Public Health and Mass Shelters
MA Region 4A Medical Reserve Corps Executive Committee and the Town of Concord
2008 Ice Storm Friday, December 12, 2008
Power outages for up to a million residents and businesses in five Massachusetts counties (Worcester, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire and Berkshire).
Governor Deval Patrick declared a State of Emergency, which continued until Monday, December 29th.
Ice Storm Deployment
Region 4A provided: 167 volunteers 305 total shelter shifts 111 were covered by medical personnel Command and Control for
deployment of 41 non-4A
MRC Volunteers
Ice Storm Deployment Response Partners
American Red Cross Upper Merrimac Valley Medical Reserve Corps Taunton Medical Reserve Corps Greater New Bedford Medical Reserve Corps MA Region 2 MRC MA Region 4B MRC Boston MRC Brookline MRC Our Fathers House Nursing Home UMass Memorial Medical Center Hopkinton Fire and Police Department Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) Department of Mental Health (DMH) Riverside Trauma Center Public Health Departments of affected communities
Ice Storm DeploymentSummary
All shelters and all volunteers met their mission – to provide a safe space with food and medical care as needed.
This event provided Region 4A as well as other state and local emergency teams an opportunity to exercise our plans for a mass care event.
It also provided an opportunity for us to identify communications, delivery and deployment methods that would strengthen future responses.
Imp
act
Probability/Likelihood
NuclearWeapons
ImprovisedRadiological
Device Chemical
Biological
Explosive/Incendiary
NaturalDisaster
The Concord Approach
MRC organized as a unit of CERT under Concord Emergency Management Agency
Mass Sheltering/Care is Primary Focus Shelter Drill every 2 years Shelter-at-Home Community Education
Program Integrated Approach
ConcordBoard of
SelectmenTown Manager
ConcordEmergency
ManagementAgency
ConcordCERT
ConcordMedical Reserve
Corps
ShelterManagement
Team
Concord AmateurRadio Emergency
Team
Local EmergencyPlanning Committee
Town Staff
Citizens Emer.Radio Network
Unified Command
Unified Command
OperationsSection
Chief
OperationsSection
Chief
PlanningSection
Chief
PlanningSection
Chief
LogisticsSection
Chief
LogisticsSection
Chief
Safety Officer
Safety Officer
PublicInformation
Officer
PublicInformation
Officer
Finance/Admin
Section Chief
Finance/Admin
Section Chief
ShelterBranchSection
Chief
ShelterBranchSection
Chief
DebrisRemovalSection
Chief
DebrisRemovalSection
Chief
DamageAssessmentSection Chief
DamageAssessmentSection Chief
LandfillRecycling
GroupSupervisor
LandfillRecycling
GroupSupervisor
SeeAttached
Shelter ICS
SeeAttached
Shelter ICS
Evacuation/Trans.
Section Chief
Evacuation/Trans.
Section Chief
DamageAssessmentTask Forces
DamageAssessmentTask Forces
DebrisRemoval
Task Forces
DebrisRemoval
Task Forces
ResourcesUnit
Leader
ResourcesUnit
Leader
DemobUnit
Leader
DemobUnit
Leader
Doc.Unit
Leader
Doc.Unit
Leader
ServiceBranchChief
ServiceBranchChief
SituationUnit
Leader
SituationUnit
Leader
SupportBranchChief
SupportBranchChief
MedicalUnit
Leader
MedicalUnit
Leader
FoodUnit
Leader
FoodUnit
Leader
Comm.Unit
Leader
Comm.Unit
Leader
Tactical Radios
Tactical Radios
ARES/RACES
ARES/RACES
CARETCARET
Supply UnitLeader
Supply UnitLeader
Facilities UnitLeader
Facilities UnitLeader
Ground Support
Unit Leader
Ground Support
Unit Leader
Cost UnitLeader
Cost UnitLeader
ProcurementUnit
Leader
ProcurementUnit
Leader
TimeUnit
Leader
TimeUnit
Leader
Comp.Claims
UnitLeader
Comp.Claims
UnitLeader
ShelterBranchChief
ShelterBranchChief
ShelterOperations
GroupSupervisor
ShelterOperations
GroupSupervisor
ShelterSupportGroup
Supervisor
ShelterSupportGroup
Supervisor
DeputyShelterBranchChief
DeputyShelterBranchChief
ShelterMedical
Task ForceLeader
ShelterMedical
Task ForceLeader
Mental HealthSingle Resource
Boss
Mental HealthSingle Resource
Boss
ClinicalSingle Resource
Boss
ClinicalSingle Resource
