Citizen Voice’s SAFELY OUT Project

Citizen Voice President, Gary Dietrich, welcomes you to Citizen Voice’s new SAFELY OUT Project Blog.

A little lesson on El Niño

(The following personal account comes from Jerry Colivas, CV’s SAFELY OUT™ Advisory Team Leader.)

The El Niño conditions the weather folks have been talking about will be bringing us a little more rain this week.  Not too much to worry about but there is definitely a wet pattern – some would call it conditions for a Pineapple Express.  The definition for Pineapple Express is: a system is driven by a strong, southern branch of the Polar jetstream and is usually marked by the presence of a surface frontal boundary which is typically either slow or stationary, with waves of low pressure traveling along its axis. Each of these low pressure systems brings enhanced rainfall.  Or as I would say, we get warmer rain from the Hawaiian Islands rather than colder rain from Alaska.  Warmer rain has more moisture and also brings down the snow levels.  These facts conspire to make conditions ripe for flooding.  While we have been okay so far, there have been years when flooding occurred in February and in March.  The last time was 1995.  Get your family disaster plan out and review. If you dont have a SAFELY OUT™ Kit, make sure you get one at SAFELYOUT.org.

Haiti – Another Reminder of the Importance of Personal and Family Preparedness

(The following personal account comes from Jerry Colivas, CV’s SAFELY OUT™ Advisory Team Leader.)

I have been watching the new accounts this last week of the many issues surrounding the earthquake in Haiti.  I have also read many situation reports from responding agencies and organizations about the problems first responders are having in meeting all the demands for assistance.  I will tell that my heart goes out to the victims and their families, especially as we see the toll now going to 200,000 in a country of 3 million.  The UN’s Partnership for Humanity just released its latest situation report.  It is encouraging from the standpoint that more 121 people have been pulled out alive from the rubble, including a 3-year old child and a 22-day old baby.  The report then is discouraging in that it relates there is an increased risk of death because open wounds and fractures go untreated.  To me what the important underlying message is here is that while the world is responding to this tiny impoverished nation, people are still struggling for survival over a week after the earthquake.  It also reminds us of Hurricane Katrina and the challenges we, as a country faced in providing assistance to those impacted by the flooding.  When it comes to responding to disasters, our country is better, stronger now but we do need to be prepared.  If you and your family are prepared to deal with a disaster, you are helping our responders because if they don’t have to worry about you, they can direct their resources to others.

Also, it is a fact that you cannot count on immediate assistance during a disaster situation.

California Storms Local Flooding, Landslide, and Power Disruption – Brace for More and Get Prepared

(The following personal account comes from Jerry Colivas, CV’s SAFELY OUT™ Advisory Team Leader.)

This week California has faced some severe weather conditions and those conditions will continue through at least Thursday.  Northern and Central California got the brunt of today’s storm and Southern California will feel the pain tomorrow.  Forecasters have been talking about the El Nino conditions for a while now but there has been a persistent block in the ocean preventing it from reaching shore.  That block has dissolved so we can expect more of the El Nino conditions over the next couple of months.  While I expect to see some local flooding by this weekend, I worry about facing more of these episodes.  Now is the time to check your insurance policies, get out your SAFELY OUT™ kit, and review and practice or make a family disaster plan.  If you need help on the plan or you need a SAFELY OUT™ kit, let us know.  Remember, don’t try to drive through flooded areas and update your SAFELY OUT™ refrigerator magnet card with your “Helpers” and other vital information.

SAFELY OUT Welcomes Formation of Advisory Team

SAFELY OUT™ has formed an Advisory Team to assist with moving the project forward. The team will also help out with prioritizing which communities would be best served by SAFELY OUT™. For many nonprofit agencies, it is important to have well respected people in the community named to an advisory board. In some cases these boards are in name only and do not meet to discuss relevant issues. SAFELY OUT™ has chosen to call its advisory group a “Team” and not a “Board”. As a team of professionals with very busy schedules, they are not just lending their good name but actually working on a team to advance the SAFELY OUT™ project. Because all of these team members are professionals in the field of emergency management, they know how important it is to insure that all people can be safely evacuated during a major emergency or disaster. SAFELY OUT™ is honored to have the following individuals on its Advisory Team:

