HomeMy WebLinkAboutSubmittal-Hattie Wills-Communities United Inc. Seniors first Hurricane Disaster Preparedness Initiative•
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COMMUNITIES UNITED, INC.
SENIOR'S FIRST HURRICANE DISASTER
PREPARDNESS INITIATIVE
March 7, 2018
Communities United, Inc.
4332 NW 17thAvenue, Miami, FL 33142
Phone: (305) 754-3993 • Fax: (954) 965-7874
Email: cominunitiesunited608(&gmail.coarn
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DEBRIEFING of POST -HURRICANE IRMA
COMMUNITIES UNITED, INC.
November 14, 2017 (Revised)
Prepared by Hattie Willis
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DEBRIEFING of POST -HURRICANE IRMA
COMMUNITIES UNITED, INC.
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Communities United, Inc. was instrumental in the preparation and Post -
Hurricane Irma disaster relief efforts for several elderly and underprivileged
residents in the Miami -Dade Community. In collaboration with various local,
state and charity organizations, CU was in the midst to ensure that needed
services were provided to this population.
Four days prior to Hurricane Irma striking our community, a Task Force briefing
was held to identify steps that would be taken immediately following the
anticipated storm. Within four days after this meeting, the storm hit Miami -
Dade and the very next day CU was there to assist and lead in providing basic
supplies and food to seniors in various living facilities as well as those who were
home owners which included removing debris and helping to salvage damage
done to their homes.
What Went Right
• Prep meeting of Task Force on Hurricane Irma Briefing (12:30 p.m.) and
Task Force Hurricane Irma Briefing (2:00 p.m.) were held on September 6,
2017.
• Post -Hurricane Irma, Table of Brotherhood and Police Station mobilized on
September 11, 2017.
• Distribution of ice, water and 1,500 meals to elderly and under privileged
at Charles Hadley, Notre Dame, Gibson Park and Senior Towers
throughout the community on September 12, 2017 between the hours of
8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Distribution of ice, water and 1,500 meals to elderly and underprivileged
at Charles Hadley, Notre Dame, Gibson Park and Senior Towers
throughout the community on September 12, 2017 between the hours of
8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Distribution of ice and water to elderly and underprivileged at Charles
Hadley, Notre Dame, Gibson Park and Senior Towers throughout the
community on September 13, 2017 between the hours of 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Distribution of ice and water to elderly and underprivileged at Charles
Hadley, Notre Dame, Gibson Park and Senior Towers throughout the
community on September 14, 2017 with Commissioner Audrey Edmonson
between the hours of 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
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• Distribution of ice, water and 1,500 meals to elderly at Charles Hadley,
Notre Dame, Gibson Park and Senior Towers throughout the community
on September 15, 2017 between the hours of 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Distribution of ice, water and 100 meals to elderly and underprivileged at
Gibson Park, Over town on September 15, 2017 between the hours of 8
a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Distribution of ice, water and 500 meals to elderly and underprivileged at
the Omega Praise and Worship Distribution Site on September 15, 2017.
• Distribution of ice, water and 1,500 meals to elderly and underprivileged
on September 16, 2017 in partnership with Commissioner Audrey
Edmonson between the hours of 12 noon. to 8 p.m.
• Organized and prepared for the distribution of perishable food items
donated by Costco at Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church, 698 NW 47th
Terrace (Distribution Site) to the surrounding neighborhood and any
walk-in desiring the assistance on September 18, 2017.
• Distribution of 1,400 perishable food items, ice and water at Distribution
Site, Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church on September 19, 2017.
• Distribution of 200 meals to Curley's House Food Bank on September 20,
2017.
• FEMA application assistance at Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church on
September 21 and 26, 2017 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• FEMA application assistance at the MLK Building, 2nd Floor Conference
Room, 2525 NW 62nd Street, Miami, FL from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on
September 22, 2017.
• Walgreens provided a one month prescription to residents and remained
open during and after the storm for residents at three locations which
included 119th and 27th Avenue.
• Over 13, 000 seniors and underprivileged were fed per day through the
collaborative efforts of agencies and organizations.
