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Projects and Initiatives

Project Library

3 results

Sheltering Equipment /Supplies (2013)

WRHSAC continues to support the preparedness efforts of local and regional emergency shelters through purchasing emergency sheltering equipment. The equipment is available on an as needed basis throughout the region. Equipment includes eight shelter equipment trailers; additional cots, blankets, etc located at regional shelters; light towers; highway message boards; mobile generator; and DART trailers. See the Resource Guide for more information about specific equipment. This project is ongoing.

Reference: Shelter Planning, Sheltering Equipment

Mass Care, Sheltering and Evacuation (2012)

The WRHSAC has coordinated several project related to preparedness planning for mass care, sheltering, and evacuation for the region. These efforts link into recently statewide efforts. Much of the work done by WRHSAC is being used as templates for the statewide projects. The WHRSAC projects include:

  • Regional Shelter Planning – Establishing regional disaster response shelters, developing plans, and identifying needed resources and equipment.
  • Evacuation – Developed evacuation maps for primary and secondary routes and alternate routes throughout the region.
  • Mass Receiving Planning – and developing plans to receive evacuees from other areas.
  • Disaster Animal Response Team (DART) Response Planning – Developing common operating picture response plans to local and regional incidents for DART teams.
  • Faith Community Partnership for Preparedness – Establishing partnerships between faith communities, first responders, and municipal official to enhance the capacity to care for citizens in disaster response.
  • Sheltering Equipment & Supplies – Establishing caches of sheltering response related equipment. Examples include: sheltering equipment trailers, DART equipment trailers, light towers and highway message boards. See the Resource Guide for a full list of equipment.
  • Public Emergency Communication Strategies – Researching the most effective ways to communicate with the public before, during and after emergency incidents/disasters.
  • Website Revision / Redesign – Enhanced the WRHSAC websites to provide emergency response tools and information to first responders and provide personal emergency preparedness information to the public. WRHSAC.org and WesternMassReady.org

Reference: Evacuation, Public Emergency Communciation Strategies, Shelter Planning, Sheltering Equipment

Disaster Animal Response Teams Sheltering Equipment & Trailers (2011)

WRHSAC has purchased a total of five Disaster Animal Response Team (DART) Trailers. The trailers are stocked with necessary equipment to run a pet friendly shelter. Each trailer is associated with a specific DART in western Massachusetts. The Teams and trailers respond throughout western Massachusetts as needed. See the Resource Guide for trailer location and contact information.

Reference: Disaster Animal Response Team, Pet Friendly Shelters, Sheltering Equipment