCAAC at www.volunteerannearundel.org/formEmergency.html.

The VCAAC will be scheduling Disaster Preparedness and Response orientations - if you are interested in learning more about ways to get involved before disaster strikes, we can notify you when the next orientation is scheduled. The VCAAC can refer you to organizations that train volunteers to meet the needs of the community in a disaster or emergency situation.

If you already have a skill that you'd like to share with our community in a disaster or emergency, contact us to learn about organizations with which you can affiliate prior to an event. Pre-affiliation allows organizations to make the best use of your skills.

Following a disaster, please be patient if you wish to volunteer. Allow the VCAAC to take a little time to identify local community needs in order to refer volunteers more effectively. This enables volunteers to complement rather than complicate the efforts of first responders, a goal that we all share.

Learn more about Regional Disaster Preparedness in neighboring Baltimore area counties on the Ready, Set, Good  page of the Baltimore Metropolitan Council web site. Useful information is available about taking care of your own families as well as about how to volunteer to help others in the area.

AGENCIES - Plan ahead! Contact us at 410-897-9207 or info@volunteerannearundel.org if you are looking for ways to use volunteers before and after a disaster. Registering your volunteer needs early allows us to refer community members directly to your agency before disaster strikes. You can train volunteers as needed to help you prepare and recover.

No immediate need? Register your agency NOW to save valuable time later! Also, consider attending a future Disaster Volunteer Mobilization Center training to familiarize yourself with center operating procedures following a disaster - doing so could make a real difference in your agency's ability to respond quickly and efficiently. Contact Fay Mauro at fay@volunteerannearundel.org to learn about upcoming training opportunities.

Disaster Planning Guideline Available

The Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York is pleased to provide "Disaster Planning, Emergency Preparedness & Business Continuity." This document is a guideline that offers the points an organization needs to think about in order to prepare its own disaster recovery plan so that, should an interruption occur, it is able to resume operations. This document is available in Word format to use as you wish: cut and paste those sections that are applicable, expand where needed, take a copy home, store it on your intranet, give copies to key personnel, the board chair, or another appropriate board member.

Anne Arundel & Annapolis Local Emergency Response Team AALERT (CERT)

AALERT is recruiting groups of volunteers from communities, businesses, and faith-based organizations to train to assist in their own neighborhoods in the event of an emergency. These volunteers will be equipped by the Office of Emergency Management and trained in preparedness, safety for rescuers, triage, disaster psychology, light search & rescue techniques, CPR, and medical aid. Contact Cathy Welker via e-mail ( FDWELK00@aacounty.org); via phone at 410-222-8040; or by writing to her, care of the Office of Emergency Management, Anne Arundel County Fire Department, POB 276, Millersville, MD 21108.

The VCAAC is planning to deploy a Volunteer Mobilization Center (VMC) to coordinate spontaneous and unaffiliated volunteers in the event of an emergency.

VMC Volunteers will set-up and staff the VMC itself. If you are interested in serving in a VMC in Anne Arundel County to provide coordination and referral of volunteers in response to a disaster or emergency, training sessions are now scheduled. Click here for more information including how to register for an upcoming training.

In a recent national survey conducted by the Ad Council, 91 percent of Americans agreed that taking some simple steps to prepare could help protect themselves and their families in the event of an emergency. However, only 54 percent had taken at least one of the three steps recommended by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Ready Campaign, including getting an emergency supply kit, making a family emergency plan, and being informed about the different types of emergencies that could occur and their appropriate responses. Click on the graphic below to obtain all kinds of useful information to prepare yourself, your family, or your company for an emergency.

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Click here for hurricane preparedness and safety tips.