• October 10, 2017 Close Out Meeting of Task Force.
What Went Wrong?
• Governor Rick Scott took 72 hours to declare Florida a disaster state and it
took 3 days before food and water were available to communities in
Miami -Dade hit hard by the Irma's wrath.
• Organizations such as the Miami -Dade leadership, Red Cross, FEMA,
United Way failed to mobilize and prepare for the needs of the community
in a reasonable time frame.
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• In the underprivileged communities, had to fight for food stamps because
time had lapsed where food had spoiled due to lack of electricity in several
inner-city communities. Basically, food that was purchased with food
stamps spoiled the first three days in the aftermath and recipients did not
have funds or stamps to purchase food. Children who would normally
have received a free breakfast and lunch were home and had to be fed.
• Seniors living in death traps with no air-conditioning and lack of staff to
man living facilities. Seniors who lived in senior towers were vulnerable to
injuries and robberies because there were no staff present for several days
after the storm.
• Poor communication in getting news to this constituency on assistance
available through websites and other social media. Best communication is
done through word of mouth, radio and church.
• Cannot address every community the same way with regards to food being
distributed. For example, Little Haiti residents requested rice and beans.
• Hadley Park normally feeds seniors one meal a day, but had no food for ten
days due to lack of electricity and other disaster related issues. Therefore,
Seniors who normally receive a hot meal on a daily basis were left without
this service for 10 days.
• Some senior towers left a senior resident in charge with no resources to
utilize for several days. Senior towers were left with front door damage
with no word from staff or maintenance for the buildings and contact
numbers that went unanswered. Misplaced Seniors were left to live alone
in homes with no help.
• There was lack of transportation to transport those in need of food and
shelter to facilities and it was a week and a half before the Red Cross was
visibly present and providing needed supplies, food, etc. to those victims of
the hurricane.
• There was total frustration among volunteers attempting to get
commodities to certain neighborhoods like Liberty City, Little Haiti and
Overtown due to poor communication between those with the resources
and volunteers attempting to get the commodities to those in need.
• Underprivileged and seniors who were directly impacted by the hurricane
had to be transported to Distribution Centers and coordinating that task
was overwhelming as different agencies and organizations had to be
solicited to assist in that effort. Seniors had no money for transportation
• Conflicts occurred on the "Line in the Sand" mentality where city and
county agencies were at odds over who was to service whom, when the
bottom line was helping those in need by any means necessary.
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• Four days passed before government officials were responsive to the needs
of the very communities they serve.
• Churches that served as Distribution Centers were unorganized and
unprepared for the magnitude of services needed after the storm.
• No team in place to assist with removal of debris, trees that had fallen on
housetops and other damage that was hazardous to the seniors and those
with special needs.
Strategies for Future Success
• On the first day following the disaster, there should be a RC directive to
shelter and feed when contacted
• Building Codes must be modified for all Senior Living facilities to ensure
that it is mandatory that whole house generators be installed at the same
level as house generators servicing hospitals.
• Seniors living facilities should be on the same priority grid as hospitals,
schools and banks on Brickell Avenue when it comes to electricity.
• Since these facilities are constructed by developers and receive government
funds, subsidy funds for whole house generators must be mandated to be
included in their contracts.
• It should be mandatory that elevators are inspected quarterly and that
Seniors living above the third floor be educated that they should evacuate
their residences and move to the bottom floor of the building due to safety
issues (i.e. windows being blown out from the storm). Those who decide to
remain in the upper floors must be informed of the danger and they
remain at their own risk.
• A designated location (s) need to be identified and publicized for living
quarters for displaced disaster victims; both Seniors and underprivileged
individuals.
• Senior living facilities should have a large room or rooms to accommodate
those who must relocate from apartments above the third floor that has
room for cots and a kitchen facility to prepare meals.
• Trains should be ready to be deployed and stocked with disaster supplies,
materials (tarps, plywood, etc.), food and water to deliver to plighted areas.
