Community Support Centers

[c3jmp]

Re: Community Support Centers

so... community groups could get FRS/GMRS radios so they could stay in contact without having to talk in person, and be covered in the event the phones go out. from various sources, solar panels are available that will charge 12 volt batteries (available from stores that cater to hunting interests for game feeders, and from outfitters for using electronics while off the grid).

if folks get GMRS licenses ($80 from FCC), the range is extended quite a bit over FRS. moreover, having a renewable 12VDC source means people can use LED lamps that run on batteries, as well as items such as the Steri-Pen to sterilize water, or a Zip stove that runs a fan off a single AA, and produces quite a bit of capability for very little fuel. chargers are available that will charge NiMH batteries from 12VDC - so anything useful that takes a AA or AAA, is now viable.

 

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Community Support Centers

Solar has limits at northern latitudes. Don't know the exact numbers, but here they're useless for a few months in winter.

Is there a windup generator?
I have a windup powered radio & windup flashlight.

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[c3jmp]

Re: Community Support Centers

there are, but the ones i've seen are targeted for cell phones; i don't know of one for 12vdc - seems like that would take alot of winding. i've heard references to using bicycle generators, but i've not wired one up, so i can't speak to them.. pretty sure that rigging a generator to a spillway would be out - it would freeze. wind, maybe? i'll look around..

 

[c3jmp]

Re: Community Support Centers

fire might work - it's the light, not the sun (same way a solar calculator works under an incandescent light)... have to be careful not to get the panels too close.. i'll play with that too..

 

[T. ModestoPhD]

Re: Community Support Centers

LMonty

You bring up some very important points. Social distancing is what I have seen suggested mostly. Cooking and preparing foods for large numbers of individuals is an intimate job for many people in that the kitchens are relatively small confined spaces with high moisture that can continue to contain the virus etc. In many situations, the 3-4 feet social distance will be impossible. Also I understand that it is being strongly considered that food be brought to individuals instead of having groups of people transporting themselves to the facilities to obtain food, etc. individual transportation would use up much more fuel and staffing power.

Additionally how will the faith centers get supplies of bulk food? There could be jurisdictional restrictions to consider as well. Some have suggested using food from the general food pantries but that is also questionable since that food is generally used so people do not have to go to soup kitchens etc. Do you give the food to the few who get there first to the food pantry or do you use the food pantry food to help the many who get to the emergency food service centers first? Most faith centers have very limited food supplies at any given time on a regular basis. Many food pantries run out of food in the colder months in my area and have a general urgent call to members to help re-stockpile on a normal winter event. With a pandemic, this is far from 'normal' so how will people be able to help respond to the urgent need of the food pantry when they -the congregants will be on limited resources themselves?

There has also been talk about if those who are preparing and serving the food should be allowed to eat the food since it would limit the amount available to others. The statement has been made that those who help out will have to wait until they get home to get their own supply of food. This brings up other ethical issues as well about exposure to families as well as workers needing to sustain themselves while working. So far I have found no definitive answers.

Interested in everyone's thoughts on this.

TM

Sharon,I think the current wroking thing is people should avoid personal contact closer than three feet. That should reduce infection via airborne droplets. If the virus is an efficient spreader via aerosol, that wouldnt be enough.

I'd be more concerned about ventilation. IMHO Ventilation patterns should all be up and out of the building, from all points. Actively moving upward air may be safer. ie, No ventilation patterns that allow for horizontal airflow that stays in the lower eight to ten feet. I dont have a reference for that, or scientific proof of any efficacy, just my own speculations. But if it is reasonable, that means looking at air conditioning and ventilation, and a way to adjust it if needed, and a way to power it if munincipal power is not avialable for even short periods of time.

Another concern of mine in such a situation is fomite and hard surface transmission. Without individual bathrooms and cooking facilities, such a facility would need scrupuous, continuous attention to cleanliness in all common areas- but especially in those areas. So large amounts of hand sanitizers, surface cleaners, disposable wipes and cleaning supplies would be a big need. Educating all "residents" on how to do that would be paramount.

I think there are guidelines on stocking such a facility thru red cross and other disaster response organizations. They would be a good planning startfor food and supply storage. They may have historical data on whats been needed to suppport disaster resonse teams after such incidents as Andrew and Katrina. Salvation Army, one of the Baptist church organizations and perhaps others who kept teams at disaster response sites for a long periods after those incidents might be a resource for that info.

We'd could look at them as a basic start, instead of "re-inventing the wheel". They may have learned things that would prevent error or make life easier in future responses, especially long term ones. Then decide the length of time that such a facility would need to run (months, one wave, or years!) , and adjust storage to match and preferably exceed that (a fudge factor is a good thing)!

