Missouri Seismic Safety Commission - Strategy 3.6

STRATEGY:

Evaluate mass care exercise and training programs for local emergency management and volunteer agencies who respond to disasters.

ACTION:

Evaluate and promote coordination of current multi-agency training and exercise programs under conditions expected after earthquakes, specifically between local emergency management and volunteer agencies. Promote identification of agency mass care roles and responsibilities in the event of a major disaster.

RESULT:

Local emergency management and volunteer agencies will know their mass care roles and responsibilities in a disaster and will coordinate responses.


Background

At the local level, when a disaster occurs, emergency management and various voluntary agencies like the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army are sometimes unclear about their joint mass care roles and responsibilities, especially regarding congregate shelters. In addition there seems to be a lack of knowledge regarding resources. There are not enough shelters or shelter staff currently available. A report by the California Seismic Safety Commission states that this was a major concern during California's recent earthquakes. Also, there was not a clear understanding regarding responsibility for shelter site selection or for staffing and operation of shelters.

In Missouri, this would not be a concern at the State level, but it could be of concern at the local level, especially in the smaller communities.

Implementation

SEMA, in conjunction with local emergency management and voluntary agencies at the State and local levels, evaluates multi-agency exercise and training programs in the area of mass care to ensure that agencies know their roles and responsibilities during an earthquake or major disaster relief operations.

Responsible Agencies:

State Emergency Management Agency
Missouri Department of Social Services
Local Emergency Managers
American Red Cross
Salvation Army

Last Changed April 28, 1997