Neighborhood Disaster Plan Template Page 18
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20A.7 NEIGHBORHOOD CARE CENTER ANNEX
A.7.1 PURPOSE
The purpose of this annex is to detail procedures for the activation and operation of a
Neighborhood Care Center.
Definition
A Neighborhood Care Center is a neighborhood location established during/after a disaster
where children, older adults, persons with disabilities and other functional needs and others
needing non-clinical care can be provided a safe, secure environment and care.
Location Criteria
While it is understood that emergencies create an imperfect environment, emergency response
leadership should choose the Care Center location with the following general criteria in mind:
The Care Center should be physically separated from areas housing the general
population.
Since HV/AC systems may not be operable following an emergency, Care Center
locations should have natural light and ventilation.
Locations should meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) access requirements
and have the capacity to accommodate access and functional needs populations.
If possible, children should be separated from adults.
Neighborhoods should strive to create a safe atmosphere within the Care Center to
promote relationship building.
Staffing Criteria
Care Centers should ideally be staffed with trained professionals.
However, in a disaster
situation, Centers will have to be staffed with available personnel.
In selecting persons for
staffing centers, response leadership should look for the following:
Use the list of personnel assets from CERT leaders and Block Captains to identify
persons with experience in child care, older adult care, and care for persons with
disabilities and other functional needs.
If trained/experienced personnel are not available, select persons who are known to
the neighborhood.
Assign at least one person to provide constant supervision to the children’s area and
at least one person to the adult area. If a supervisor needs to take a break, another
person must be temporarily assigned to fill his/her role. Without constant supervision,
children in particular could wander from the Center and become lost, could put
themselves in danger to exposed hazards, or could put themselves at risk of
abduction and/or pedophilia.
Assign observers with no care responsibilities to observe operations and report any
concerns or issues.
Designate 1 entry/exit for the Center and assign someone to provide security for it. A
display board should be situated near the entry/exit that lists peoples’ names who
are within the Center to provide timely information to relatives who come looking for
their loved ones.
Consider assigning someone with a mental health or psychology background to the
Care Center to provide support services to those within.
[INSERT DATE, VERSION NUMBER]
[INSERT NAME OF NEIGHBORHOOD]
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