Ask the Expert Archive

SEPTEMBER 2006

Greg Chun, Director of Disaster and Emergency Management, California Service Corps

Why are California’s AmeriCorps*State programs being asked to develop Continuity of Operations Plans?
In California, the State Commission requires its AmeriCorps programs to formulate a very simple Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP). The development of this plan helps to ensure that there is minimal disruption to AmeriCorps programs should a major disaster or emergency occur in the communities they serve. This COOP is actually a checklist that includes required, recommended, and optional planning activities for AmeriCorps programs to use in order to build and maintain a safer, more secure work and service environment. Other national service programs can easily adopt or adapt these activities to fit their needs. At the very least, this checklist prompts programs to talk about potential hazards and emergency plans. The ultimate goal is that they will identify and implement strategies towards a more disaster resilient organization and program.

Programs around the country may want to consider developing COOPs as these are basic business continuity plans. One of the things we have learned time and again is that small- to medium-sized nonprofit, community- and faith-based organizations go out of business following a disaster – even a small disaster or emergency can put these organizations at risk of going out of business because they failed to develop any kind of plan.

The California Service Corps is completing its own COOP and Continuity of Government (COG) plan. This process is much more comprehensive and involves numerous staff and consultants working over several months.

What are some of the required items on the Continuity of Operations Plan checklist?
There are several items. The easier ones include incorporating emergency preparedness and safety policies and procedures in your new employee/member and volunteer orientation/training sessions; identifying an emergency coordinator to be the contact person in the event of a major disaster or emergency, developing a telephone tree organizational chart; updating emergency contact records to include both a local and out-of-state contact person for each staff person and AmeriCorps member; and developing a disaster mission statement that clearly states what types of response and recovery activities the program might be willing to undertake should a major disaster or emergency occur.

Should programs send clothing, food, medicine and toys to a disaster affected area?
Although it may seem like the right thing to do, the answer is no. Emergency managers prefer that individuals and groups interested in helping those affected by a particular disaster donate money (instead of goods) to a disaster relief organization of their choice. When making a donation, one should specify which disaster relief fund the donation should go to—for example: “Florida Hurricanes.” Donating goods (such as food, medicine, used clothing, and toys) is not a cost- and time-effective way to help, because goods cost time and money to sort, pack, move, warehouse, and distribute. Donating goods also diverts much-needed personnel on the receiving end where items must be received and managed. In the end, donated materials such as food and medicine are often destroyed; clothing and toys are often donated elsewhere and sometimes destroyed. On the other hand, a cash donation will make its way to the particular disaster relief effort in a timely manner. Donated monies are often spent in the affected community, helping that community’s economy to recover more quickly. There are a few exceptions to this rule—corporations can really help by contributing, in a well-coordinated manner, large truckloads of requested items such as fresh water, tarps, and new clothing items. Groups and organizations should really talk with the intended recipient organization or agency before collecting and sending any goods and materials.

Following a major disaster, what's the best way for programs to utilize their human resources?
Following a major disaster, most disaster relief organizations are extremely busy, even if they are not situated in the affected area. They are engaged in supporting their affected units logistically and with human and other resources. In addition, when thousands of others also want to help, organizations may become overwhelmed with too many volunteers whom staff people don't have time to register or train.

To be ready, your program should develop a pre-disaster relationship with the American Red Cross or another VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) organization and become part of their volunteer cadre of disaster workers. Then have your program members complete the organizations' required training courses, so they will be ready when disaster strikes. If your group is not trained and pre-registered, you can call the local volunteer reception center to register. It’s best to find out where and when your time and skills will be needed before leaving home. It’s also important to find out how to dress appropriately and how your need for food, water, and a safe and secure work environment will be met. In a community struck by disaster, where emergency responders and disaster relief organizations are working at maximum capacity, an unexpected arrival of large numbers of volunteers may make the response and recovery process more difficult and may even compromise the safety of volunteers or other community members.

Additionally, the Corporation for National and Community Service encourages AmeriCorps programs to help address the issue of unaffiliated volunteers by becoming trained to help staff local volunteer reception centers. Training is available by contacting Diana Rothe-Smith at the Points of Light Foundation at 202-729-8169.

What would you suggest to our national service members who are interested in a career in emergency management?
My first suggestion is to contact your local office of emergency services to see if you can “interview” one of their emergency managers to learn more about the job. There's much more to emergency management than the high-action, glamorized side you see in the movies. Emergency managers spend the vast majority of their time planning. Today’s emergency managers have also become grant and project managers. Another good way to learn more about the field is to volunteer with an organization such as the American Red Cross or another VOAD organization. In the Red Cross, you can become part of their local Disaster Action Team (or DAT) to respond to local disasters such as single family and apartment fires. You can also take training to become part of the Disaster Services Human Resource System (DSHR) to be eligible for national disaster assignments. Volunteering with a local fire service agency with programs such as the Fire Corps or Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is another good way to learn about the field. Additionally, several colleges and universities have emergency management and homeland security undergraduate and graduate programs. The International Association of Emergency Managers website is also a good online resource for training and education.

