Communications Needs of Red Cross Disaster Services

Presented By

Jeffrey A. Matthews, KB3LFG

October 12, 2004

OUTLINE

• Organization of American Red Cross

• Red Cross Activation

• Functional Areas of Red Cross Disaster Services

• Communications Needs of Various Disaster Functions

• Amateur Radio Support to Red Cross Disaster Services

Organization of Red Cross Disaster Services

American Red CrossField Service Components

Red Cross National Headquarters

Red Cross Regions (8)

State Service Consortia

Zones

Chapters

American Red CrossService Delivery Units

Chapter Blood Services Region

Central Maryland Chapter (CMC) Functional Organization

CMC

EmergencyServices

Health & Safety Services

VolunteerServices

Youth Services

Disaster Services

InternationalServices

Military Services

Disaster Action Teams (DATs)

(5)

Community DisasterEducation (CDE)

Committees

Central Maryland Chapter (CMC)Geographical Organization

CMC

Baltimore DAT

Southern District (Anne Arundel)

Southwestern District (Howard County)

Northwestern District (Carroll County)

Northeastern District (Harford County)

CMC Disaster Services“Chain of Command”

Director of Emergency Services (CMC)

Disaster Manager (CMC)

District Director

DAT Coordinator

DAT Assistant Coordinator

DAT Captains

DAT Members

Disaster Services Human Resources (DSHR) System

• DSHR is a nationwide network of Red Cross Disaster Services personnel who have indicated their availability to go on 3 week disaster assignments anywhere in the United States.

• Many, but not all, DSHR volunteers are also DAT members in their local communities.

Activation of Red Cross Disaster Services

Red Cross Activation

• Small Disasters (Ex: House Fire):– After fire is under control, fire chief tells victims that

Red Cross service is available if they want it. If they indicate they wish Red Cross service, fire chief notifies Harford County dispatch, and county dispatcher telephones Red Cross dispatcher. Red Cross dispatcher then dispatches (by telephone) the Disaster Action Team (DAT).

– Alternatively, the victims (called clients by the Red Cross) may telephone the Red Cross themselves after the disaster event and request help. The Red Cross dispatcher must then contact the county to verify the prior disaster event.

Red Cross Activation (Continued)

• Large Scale Disasters:– The Red Cross normally responds only at the

direction of local emergency management officials.

– For hurricanes, the Red Cross will automatically activate during the Hurricane Watch phase and will continue to operate during and after the actual hurricane event.

Functional Areas of Red Cross Disaster Services

Red Cross Disaster Functions

Direct Functions:• Family Service• Disaster Health

Services– Disaster Physical

Health Service– Disaster Mental Health

Service

• Mass Care• Family Welfare

Inquiry

Internal Support Functions:• Accounting• Building and Repair• Communications• Damage Assessment• Disaster Computer

Operations• Local Disaster Volunteers• Logistics• Records and Reports• Staffing• Training

Red Cross Disaster Functions

External Support Functions:

• Fund Raising• Liaison

– Chapter– Government / EOC– Human Relations– Labor– Volunteer Agencies

• Public Affairs

Management:– Administration

Description of FunctionsDirect Functions

• Family Service:– Responsible for the delivery of emergency assistance

to affected individuals and families, and for referral to resources of government and/or non-governmental agencies. Provides additional assistance when necessary.

• Mass Care:– Responsible for providing congregate shelter facilities,

and fixed and mobile food service to disaster victims and emergency workers in the disaster area. Provides for bulk distribution of supplies and commodities to disaster victims.

Description of FunctionDirect Functions (Continued)

• Disaster Health Services:Responsible for the overall delivery of physical

and mental health care on a disaster relief operation and for managing the following subsidiary functions.

– Disaster Physical Health Services

– Disaster Mental Health Services

Description of FunctionDirect Functions (Continued)

• Disaster Physical Health Services:– Responsible for delivery of physical health services

provided by a disaster relief operation. Arranges for emergency and/or additional assistance in meeting individual or family physical health needs, ensures availability of blood and blood products for disaster victims, augments material and personnel to support community physical health services, and provides necessary physical health care for paid and volunteer staff assigned to the disaster operation.

Description of FunctionDirect Functions (Continued)

• Disaster Mental Health Services:– Responsible for delivery of mental health

services provided by a disaster relief operation. Arranges for emergency and/or additional assistance in meeting individual or family mental health needs, augments material and personnel to support community mental health care to paid and volunteer staff assigned to the disaster operation.

Description of FunctionDirect Functions (Continued)

• Family Welfare Inquiry (formerly Disaster Welfare Inquiry, or DWI):– Responsible for responding to inquires about

the health and welfare of individuals and families within the disaster area, for collecting locator information about such persons, and for the preparation and distribution of bulletins to nonaffected chapters detailing information about the disaster operation.

Description of FunctionInternal Support Functions

• Accounting:– Responsible for administration of financial aspects of

the operation. Receives funds and expends funds to meet commitments for relief costs, travel and maintenance of staff, salaries, and other expenditures required for the operation.

