PERQ UP!

PERQ UP!

Parish Emergency Response Quick &

Urgent Protocol

PERQ UP!

Parish Emergency Response Quick & Urgent Protocol

CONTENT OUTLINE• Overview• Initiative Justification• Objectives• Strategic Plan – Objective 1• Strategic Plan – Objective 2• Strategic Plan – Objective 3• Strategic Plan – Objective 4• Strategic Plan – Objective 5• Guide for Parish Emergencies• Performance Evaluation• References

OVERVIEWOn Monday, October 29, 2012 the Northeast coast near New Jersey and New York was hit with a super storm that killed 125 people and left hundreds of families homeless or without power for days and weeks.

The Parish Emergency Response Quick & Urgent Protocol or PERQ UP is a strategic initiative to assist in planning for any type of emergency or crisis that could affect the parish community.


OVERVIEW continued

In the early moments of an emergency or crisis situation, it makes practical and logistical sense to have some plan or protocol in place that has been prepared in advance to respond in a quick and urgent manner so as to reduce or eliminate damage, destruction, and death.


INITIATIVE JUSTIFICATIONPrimary Reasons for Creating a Parish Emergency Response Plan

1. Communicate with families during emergency situations.2. Coordinate volunteer efforts.3. Manage resources to maximize greatest use.4. Distribute supplies and/or resources as needed.5. Have a known central location at which to meet.6. Reduce fear, anxiety, and panic during an emergency.7. Connect professional emergency personnel to needy.


OBJECTIVES1. Organize a team of qualified & enthusiastic people.

2. Identify all potential emergencies and appropriate responses.

3. Coordinate efforts with local emergency personnel.

4. Design and distribute contact information to families.

5. Review and evaluate emergency plans and actual emergencies.


STRATEGIC PLANObjective 1 – Organize a team of qualified & enthusiastic people.

Emergency and Medical Personnel – Recommend qualified individuals such as fire , police, and emergency medical personnel including EMTs, doctors, nurses, and trained paramedics. Planners and Coordinators – Individuals who have experience in planning and managing projects, tactical operations, volunteer services.Communications Experts – Individuals who can utilize and coordinate all methods of distributing information via technology and electronic ways as well as rudimentary means in the event of limited or no electrical power.Mechanical and Practical Skills– Individuals who can identify resources needed to assess and fix physical constructs. Psychologist & Social Workers– Individuals with resources when dealing with one or a few people who are the cause of an emergency or for those traumatically affected.


STRATEGIC PLAN continuedObjective 2 – Identify all potential emergencies.

1. Active Shooter2. Anthrax/Chemical3. Bomb Threat4. Civil Disorder and Demonstrations5. Death in the School Community (student or teacher)6. Environmental – earthquakes, hurricanes, flooding, storms, tornadoes7. Fire8. Hazardous Material Accident9. Hostage Crisis10. Psychological Crisis11. Terrorists12. Utility Failures13. Violent or Criminal Behavior


STRATEGIC PLAN continuedObjective 3 – Coordinate efforts with local emergency personnel.

• Fire and Rescue• First Aid Squad• Hospitals• Hotline Numbers• Paramedics• Police

Using the guidelines from professional emergency personnel, identify efforts that can be jointly coordinated.

Develop a working relationship and ongoing communication with all local emergency rescue personnel as well as medical, environmental, and crises experts.


STRATEGIC PLAN continuedObjective 4 – Design and distribute contact information to families.

• Using all available technology to communicate and disseminate important emergency information prior to any actual emergency.

• Form a communication network committee.

• Identify the viable modes of communicating under a variety of paradigms.

• Coordinate communication efforts with local emergency personnel.

• Organize drills and scenarios to prepare key personnel.


STRATEGIC PLAN continuedObjective 5 – Review and evaluate emergency plans and actual emergencies.

• Periodically review the prescribed plans and guidelines to update, add, delete, or revise pertinent information for all potential emergencies.

• Gather all relevant quantitative and qualitative data from an actual emergency and critique the entire process from the moment of first call to the close of the emergency.

• Make recommendations to improve the emergency plan for future usage.

• Share the plans and evaluations with other local organizations, communities, or interested entities to compare and contrast.


A GUIDE FORPARISH EMERGENCIES• Develop a summary guide for parish families with precise instructions

to follow in the event of one of the listed emergencies.

• This guide will serve as an instruction manual and may have to be updated annually or periodically as seen fit in order to keep both contact information and instructions relevant.

• Plan information meetings or fireside chat sessions for anyone interested in learning more about the PERQ UP task force or contributing to its formation, planning, management, and ongoing evolution.


PERFORMANCE EVALUATION

Figure 1. Triple Bottom Line


Social – measuring the effects of the PERQ UP task force on the people of the parish and community.

Economic – not only measuring the monetary costs of organizing and planning an emergency response team but identifying the overall effectiveness in terms of time, resources, people.

Environment – measuring the affect of damage to the planet and nature.

REFERENCESBryson, J. M. (2011). Strategic planning for public and nonprofit organizations (4th

ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Thompson, A., Peteraf, M., Gamble, J., & Strickland, A. (2012). Crafting and executing strategy (18th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Irwin.

Figure 1. Triple Bottom Line. Retrieved at http://elizabethgwalker.com/wordpress/2010/12/the-triple-bottom-line-for-true-sustainability/


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PERQ UP!