ESF 6 - Mass Care, Housing, and HR

Owned by Wayne Martin
Apr 18, 2022
5 min read

Emergency Support Function (ESF) #6

Mass Care, Housing, And Human Resources

 

Primary Agency

 

Rockingham/Harrisonburg Department of Social Services

City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County Public Schools

 

Secondary/Support Agencies

 

Red Cross

Emergency Management

Virginia Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VVOAD)

Local Disaster Recovery Task Force

Virginia Department of Health – Central Shenandoah Health District

Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services

Police Departments/Sheriff’s Office

Salvation Army

Animal Care and Control

 

Introduction

 

Purpose:

 

Emergency Support Function #6 (Mass Care, Housing, and Human Resources) receives and cares for persons who have been evacuated, either from a high-risk area in anticipation of an emergency or in response to an actual emergency.

 

Scope:

 

ESF #6 promotes the delivery of services and the implementation of programs to assist individuals, households, and families impacted by an incident. This includes economic assistance and other services for individuals. ESF #6 includes three primary functions: Mass Care, Housing, and Human Services.

 

Mass Care involves the coordination of non-medical mass care services to include sheltering of victims, organizing feeding operations, providing emergency first aid at designated sites, collecting and providing information on victims to family members, and coordinating bulk distribution of emergency relief items.

 

Housing involves the provision of assistance for short- and long-term housing needs of victims.

 

Human Services include providing victim related recovery efforts such as counseling, identifying support for persons with special needs, expediting processing of new benefits claims, assisting in collecting crime victim compensation for acts of terrorism, and expediting mail services in affected areas.

Policies:

 

Potential hazards may require an evacuation. The actual situation will determine the scope of the evacuation and the number of evacuees who will utilize a shelter.

 

The Coordinator for Emergency Management will determine if a shelter is to be opened and will also select the shelter site(s) in coordination with the Department of Social Services and the City of Harrisonburg and/or Rockingham School system. Coordination with Fire, Police, and EMS may be needed to help with sheltering. The Coordinator of Emergency Management, in conjunction with the Director of Social Services, will maintain a list of approved shelters and current contact information. This information can be found in the Emergency Management office.

 

All government/volunteer/private sector resources will be utilized as necessary.

 

Staging/staffing of facilities may occur before an incident when an incident is anticipated. Sheltering, feeding and emergency first aid activities will begin, as needed.

 

Information about persons identified on shelter lists, casualty lists, hospital admission, etc., will be made available to family members to the extent allowable under confidentiality regulations. Social Services will be responsible for determining what can be released and to whom.

 

Efforts will be made to coordinate among agencies needing information to limit the number of inquiry points for families.

 

Concept of Operations

 

General:

 

In the event of a small-scale evacuation, shelter and care may be provided at the nearest public safety facility, which could include public schools, fire stations, and rescue squad buildings. Additionally, local motels and churches may also be used to shelter evacuees. In the event of a large-scale evacuation/displacement of residents, or when the Coordinator along with the Incident Commander decides that a larger facility is required, he/she will advise the Superintendent of Schools and the Department of Social Services. The Superintendent of Schools will then activate one or more of the schools in the City/County as shelter center(s) and will designate a manager to be the main contact for facility needs. The Department of Social Services will be responsible for registration and record keeping. The American Red Cross will assist with operations at each facility (MOU on file in Emergency Management Office).

 

Public notices will advise evacuees to bring the following items with them if time and circumstances permit: one change of clothing, special medicines, baby food and supplies if needed, and sleeping bags. If they are unable to bring those items, limited resources may be available at the shelter to assist them.

 

Upon arrival, registration forms will be completed for each family. Attendance within the shelter will be maintained through a log-in/log-out process. The American Red Cross and the Salvation Army may provide food and clothing and assist in shelter operations.

 

The Department of Social Services will assure that special or functional needs populations are provided for in the time of an emergency. A current roster and a resources list should be maintained. Public information materials should be modified for these populations so that they will be aware of the primary hazards and of mitigation and response actions to be taken.

 

Should crisis-counseling services be required, trained mental health professionals will be provided by Harrisonburg/Rockingham Community Services Board in conjunction with the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services

 

Daily situation reports should be provided to the City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County EOC about the status of evacuees and of operations at the shelter center(s). The EOC will then relay information to the VEOC. Adequate records must be maintained for all costs incurred in order to be eligible for post-disaster assistance.

 

Organization:

 

The Department of Social Services, assisted by the Superintendent of Schools and American Red Cross, is responsible for the reception and care of evacuees. City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County school employees may be assigned support tasks. The Harrisonburg Police Department, Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office or a private security company will provide security as needed. The Central Shenandoah Health District along with EMS providers will provide first aid and limited medical care service at the shelter center as needed.

 

Actions:

 

Identify shelter facilities and implement MOAs and other agreements.

 

Develop plans and procedures to transport, receive, and care for the evacuated population.

 

Review the maximum capacities for each potential facility.

 

Designate shelter managers and other key staff personnel.

 

Develop plans and procedures to receive and care for persons with disabilities evacuated from residential homes and treatment facilities that operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

 

The Department of Social Services will maintain a list of the special or functional needs population who may need additional assistance during a time of emergency and have that list available in the EOC when activated.

 

Develop plans and procedures to receive and care for the animals of the evacuees.

 

Provide mass transportation as required.

 

Provide mass feeding as required; and

 

Document expenses.

 

Responsibilities:

 

  • Activate support agencies.

  • Coordinate logistical and fiscal activities for ESF #6

  • Plan and support meetings with secondary agencies, and ensure all agencies are informed and involved.

 

  • Coordinate and integrate overall efforts.

  • Provide registration and record keeping.

  • Provide crisis-counseling services as required.

  • Provide emergency welfare for displaced persons.

  • Coordinate release of information for notification of relatives.

  • Provide assistance to special needs populations.

  • Assist in provisional medical supplies and services.

  • Provide available resources such as cots and ready to eat meals.

  • Work closely with the special or functional needs and elderly population to provide any assistance needed to facilitate their evacuation.

    • Ambulance services, Virginia Department of Health, and the Northwest Regional Healthcare Coalition may assist with needed equipment.

 

 

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