AIRS/UWW AIRS/UWW Disaster Response TeamDisaster Response Team

September 14, 2010September 14, 2010

To increase the capacity of theTo increase the capacity of theInformation and Referral field Information and Referral field to respond to Disastersto respond to Disasters

Mission StatementMission Statement

AIRS & UWW will increase the capacity of AIRS & UWW will increase the capacity of the Information and Referral field to the Information and Referral field to respond to disasters by establishing a respond to disasters by establishing a Disaster Response Team consisting of Disaster Response Team consisting of trained professionals who can establish or trained professionals who can establish or supplement a call center during times of supplement a call center during times of Disaster and provide training to the field Disaster and provide training to the field during non-disaster times.during non-disaster times.

Vision StatementVision Statement

DRT HistoryDRT History

• Hurricanes Katrina & RitaHurricanes Katrina & Rita

• After Action Report After Action Report Findings/RecommendationsFindings/Recommendations

• UWW’s National Professional CouncilUWW’s National Professional Council

• AIRS/UWW Partnership AIRS/UWW Partnership

• Past DeploymentsPast Deployments

Disaster StrikesDisaster Strikes

• Local I&R or 2-1-1 evaluates capacityLocal I&R or 2-1-1 evaluates capacity

• Formal request submitted to DRT LeadershipFormal request submitted to DRT Leadership

• AssessmentAssessment– Of the disasterOf the disaster– Of the needsOf the needs– Of our ability to respondOf our ability to respond

• MOU signedMOU signed

DRT MobilizationDRT Mobilization

• First wave of DRT identifiedFirst wave of DRT identified

• DRT Emergency Coordinator first on DRT Emergency Coordinator first on scene to prepare scene to prepare

• Team members deployed w/in 24 - Team members deployed w/in 24 - 48hrs of decision48hrs of decision

• DRT Logistics staff will work with local DRT Logistics staff will work with local staff on housing & transportationstaff on housing & transportation

On-siteOn-site

• DRT Emergency Coordinator & local DRT Emergency Coordinator & local staff Chain of Command identifiedstaff Chain of Command identified

• Communication structure & processes Communication structure & processes identifiedidentified

• DRT members arrive & supplement DRT members arrive & supplement local staff needslocal staff needs

• DRT Emergency Coordinator & local DRT Emergency Coordinator & local staff determine needs for “Second staff determine needs for “Second Wave” of DRT membersWave” of DRT members

• Review of exit thresholds after daily Review of exit thresholds after daily debriefings with local staffdebriefings with local staff

• Discuss transition plan with local Discuss transition plan with local staffstaff

Exit StrategyExit Strategy

After ActionAfter Action

• Evaluation of DRT response from Evaluation of DRT response from requesting agencyrequesting agency

• Create after action reportCreate after action report

Disaster Webinar September 14, 2010

Presented By: Charlene Hipes

COO, AIRS

What is RX Response • Rx Response was developed as an initiative of America’s

pharmaceutical supply system in 2007 to help ensure the availabilityof medicine to patients during a severe public health emergency.

• Rx Response acts as a single point of contact for the entirepharmaceutical supply system and federal and state emergencymanagement officials to communicate pharmaceutical needs andother issues which may impact the supply system.The communications are actively monitored by all segments ofthe pharmaceutical supply system to ensure the fastest possible resolution.

Who are the Primary Rx Response Members • Manufactures• Distributors• Dispensers/Pharmacies• Disaster/Relief Organizations

• Federal, state and local government parties that respond to disasters, while not part of the Coordinating Body, play a

key role. • Non-Profits, such as AIRS and United Way Worldwide

assisted with the training material and getting the word out.

History/Motivation for Creation •The program was initiated by the

Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and based on fears of a new pandemic outbreak in 2005.

•Following Hurricane Katrina, there was no single point of contact for emergency managers and relief agencies to contact the pharmaceutical supply system.

What is the Real Benefit • In the event of a severe public health emergency or

disaster, one of the many critical factors in preserving and protecting public health will be continued access to essential medicines – for treatment of injuries or illness caused by the event, as well as continued supply of

medicines for patients.  • First and foremost, the program helps communication

between first responders and relief workers and those involved in the pharmaceutical supply system during an

emergency or disaster.

