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Western Massachusetts Community Organizations Active In Disasters Summit

The Western Region Homeland Security Advisory Council will host the second Community Organizations Active Disasters Summit on Thursday, April 30 at the UMass Center in Springfield. Click here to register. The event is free.

The Western Massachusetts Community Organizations Active in Disasters (COAD) Summit provides an excellent opportunity for emergency personnel to learn about the wealth of non-governmental, ready-to-serve organizations that exist in their communities, and to take stock of the vital resources these agencies supply.

Participants will become familiar with the function and mechanics of the emergency response system and learn about the ways in which their particular organization or personal skill fits into the many-faceted network of volunteers.

Keynote speaker Susamma Seeley is a certified emergency manager and the statewide director of response for Catholic Charities agencies in Missouri. She also serves as the Chairperson of the Missouri Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD). When deployed on their behalf, Ms. Seeley’s primary role is to assist local Catholic Charities agencies with integration of their response and recovery activities into the broader disaster response community. Her most recent deployments include the 2011 Joplin, Missouri tornado response and the 2012 Hurricane Sandy response in New Jersey. With a background in both emergency management and VOAD, Ms. Seeley’s keynote speech will offer insight into and discuss strategies for relationship-building between these distinct disaster response camps.

The two-session agenda will include continental breakfast, lunch, opportunities to network, and a low-stress, low-stakes functional exercise in which participants will practice coordinating their response through a disaster scenario. Morning registration will test an existing plan for operating a volunteer reception center.

Individuals and groups interested in volunteering or actively involved in preparing for emergencies and assisting victims before, during, and after disasters are encouraged to attend. This year’s summit promises to be an exciting day of informative workshops, problem solving, and networking with other participants who share an enthusiasm for helping others through disaster.

UMass Hampshire MRC Exercise in the news

The Daily Hampshire Gazette reports on the upcoming large scale UMass / Hampshire MRC shelter exercise. More than 275 people are expected to participate. WRHSAC is providing funds to support the exercise. To read the article click here.

COAD Summit 2015

The Western Region Homeland Security Advisory Council has set the date for its Community Organizations Active in Disasters Summit 2015. The summit will be held on Thursday, April 30, 2015 at the UMass Center at Tower Sqaure in Springfield, MA.

Workshops for both community organizations and emergency management are being arranged and will likely include: a look at online tools useful for recovery; a training on the emergency rest center guide prepared by WRHSAC; food safety in a shelter or emergency rest center environment; working with children in disasters; and looking at the role libraries can play before, during and following a disaster.

The summit will be free and lunch will be provided. Please save the date to join us! Watch your email and this website for registration information.

Hadley Farms Meeting House, Hadley MA

8:00am to 5:00pm

WRHSAC is conducting Medical Management of CBRNE Events Training on March 10 & 11, 2015

What if a catastrophic event occurs? Will you be ready? Will you need a special level of protection? Is decontamination necessary? Do you have the right medications?

Medical Management of Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives, (CBRNE) Events answers these questions and more as you learn how to distinguish between different agents of concern that could be used in a major incident.

This two-day course is a combination of facilitated discussions, small-group exercises, Human Patient Simulator hands-on scenarios, and traditional classroom discussions. Exercises are conducted in a CBRNE scenario using both adult and pediatric Human Patient Simulators to reinforce classroom lectures and interaction.

This course promotes critical thinking skills while utilizing the RAPID-Care concept. The multi-discipline make-up of the participants helps to strengthen information sharing, communications, and medical surge capabilities.

This course is taught by Texas A&M Engineering Extension Services. The course is free. Lunch will be provided. Registration will begin at 7am. Class begins at 8am.

This training is appropriate for the following disciplines:

  • Fire Services
  • Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
  • Law Enforcement
  • Hospital personnel, physicians and nurses
  • Public Health Services
  • Public Works (PW)
  • Emergency Management Organizations
  • City, County, State and Federal Medical
  • Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT)
  • Dispatchers

It is recommended that you take the following online courses prior to attending this training:

Class size is limited to 50 participants. The registration and wait-list for this course is full.
Thank you for your interest!