What value do volunteers and national service participants bring to homeland security and disaster response, relief, and recovery efforts?
Volunteers have become a critical resource to local law enforcement agencies around the world. In the United States, volunteers are in almost every police and sheriff’s department. In California, law enforcement program mangers estimate volunteers saved local law enforcement agencies an estimated $75 million in 2005. Every law enforcement agency will tell you that they could not successfully prevent and solve crimes without involved citizens.

Volunteers have also become vital to disaster response and recovery. In the United States volunteers have been involved in disaster response since the birth of our country. Today organizations like the American Red Cross respond to tens of thousands of disasters every year. Without a cadre of trained and available volunteers these organizations would not be able to deliver critically important services and assistance. These volunteers do everything from managing shelters to preparing and distributing meals to assisting with casework. There are few jobs a volunteer does not do. Worldwide, two dozen large relief organizations utilize tens of thousands of volunteers in disaster relief and recovery activities—without volunteers many of these organizations would not exist.

Volunteer Florida, the Governor's Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service, is the recognized leader in utilizing affiliated and spontaneous volunteers in times of disaster, coordinating volunteers and donations as a member of their state response system. These past years have brought devastating hurricanes to Florida’s shores. In 2005, 112,626 volunteers contributed more than 4.7 million hours of service worth an astounding $83 million. These volunteers provided 5.8 million meals and 7.9 million bottles of water and helped cover almost 15,000 roofs with tarps.

National service volunteers and members have participated in crime prevention and reduction for more than 40 years. In California, Senior Corps volunteers serve in almost every law enforcement agency. Seniors patrol neighborhoods, assist with data entry, staff field offices, and process crime reports.

National service has been involved in disaster response and recovery since the 1930s when the Civilian Conservation Corps erected 3,470 fire towers, built 97,000 miles of fire roads, planted three billion trees and dedicated 4,235,000 days to fighting fires. Today, several streams of national service–AmeriCorps, AmeriCorps*NCCC, AmeriCorps*VISTA, RSVP, Learn and Serve America, and others–are involved in all-hazard preparedness response, relief, and recovery across the country.

In response to the recent hurricanes along the Gulf Coast, more than 5,700 AmeriCorps and Senior Corps members have joined with local, state, and federal relief and recovery efforts to provide assistance to those affected by these natural disasters. In addition, more than 75,000 students in the program are contributing to relief efforts in communities throughout the country, amassing invaluable experience. Visit the Corporation's website to learn more about these volunteer efforts.

And with the heightened awareness brought about by the events of 9/11 and natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina, volunteers and national service participants in many programs are focused—with both time and resources—on all hazard prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery.

Do you have any closing thoughts?
Programs and individual members should never self-deploy to a disaster area. I encourage national service programs to learn more about applying for the Corporation's Disaster Response Cooperative Agreement. Once eligible, national service programs become a resource that can be deployed by the Corporation to provide assistance in a major disaster.

Many emergency managers have this motto hanging on their office walls: “Those who fail to prepare, prepare to fail.”

More about Greg Chun
Greg Chun is also the state director of California's Citizen Corps program, funded by the Department of Homeland Security to expand and enhance citizen preparedness and involvement in homeland security activities. Greg was appointed to this position by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. In addition, he is a member of the board of directors for the American Red Cross in Sacramento, a manager in the Red Cross Disaster Services Human Resource system, and a member of the national Critical Response Team.

For nearly 20 years, Greg has worked in the fields of homeland security, emergency management, and grant management. During that time, he developed and directed nationally recognized, award-winning disaster preparedness, response, and recovery programs.

Prior to his current position Greg worked for the American Red Cross, where he served as a Red Cross leader in national service in California and across the country. He held several emergency management positions and served at the management level on national disaster relief operations. In 1996, he received the American Red Cross Tiffany Award for Excellence in Management—the organization's highest award for paid staff.

Prior to his employment with the American Red Cross, Greg served as a special agent with the U.S. Department of Defense. He holds a Master of Science in Criminal Justice and a Professional Graduate Diploma for Educators. He has also been active as a volunteer leader for more than 25 years with schools and community- and faith-based organizations, including international volunteer work in Papua New Guinea. Various groups and organizations have honored Greg’s work and contributions with certificates of recognition and appreciation.