Emergency Pharmacy Status Reporting • There is no benefit to an operational pharmaceutical supply system

if those in need cannot get or do not know where to get their medications. It is critical that the general public be able to locate nearby open pharmacies in a disaster or emergency event.

• To meet this need, Rx Response partnered with the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs (NCPDP), as well as the pharmacy switches/clearinghouses responsible for processing pharmacy payments – eRx Network (an Emdeon company) and RelayHealth. These partnerships form the basis of the Emergency Pharmacy Status Reporting tool.

Emergency Pharmacy Status Reporting

• Once a request is made by a state emergency or public health official to begin pharmacy status reporting, Rx Response requests a list of all NCPDP pharmacies within an affected disaster area. At the same time, Rx Response requests that the pharmacy switches/clearinghouses begin providing a daily list of all pharmacies that are billing within the affected area.

• The data is then merged and filtered to display only those zip codes listed within disaster declarations. Once the data is processed, Rx Response displays both a graphical, searchable map and downloadable Excel file of all known pharmacies (displayed on the map using orange icons), all open pharmacies (green icons), and any known affected/closed pharmacies (red icons). The images below show examples of these icons and what the map may look like if activated for an affected region.

Who might find the Rx ResponsePharmacy Status Reporting Tool useful?

• Anyone who needs medicine in a disaster area

• Emergency rooms, acute care clinics and physicians’ offices for patient referrals

• Pharmaceutical distributors and manufacturers

• Emergency management and public health officials

Can I narrow my search to find apharmacy in my neighborhood?

• Yes. Users can narrow their search by providing informationsuch as a zip code or street address within their city, county orstate. The reporting tool will automatically compile a list of thenearest open pharmacies based on the address where a personis located. The open pharmacy locations will be provided as anexcel spreadsheet to emergency managers and in map formatfor emergency managers and consumers on theRxResponse.org website.

How To Contact Them • If you cannot find specific information on our website, feel free to

send a request for information to the Rx Response operations center, located at PhRMA's headquarters in Washington D.C.  In addition, feel free to call or fax the numbers below, or send an email to contactus@rxresponse.org.

Rx Responsec/o PhRMA950 F Street, NWSuite 300Washington, DC 20004Phone: (202) 835-3400Fax: (202) 835-3414

1.877.UWA.LINK1.877.892.5465Now available to United Ways and 2-1-1s across the U.S.,Canada and

throughout the Caribbean.

United Way StaffToll-free Check-In Number

UWW/AIRS Link Line

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Jay WilkesManager, Disaster ServicesUnited Way Worldwide

Formerly: Director, Crisis Preparedness, Response and RecoveryUnited Way of the Bay Area

www.linkedin.com/in/jpwilkes

703.836.7112, x239jay.wilkes@uww.unitedway.org

Presenter:

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DisasterAssistance.gov helps disaster survivors:

• Find help in Spanish and English for individuals, family, or business during all stages of an emergency;

• Learn what help might be available from 17 U.S. Government agencies;

• Have Social Security benefits sent to a new address;

• Find federal disaster recovery centers near a current address;

• Get help from the Department of State if affected by a disaster while living or traveling outside the U.S;

• Apply online for help from FEMA

• Be referred to the Small Business Administration for loans

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Resources for Your Readiness

www.Do1Thing.us •The mission of do1thing is to move individuals, families, organizations, businesses, and communities to prepare for all hazards and become disaster resilient.

September - Getting Emergency Information

THE GOAL: Make sure everyone in your household can receive, understand, and act on information received in an emergency.

Do One Thing (choose one thing to do this month)• Purchase an Emergency Alert Radio.• Make sure everyone in your household knows what to do when outdoor warning sirens sound.• Create a personal support network to meet any special needs.• Create a plan with a neighbor to care for your pets if you can't get home in a disaster.

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Agency Emergency Plan: A Simplified Version for Community-Based Organizations

www.sfcard.org

A. Disaster Mission Statement:Make sure you know what role you are planning to play in a disaster

•Who are you going to be for your clients and community when disaster strikes?

