Workshop: Family Disaster Preparedness

Course Overview:

The Miami Center for Public Health Preparedness (Miami CPHP), University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, has designed a workshop on all-hazards family disaster preparedness with a particular emphasis on hurricane preparedness. The primary purpose is to prepare families and communities, living in areas of high disaster frequency, to successfully respond to the challenges of disasters. Training is conducted in the primary language of the training participants by native speakers who know the culture. The workshop has been trained primarily in Spanish and more than 7,000 Hispanic individuals have been trained to date. Extensive outreach has been conducted with Hispanic organizations, leading to an expanding demand for training sessions. Recently, the training has been translated into English and ongoing training is underway through multiple community-based organizations.

Workshop Description :

The workshop is designed to teach participants to assume responsibility at the individual, family and community level, for optimal preparedness for hurricanes and other types of natural and human-generated disasters. The workshop helps participants realistically understand the predictable, seasonal threats posed by hurricanes and prepare for unexpected disaster events that may occur without warning. Attendees are introduced to the range of resources available to disaster-affected communities, including FEMA, local and state emergency management, Red Cross, Salvation Army, and other voluntary organizations active in disaster response.

The workshop provides practical tools for protecting life and well-being when disaster strikes by teaching the concept of the Four P’s: Plan, Prepare, Protect, and Practice. Participants identify critical disaster supplies to be stockpiled at home for situations requiring citizens to shelter-in-place. They also identify a subset of essential supplies that can be assembled into a “Go-Kit” for each family member in the event that evacuation is necessary. Also emphasized are the special disaster needs and concerns for children, elderly family members, persons with disabilities and medical conditions, and pets. Finally, participants are provided with guidance for creating a family communications plan.

Course Objectives:

• Teach the four key principles of family disaster planning: Plan. Prepare. Protect. Practice.
• Identify strategies for locating missing family members and reuniting loved ones who are separated by disaster.
• Identify emergency contacts during a disaster.
• Prepare a list of critical disaster supplies. 
• Create lists of special provisions for children, older adults and pets.
• Identify strategies for managing stress during disasters.
• Identify government and community organizations that provide support during disasters.

Cost:

This workshop is provided free of charge. Each participant is provided with an activity workbook that contains a comprehensive family disaster plan and lists of resources.

Course Faculty:

The workshop is directed by Mr. Alvaro Patiño from Miami CPHP (cell: 786-290-2848).

Website: www.umdeepcenter.org; www.deep.med.miami.edu