Introduction, Goals, Objectives and Participation Requirements

I. Introduction
II. Program Goals
III. Program Objectives
IV. Coordinator Goals
V. Coordinator Objectives
VI. Coordinator Requirements to Participate

Introduction

Often after the onset of an emergency or disaster, the resources of law enforcement, fire/rescue and medical/evacuation personnel are stretched to the limit and may not be immediately available when they are needed most. Coupled with this is the fact that the first few minutes and hours are the most critical in terms of aiding the injured and saving lives.

To be most effective in the aftermath of a disaster, two factors are key; preparedness of the community, and quick response to the emergency. The EMCOM Community Preparedness Coordinator program was established to provide a decentralized, community based preparedness and response mechanism in each neighborhood in the country. It is built upon a foundation of dedicated volunteers who have taken on a leadership role in their community in helping their neighbors prepare for emergencies, and help coordinate their actions should disaster strike.

Careful coordination of efforts is required in both the preparedness and response aspects of emergency situations. Nothing is more critical to that coordination effort than fast, secure, effective communications through numerous media. EMCOM provides facets of that communication, and a comprehensive set of utilities to further coordination.

Program Goals

The goals of the Community Preparedness Coordinator (CPC) program are:

To reduce loss of life, injuries, and property damage during and after emergencies/disasters through a program of preparedness and response;
To create a more manageable scene environment for professional emergency responders after a disaster;
Enhance the ability for their community to recover (physically, economically, and emotionally from emergencies/disasters;
Enhance the community strength and spirit by planning and working together.

Program Objectives

The EMCOM Community Preparedness Coordinator Program was built to fulfill the following objectives:

To recruit volunteer leaders from each community/neighborhood in the nation to serve their neighbors as Community Preparedness Coordinators (CPCs)
To provide CPCs with the orientation, guidance and training necessary to make them effective leaders in offering and aiding their neighbors in disaster preparedness prior to an emergency, and leadership in performing the necessary actions its wake.
To provide CPCs with alternate means of receiving emergency notifications.
To provide CPCs with the administrative tools, programs and materials required to efficiently and effectively provide the administration and coordination of their preparedness and recovery efforts. from various emergency agencies/organizations both public and private.
To provide CPCs with direct 2 way communications with involved, participating organizations when required.
To Provide a mechanism by which mass presentations/instruction can be provided in a 'live' environment to a large force of CPCs in diverse geographic locations.

CPC Goals

The primary goal of Community Preparedness Coordinators is to bring the level of their neighbor's preparedness up to the point of the neighborhood being capable of being self-sufficient in a major disaster for up to 72 hours.

Key areas of emphasis in this endeavor fall in the areas of:

Individual, Family & Neighborhood Preparedness
Communications
Light Search & Rescue
First Aid
Damage Assessment
Safety & Security

CPC Objectives

The objectives of each Community Preparedness Coordinator are:

To interface with each individual, family or business in their neighborhood/community, individually or in groups (i.e. Neighborhood Associations) to both collect and provide key information relating to their disaster preparedness.
To interface and form cooperative efforts with neighbors participating in existing neighborhood based programs such as neighborhood/crime watch, child 'safe houses', etc.
To interface with local agencies/organizations including law enforcement, fire/rescue, medical/evacuation, relief and shelters both to inform them about the neighborhood effort, and to learn about programs/facilities available to the neighborhood in an emergency.
To provide leadership in:
- Establishing Community Emergency Assembly Areas
- Establishing a Neighborhood communication/notification (Pyramid Alert) system for passing on critical information in an emergency.
- Enlisting neighbors with special training/experience in key areas to participate in a "Neighborhood Emergency Team"
- Enlisting neighbors to attend First Aid and CPR Training
- Enlisting neighbors to become FEMA CERT (Community Emergency Rescue Team) certified
- Directing neighbors to assembly areas when appropriate, taking a census to determine missing persons and passing this information to search and rescue teams as applicable
Provide access to neighbors to the Family Victim Locator system.

Coordinator Requirements to Participate

The primary requirement for persons to participate in the program as Community Emergency Preparedness Coordinators is to have a desire to be a 'part of the solution' in helping their neighbors to prepare for emergencies/disasters both natural and man made.

Additionally, they must have available a personal computer with a connection to the internet. The EMCOM Emergency Notification System and Family/Victim Locator system are key elements in the program and are internet based, as is the mechanism for 2 way communications with EMCOM's Network Control Center and participating agencies, and on-line training/orientation programs.

Other than these, the program is open to anyone wishing to volunteer, young or old, and with or without experience. We welcome the experience and help of Seniors and the Disabled; if necessary they can pair up with youth organizations (i.e. Boy/Girl Scouts, etc.) to where they provide they provide the administration and experience, and the youth provide young legs to visit neighbors to collect or disseminate information.

Our current coordinators consist of housewives and mothers with little direct experience (but great experience dealing with crisis), to extremely qualified individuals including ex-survival instructors, fighters, ex FEMA employees, etc. Though our communications network we will provide guidance and training, and those with experience are available to mentor those seeking it.