• Charles Cassani, President of Steamatic of Sacramento. Charles’s firm does home and business restoration after a disasters. He is on the board of the Restoration Industry Association an international group in the field of restoration. He has 37 years of experience working during and after disasters.
• Leo Grover, President Pinnacle Emergency Management. Leo is also in the restoration services industry. His company was ranked 5th by the Sacramento Business Journal for fastest growing companies in 2009 as he now has offices in West Sacramento, Reno, Nevada and Houston, Texas. He did considerable work during and after Hurricane Katrina and after 9/11.
• Paul Jacks, Director of the Fritz Institute’s Bay Area Preparedness Initiative. Among other projects, Paul is currently working on assessing and establishing baselines of preparedness for community and faith-based organizations, who will be called upon to serve the most vulnerable when disaster strikes. Paul also has 30 years of experience in the public sector working most of the disasters in California during that time. He recently retired from public service as the Deputy Director of the former Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (now the California Emergency Management Agency), where he oversaw both response and recovery programs for California.
• Robert Samaan, is Undersecretary for the new California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA). Robert has worked at the federal level for the Department of Homeland Security and moved to California to work with the former California Governor’s Office of Homeland Security until it merged with the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services to become Cal EMA. Robert has been instrumental in assisting SAFELY OUT™ with understanding the federal and state grant process and support SAFELY OUT™ in its successful application for state funding.
• Jerry Colivas, former volunteer for SAFELY OUT™ and now a Citizen Voice staff consultant, will coordinate and facilitate the Advisory Team. Jerry is a retired emergency manager, serving at the local and state levels of government during his 25 year career. He also works with FEMA part time during disasters.

The Citizen Voice SAFELY OUT™ team will continue to grow in number and we’ll keep you informed on the progress of this dynamic group of dedicated professionals.

SAFELY OUT Celebration a Complete Success!

In the midst of a massive early winter storm that wreaked havoc throughout California, supporters, sponsors and volunteers came together to celebrate the third anniversary of the SAFELY OUT™ Project last Tuesday night.  As the rain came down in torrents and winds blew ferociously, it was a powerful reminder of why this project is so important.  As Citizen Voice President Gary Dietrich shared that night, “Imagine an elderly woman with a walker or a person with disabilities in a wheelchair trying to get around on the flooded streets and debris covered sidewalks tonight.  Now multiply that weather ten-fold and extend that over days.  That’s what it was like for the vulnerable during Hurricane Katrina and Rita.”  The SAFELY OUT™ Project has partnered with some amazing organizations like the California Emergency Management Agency, Sacramento County’s Department of Water Resources, Guiding Hands Foundation PRIDE Industries and others, many of whom were able to be present to be recognized for their support and involvement.  At the event, we celebrated Citizen Voice’s SAFELY OUT™ Project reaching the pilot project financial goal of $500,000 to distribute 50,000 Kits in the Sacramento region.  We also looked ahead to exciting state and nationwide expansion that has begun its initial phase.  This event would not have been possible without our fantastic event sponsors — Pinnacle Emergency Management, First Responder, Steamatic of Sacramento and Westpark Associates.  For a complete list of SAFELY OUT™ suppoters go to www.citizenvoice.org.

A Great Update on CV’s SAFELY OUT™ Project from Southern California

(The great report below comes from Lynne Fishel, Citizen Voice’s Southern California Field Representative.)

Distribution of Citizen Voice SAFELY OUT™ Kits in Orange County continues to advance.  Thanks to the Orange County Community Foundation and the California Emergency Management Agency, 1,500 Kits were delivered in June to Orange County’s Office on Aging.  Distribution through regional senior centers and the Meals-On-Wheels program is underway and homebound senior citizens across the county are being provided with CV SAFELY OUT™ Kits.  We have already been asked by those enthusiastically involved in the distribution that they would love to have more Kits to reach additional seniors.  As further funding becomes available, additional kits will be provided to some of Orange County’s most vulnerable residents to help ensure they are safe after a devastating manmade or natural disaster.

Citizen Voice’s SAFELY OUT™ Project Connects with State Legislators at National Convention

(The following personal account comes from Jerry Colivas, CV’s SAFELY OUT™ Advisory Team Leader.)

When working with volunteers, one of the primary tenants is to always enhance the volunteer experience.  I had an opportunity to encounter this tenant first-hand when I was asked to speak on behalf of SAFELY OUT™ at the annual convention of the American Legislative Exchange Committee (ALEC) in Atlanta.

ALEC is a nationwide nonpartisan organization made up primarily of state legislators.  Having spent most of my career in government emergency management, I like many are very aware that the downturn in the economy and the current budget crises around the country are forcing ALEC members and other legislators to evaluate all government services and find ways to empower citizens to volunteer and assist each other in essential ways.