But current support center guidelines for staging areas would not likely take those needs for increased disinfection into account. I think that would need to be taken into account and adjusted upward, at least by one order of magnitude. Unless someone has a better way to estimate that? This may all be laid out somewhere, maybe military planning?

 

[ruthbeme]

Re: Community Support Centers

One of the problems with delivering door to door is the safety issue. If food becomes a premium, delivering in some areas may be very dangerous to their personal safety. Even in the rural areas, if they do not know your coming, they may feel you an intruder. In the city it may be easier to set up an outside pick up point, that could be walked to and brought home for personnel consumption. Similar to what they use at a carnival and then moved place to place. This would eliminate close indoor contact. In the case of an elderly person, they may need a secondary plan. The rural areas may take a more creative idea. However, many people who live in rural areas tend to be more independent because the stores are farther away and so they are accustom to having more on hand. As far as the workers consumption, I don't think anyone should have to work hungry. Taking home food is another issue. Without the people who are willing to take the risk of exposure to do this, it wouldn't be possible. I don't believe we can refuse them lunch.

 

[c3jmp]

Re: Community Support Centers

one option people have now, that will drop off fairly soon is canning. find the nearest farmer's market, and purchase fresh vegetables. and can them. canning will take a while, and a support center is the best way to minimize the cost on the front end. it will be alot of work, but the end result is shelf stable. and depending on the whether the support center is preparing meals, it may simplify the backend. and get bags of grain and corn - that can be ground later in a handmill for flour and corn meal. get sourdough starter going, so folks can make bread without needing to run to the store for fresh yeast. if it's a rural area where folks hunt, meat can be canned as well. i'm pretty sure fish can, but check.

for rural areas that's sustainable. for more populated areas with fewer natural resources, less so.

 

[T. ModestoPhD]

Re: Community Support Centers

Interesting perspective on the urban delivery. I wonder about the urban safety of people who must come out and possibly to a distance to pick up their food. I know that there are currently drive-through flu shots through some public health centers so that might be a possibility as well for food. The issue with that is availability of gas for vehicles, contagion issues, etc.

No answer will be perfect for every setting. Many creative ways will have to be discovered as the situation requires.

In the rural communities many are more independent and even more interdependent in part due to the geographical distance between homes etc. Many are more likely to be able to prepare more ahead of time since they are accustomed to significant distances that must be traveled to obtain products and goods. On the other hand agricultural communities are more exposed to chickens. and other farm animals etc. In one way they are more prone to exposure to viruses because of the animals who will need to be taken care of even in the midst of a pandemic. Medical support for rural communities will be extremely limited. One rural community I am aware of has only a 32 bed hospital for several counties that it serves. I believe that they have only 4 CCU/ICU rooms and perhaps a 15-20 bed emergency room that includes beds in the hallway.

My sense is that much of the community support will need to be both in alternative mode during a medical crisis as well as after the presenting waves with bereavement support and thanostic support such as memorial services, estate issues, orphaned child care etc. Medical support will be during the crisis and the community support will be extended to post disaster recovery care.

 

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Community Support Centers

When Bulgaria recently quarantined parts of one city, they delivered food and water to homes.....with police available. It worked there.

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[T. ModestoPhD]

Re: Community Support Centers

Excellent need to find out more about how they did it! Thank you!
TM

 

[colormyquilt]

Re: Community Support Centers

It seems to me that all the different elements in the community must first be brought together- being provided the same information. A birdflu 101 course. Then, identification of the tasks that must be done to prep for the pandemic. And then, dividing (and conquering) the communities into sections that are manageable- should fuel/ electricity/ water/ communication become/ severely limited. Can resources in one section be shared with a neighboring section- such as a school to be used as a POD? And in what way might this compromise the safety of that neighborhood section? Conversations need to be happening. In the city I live in, with a CFR of 2%, there could be 5000 deaths. With many, many more needing medical care. How might this compromise the section of a neighborhood? How might this challenge those who would respond but fear being contaminated- or contaminating others? All this makes the old-fashioned snow blizzard look like an early summer rain. But this can develop into a plan that is manageable. Where the churches/ social organizations can play a part. Where each neighbor can play a part- that is valuable to the whole.

 

[Goju]

Re: Community Support Centers

CFR of 2%? That's from 1918.

Today the CFR is hovering around 60%. In Indonesia its close to 80% (and 80% of that is under 29 yrs old)

80% down to 2% is a 78% change.

That's a big drop.

You may want to increase the death totals to reflect what is happening in the field today.