• The initial focus of organizations like FEMA, Red Cross, United Way and
local government should be meeting the nutritional, safety and health
needs of those who have suffered from the storm by immediately removing
debris to allow transportation to get through and provide building repair
supplies to damaged homes to include tarp, plywood, etc.
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• FEMA should be deployed to provide immediate assistance to Seniors at
their living facilities. They should not be required to seek transportation to
receive services to which they are entitled.
• Develop a Hurricane Disaster Plan for every senior building that includes
maintaining sufficient staff at these facilities and seniors not being left to
fend for themselves/
• Mandatory that staff of Senior living facilities be educated on a Disaster
Plan for the living facility which includes some staff remaining at the
facility to assist with the needs of the Seniors.
• Develop an Emergency Food Stamp program where a certain amount of
assistance is available to feed a family for at least a week in anticipation of
electricity being restored.
• FPL Ready Team trained and prepared to mobilize to South Florida stocked
with supplies before the storm to immediately restore power after the
disaster hits.
• Organize Distributions and Outreach Centers in churches that are
organized and have in place a Disaster Action Plan that volunteers and
services are readily available post -disaster.
• People in leadership should be on post to address needs of those affected by
the disaster in the form of a Recovery Emergency Management Team.
ADDENDUM
(October 19, 2017)
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on _ ' i x / v City Clerk
Mr. Mark Moore
Assistant Director of Emergency Management
City of Miami Fire Rescue Department
• Must have more than one plan in all circumstances. This include a Plan A,
Plan B and if necessary, a Plan C. For example, making a mental note of
exits in a movie theatre.
• There is a need to educate our communities. There is no written
information that can that can be distributed to the people. The county has
a wealth of information that the people are unaware. For example, the
"Blue Tarp Program" because this information is only available via
internet. It is suggested that requests be made of the county to create
brochures/flyers to distribute to the community creating an awareness that
they, too, may receive such services. Additionally, information be made
available on DVDs which makes the programs readily available to educate
the community.
• Senior Towers need to have the same consideration as ALFs regarding FPL
grids. For example, police and fire departments are considered # 1 on the
grid. hospitals #2 and ALFs, #3 and #4. These same categories need to be
applied to Senior Towers that are both privately and publicly owned.
• Facilities built with tax dollars should be mandated to have generators that
operate the entire building, not just the elevators. This can be
accomplished by building a fire station in the high rise which would
require code changes.
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ADDENDUM
(October 19, 2017)
Mr. Emmanuel Washington, Chief Operating Officer
Community Work Training Program, Inc.
City Clerk
• After 10 years of meeting and planning with Communities United,
Emergency Management, Miami Dade County and City of Miami
Commissioners and staff, Red Cross, police and Fire as well as a host
of other Communities Stakeholders. We didn't fully execute the
plans we made as it pertains to structurally and economically
revitalizing District 3 for the County and District 5 for the City of
Miami.
• Ice and water was to be taken to predetermined sites within the
communities, However, ice and water was taken to the Marlin's Park
Stadium.
• Food distribution drop offs was supposed to be dropped off at
predetermined locations within the communities to provide easier
access for the residents and to prevent massive lines and long
waiting periods.
• Hot meals were supposed to be provided to the community by the
approved restaurant and food vendors that we vetted so that the
people can eat food that they are familiar with and the restaurant
and food vendors would also share in the economic revitalization.
• Debris clean up opportunities for contractors and residents was not
readily available for registered Vendors and residents.
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ADDENDUM
(October 31, 2017)
Task Force Members
Table of Brotherhood
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• Seniors should be educated to receive disaster preparedness within
three months of residency.
• Public Housing needs to provide shelter on the first floor in a
building in the event of a storm.
• Building owners and managers need to be knowledgeable of the
special medical conditions of their tenants (i.e. SeniorA in Unit 3B
requires; Senior B in Unit 4A requires dialysis three days a week).
• Park staff needs be trained on emergency preparedness to work
effectively with other government and community organizations
before, during and after a disaster.
• A cohesive plan/policy needs to be developed between federal, state
and local government regarding disaster preparedness.
• Local distribution centers need to be mandated in every community.
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