What can we do now? Who should we call later?

Save these pages as a quick reference guide for disaster preparation and response.

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> Download a printable version of this resource directory.

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PREPARE

Tips for Families, Businesses & Communities

1. Stock Up
For both private residences and larger organizations, Wadena County Emergency Management Director Scott McKellep says it’s a good idea to have disaster preparedness kits at the ready. They should be easily accessible and portable, so you can grab them and go to a designated disaster shelter area, or they should be already located in the shelter. The kits don’t have to be elaborate. McKellep says a good rule of thumb is to include the basic things you would need to survive for 72 hours while waiting for first responders. That includes water, canned food (don’t forget a can opener) and basic first aid items.

2. Check Your Insurance
Make sure your insurance policies are up to date. McKellep recommends individuals talk to insurers to make sure you understand the coverage you have, because to different insurance companies, terms like “replacement cost” can mean different things. “When you think of ‘replacement cost’ you think they’re just going to pay for what you had, but that’s not always the case,” said McKellep. Have your policy reviewed every two years.

3. Make an Evacuation Plan
From exiting a burning house to knowing where you will go if you have to suddenly leave town, evacuation plans are essential. “Make sure relatives know where you’re going,” McKellep said.

4. Create a Continuity of Governance Plan
This kind of plan dictates how a government organization will continue running in the event of a disaster. For example, if a courthouse is destroyed, how will those business and governmental functions be carried out, even if the physical space that once housed them no longer exists? What alternate facility would the operations move to, and what technology (or backup technology) would need to be implemented in that new space? Keep this plan in a safe place— or several, including on a cloud server. (For tips on how to keep your business running after a disaster, turn to page 16.)

5. Map It
On the larger county or municipality level, McKellep advises officials to create a plan that divides their city or county into different sectors. Then figure out how to manage traffic flow, lock down certain sectors of the community and organize a process by which people can be admitted back into their own neighborhoods and homes. These plans should be mapped out and accessible to city and county workers who will need to enforce them, but don’t need to be available to the general public, although McKellep suggests it’s a good idea to assure the public that you do have such a plan in place.

6. Analyze Your Risk
Risk analysis is usually spelled out in a county hazard mitigation plan. These plans outline “the risks of just about everything you can think of, from cyber security to a dam failure,” said McKellep. They detail which, if any, townships or municipalities are at risk for particular types of disasters. Cities can adopt county hazard mitigation plans or use them as templates to create their own.

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RESPOND

A State & National Resource Directory

Homeland Security and Emergency Management
A division of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Minnesota Homeland Security and Emergency Management offers training to emergency managers, fire fighters, law enforcement personnel, EMTs and other state agency employees. Training covers a variety of topics including volunteer management and emergency communication.

(651)201-7400
www.homelandsecurity.state.mn.us

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Federal Emergency Management Agency
FEMA’s mission is to support citizens and first responders in the preparation for, protection against, response to and recovery from disasters. The agency has a wealth of information for individuals and families, as well as training programs for emergency managers and responders.

(202) 646-2500
For responders and officials: www.fema.gov/prepared/train
For individuals and families: www.fema.gov/areyouready

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Minnesota Red Cross
Communities and organizations can schedule presentations by Red Cross staff and volunteers on a variety of topics, including Severe Weather Safety, Emergency Action Plans, and basic emergency preparations on the individual and community level.

(612) 871-7676
www.redcrosstc.org (Click on “Chapters” for local help.)

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VOAD—Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster
VOAD is an association of well-known and lesser-known relief organizations, from the Red Cross and the Salvation Army to the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation. VOAD serves as a “one-stop shop” and allows all their organizations to share knowledge and resources throughout the disaster cycle to help disaster survivors and their communities.

(703) 778-5088
www.nvoad.org | In Minnesota: www.mnvoad.org

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ICISF—International Critical Incident Stress Foundation
The International Critical Incident Stress Foundation provides “leadership, education, training, consultation and support services in comprehensive crisis intervention and disaster behavioral health services to the emergency response professions, other organizations and communities worldwide.”

(410) 750-9600
www.icisf.org

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The Humane Society
Typically thought of as a shelter for animals, the Humane Society also provides resources pet owners can use to plan for their pets’ safety in the event of a disaster. The organization even has information on disaster preparedness for livestock.

(202) 452-1100
www.humanesociety.org
In Minnesota: www.mnhumane.org

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ECHO—Emergency and Community Health Outreach
ECHO is a Minnesota-based organization that specializes in multi-language communications in the areas of health, safety, emergency readiness and civic engagement in order to serve the state’s immigrant and refugee population. ECHO collaborates with health and safety experts and bilingual community leaders to ensure all Minnesotans receive the support they need in the event of a disaster.

(651) 789-4342
www.echominnesota.org

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Initiative Foundation
After a disaster, call the Initiative Foundation immediately to host and promote disaster relief funds for online and traditional giving. Serving central Minnesota’s 14 counties, the Foundation also helps with community planning and grants for recovery and rebuilding.

877-632-9255
www.ifound.org