Boss
Registration andDischargeTask Force
Leader
Registration andDischargeTask Force
Leader
DormitoryManagementTask Force
Leader
DormitoryManagementTask Force
Leader
Mass FeedingSingle Resource
Boss
Mass FeedingSingle Resource
Boss
Client ServicesSingle Resource
Boss
Client ServicesSingle Resource
Boss
Intake FlowSingle Resource
Boss
Intake FlowSingle Resource
Boss
ShelterChaplaincySupervisor
ShelterChaplaincySupervisor
Shelter Security
Strike TeamLeader
Shelter Security
Strike TeamLeader
ShelterCommunicationsSingle Resource
Boss
ShelterCommunicationsSingle Resource
Boss
ShelterQuartermaster
Task ForceLeader
ShelterQuartermaster
Task ForceLeader
DomesticAnimalShelterGroup
Supervisor
DomesticAnimalShelterGroup
Supervisor
Concord EOCConcord EOC CARETLINK
CARETLINK
NOT YET ESTABLISHED
Where Do I (we) Start?
Does your community have a shelter plan? CERT? Civil Defense?
Have you seen copies of the Red Cross Shelter Surveys?
Open the dialogue… What can youdo to help?
First Big Question….
Who are your customers? Community demographics
Language Income Housing status Age
Housing Diversity LTC, Assisted Living, Group Homes Apartments/Condos Affordable housing
Non-Residents Office workers Hotels MBTA/Commuter Rail Major highways (evacuation routes)
Hierarchy of Emergency Housing
1. I will stay in my house. I am comfortable here. I have supplies (food, water, electricity, etc…)
2. I will go stay with my friends, neighbors, or relatives at their house.
3. I will rent a hotel room, apartment, condo4. I will go to a community shelter
**The individual’s status is DYNAMIC, there can be movement between these stages, dependent on conditions, supplies,
environment, finances, health status, etc….**
Shelters are not just for Housing
Just because someone stays in their home doesn’t mean they don’t need….FoodWaterFlush toiletsShowersWarming/CoolingHuman Contact
How will you set up the shelters and provide all volunteers to provide safe space with food and medical care as needed to the residents of your community?
How will you exercise your plans for a mass care event?
How do you identify communications, delivery and deployment methods that would strengthen future responses?
Questions to Answer When You Get Home1. What is your primary shelter facility? Secondary? Tertiary? Any of them
in the Flood Plain?2. Facility capacities? Do they have generators? What is powered by the
generator? Natural gas or diesel?3. Who has the keys to get in at 3am?4. Do you have cots/blankets and other shelter basics? Where is it
stored? Who has the keys?5. Do you have the equipment for a basic first aid clinic to be setup in the
shelter?6. Is there space in the building or nearby for animal sheltering?7. What about staffing? MRC? CERT? Amateur Radio? Police? EMTs?
Has anyone been through Shelter Manager Training?8. How many extension cords and power strips do you have? Outlets in
the main dormitory area?9. Does the shelter have a large kitchen for mass feeding? A separate
dining area that can accommodate the entire resident population? Where would food come from if the shelter had to be open for 5 days?
10. Handicap Accessibility of the facilities?11. Communications? Are there phones? Will HAM radio work inside the
shelter to reach your EOC? What about UHF Police/Fire Radios?
Making your Plans:
The questions on the previous slide are only the beginning.
As you work with your community, more questions and answers will follow.
Please review the shelter surveys and plans with your Emergency Director, and ask how you can help.
The 4A MRC Website will soon have a section with mass sheltering resources, including plans from communities in 4A who are willing to share.
Remember…..You have already been planning for a
Mass Care Event (Emergency Dispensing Sites). In this case
you are dispensing housing, food, medical care,
etc….instead of Cipro or Vaccine
Discussion:
What have you already done in your community?
Will your plan work?
How can you improve it?