Mountain Communities Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (MCVOAD)

Our mountain summer weather presents hazards for our families, workplaces, neighborhoods, and communities. Are you prepared for wildfires, blizzards, hail, floods, terrorism, or other community disasters?

MCVOAD can help you plan for emergencies and respond to community disasters through Emergency Preparedness Workshops designed specifically for mountain area citizens.

These important workshops were developed in collaboration with the Governor’s Office of Community Service, the Local Emergency Planning Council, Citizen Corps Council, Jefferson County Office of Emergency Management, and the Mile High chapter of American Red Cross, and are a modified version of the Jefferson County CERT-Lite (see right sidebar). The workshops are sponsored by Mountain Resource Center and MCVOAD, and include participation from American Red Cross, local fire and rescue departments, and the Intermountain Humane Society. Topics include:

¨ Disaster and Emergency Preparedness 101: Overview of Community Emergency Preparedness and Emergency Resources

¨ Personal and Family Preparedness 1: Building 72- Hour Survival Kits and Family/Workplace Emergency Plans (in cooperation with American Red Cross)

¨ Personal and Family Preparedness 2: Fire Safety and Wildfire Evacuation (in cooperation with local Sheriff and Fire & Rescue departments)

¨ Community Response to Terrorism and Hazardous Materials Incidents (in cooperation with local Sheriff and Fire & Rescue departments)

¨ Creating a Neighborhood or Workplace Preparedness Plan

¨ Pet & Livestock Safety: Preparing for and Responding to Animal Emergencies

If you have any questions regarding the workshops or MCVOAD Resource Survey, we invite you to phone Laura at Mountain Resource Center, 303-838-7552.

Thank you for your willingness to help our community!

MCVOAD is a humanitarian association of independent voluntary organizations which may be active in any or all phases of disasters. Its mission is to foster efficient, streamlined service delivery to people affected by disaster, while eliminating unnecessary duplication of effort, through cooperation in the four phases of disaster: preparation, response, recovery, and mitigation.

MCVOAD is a local member of the Colorado Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (COVOAD) and the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD)

The service area is roughly defined as the U.S. Hwy 285 corridor and includes areas served by Indian Hills, Inter-Canyon, Elk Creek, North Fork, and Platte Canyon Fire Depts.

MCVOAD continues its commitment to sponsor and facilitate community emergency preparedness education - including family and neighborhood preparedness - utilizing Jefferson County's modified Personal and Family Preparedness (CERT-Lite) and Red Cross materials (see sidebars).

Upcoming Events

ARE YOU REALLY READY?

All Park County and Jefferson County mountain residents need to be informed about the hazards we face living in this community- and how to BE PREPARED. On Tuesday, March 25th at 6:00 PM- 7:30 PM, Mountain Resource Center is offering the Spring 2008 COMMUNITY DISASTER PREPAREDNESS MEETING open to the public. Lori Hodges- Director of Park Co Emergency Management, Jefferson Co Emergency Management, Elk Creek & Platte Canyon Fire Districts, and Einar Jensen- Community Educator from Evergreen Fire Rescue will talk about:

What you need to know to be ready for Wildfire season, extreme Winter weather, and other disasters

Citizen Emergency Response Training (free 2-day class in April)

Year in review- snow, wind, fires & how to prepare for next year

Community Preparedness, coordination and volunteering

Questions and answers

Please plan to attend, and be an informed and prepared citizen for your family and community when disaster strikes!

Mountain Resource Center is located at 11030 Kitty Dr. in Conifer. For more information, call (303) 838-7552.

What is a pandemic?

A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. A flu pandemic occurs when a new influenza virus emerges for which people have little or no immunity and for which there is no vaccine. The disease spreads easily person-to-person, causes serious illness, and can sweep across the country and around the world in very short time.

Why do I care?

Health professionals are concerned that the continued and expanded spread of a highly pathogenic-and now endemic-avian H5N1 virus across eastern Asia and other countries represents a significant threat. The H5N1 virus has raised concerns about a potential human pandemic because:

It is especially virulent
It is being spread by migratory birds
It can be transmitted from birds to mammals and in some limited circumstances to humans, and
Like other influenza viruses, it continues to evolve.

