East End Neighborhood Association
Community Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan
Community Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan
Forward
The East End Neighborhood Association (“EENA”) was formed in February 2018 in the wake of the Thomas Fire (i) to develop and maintain an emergency preparedness plan for the East End community to better prepare East End residents to respond to natural crises such as fires, flooding, landslides, and earthquakes and (ii) to facilitate a more closely knit and neighborly East End community while respecting each resident’s desire for privacy.
This East End community emergency preparedness and action plan (the “Plan”) was approved by EENA’s Board of Directors in [July] 2018. The purpose of the Plan is to reduce casualties, suffering and property loss in the event of a natural emergency by preparing in advance both in our individual households and workplaces as well as within our various East End neighborhoods in coordination and with the support of the entire East End community. The Plan offers East End residents confidence and comfort in knowing that none of us is alone in the event of a natural emergency and that each of us knows how best to respond for our own and our neighbors’ safety.
The Plan is grounded in the unequivocal support of Ventura County emergency personnel responsible for emergency preparedness and response whose input on the Plan was sought and incorporated prior to its approval. A fundamental premise in the Plan is that any volunteer action will not risk additional injury either to volunteers or to residents needing assistance. Furthermore, volunteers must heed the direction of Ventura County personnel once they are able to respond to the emergency.
For emergencies prompting evacuation orders (e.g. fire, flood, and mudslides), advance household and neighborhood preparedness will facilitate safer, more orderly evacuations as well as reduce property damage. For a localized event affecting relatively few households, the need for neighborhood volunteer action may be minimal as County emergency personnel would be expected to respond quickly.
However, for emergencies affecting many households throughout the County (e.g. a large earthquake), County emergency personnel may not be able to respond to East End casualties and property damage for many hours or even several days. Particularly for such large events, coordinated neighborhood volunteer action per the Plan could be instrumental in significantly reducing casualties, suffering and property damage.
The Plan will be most effective if it is widely supported by East End residents through varying levels of engagement depending on each person’s interest and availability. At the most basic level we encourage all residents to become members of EENA at no cost by providing us your contact information (go to oeena.org ) so we can keep you updated on our initiatives and have your contact information in the event of an emergency. Be assured your contact information will never be shared and only used by EENA pursuant to our data privacy policy.
For residents interested in volunteering, the Plan requires at least a handful of volunteers in each neighborhood prepared to mobilize in the event of emergency. The volunteer time commitment could be modest depending on each person’s preference. Some volunteers may be inspired to take the free CERT training (Community Emergency Response Team) offered by Ventura County at least once per year so they are best trained to lead other volunteers during an emergency. While EENA invites engagement from East End residents so the Plan can be successfully implemented, the degree of engagement can be entirely based on each resident’s interest and availability.
Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan
(1) Household/Workplace
(a) Emergency Preparedness
–If you haven’t already done so, go to Ventura County’s emergency preparedness website, readyventuracounty.org , and sign up for VC Alert by email, phone and text alerts so you will be notified by Ventura County in the event of evacuation orders and other emergency updates and can take immediate action
–Ensure that EENA has your complete updated contact information and other relevant information specific to your household (e.g. disabilities, toddlers/babies, pets etc.)
–Keep on hand at least 3 days of non-perishable food and a minimum of 3 gallons of water for each member of your household including babies and pets
–Assemble and maintain an emergency supply ki t including first aid kit (see readyventuracounty.org/prepare for suggested contents)
–Have a household plan and designated outdoor meeting place to account for each household member in the event of an emergency and designate an out of state contact that each member can contact as necessary (if local phone/text/email aren’t functional). In wide spread emergencies texting may be more reliable than voice calls.
–Know the location to shut off each of your gas/propane, water and electricity and keep any necessary tool for shut off readily available, and train all responsible household members how/when to shut off utilities.
–Prepare a “shelter in place” plan that reflects your household living on your property for at least three days with no gas/propane, electricity, running water, cable/satellite, internet or cell phone service. Also prepare for the possibility your home may be structurally damaged and uninhabitable.
–Prepare an evacuation plan that accounts for household members, pets and important personal items so you can calmly and efficiently respond to an evacuation order. Remember that not all roads may be open so be flexible about potential evacuation destinations.
–Consider both structural and non-structural hazard mitigation actions you can take on your property to lessen the impact of an emergency (e.g. remove/prune fire prone plants and trees, put childproof fasteners on kitchen cabinet doors, secure in place tall heavy furniture, purchase flood insurance etc. ).
(b) Emergency Response
–In the event of an earthquake, if you’re indoors, stay there. Get under and hold onto a desk or table, or stand against an interior wall. Stay clear of exterior walls, glass, heavy furniture, fireplaces and appliances. If you’re outside, get into the open. Stay clear of buildings, power lines or anything else that could fall on you. If you’re driving, move the car out of traffic and stop. Avoid parking under or on bridges or overpasses. Try to get clear of trees, light posts, signs and power lines. When you resume driving watch out for road hazards.
–When safe to move account for each member of your household (including pets) and determine whether any require emergency services for serious injury. If so, call 911 immediately. Stay out of any structure with apparent structural damage
–Contact your EENA Neighborhood Captain per pre-established contact mechanism and either (i) confirm your household is accounted for and safe or (ii) specify who’s missing and/or who requires emergency medical treatment. Also, report any serious structural damage, fire or other serious damage to your property
–If you smell gas/propane and can safely do so, shut off your gas/propane. If water pipes are ruptured shut off your water at the main valve. Shut off electricity if warranted.
