March Citizen Corps Council meeting minutes

New Castle County Citizen Corps Council

March 12, 2010 Agenda

Posted at http://ncccitizencorps.blogspot.com/

• Welcome and introductions

o Those in attendance (in order of sign in): Marny McLee (DEMA Citizen Corps), Tom Hickey (Emergency Transportation Volunteers), Alfonzo Dowe, Sr. (NCCPD), Evelyn Lemmons (ESC), Richard Jester (CPAW), Dave Carpenter (NCCOEM), Jessi Schimmel (ESC/NCCOEM), Robbie McCray (ARES/RACES), Susan Eggert (Community Services), Marissa Favata (ESC/NCCOEM), Jerry Picard (Red Cross).

• Review and approval of December 2009 meeting minutes

o Approved as presented.

• NCC Citizen Corps update

o CERT changes and programming update

 The curriculum has been updated and made a bit more uniform. We took the national version and adjusted it to the specifics of New Castle County. We also adopted the national instructor and participant guides. These too were adjusts to reflect the changes made in the curriculum.

 A thus-far quite successful class of 24 students is being hosted in Brookside by CPAW. The second half of the class will be tomorrow.

 The next class will be hosted on April 17 and 24 at Claymont Fire Company. Anyone interested may contact Jessi Schimmel at jschimmel@nccde.org or 302-395-2700.

 Discussion of advertising CERT on NCCTV, the Weather Channel, in residential neighborhoods and online. We also pointed out that right now people are coming to us so quickly, we can’t advertise too widely because our classes are full.

o New VIPS leader

 Sgt. Claudine Malone has taken over the VIPS program. She was not able to be at this meeting, but sent Alfonzo Dowe Sr. in her place.

o Disaster Assessment update

 The January class was very successful, we had 35 people in attendance. Now we are trying to schedule a follow-up tabletop exercise to re-engage the volunteers and distribute t-shirts we purchased for them.

 We are working with the Red Cross to schedule this exercise.

 There was also a discussion of the relationship between CERT and Disaster Assessment classes. CERT classes are considered a basic level of training available to anyone. Disaster Assessment is a greater commitment and higher level of training offered through the Red Cross. All Disaster Assessment volunteers are Red Cross volunteers and have been through their orientations and background checks.

 Also discussed the differences between Red Cross responsibilities and County/State responsibilities when it comes to disaster assessment. Red Cross uses this as a tool to figure out what human services are necessary. The County and the State are much more tied into the infrastructure and the upward process of getting a FEMA disaster declaration.

• Discussion about Communication Corps functioning during February snow storms and update on upcoming classes

o A special thanks to Robbie McCray for all his efforts during the Feb. snow storms. The Communications Corps spent almost 500 hours during the snow storm to help to bring additional information in from the field, they staffed a Red Cross shelter, help transport staff and supplies, and performed other invaluable services.

o Robbie showed a PSA from ARRL (American Radio Relay League) about why people should join amateur radio groups.

o FCC-licensing classes will be held on all four Friday’s in June from 8 am to 4 pm in the Public Safety Building.

o The test for the licenses will be on June 26 at WDEL.

• Discussion of Emergency Transportation Volunteers functioning during February snow storms

o Formed in 2003 after the President’s Day storm, ETV is a conglomeration of eight organizations that transports medical and essential personnel during inclement weather in their personal vehicles, using personal time, fuel and insurance. ETV covers the entire state of DE, has 39 dedicated volunteers and access to up to 200 volunteers.

o ETV, OEM and Public Health are working to craft a limited liability agreement that will remove some of the onus from the individual drivers.

o ETV and OEM are also working together to get background checks on all volunteers (need funding) and to create membership cards for the drivers on the road.

• Citizen Corps program guide information

o Jessi is putting together a program guide about Citizen Corps to help increase membership and awareness of our organizations.

o It will be both digital and print.

o Please contribute your voice and send any text about your organization and the point of contact information to Jessi at jschimmel@nccde.org.

• Open group discussion

o Discussion of distributing Citizen Corps volunteer opportunities to county employees through program guide as well.

o How to help distribute the Happenings Guide for Community Services, several members took stacks.

 Better, low-cost distribution ideas? Please let Susan Eggert know.

o Blue Rocks Day is June 3rd. This will be a preparedness presentation put out by DEMA, Wilm OEM, and NCCOEM. If you would like a table, please let Dave Carpenter know.

o Discussion of how to use unassociated volunteers at the time of a disaster and how a volunteer reception center helps/hinders the problem.

o Agreed to share info about tabling and events to help spread the word about all of our groups.

• Set action items and agenda for next meeting

o Review of program guide.

• Adjourn