Community Disaster Preparedness Index

Transcription

1 CENTER FR URBAN RURAL INTERFACE STUDIES Community Disaster Preparedness Index A Tool Designed to Measure Your Community s Disaster Preparedness Developed by: Center for Urban Rural Interface Studies Mississippi State University 1815 Popps Ferry Road Biloxi, MS 39532

2 The Center for Urban Rural Interface Studies (CURIS) would like to thank you for taking your time to participate in our research, as your responses are critical for a successful project. The data collected from the surveys will be entered into our Community Disaster Preparedness Index and a disaster preparedness score will be computed for each participating county or parish. We want you to remember that all answers will be kept confidential and that only the scores derived from the models will be used in publications. nce the publications are completed, copies will be distributed to each participant, and at their request, multiple copies can be sent. This survey can assist in disaster preparedness planning by simply having participants read the questions. Each question is designed to make you think about the disaster preparedness plan in place in your county or parish and where improvements might be needed. It also asks questions about transportation, communication, infrastructure and security issues and how each variable plays a vital role in being prepared for a disaster whenever one may strike. This survey is being conducted by the Center for Urban Rural Interface Studies in hopes to engage counties and parishes to participate in disaster preparedness and to make it stronger (what does it refer to?). CURIS mission is to provide a clearinghouse of information regarding sustainable development and disaster preparedness to improve the quality of life along the Gulf Coast. This survey serves our mission and we hope you find it as a valuable resource. For more information please go to our website, Kind regards, Amanda Seymour Assistant Project Director Scott Langlois Research Associate III Benedict Posadas, Ph.D. Principal Investigator 1

3 Survey Instructions Your participation in this survey is completely voluntary and you may stop at any time and/or skip any questions you do not wish to answer. Your answers will be completely confidential and your name will never be associated with the survey s findings. Your opinion matters even if you don t care or you think you are not informed about the issues. Let us know what you think! If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Amanda Seymour at the Mississippi State University Coastal Research and Extension Center ( ) or Scott Langlois at the South Mississippi Branch ( ). This survey has been approved by the Institutional Review Board of Mississippi State University s ffice of Regulatory Compliance, ( , reference IRB Study #10 017). If you have any questions please contact Jonathon Miller, IRB fficer, (662) This survey is divided into 9 sections which will be used to measure the level of disaster preparedness of your county or parish. Please answer every question, as a question left unanswered can hinder the survey results. Each section is first defined and then the questions follow. The majority of the questions are in Yes/No/I Don t Know format; however, there are a few questions that ask for more detail. Definitions Community Disaster Preparedness Index: The CDP index will measure the current level of disaster preparedness of participating county or parish based on nine different variables: disaster preparedness plan, information, communication, security, transportation, sheltering, volunteer collaboration, utilities and critical infrastructure. nce each variable is given a value, the numbers will be entered into the Community Disaster Preparedness Index spreadsheet and an overall score will be automatically generated representing the current level of disaster preparedness. Disaster Preparedness: The knowledge and capacities developed by governments, professional response and recovery organizations, communities and individuals to effectively anticipate, respond to, and recover from, the impacts of likely, imminent or current hazard events or conditions. (Definition borrowed from the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, 2009) Results A copy of the research publication will be mailed to each county and parish that participated in the study. Also, if an address is provided by the participant, an electronic copy of the report will be sent to the address. Discrimination based upon race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or veteran s status is a violation of federal and state law and MSU policy and will not be tolerated. Discrimination based upon sexual orientation or group affiliation is a violation of MSU policy and will not be tolerated 2

4 Contact Information: *County, State: Name: Position: Time employed in current position: E mail: Survey Number: * This is the only field that is required, all others are optional. For CURIS Staff use only: 1. Checked By: Date: 2. Entered By: Date: 3.* Interview Conducted by: Date: 4.* Entered By: Date: 5. Stored By: Date: Remarks: * For incomplete forms only. 3

5 Disaster Preparedness Plan: This variable determines whether the county/parish has a disaster preparedness plan, the plan s coverage, and the extent to which it is current and disseminated throughout the county/parish. 1. Does your county/parish have a disaster preparedness plan? 2. Does the plan consider both advance notice as well as no notice disasters? 3. Circle the following hazards in which you have plans for: Hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, wildfires, severe winter weather, earthquakes, man made hazards (chemical spills, explosions), and terrorism. 4. Is the plan reviewed periodically? How often? Circle: <1 year, 2 years, > 2 years 5. Is the plan re visited after any hazard to incorporate lessons learned? 6. Were the plan developers trained in ICS or other forms of disaster management training? 7. Is the public knowledgeable about the disaster plan? 8. If the public has a role in the plan are they knowledgeable about their role in a disaster? 9. How is the plan distributed to the citizens? Please Circle all that apply: Website Mail Home Visits Public Meetings Public Service Announcements Available in County ffice ther It is not distributed to the public 10. Does the county/parish practice activities in the disaster preparedness plan by conducting drills or exercises? Information: This variable determines the resources that are currently being incorporated into the Disaster Preparedness Plans. 11. Does the county or parish keep in contact with their local weather forecasting office? 12. Is there a list of weather forecasters for your county or parish readily available? 13. Has anyone in the county or parish received training in weather prediction tools? 14. Circle the following prediction models someone in your county currently has experience in: HURREVAC SLSH NHC s Wind Probability ther 4

6 Communication: This variable determines the methods and effectiveness of communication and sharing of information in the county/parish. 15. Has the county established MA s (Memorandum of Agreement) or equivalent with neighboring counties to help each other during times of disaster? 16. Does the county have an effective communication plan that functions before, during and after a disaster? If yes, Circle all that apply: Before During After 17. Circle the communication methods available to emergency management personnel: Land Line Phones Cellular Phones Satellite Phones Two Way Radios ther 18. Is common terminology used and understood when discussing disasters with your citizens? (i.e. Definitions of storms watches and warnings) 19. Is signage available to place along evacuation routes as needed? Security: This variable measures the role of security both within the county/parish preparedness plan as well as general measures of protecting county or parish critical documents. 20. Is your local law enforcement office actively involved in the disaster preparedness planning? 21. Is your local Fire Department actively involved in the disaster preparedness planning? 22. Is there a plan to put reserve units into action if needed in case of a disaster? 23. Have the law enforcement officers, firemen and reserve officers received training in ICS or other forms of disaster management training? 24. Are there plans to protect ways of re entry into your county/parish after a disaster? 25. Has the county identified all critical documents? 26. If so, is there a plan to protect these critical documents in case of a disaster? 27. Does this plan include critical computer files as well as paper documentation? 5

7 Transportation: This variable is used to measure the use of transportation in the disaster preparedness plan as well as evacuation plans. It also considers fuel, methods of re entry and back up evacuation routes. 28. Do you have public transportation available for your vulnerable population in case of an evacuation? 29. Are drivers identified to drive these vehicles in case of a disaster? 30. Does a contact list exist for these drivers? (phone numbers or address) 31. Does the county understand the makeup of your vulnerable population? (with locations) 32. Do you have planned evacuation routes for citizens? 33. Have backup evacuation routes been identified for vulnerable areas (i.e. low lying areas, bridges) 34. Have you accounted for the evacuation routes and the capacities it can handle with both your counties and other counties that may be evacuating of a multi county evacuation? 35. Are generators available for the fuel stops along major evacuation routes? 36. Does the disaster preparedness plan consider re entry procedures for citizens? Sheltering: This variable looks into the county s /parish s sheltering capacities. Shelter need, location, regional cooperation and shelter management issues are considered. 37. Has the county determined whether a need for shelters exists within the area? 38. If so, have shelters within the county been identified? 39. Have the sheltering capacities been identified for each shelter? 40. Have reciprocal agreements been made with neighboring communities to share shelters? 41. Have needed shelter supplies been identified? 42. Are shelter supplies verified periodically? 43. Does each shelter identified have a list of available staff? 6

8 Volunteer Collaboration: This variable measures the collaboration between the counties/parishes and volunteer agencies. Many times volunteers are first responders or arrive very soon after the time of impact. If volunteer response and man power is coordinated prior to a disaster, the level of preparedness is increased. 44. Does your county/parish have a database of volunteer agencies to contact following a disaster? 45. Are there volunteer organization chapters located inside your county/parish? 46. Are the volunteer organizations aware of the disaster preparedness plan in your county/parish? 47. Does your county/parish communicate on a regular basis with the volunteer groups if changes are made to the disaster plan? 48. Circle the volunteer organizations your county/parish currently has agreements with: Non Profit Agencies Neighborhood Associations Neighboring Law Enforcement Groups Faith Based Groups Cultural Identity Groups Neighboring Emergency Management Teams Civic rganizations Neighboring Utility Crews Utilities: This variable determines whether the county/parish has addressed all critical utilities as well as whether these utilities are located in potentially dangerous areas. It also asks if back up plans have been established for those utilities that may be affected by a disaster. 49. Has the county identified all utilities which may be affected by a disaster? If so, write in a list of these critical utilities 50. Does the county have a plan for backup service? Answer for each listed above 7

9 Critical Infrastructure: This variable determines whether the county/parish has addressed all critical infrastructure and identified any that may be located in potentially dangerous areas. It also asks if back up plans have been established for the infrastructure that may be affected by a disaster. 51. Has the county identified all critical facilities which may be affected by a disaster? If so, write in a list of these critical facilities 52. Does the county have a plan for backup service? Answer for each listed above 8