–If you can do so safely put out any small fires on your property with a fire extinguisher.
–Monitor VCAlert notices from Ventura County and Ojai’s 1610 AM radio station for any evacuation orders or other emergency instructions and determine whether to evacuate or shelter in place
–Once your household members and property are secured, seek to establish whether neighboring households are secured or in need of assistance. Assist them only if you can do so without risk of injury.
(2) Neighborhood
(a) Emergency Preparedness
–Always have at least three EENA Neighborhood Captains identified to lead an emergency response including at least one who has completed the CERT training
–Identify other neighborhood volunteers willing to assist in the event of an emergency
–Develop neighborhood emergency action plan consistent with template provided by EENA including identifying specific neighborhood location to locate casualties and others in need of assistance
–Identify neighbors that have particular medical, physical or emotional needs that may make them more venerable in an emergency situation
–Develop inventory of available equipment (generators, chain saws, hoists, tractors, etc.) in your neighborhood that could be useful in a natural emergency
–Encourage as many neighborhood households as possible to keep EENA updated with complete updated contact information and to undertake household emergency preparedness actions
–Schedule periodic neighborhood social events in part to familiarize neighborhood residents with neighborhood emergency action plan and household and neighborhood emergency response plan (see https://natw.org/about for suggested event planning).
(b) Emergency Response
–Launch emergency response pursuant to neighborhood action plan led by EENA Neighborhood Captains in coordination with Community Captains
–Per established EENA contact mechanisms identify which neighborhood residents are missing and are in need of assistance
–Under the direction of EENA Neighborhood Captains and consistent with safety, volunteers conduct light search and rescue operations to locate any neighborhood residents injured or otherwise in need of assistance
–Where safe and advisable relocate injured and those otherwise in need of assistance to identified neighborhood location
–Assist residents in turning off utilities and extinguishing small fires as necessary
–Assist residents in coping with emotional stress triggered by emergency
(3) Community
(a) Emergency Preparedness
–Develop template for neighborhood emergency action plan to be completed in each East End neighborhood including a household “OK” placard system that doesn’t rely on electronic communications.
–Develop specific strategies to maximize collection of household contact information
–Identify best contact management software and adapt with custom fields and reports so there is complete and user friendly neighborhood contact information all subject to EENA’s data privacy policies
–Establish key Ventura County emergency personnel contacts for direction and coordination in the event of an emergency
–Always have at least three EENA Community Captains identified to lead an emergency response with a preference for EENA Board members and those who have completed the CERT training
–Develop a community emergency action plan which in the event of an emergency oversees and supports the neighborhood action plans and coordinates with Ventura County emergency personnel
–Establish a shortwave communication system to provide alerts and consistent information
–Coordinate with US Forest Service officials during periods of high fire risk on possible restricted access to portion of Los Padres National Forest closest to East End
(b) Emergency Response
–Launch emergency response pursuant to community emergency action plan led by EENA Community Captains in coordination with Ventura County emergency personnel
East End Neighborhood Association
Guidance for Development of
Neighborhood Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan
Preparedness
–Identify at least three EENA Neighborhood Captains to lead an emergency response including at least one who has completed the CERT training
–Identify at least five other neighborhood volunteers willing to be part of response team in the event of an emergency
–Neighborhood Captains and volunteers commit to maintain household preparedness including minimum supplies of food, water, emergency supply kit (including first aid kit) and utility shut off tool
–Consistent with each resident’s desire for privacy, Neighborhood Captains develop strategies to ensure each neighborhood household’s contact information and relevant emergency response information is captured and current in EENA’s contact management database so current neighborhood contact information is available to Neighborhood Captains in the event of emergency
–Based on following template and EENA database information, Neighborhood Captains and volunteers develop Neighborhood Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan ( “NEPRP”) that establishes:
(i) Neighborhood Captains and volunteers
(ii) probable neighborhood operations center location
(iii) strategies for communication with Community Captains, among Neighborhood Captains and volunteers and with neighborhood residents if cell phone and internet communication are disabled
(iv) mechanism to identify missing residents and establish their whereabouts including light search and rescue operations
(v) how injured will be provided emergency medical treatment
(vi) how residents in need of food, water or shelter will be assisted
(vii) how residents with special needs will be assisted
(viii) how residents coping with emotional stress triggered by the emergency will be assisted
(ix) how residents will be assisted in minimizing further damage to their properties as a result of the emergency (e.g. turn off utilities, extinguish small fires as required)
(x) how Neighborhood Captains and volunteers will support residents in the event of a County evacuation order
–Neighborhood Captains and volunteers meet at least once per year to update NEPRP as necessary and to stay familiar with available neighborhood emergency resources and how to mobilize them in the event of emergency
–Neighborhood Captains organize at least one neighborhood wide social event per year and dedicate a portion of the event to familiarizing residents with NEPRP to encourage both household preparedness as well recruitment of Neighborhood Captains and volunteers.
Response
–Neighborhood Captains and volunteers launch emergency response pursuant to NEPRP
Neighborhood Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan
Names of Neighborhood Captains:
Names of neighborhood volunteers:
Probable neighborhood operations center location:
Per EENA database specific available neighborhood emergency information and resources:
Medical personnel (e.g. doctors, nurses, EMTs, therapists):
Equipment (e.g. generators, heavy equipment):
Residents offering temporarily to house displaced residents:
Other resources:
Residents with special needs: