Workshop Wrapup Strong Local Partnerships: The Keys to Success

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Workshop Wrap-upStrong Local Partnerships The
Keys to Success

• 62nd Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference
• Tropical Cyclone Operations and Research
  Priorities for the Future
• 3-7 March 2008
• Denise Stephenson Hawk, Ph.D.
• Associate Director, National Center for
  Atmospheric Research
• Director, Societal-Environmental Research and
  Education Laboratory

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Session 11 Strong Local Partnerships The Keys
to Success

• Moderator Dr. Denise Stephenson Hawk, NCAR
  Associate Director and Director of SERE
  Laboratory
• Panelists
• Ms. Cathy Haynes, Director, Charleston County
  Emergency Preparedness Division
• Mr. Walt Dickerson, Director, Mobile County
  Emergency Management Agency
• Mr. Michael Emlaw, Meteorologist-in-Charge, NWS
  Weather Forecast Office, Charleston, SC
• Dr. Betty Hearn Morrow, Professor Emeritus,
  Florida International University, Consulting
  Sociologist
• Ms. Naomi Moye, Hazards Communications Consultant
• Mr. Ronald Glaser, Sandia National Laboratories,
  Program Manager, Integrated Public Alert and
  Warning System

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Guiding Questions

• When should disaster preparation begin?
• How is the disaster message transmitted to the
  public?
• How is the message received by the public?
• What actions are taken after the message is
  received?

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Message Should Define

• Nature of the Hazard
• Perceived Likelihood as a Threat - Uncertainty
• Chain of Command for Safety and Recovery
• Information that People Can Use to Make Decisions
• Visual
• Oral
• Written
• Personal
• Universal

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Lessons Taught are Not Necessarily Lessons
Learned
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Lessons Taught

• Prepare months/years before the storm
• Identify vulnerable populations
• Registry
• Service Organizations
• Messages constructed should be
• Simple
• Concrete
• Relevant
• Viable
• Messages should reach all people
• Language Barriers
• Disabilities
• Economic Constraints
• Literacy Concerns
• Middle Managers

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Lessons Learned

• Empower People to Act
• Make Sure it MattersCan You Convince People that
  Action is Better than Inaction?
• Be SpecificOffer Concrete Steps that are
  Actually Possible!
• Follow Through, and Remember that Leaving Home is
  only the First Step

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Lessons Learned

• All emergencies are local
• Convene Pre-hurricane public talks designed to
  define actions
• Prepare citizens to act in advance of hazard,
  e.g., develop Community Emergency Response Teams
• Sequester local elected leaders and ensure that
  they understand the plan of action

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Partnerships are KEY

• Local Emergency Managers
• Lead hazard response and recovery
• Responsible for the safety and security of the
  public
• Chains of Command Local, state, regional and
  federal
• Neighborhood Associations
• Media should be an ally Build cooperative
  relationships early
• Residents in hazard zones rely upon leadership
  they trust

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Decision Support Tools that WORK

• Cable TV Overrides to Disseminate Messages
• Integrated Public Alert and Warning System
  (IPAWS)
• Connect CTY
• 211 Information System
• StormReady Program

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Clearly Define Responsibilities of all
Stakeholders Scientists, Public, Media, Local,
State, Regional, FederalPLAN EARLY
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Information Flow is VitalMessages must be
simple and actionablePLAN EARLY
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PLAN EARLY

• Societal Resilience Depends on Building
  Interdependence along with Independence

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PARTNERSHIPS THAT WORK ARE KEYTHANK YOU