• Building and Repair:– Responsible for providing technical guidance in the

repair and/or reconstruction of buildings, and for maintaining liaison with contractors providing services to the operation.

Description of FunctionInternal Support Functions (Continued)

• Communications:– Responsible for the establishment and maintenance

of the communications systems within the operation, including telephone, wire service, radio, and other systems, and for liaison with voluntary groups providing such services to the operation.

• Damage Assessment:– Responsible for determining the size and scope of the

disaster and the level of damage sustained by dwellings within the affected area. Develops and distributes statistical data related to effects of the disaster and the demographics of the affected populations.

Description of FunctionInternal Support Functions (Continued)

• Disaster Computer Operations:– Responsible for providing computer hardware

and software technical support to disaster relief operation staff who use the Disaster Relief Operation Management Information System (DROMIS).

• Local Disaster Volunteers:– Responsible for identifying and recruiting local

volunteers to support other functions on a disaster relief operation.

Description of FunctionInternal Support Functions (Continued)

• Logistics:– Responsible for the procurement of supplies and

materials required for the operation; for the storage and distribution of supplies; for the establishment and control of the transportation system within the operation; for acquiring facilities and maintaining materials, equipment, and services; and for the assignment, acquisition, and tracking of national and rental vehicles.

• Records and Reports:– Responsible for the control, processing, and

maintenance of client assistance and casework files and forms, and for the compilation of statistics related to the disaster operation.

Description of FunctionInternal Support Functions (Continued)

• Staffing:– Responsible for the recruitment, placement,

administration, support, and recognition of paid and volunteer staff assigned to the disaster operation.

• Training:– Responsible for the orientation of all operation

staff and for the delivery of refresher or new training, or both, to functional personnel assigned to the disaster operation.

Description of FunctionExternal Support Functions

• Fund Raising:– Responsible for supporting the fund raising efforts of

local chapters during relief operations and for developing special fund raising efforts.

• Public Affairs:– Responsible for developing and implementing a

system of providing information about services available to disaster victims, for providing information to the general public about services, for the proper identification of Red Cross staff and facilities, for liaison with all media, and for general support of the operation.

Description of FunctionExternal Support Functions (Continued)

• Liaison – Chapter:– Responsible for establishing and maintaining effective

working relationships with chapters in the affected area, and for keeping chapter leadership, operational leadership, and personnel informed about the progress of the operation, problems encountered, and nay concerns expressed by either party.

• Liaison – Government:– Responsible for developing and maintaining liaison

with federal, state, and local authorities and government units.

Description of FunctionExternal Support Functions

• Liaison – Human Relations:– Responsible for the development of community

relations in the affected area, for relationships with minority segments of the community, for resolution of grievances related to the delivery of services, for the development of advisory committees, and for support to the local chapter in the area of human relations.

• Liaison – Labor:– Responsible for the recruitment of labor and trade

union volunteer personnel for assignment to the disaster operation, and for liaison between labor and trade unions and the Red Cross.

Description of FunctionExternal Support Functions

• Liaison – Voluntary Agencies:– Responsible for developing and maintaining

liaison with other voluntary organizations, and for the recruitment and utilization of such volunteers on the operation. (Voluntary organizations include national organizations, local components of national organizations, community organizations, and ad hoc groups involved in disaster response).

Description of Functions

• Administration:– Responsible for the overall planning, organization,

staffing, directing, and controlling of all functional activities on a Red Cross disaster relief operation. Establishes, maintains, and closes the operation; prepares estimates for and administers an approved budget; and establishes and maintains effective working relationships with chapter and national sector officials, government agencies, and community organizations and groups.

Function-Specific “Chain of Command”

Officer

Assistant Officer

Coordinator

Specialist

Technician

Communications Requirements of Specific Disaster Functions

Communication NeedsMass Care and Damage Assessment Functions

Mass Care Function:

▪ Shelters must be able to communicate with the chapter and/or operations headquarters

▪ ERVs must be able to communicate with kitchens.

Damage Assessment Function:

▪ Mobile damage assessment teams must be able to communicate with the chapter and/or operations headquarters.

Communication NeedsDisaster Health Services and Disaster Mental Health

Services

• DHS and DMHS personnel assigned to shelters, service centers, emergency aid stations, and outreach operations must be able to communicate with function leaders at the chapter or operations headquarters.

• DHS and DMHS personnel must be able to contact EMS if needed.

• DHS and DMHS personnel must be able to contact local healthcare providers.

Communication NeedsFamily Service and Family Welfare Inquiry (FWI)

Family Service:▪ May need to establish an 800 number for family service support.▪ Fixed facilities (service centers, etc.) may need to communicate with Family Service outreach teams.

FWI:▪ FWI search unit may need communications support to receive or respond to inquiries.▪ Communications required between FWI Center, FWI search unit, and chapter/operations headquarters.

Communication NeedsAdministration and Liaison

Administration:▪ Must communicate with chapter officials and outside agencies/organizations to coordinate delivery of services to disaster victims. ▪ Must be able to communicate with fixed facilities (service centers, etc.) and with mobile teams.