Since 2003, a growing number of human H5N1 cases have been reported in Azerbaijan, Cambodia, China, Djibouti, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Thailand, Turkey, and Vietnam, and more than half of the people infected with the H5N1 virus have died. These cases are all believed to have been caused by exposure to infected poultry. The concern is that H5N1 will evolve into a virus capable of human to human transmission.

Nations with Confirmed Cases of H5N1 Flu

(Click on map for larger image)

What might be some of its effects?

Social Disruption May Be Widespread

Usual services may be disrupted. These could include services provided by hospitals and other health care facilities, banks, stores, restaurants, government offices, and post offices.
Public gatherings, such as volunteer meetings and worship services, may be cancelled.
People with special needs may need special care in case the services they rely on are not available.

Being Able to Work May Be Difficult or Impossible

It may be necessary to work from home, if possible.
Income may be reduced or lost for those who are unable to work or whose place of employment is closed.

Schools May Be Closed for an Extended Period of Time

Children may have to be home schooled.
Children will need recreational activities at home.

Transportation Services May Be Disrupted

What should I do?

Be Aware. Check the Pandemic Flu website frequently for the latest official information. Prepare in accordance with the Pandemic Flu Planning Checklist for Individuals and Families. Also, check the DSV forum posts on this subject.

Additional Information

Ten things you need to know about pandemic influenza

Pandemic Planning Update 3/13/06

Pandemic Influenza Annex to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) Internal Emergency Response Plan

What if Hayman had started further north?

If the Hayman Fire had started in Roland Gulch, with the same conditions, the results might have been similar to this picture, which shows the perimeter of the Hayman fire located in the Conifer - Evergreen area. The same 137,760 acre fire would certainly have resulted in more than 133 residences lost.

Would you have been prepared?

Click here for a larger image

Do you know all the exit routes out of your neighborhood?

Do you know which of your neighbors are homebound?

Do you know which families have parents working in Denver with children home alone?

If not, that is the reason for Disaster Preparedness Neighborhood Planning Meetings. We can help you begin the actual planning process with the help of experts. Please call Laura at Mountain Resource Center, 303-838-7552 for more information.

JEFFERSON COUNTY CITIZENS EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM (CERT)

Jefferson County and the many members of our emergency response community have been working with volunteer groups and citizens since April 2003 to develop a customized version of the national Citizens Emergency Response Team (CERT) program. Based on this partnership, we have developed CERT-Lite. This program is composed of six 1-hour training modules intended to provide you with practical information on what you can do to enhance personal, family and community preparedness.

Preparedness begins with the individual. It needs to be a part of every home, neighborhood and place of business. The most important thing you can do to help your community prepare for any disaster, whether it is natural or human caused, is have a simple practical plan to do one of two things. When a disaster strikes, you will be requested to either take shelter or evacuate. Our CERT-Lite program is intended to give you the simple practical information you need to be ready to take either of these courses of action.

More Information

The Jefferson County Emergency Preparedness Guide is available at the Jefferson County Office of Emergency Management, 800 Jefferson County Parkway, Golden, CO. The Guide is also now available at the Mountain Resource Center, 11030 Kitty Drive, in Conifer.

This Guide is an excellent resource, and every household should have one!

For more information, click here.

Are You Concerned about the catastrophic results of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita?

Would you like to help assure that your area would fare better in the event of a disaster?

Disaster Preparedness starts at the local level, with individuals and neighborhoods, NOT with the State or Federal Government. Through appropriate planning, individuals and neighborhoods can help assure that the State and Federal government teams will not have to try to figure out that someone was bedridden and unable to comply with an evacuation order, or that someone's children were home alone and did not know what to do. Neighborhood Planning Meetings can help you and your neighborhood to be prepared.

Please contact Laura at Mountain Resource Center, 303-838-7552 for more information, and to set up a planning meeting for YOUR neighborhood.

Community Web Links

This site hosted courtesy of DSV-Disaster Support Volunteers Inc.