Disaster Planning

Lesson Learned: Last month I discussed the at that time ongoing disaster in Louisiana. Hopefully you took the opportunity to contribute to K of C efforts to respond to the storm. In speaking to a contact at Supreme, he relayed that a number of our brothers and sisters were severely impacted by the flooding, and the Order is responding. As time goes on we will learn the details, but this disaster adds weight to what we have discussed in the last few issues of this periodical. Your families, Council and communities will be well served by preparing at the local level for an event that we hope will not occur, but may impact us all with little or no notice.

Are you ready for a disaster? Information is strength. In previous editions I discussed both federal and state sources (FEMA and Ready NC)that would be helpful in preparation. Personally, I have benefitted from subscribing by getting continuous updates on storms from FEMA and NC. Also on Facebook I was receiving details on efforts to respond to recent gasoline distribution difficulties. Accurate information enables you to make timely decisions, based on fact, vice rumors.

CERT: Last month we discussed Community Emergency Response Teams and the value of CERT training, and that your county may already have a program in place. You can find a list of current county teams by going to: http://nc-cert.com/nc-certs.

While training is available at the local level, I think that there is value to having a cadre of CERT trained Knights available to assist both their communities and the Order. I have contacted the NC CERT office and they have agreed to provide us with a five-day course that will provide us with both basic and instructor qualifications. Armed with this we can join our local county teams, and also be prepared to assist our members and families. The proposal is to conduct the training in Raleigh. I addressed the concern that housing in the capital could prove expensive and asked if we could be billeted at a National Guard site to reduce expense to our participants. The response was that it had been done in the past, and it was a definite possibility. My thought is that we conduct this sometime during the winter months. If you are interested please e-mail me at: disasterreliefchairman@kofcnc.org (by October 20,, 2016) . If I can attract sufficient students we will make this happen.

As a Council: Hopefully, you have taken the opportunity to create a hard copy roster of your Knights, with their address. Experience shows us that post disaster we might need to check on and assist our brothers and sisters. If we do not know where to start looking, elderly and the infirm may fall through the cracks. If you have a Council home, do you think that facility might prove helpful to local officials as a shelter, feeding site, or point of distribution of supplies? If so, have you communicated that potential to local disaster authorities?

As previously mentioned contacting local disaster authorities is an excellent idea prior to beginning any real efforts. (Kind of like asking your doctor about exercise). Disaster response is a team sport. If you try to integrate with your local government, and other faith based organizations you reduce the probability that you will take missteps, and increase the probability that you will be used in a disaster response situation.

Gene Ziemba, PGK

Disaster Relief Chairman

disasterreliefchairman@kofcnc.org

#October2016