PLAN FRAMEWORK

 

The Flat Rock Community Center (FRCC) Disaster Relief Response

Plan is premised on a division of roles and responsibilities.

 

In general, the key responsibilities of the affected food bank are to:

 

• conduct a preliminary assessment of the disaster to determine the

magnitude of the disaster as well as the extent of assistance required

 

• direct and/or support on-going relief efforts

 

• inform our sponsors that a disaster has occurred, if necessary

 

• provide support for relief efforts in the form of personnel, equipment

and/or products

 

In addition to the general roles and responsibilities for the food bank, the FRCC disaster relief plan also takes into account four possible response scenarios which will determine the level and type of response undertaken:

 

• Scenario 1 -- the food bank is able to handle the relief effort on its own

 

• Scenario 2 -- the magnitude of the disaster requires involvement of local, state or federal assistance

 

• Scenario 3 -- the food bank is out of commission or circumstances require that FRCC works with the nearest capable food bank(s) acting as the primary local relief coordinator

 

• Scenario 4 – other local food banks are out of commission or circumstances require that FRCC acts as the primary disaster relief coordinator.

 

Coordinating roles is critical to minimizing confusion, the potential for which is great, and for maximizing relief effectiveness.

 

INITIAL CONTACT/OVERALL COORDINATOR

 

The FRCC Chairperson is the initial contact and primary liaison between Red Cross, ALVOAD, FEMA, other applicable relief agencies and the local food bank(s) affected by a disaster. Pursuant to this function, FRCC will maintain a disaster relief contact file containing the home telephone numbers of a primary and secondary contact. In addition, FRCC will provide primary and secondary contacts, with home telephone numbers, to other local food banks/food assistance programs.

 

The Chairperson will also act as the overall coordinator of FRCC's internal disaster relief activities. In this capacity, s/he will have the overall responsibility to bring the Board members together to plan, implement and evaluate FRCC's response to disasters.

 

Once FRCC has established a chain of command and is actively supporting a disaster, a command center may be established at the FRCC facility with staffing up to 24 hours, possibly supported by other local volunteers. The function of the command center will be to direct volunteer involvement as well as to communicate with and assist in coordinating functions among the individuals and/or departments responsible for various components of the relief effort. Among other responsibilities, the command center will transmit regular situation reports to the disaster relief team, and other agencies as necessary.

 

Pursuant to its function, the command center will include:

 

• Up to 24 hour staffing via a telephone receptionist (no voice mail) during normal business hours and a duty officer after normal working hours

 

• pre-formatted messages

 

• situation board/maps

 

• directory of all disaster relief players

 

• daily "Activity Log" documenting significant activities.

 

Following is an outline of some of the major organizations from the national level to the local level which are involved in relief efforts:

 

National Level

 

American Red Cross

 

NVOAD [National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (no direct service function, but critical to coordination & collaboration)]

 

Southern Baptist Disaster Relief

 

Salvation Army

 

Adventist Community Services

 

Church World Services

 

Federal government

 

Military

 

Feed The Children

 

America’s Second Harvest

 

State Level

 

State EOC -- the most critical contact at the state level; all major relief organizations are represented; is the entity through which initial contact with the military can be made; acts as the command center which coordinates activities involving multiple sites throughout the state and, as such, provides a valuable perspective of the "bigger picture".

 

State Associations - food banks that are part of State Associations should create a state-wide food bank disaster plan outlining how each food bank can support the other.

 

VOAD -- Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster - this is the statewide organization of ALVOAD members and includes all major charitable and church organizations active and experienced in disaster relief.

 

The National Guard - activated by the state's governor as needed to aid in evacuation, sandbagging, prevention of looting, etc.

 

Local Level

 

Food banks

 

Media

 

Food donors

 

Voluntary organizations

 

Churches and Interfaith organizations

 

Red Cross chapter

 

County EOC - (all major players are represented at EOC; holds daily briefings and meetings; food banks should identify local EOC locations, phone numbers, and contact persons.)