1Q2011 Ward Plans - Communication

To be useful a Ward Emergency Plan needs to be kept up to date and distributed. To help Yorktown Stake Wards update the plans we'll send ideas each quarter this year. For 2011 the topics are:

1st Q: Communication Plan(s)

2nd Q: Skills & Supplies  (member surveys and inventories)

3rd Q: Local Services and Contacts (phone #'s of community services)

4th Q: Responsibilities and Teaching  (who does what?)

 

Our goal this year is to update one section of the plan each quarter. Amy & I will work on the Stake Emergency Plan as you work on the ward plan. Each quarter (March, June, Sept, and Dec) present the improved plan to your Bishop for his approval and then distribute it or at least distribute the updated pages.  Email is great but if you email the plan, get a promise from everyone that they will print it out ASAP and keep it in a safe place.

 

Who should have a copy of the emergency plan? Ask your Bishop. We recommend that all Auxillary Leaders and their counselors have a copy (HP, EQ, RS, YM, YW, Primary).

 

When a new Auxillary Leader is called (for example we have a RS President in Yorktown Ward as of last week), ask if they received a copy of the plan from the previous president. If not, give them a copy and point out the role of their auxillary in the plan.

 

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Emergency Plan update for Jan, Feb, March 2011  - Communications

 

Communications covers a LOT of territory so we'll break this up into monthly goals.

 

1. Jan:  replace Freedom 800 in your plan with the new Call-Em-All system. The details can be copy and pasted from http://yorktownstakeeps.blogspot.com/p/make-emergency-call-by-phone.html

Bishops should use Call-Em-All to deliver emergency messages and Ward Snow cancellations to all members.

 

2. Feb: since Call-Em-All is a phone blast out, how will the Bishop collect information back like the status of each family after a storm? Will you use the HT/VT network of connections? Email? Something else?

 

Also for February, update (or add) a section in your plan with the home phone number, cell phone, office phone, emails, etc (all contact info) for your Bishopric and all Auxillary Leadership & Couneslors. Don't forget to add yourself in this list as Ward EPS. Some of this info can be found on lds.org on your Ward web site. Also try passing out a list at a Ward Council meeting to collect the info.

 

3. March:  worst case plan. If a storm knocks out power and phones, what will you do? We have Wards with enormous distances between members. How will you find out who needs help and arrange for help to reach them? Walki-talkies? Ham radio? By foot? Carrier Pigeons?

 

Good luck with your updates. Call us anytime, we'll be happy to help.