• Does your current mission statement encompass how you see your agency functioning in a disaster?

• Think about your commitments and your resource limitations and create a disaster

mission statement.

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Agency Emergency Plan: A Simplified Version for Community-Based Organizations

•D. Volunteers: Make sure you know the best ways to use and work with volunteers in a disaster

•Know how you will appropriately recruit, task and manage volunteers.

•1. Are your current volunteers appropriate for disaster related work?

•2. Do your current practices of recruiting or accepting volunteers include your disaster preparedness and response needs?

•3. What important activities (that keep your organization able to provide services) can be assigned to spontaneous volunteers? What activities should not be assigned to spontaneous volunteers?

•4. What safety and/or legal considerations should you include in your plan?

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Communicating with Our Partners: Tools for

Sustained Action!

•Flow: You Your Organization Your Community Beyond!

•Transform the entire crisis communication and emergency preparedness conversation .

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STAT - Safety Team Action Tools5-Minute Messages 

Take just five minutes a week to raise the level of emergency preparedness and safety awareness in your organization and community organizations you serve. 

This Week: Flexing Your Communications Muscles

Sample Messaging

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Agenda

•United Way of the Bay Area and Hurricane Gustav

•Learnings from Gustav

Hurricane Gustav and Its Aftermath

TWO MILLION EVACUATED

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30

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TWO MILLION EVACUATED

TWO MILLION RETURNED HOMEthat’s when the problems started …

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2-1-1 San Francisco MobilizedUWBA 2-1-1 asked to serve as an overflow call center

UWBA asked because of our– PEOPLE

staff sprang into action

– PLANNING built emergency capacity

– PARTNERSHIPS CA Coalition of 2-1-1

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Answering the CallTripled our capacity almost overnight

•Transformed conference room into Hurricane Gustav call center

•Tripled our capacity– 7 to 24 phone lines– Trained 50+ people

•Developed new crisis protocols– Simple scripts– Updates on easel pads

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Lending Assistance to the Gulf Coast •1,700 calls at 2-

1-1 UWBA– 40,000 nationwide

•550+ staff hours on phones

•Call volume spiked as evacuees returned home

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What were the top caller needs?

very basic needs cash, food, shelter, water,

transportation

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NO shelters

NO sewage

NO water

NO food

NO gas

NO electricity

shelter locations in New Orleans

No infrastructure for returning residents

only 36 out of 64 perishes declared a disaster

The Power of Electricity Almost 1 Million without power upon return

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powerpower

NO $- No ATMs- No automatic deposits – social security, unemployment, paychecks

NO

- No online apps for services - FEMA- Prescriptions

- Phone chargers

NOWater

NO

-Electric pumps

NO YES – electrical fires when power restored

NO

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After evacuees were allowed to return home …

how many government

service agencies were open?

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NONE

no food stamps, social security checks, unemployment checks

no services for the neediest residents

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How many non-profits were open as people

returned home?

severely underfundedspent $70M, raised $5M

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Nonprofits not availableAffected by hurricane themselves

• Residents of group living facilities

• Elderly, particularly frail elderly

• People with physical or mental disabilities

• Low-income households

• Single-parent families

•Limited English Proficiencies

•Recent immigrants/migrants

•Renters and large households

•Large concentrations of youth

•The homeless

•Tourists and transients

No services for hidden populations

TWO MILLION EVACUATED

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TWO MILLION RETURNED HOME that’s when the problems

startedFOCUS on EVACUTION not RETURN HOME

REACTIVE to KATRINA not PROACTIVE

WHAT IS EXPECTED not WHAT IS REQUIRED

What did we learn?• Be prepared with a written Emergency Operations

Plan;• Have practice meetings consistently during non-

crisis periods of time;• Partner with other departments in your United

Way;• Partner with other organizations – i.e. 2-1-1 Call

Centers, Volunteer Centers, VOAD/COADs, etc.;• Partner with key constituents in the private sector

– i.e. Google for maps, computer vendors, etc.;• Work quickly, stay organized;• Document work – i.e. sign-in lists for volunteers,

copies of trainings, etc.