16 hours of OEMS credit for Basic, Intermediate and Paramedic are available.

 

 

 

South Deerfield Fire Station, 84 Greenfield Road, Deerfield

8:30am to 2:00pm

A GPS Cache Training Session will be held on Wednesday, April 16, 2014 at South Deerfield Fire District Station, 84 Greenfield Road, Deerfield, Ma.

Registration is closed for this training. Thank you!

Directions:
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MEMA Region III/IV Agawam

8:30am to 2:00pm

A GPS Cache Training Session will be held on Wednesday, April 2, 2014 at MEMA Region III/IV, 1002 Suffield Street, Agawam, MA. Please register using the form below.

Directions:
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To Register: (If you are unable to access this form please contact Raine Brown, Homeland Security Program Manager.

Bangs Community Center, Amherst, Ma

7:30 am to 2:15 pm

WRHSAC is hosting Global Positioning (GPS)  device trainings for Departments of Public Work throughout western Massachusetts. The trainings will be held in the months of October and November on the following dates:

Wednesday, October 16 in Lanesborough, Ma (registration)

Wednesday, October 23 in Amherst, Ma (registration)

Wednesday,  November 6th in Deerfield, Ma (registration) and

Wednesday, November 20th in Agawam, Ma. (registration)

The training is free and each town attending will receive a free Garmin Oregon 650 handheld GPS unit. A representative from the town DPW must attend the training to receive the GPS unit.

This training is for public works and highway personnel who would like to learn how to use global positioning system (GPS) equipment in their work and especially in dealing with the aftermath of disasters, which create problems–debris piles, failed sewers, etc.–that need to be documented in order to mitigate future issues and to receive reimbursement from disaster funds.  Additionally, there will be a short seminar explaining ACAMS (Automated Critical Assessment Management System) and how the system can be used to track infrastructure that is damaged repetitively and severely in an effort to collect information in a manner that is consistent and recognized by FEMA, which should simplify the reimbursement process and increase recoupable funds by local communities that have sustained damage following declared storm events.

Lanesborough Fire Department

7:30 am to 2:15 pm

WRHSAC is hosting Global Positioning (GPS)  device trainings for Departments of Public Work throughout western Massachusetts. The trainings will be held in the months of October and November on the following dates:

Wednesday, October 16 in Lanesborough, Ma (registration)

Wednesday, October 23 in Amherst, Ma (registration)

Wednesday,  November 6th in Deerfield, Ma (registration) and

Wednesday, November 20th in Agawam, Ma. (registration)

The training is free and each town attending will receive a free Garmin Oregon 650 handheld GPS unit. A representative from the town DPW must attend the training to receive the GPS unit.

This training is for public works and highway personnel who would like to learn how to use global positioning system (GPS) equipment in their work and especially in dealing with the aftermath of disasters, which create problems–debris piles, failed sewers, etc.–that need to be documented in order to mitigate future issues and to receive reimbursement from disaster funds.  Additionally, there will be a short seminar explaining ACAMS (Automated Critical Assessment Management System) and how the system can be used to track infrastructure that is damaged repetitively and severely in an effort to collect information in a manner that is consistent and recognized by FEMA, which should simplify the reimbursement process and increase recoupable funds by local communities that have sustained damage following declared storm events.

Faith Community Rest Centers

Thank you to MassLive.com for publishing this article on WRHSAC’s Faith Community Partnering for Emergency Preparedness Emergency Rest Center project.

Food Bank of Westen Ma Emergency Food Networks

In preparation for the potential severe weather threat from Winter Storm NEMO, the Food Bank of Western Ma has shared their Emergency Food Networks list for each county with their emergency planning / preparedness partners. The Food Bank encourages responders to direct people to these resources if the need arises. Download the pdfs:

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