 

[colormyquilt]

Re: Community Support Centers

You may want to increase the death totals to reflect what is happening in the field today
Goju, I have been tracking the CFR in Indonesia at about 77% steady since at least May 06. At that rate, our city would be seeing total deaths at about 187,500. When I presented these figures at our last agency committee meeting, one member stated. "You can't tell people that." And another member, "there will be a vaccine." The first comment speaks of ethical communication- so, of course, I do tell people that. The second comment you have already addressed in your posts. You have a great one-liner- and when used- it does stop people in their thinking. I am finding it very hard for some people to hear. I also am finding some very good people who are aware of the devastation that would come with the pandemic.
Thanks for your comment- it provided me the opportunity to add a little more.

 

[T. ModestoPhD]

Re: Community Support Centers

I have been given a draft copy of the CDC Public Health Workbook To Define, Locate And Reach Special, Vulnerable and At-Risk Populations in an Emergencyy (http://www.bt.cdc.gov/workbook) This is only a draft document and is still up for review but I think can be helpful here in the first stage of looking at how and who needs to be addressed in this sort of situation.
TM

 

[ruthbeme]

Re: Community Support Centers

When Bulgaria recently quarantined parts of one city, they delivered food and water to homes.....with police available. It worked there.

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I agree AD this would work as it did in Bulgaria, if we were not in the mist of a full blown pandemic. If we are faced with a large percentage of illness and the police force was experiencing high rates of absenteeism, we would still have to count on the average citizen to fill in the gaps. Our police force would be extremely busy just trying to keep up with the basic running of the city. Bulgaria had a controlled situation. I truly believe that during a pandemic it will be necessary for the average citizen to fill in during these times. Depending on the severity of the pandemic will depend on the extent that the police force will be available to dispense food. Door to door would be the optimal situation. My concern is, if the police force was not able to accompany the distribution process due to lack of people, this could put the average citizen in extreme danger. The lack of resource's could cause panic and lack of good judgment.

 

[Goju]

Re: Community Support Centers

What food?

 

[ruthbeme]

Re: Community Support Centers

Point taken Goju.

 

[colormyquilt]

Re: Community Support Centers

Thanks, T.Modesto, for the link- Special Populations.

Good section- community engagement.

 

[T. ModestoPhD]

Re: Community Support Centers

Thank you! Thought you would like it and find it helpful. I have an entire section in my Pandemic Prepardness course When So Many Die on community assessment and how faith based communities can develop a pandemic assessment. The CDC Workbook is a nice compliment to the training course.
TM

 

[Mellie]

Re: Community Support Centers

Goju and others who are helping individuals, organizations-- including faith-based orgs-- and communities develop pandemic plans...

Keep in mind that this is a process and for some it might be a shock of sorts requiring interspersed "adjustment processes".

Sometimes you encourage, foster and celebrate baby steps in the pandemic plan development process. Sometimes you bring in the further implication (what food?) that is raised by current thinking/brainstorming. Sometimes you let the group "discover" the critical question and brainstorm possible solutions as part of their "adjustment reaction", and so they can have ownership of, involvement and investment in the process. Doing something over which you have control (or think you have) builds resilience and willingness to preserver. Once they're on their way more "what abouts?" can be brought up.

If you candidly present information as a starting point mentioning the further implication (or examples of the further implication), that can be good for getting everyone on the same page, before the actual hands'on planning process takes place.

Psychologists have studied the art and science of persuasion.
Cialdini has done lots of research on non-coercive persuasion.
2 techniques for persuading people in a sequential process are
the "foot in the door"
the "door in the face"
I find the foot in the door more pleasant. It also goes along with developing relationships.

I find that with big scary things you often make the best headway by getting people to start smaller and then expand. I would guess that most of us here are more comfortable with thinking about how to handle BIG right off the bat.

Give the presentations, suit yourself on how "big" those are, but keep them candid. Don't soft pedal the issues or reassure. Keep it matter-of-fact. When it comes to pandemic planning, be the guide, but let people find their comfort level, begin to have ownership in the planning process, get through their own psychological adjustments to whatever they think is too much to think about.

[That said, I've been told by information and safety officers that the presentation I made "scared them to death." I didn't mean to, just stating the facts... (and these people are used to planning for and managing scary incidents).]

I guess I just want to say, try to honor the person, the group, the process. Be aware of their needs and what you believe to be the facts, the truth. Share the truth. Foster their movement in that direction and empower them. Demonstrate leadership. Helping groups develop a plan is different than making a presentation on the topic of pandemic flu. Celebrate the small and the large stuff. Use small and large as a jumping off place for the next step.