Gary Dietrich, President of Citizen Voice, and I made a very well received presentation to ALEC’s Public Safety Task Force.  I spoke about emerging trends in emergency management and how these trends relate to SAFELY OUT™, and Gary spoke about the value of the SAFELY OUT™ Kit and the impact Citizen Voice’s SAFELY OUT™ Project is already having in protecting the vulnerable.  In my presentation, I said that emergency managers need to consider three emerging issues as they encounter fewer resources to get their job accomplished:

1. Use of volunteers – A good example is the Federal Citizen Corps Program.  This agency oversees the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS), and Fire Corps.  These programs help augment first responder and other public safety programs that government provides for our safety.
2. Preparing the community – People need to be prepared to take care of themselves.  There needs to be more public awareness that government may not be able to care for the needs of all individuals during a disaster situation.
3. Development of needed resources through private/public partnerships –There has been lots of discussion about this idea over the years and now it is time to make it happen.

Citizen Voice’s SAFELY OUT™ staff and volunteers are working on all three of these issues and having success. The ALEC members that Gary and I talked with saw the connection and the need for programs like SAFELY OUT™.  Our presentation to ALEC in Atlanta was another step in moving Citizen Voice’s SAFELY OUT™ Project into the national arena.  We need your continuing support to keep up these types of activities.

Citizen Voice SAFELY OUT Kit Walk Through Video

Gary Dietrich, president and co-founder of Citizen Voice, walks you through how to fill out and use your own SAFELY OUT™ Kit.

Orange County Press Event

Last Friday, June 5, Citizen Voice’s SAFELY OUT™ Project announced the launch of its work in Orange County to assist the most vulnerable by preparing for evacuation after a man-made or natural disaster.

The initial 1500 Kits distributed were made possible through grants from California Emergency Management Agency and the Orange County Community Foundation.  The County of Orange Office on Aging was the recipient of the kits and will be distributing them to home-bound seniors through the elder nutrition programs (Meals-on-Wheels) throughout the County.

SAFELY OUT Project Press Conference in Orange County on June 5, 2009.

Citizen Voice President Gary Dietrich

Jay Alan, Director of Communications for California Emergency Management Agency

Todd Hanson, Vice Presdient of Donor Relations and Programs

Paul Jacks, SAFELY OUT Advisory Committee

From left: Jay Alan, Paul Jacks, Sylvia Mann, Todd Hanson, and Gary Dietrich

Pictured From Left: Jay Alan, Director of Communications for Cal EMA; Paul Jacks, SAFELY OUT Advisory Committee; Sylvia Mann, Director of Orange County Office on Aging; Todd Hanson, Vice President of Donor Relations and Programs; Gary Dietrich, President and Co-found of Citizen Voice

Sylvia Mann, Director of Orange County Office on Aging

Lynne Fishel, Citizen Voice’s Southern California Field Representative interviews Gary Dietrich with KABC, who was part of the media covering the story.

Pictures from the SAFELY OUT Press Conference

Citizen Voice President Gary Dietrich

SAFELY OUT Project Press Conference – Wednesday, May 27, 2009

SAFELY OUT Project Press Conference – Wednesday, May 27th, 2009

PRIDE Industries is the largest employer of disabled persons. PRIDE will receive 3K SAFELY OUT Kits.

A 2nd grade class from the elementary school where the press conference was held.

The Superintendent of Natomas Unfied School District, Dr. Steve Farrar, spoke at the SAFELY OUT Press Conference. His school district wil be receiving 8,000 SAFELY OUT Kits for the families that attend his schools.

Robert Samaan, Assistant Secretary of Cal EMA. Cal EMA gave a grant to the SAFELY OUT Project.

Leo Grover, President of Pinnacle Emergency Management, generously donated $25K to the SAFELY OUT Project to get kits to all 2500 PRIDE employees.

Vic Wursten, VP of Offsite Operations for PRIDE Industries, speaks about Citizen Voice’s SAFELY OUT Project.

From left: Leo Grover, President of Pinnacle Emergency Management; Vic Wursten, VP of Offsite Operations at PRIDE Industries; CV President Gary Dietrich; Robert Samaan, Assistant Secretary of Cal EMA; Bruce Roberts, Natomas Unified School Board Member

CV President Gary Dietrich with the mother and sister of the late Will Craig.

Thank you to all of our sponsors/contributors who made this project possible.