Portland Now, Emergency Preparedness Plan

Notes from committee meetings

Notes for 12/6/07

PORTLAND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLANNING
NOTES: December 6, 2007



We agreed that the overall purpose for this effort is to learn from 1st responder agencies, educate the Portland neighborhood to prepare themselves for emergencies, and train a citizen corps that can help those first-responders. To do all this we need to find ways to identify and connect neighbors so that those who need help will quickly get it.

Connect, Teach, Help.
“If you can help yourself, then you can help others.”

1) Get a system set up with relevant agencies, especially Red Cross, but also Fire Dept, Family Health Center, Schools, Animal Shelter/ Human Society, etc.

KIPDA is in charge regionally of Citizens Corps disaster response. Some neighborhoods already have emergency plans.

2) Educate and inform the neighborhood.

Get people certified in CPR and First Aid. Mary has manuals and curriculum guides about CERT training (Citizen Emergency Response Teams.)

3) Locate the disabled and elderly who will need help in an emergency.


II Where do we want to go?

Invite KIPDA to an upcoming meeting. I think we agreed to invite some other people who would be interested in what he has to say, too: other West Louisville neighborhood leaders, Family Health Center, PNPP?

Regular Meetings: We discussed 6:30, second Thursdays. This will be confirmed for January 10th . It was agreed that Portland Plaza Community Room can be a good alternative since the Library must close at 8:00.

Notes for 1/10/08

PORTLAND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLANNING
NOTES: January 10, 2008

Potential hazards were discussed. Hazardous material was one concern as well as weather related. Flooding is a main concern of the American Red Cross.

Group was told about the registry that was requested by Emergency Management. Questions were asked about safety/protection of information, and where would it be kept.
It would have to be continually updated, so this is a concern.

The possibility of evacuations and where to go was brought up. American Red Cross has sites in mind but may need community to communicate with the managers of these sites.

ARC first aid training was brought up; training is free with one hour a month volunteer service. They can do training off site.

A booth at the Portland Festival, manned by ARC was suggested for getting information out. We all thought that was a good idea.

The decision to have a day-time meeting was made, so that representatives from outside organization could attend.

Notes for 2/7/08

Portland Now Emergency Planning Committee (PNEPP)
February 07, 2008
Notes

Present: John Barrow, Dedra DeBerry, Evelyn Franz, Donald Franz, Erin Howell (U of L School of Nursing), Donna Jefferson, Mary McCoy, Dorothy Montgomery, Judy Schroeder, Wende Skillman (U of L School of Nursing), and Mary Turner.

Absent: Benjamin Baggett, Wendy Fuson, Rita Hayes, Bobby Hickey, Marty Jansing, Karel Kinnett, and David Worrall.

Dedra introduced the two U of L Nursing students present attending as part of their assessment project for school. Dedra is taking part in the Neighborhood Institute and requested permission to use this project for the project she has to do for the Neighborhood Insititue. We all agreed that the nursing students were welcome and that Dedra could use the committee meetings as her project.

Talked about the Health Equity Grant some ideas for budget section are: printing, Map Point software purchase, crank type radios and flashlights for elderly and disabled residents of Portland, Safety kits, and refreshments for meetings. (Mary M., Mary T., John B., and Dedra D. will work on the grant content)

Ideas:
Communication system needs to be established.
List of businesses and churches etc…to use as a way to communicate information to the neighborhood.
Internal training should occur.
Contacting radio operators--Ham and CB
Encourage other agencies to become involved in this process.
Put safety articles in the Portland Anchor that are relevant.

Questions for Mr. McKinney from Emergency Management
1. What can you do to help us?
2. What can your agency do to help us get information from Rail Road, Corps of Engineer, Transportation Cabinet.
3. Are there warning systems in place and can they be used with a “code” to alert to different deangers?
4. What are our evacuation routes?
5. Where will there be shelters?
6. How long should be plan to be “on our own“?
7. Who are the people/agencies that will be most useful for this plan?
8. What should we prepare for?

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