Emergency Preparedness Firgrove Ward
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Firgrove Ward Disaster Procedures: What To Do

FIRST-- BEFORE YOU HELP OTHERS, secure yourself and your own family members.  (See FAMILY / HT / VT link above.) Then follow procedures listed below.
  
1)Likely Disasters:

a) House Fire/Fatal Car Accident – Temporary shelter for the individual family (including food, transportation and medical needs), counseling services, temporary financial assistance as well as help finding permanent lodging/rebuilding.  Leaders, refer to Firgrove Ward Emergency Bedspace List.
 
b) Winter/Wind Storm Damage – Falling trees, power outages, lack of heat, downed telephone lines/cell towers out of power, contaminated water, unusable roads, shortage of food and fuel, snow and ice (hazards that can occur as well as clean-up efforts), flooding, clean-up efforts (ward members, neighborhoods), ward communication, etc.  Home Teachers and Scouts contact assigned families and report to Quorum Leaders.  Quorum Leaders report to Bishop who reports to Stake President for possible coordination of resources.
 
c) Flooding of nearby population centers (to include Lahar as well as assignments to provide aid to neighboring Stakes) – Sandbagging, temporary to longer-term shelter/water/food/medical/clothing, tools needed for clean-up, transportation needs for evacuation and clean-up, regional communication, limited emergency response services, etc. –  This is also for assignments given for ward/stake service to be provided in response to a Tsunami affecting the coastal Stakes.  Communication from Church leaders will be disseminated through Priesthood channels.  Leaders Refer to Emergency Bed Space list for resources.
 
d) Earthquake – Property damage, loss of life, power outages, natural gas leaks, contaminated water supply, shortages of food and fuel, short- and long-term shelter needs, communication needs (local, regional, and long distance), members stranded at work/in traffic away from home, transportation and building infrastructure damage, limited financial resources due to damage/closure of Bank/ATM’s, limited emergency response services, etc. Home Teachers and Scouts contact assigned families and report to Quorum Leaders.  Quorum Leaders report to Bishop who reports to Stake President for possible coordination of resources.
 
e) Volcano eruption and Ash Fall – please see the above in addition to air quality needs.
 
f) Economic collapse – Loss of employment, societal unrest, marshal law, looting, food and fuel shortages, unsafe travel even in neighborhoods, and home invasions with deadly force.  This can range from what we are in now to the worst case scenario.  Riots and home invasions are possible but not likely in the Firgrove Ward area.  Communication from Church leaders will be disseminated through Priesthood channels.
 
2. Gather Critical Information –
a)   Contact data for all members and missionaries living within the ward boundaries – backups                                 need to be stored securely offsite of the church building for easier access in time of limited transportation and/or unsafe building.  (Needs to be updated on a regular basis due to ward membership changes.)
b)   A map of the area that includes the locations of member and missionary residences pre-marked on the map.  (Needs to be updated on a regular basis due to ward membership changes.)  This information is available on the www.lds.org website with pins for homes.  Leaders need hard copy to be provided by Ward Emergency Preparedness Representative.
c)   Identify those at risk that you home or visit teach. A list of members with special needs including those that are disabled, elderly, and/or have medical conditions (such as diabetic, asthmatic, wheelchair-bound/limited mobility, food and medical allergies, pregnant, babies, etc.) 
d)   Identify emergency response and communication personnel.  A list of members with equipment and skills critical to disaster response, such as a doctor, nurse, fire fighter, law enforcement, Ham radio operator, etc.  This list is also to identify those whose occupations will require them to be away from their family due to working in their job-required response capacity. 
e)  Contact information for Public Safety Agencies, including Police, Fire, Medical, FEMA, RES/RACES, and Pierce County Emergency Management Services. 
f)  Contact information for community organizations that provide emergency services including food, shelter, and medical care such as the Red Cross. 
g) Contact information public utilities that do business within the Ward boundaries, i.e. Firgrove Water, Puget Sound Energy, TPU, Comcast, Century Link, etc. 
h) Contact information for area welfare leaders, and where available, local Church welfare operations, including the Kent Bishop’s Storehouse and the Hermiston (Oregon) Bishop’s Storehouse with contact personnel, phone numbers, and Ham frequencies.  (The Hermiston Bishop’s Storehouse is the one that the Kent Storehouse reports to; Hermiston reports directly to Salt Lake.) 
 
3 Assignments and Procedures Outline:–
a.) Ward Master Control Center where welfare council members will gather to direct relief efforts other than Ward Building is Bishop Stoddard's home, 12003 142nd Street Ct. E., Puyallup, WA 98374.  His contact information is 253-548-5990 and bstodda@gmail.com.  Secondary is Jim Landoe's home, 15003 125th Ave. Ct. E., Puyallup, WA 98374.  His contact information is 253-307-8284 and jlandoe@msn.com             
b.) Prior to a disaster
i.) Develop working relationships with civil authorities and other community relief organizations, such as Red Cross, ARES/RACES, and Pierce County Emergency Management.
ii) Go over ward plan annually with welfare council members (and whenever someone new is called to a position that requires welfare council attendance).
c)Immediately after a disaster
i)Determine and report condition of members and missionaries to Priesthood Leaders.
ii)Help locate and reunite family members who have become separated.
iii)Obtain medical care for those who have been injured or who have other health challenges
iv)Coordinate response efforts with civil authorities and community relief organizations as needed.
v)  Determine and report condition of Church buildings and property.
d) In the period following a disaster
i)   Provide assistance to members who have suffered damage to homes or belongings, emotional trauma, or loss of livlihood.
ii)  Work with civil authorities and relief organizations to identify and respond to opportunities for the Church to assist with community needs.
iii) Provide assistance to members who have suffered damage to homes or belongings, emotional trauma, or loss of livelihood.
iv) Work with civil authorities and relief organizations to identify and respond to opportunities for the Church to assist with community needs.
​
*3) Use Firgrove Ward Communication Plan
The Firgrove Ward area is small.  If normal phone, text or HAM radio communications are unavailable, we can use Scouts and Home Teachers on foot or bicycle as communication runners.  Leaders and Members are requested to attempt communication in the following order:

1.  Phone tree utilizing land line and cell phones
2.  Text message and email
3.  Personal contact by Home/Visiting Teachers, Scouts or others
4.  Ham radio – Ward, Stake and County Nets

​HAM FREQUENCIES:
Contact Bro. Jonathan Milligan

WARD HAM CALL SIGNS:
Contact Bro. Jim Landoe, Ward Emergency Preparedness Representative
 ​
 
Initial 24 hours
EMERGENCY CHECKLISTS BY ORGANIZATION:
Family Head / Home Teacher
1.  Determine your family is safe and report to your Home Teacher via the Ward Communication Plan.*
2.  Determine your Home Teaching families are safe, and report to your Priesthood Leader via the WCP*.
3.  Provide First Aid, Food, Shelter to your family, Home Teaching families and neighbors.
4.  Depending upon severity of the emergency, all family members communicate with your out of area contact.
5.  Make yourself available for priesthood assignments from HPGL / EQP.
 
High Priest Group Leader/Elders Quorum President
1.  Communicate to Bishop the result of HT reports including needs of ward members via WCP*.
2.  Receive communication from Bishop of ward needs and priesthood assignments.
3.  Elders Quorum President responsible for delegating First Aid.
4.  High Priest Group leader responsible for setting up security for Ward Shelter with medical, comfort                  and eating stations, depending upon severity of the event.
5.  Receives needs assessments and assigns priesthood response.  Returns and reports when completed.
 
Relief Society / Visiting Teachers
1.  Make sure own family is safe and taken care of.
2.  Set up ward shelter with medical, comfort, and eating stations, depending upon the severity of the event.
3.  Young Women responsible for Nursery, depending upon the severity of the event.
4.  Aaronic Priesthood responsible for trash removal, general cleaning, and other assignments as directed by priesthood leaders.
5.  Families are responsible for Diapers and Wipes for infants.  Please share, if necessary.
6.  Relief Society presidency and assigned Visiting Teachers administer comfort and aid to ward and stake members, always accompanied by two priesthood holders.
7.  Communicates with Bishop via Ward Communication Plan.*
 
Bishop
1.  Implements communication system.  Sends out and receives communication from HPGL, EQP, Ward and Stake members via Ward Communication Plan.*
2.  Communicates with Stake on status of ward members and their needs on a regular basis during disaster.
3.  Gives assignments to HPGL / EQP to assist in first aid, transportation, food, water, and cleanup efforts to their own ward members and then other members of the stake.
4.  Determine if the Ward Council needs to meet in person at the Primary or Secondary meeting location to direct emergency relief efforts.
 
24 to 72 Hours
Family Head/Home Teacher
1.  Secure home, move to safe location if needed.  Help HT families secure homes and move to safe             locations.
2.  Obtain medical care of own family and home teaching families.  Transport if necessary.
3.  Feed family.  Take food and other needed items to home teaching families, if needed.
4.  Return & report all work done in your family and home teaching families to HPGL/EQP.
 
High Priest Group Leader/Elders Quorum President
1.  Receives reports from ward members. Gives out assignments to minister to ward/stake members.
2.  Reports all activity to the Bishop.  Receives assignments from the Bishop and carries them out.
Relief Society
1.  Runs ward shelter.  Gives comfort and aid to those ward/stake members in need.
 
Bishop
1.  Direct relief activities from Primary or Secondary meeting location if needed using the Ward               communication plan.
2.  Receives reports from ward leadership and gives out assignments to minister to ward/stake.
3.  Reports to stake.  Receives assignments from stake leadership.
 
3 Days to Indefinite
Family Head/Home Teacher
1.  Secure long term housing, medical, food, water, & other resources for immediate family and HT families.
2.  Arrange transportation, maintain communication with leadership.
 
High Priest Group Leader/Elders Quorum President
1.  Coordinate shared housing, transportation, medical help, food, water and other resources.
2.  Returns and reports to Bishop.
 
Relief Society
1.  Continues to maintain and run the ward shelter until the need is no longer there.
 
Bishop
1.  Oversees all work.  Receives and gives out assignments.  Returns and reports to stake leadership.
A.  Help to locate and reunite family members who have become separated.
B.  Coordinate response efforts with civil authorities and community relief organizations.
C.  Determine and report the condition of Church buildings and property.
 
Ward Member Preparation Training:
A)  Regularly encourage members to engage in preparedness efforts and to follow the counsel outlined in the pamphlets All Is Safely Gathered In: Family Home Storage and All Is Safely Gathered In: Family Finances.
1. Quorum, Relief Society, and Youth meetings
2.  Sacrament meeting talks
3.  Home Teaching and Visiting Teaching messages
4.  Fifth Sunday lessons
5.  Firesides
6.  Handouts included in weekly bulletin or on desk by bishop’s office.
7.  Workshops/classes on preparedness topics like food storage, communication options, water   
storage, financial self-reliance, and provident living.
8.  Ward website and social media.
B)  Work with Boy Scouts in the ward so they can fulfill the mobilization drill requirement for the Emergency Preparedness Merit Badge.

Revised January, 2016
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