Liaison:▪ Must be able to communicate with affected chapters, governmental agencies, labor organizations, volunteer organizations, and members of the affected communities.

Communication NeedsPublic Affairs, Logistics, and Training

Logistics:▪ Needs communications to be notified where and when supplies are needed and to arrange for deliveries.

Public Affairs:▪ Must be able to notify disaster victims of available Red Cross services and how to access them.

Training:▪ The Communications function must provide technical training to ARC workers and staff, as needed, on the use and care of communications equipment.

Communications NeedsBuilding and Repair, Staffing, and LDV

• Building and Repair:– Needs to communicate with building contractors concerning

repair or reconstruction of affected dwellings.• Staffing:

– Must communicate with other functions to determine personnel requirements.

– Must communicate with Operations Headquarters and Red Cross National Headquarters to coordinate requests for personnel.

• Local Disaster Volunteers (LDV):– Must communicate with other functions to determine personnel

requirements.– Must communicate with local organizations to coordinate

requests for personnel.

Communications NeedsFund Raising, Disaster Computer Operations

• Fund Raising:– Must be able to communicate with potential

donors.

• Disaster Computer Operations:– Must communicate with personnel from other

functions to receive and respond to requests for hardware and software support.

Confidentiality

• “Confidential information is information shared between two persons with the explicit or implicit understanding that it will not be shared with the public or with others without the express permission of the person providing the information.”

• An item of information is confidential if one would answer NO to ANY of the following questions.

1) Is the anonymity of the person protected by release of the information ?

2) Would the person providing the information be willing to share it with the public ?

3) Would the Red Cross release this information for public consumption ?

Taken from the Badger ARC Chapter Comm Course

Amateur Radio Support to Red Cross for Specific Disaster Types

Terminology

• Detailed Damage Assessment:– Identifies specific types of damage to specific

residences to determine client needs.

• Operations Headquarters:– A fixed facility from which a large scale disaster relief

operation is administered.

• Preliminary Damage Assessment:– An initial damage assessment used to estimate the

number of affected families and the degree of damage to various neighborhoods.

Terminology

• Service Center: – A facility where clients report to receive Red

Cross financial assistance and other services.

Disaster Functions Most Commonly Supported by Amateur Radio

Operators

• Administration• Mass Care• Family Service (Service Centers)• FWI• Damage Assessment• Logistics

Likely EmComm Deployments

CMCDistrict Offices

Operations HQ

Service Center

SheltersField

KitchensDamage

AssessmentLogistics FWI

Tornado (Localized) L L L PTornado (Multiple, or Extensive Impact)

L L L L P P P P

Flood / Flash Flood L L L L P P PHurricane L L P L L P L P LBlizzard / Heavy Snowfall

L L

Severe Cold Spell LSevere Hot Spell L

LIKELY DEPLOYMENTS - NATURAL DISASTERS

DISASTER TYPE

Likely EmComm Deployments(Continued)

CMCDistrict Offices

Operations HQ

Service Center

SheltersField

Kitchens

Damage Assessmen

tLogistics FWI

Large Apartment Fire / Conflagration

P P L L

Hazmat Incident, Chemical Terrorism

P P L P

Conventional Terrorism

L L P L L P L P P

Radiological (Nuclear Plant, Dirty Bomb)

L L P L L P L

Biological Terrorism L L LNuclear Attack L L L L L L P LDam Failure L L L L L L P PRiots L L P P L P L P PPassenger Transporation Accident (Jetliner Crash, Commuter Train Derailment)

L L L L

DISASTER TYPE

LIKELY DEPLOYMENTS - TECHNOLOGICAL DISASTERS

Useful Amateur ModesNatural Disasters

Phone Digital / Packet Image (ATV, SSTV) Satellite CW APRSTornado (Localized) Y PTornado (Multiple, or Extensive Impact)

Y P Y P P

Flood / Flash Flood Y P Y P PHurricane Y Y Y P P PBlizzard / Heavy Snowfall

Y

Severe Cold Spell YSevere Hot Spell Y

DISASTER TYPEUSEFUL AMATEUR MODES

Useful Amateur ModesTechnological Disasters

Phone Digital / Packet Image (ATV, SSTV) Satellite CW APRSLarge Apartment Fire / Conflagration

Y P

Hazmat Incident, Chemical Terrorism

Y

Conventional Terrorism

Y P Y P

Radiological (Nuclear Plant, Dirty Bomb)

Y P P P

Biological Terrorism YNuclear Attack Y Y Y Y Y YDam Failure Y P Y PRiots Y P Y PPassenger Transporation Accident (Jetliner Crash, Commuter Train Derailment)

Y P

DISASTER TYPEUSEFUL AMATEUR MODES

References

ARC Communications Workshop, Badger Chapter, 2002.

ARC 508-AD: DSHR Handbook. May, 1987, The American National Red Cross.

ARC 3008: Liaison. (Participants Attachments for EOC Liaison Course), June 1993

ARC 3058: Communications. American Red Cross Disaster Services Program, 7/98.