Preparing Houses of Worship for Preparing Houses of Worship for EmergenciesEmergencies

A New Outreach StrategyA New Outreach Strategy

Praise & PreparednessBuild upon traditional roles of the house of worship in readiness & recovery:

Facility SafetyCongregant SafetyCommunity Involvement

Who Can Participate?Who Can Participate?

• Open to any faith-based organization or house of Open to any faith-based organization or house of worshipworship

• No two houses of worship are the same and No two houses of worship are the same and congregations are different sizescongregations are different sizes

• Activities are scalable based on the size of the facility Activities are scalable based on the size of the facility and congregationand congregation

Facility SafetyFacility Safety

• Conduct a facility safety assessment and complete or Conduct a facility safety assessment and complete or update the emergency plan for all of the update the emergency plan for all of the congregational buildingscongregational buildings

Facility Operations PlanFacility Operations Plan

• Customizable template

• Easy-to-follow directions

• Adaptable to various sizes/types of facilities

[[Insert name Insert name of house of of house of worshipworship]]

Facility AssessmentFacility Assessment

• Customizable template• Checklist provides road

map for assessment

Congregant SafetyCongregant Safety

• Encourage members of the congregation to develop Encourage members of the congregation to develop family emergency plans for their homesfamily emergency plans for their homes

Congregant Preparation ResourcesCongregant Preparation Resources

Online toolkit includes:•Basic readiness steps flyer•Emergency supply checklist•Family emergency plan template•Family emergency contact pocket cards

Praise & Preparedness Video

Community Involvement Community Involvement

Houses of worship encouraged to explore new opportunities to become involved in community emergency disaster relief efforts, feeding, and sheltering programs

Disaster Relief Services KeyDisaster Relief Services Key

Praise & Preparedness WebsitePraise & Preparedness Website

•www.praise.ga.gov

Praise & Preparedness WebsitePraise & Preparedness Website

Praise & Preparedness Praise & Preparedness Partnership Program Partnership Program

Complete or update a facility emergency plan plus perform three (or more) Complete or update a facility emergency plan plus perform three (or more) of the actions listed below:of the actions listed below:•Create a communications plan to contact congregants in the event of an Create a communications plan to contact congregants in the event of an emergencyemergency•Work with other local organizations to organize, sponsor, or participate in an Work with other local organizations to organize, sponsor, or participate in an emergency preparedness fairemergency preparedness fair•Conduct at least one evacuation drill each year or participate in at least one Conduct at least one evacuation drill each year or participate in at least one statewide drill, such as the tornado drill conducted during Severe Weather statewide drill, such as the tornado drill conducted during Severe Weather Awareness Week each FebruaryAwareness Week each February•Promote individual emergency preparedness to members, through a Promote individual emergency preparedness to members, through a newsletter or other meansnewsletter or other means•Download a Praise and Preparedness video and present to congregantsDownload a Praise and Preparedness video and present to congregants

• Each house of worship will Each house of worship will have a checklist so that have a checklist so that they can keep track of the they can keep track of the actions that they’ve actions that they’ve completed. completed.

• Engage with your local Engage with your local EMAEMA

• Houses of worship will Houses of worship will receive a certificate of receive a certificate of recognition and recognition and partnership once we have partnership once we have received their checklistreceived their checklist

Partnership Program ContinuedPartnership Program Continued

Contact Your Local Emergency Contact Your Local Emergency Management AgencyManagement Agency

Contact your local EMA to Contact your local EMA to discuss the partnership discuss the partnership program and how it can benefit program and how it can benefit the community, especially if the community, especially if you plan to conduct training you plan to conduct training related to local disaster relief.related to local disaster relief.

Once actions are completed, Once actions are completed, submit the checklist to submit the checklist to praise@gema.ga.gov for for recognition. Visit recognition. Visit www.praise.ga.gov for more for more information.information.

Good Day AtlantaGood Day Atlanta

Thank you!Thank you!

• Janay StargellJanay StargellFaith-based/NGO CoordinatorFaith-based/NGO CoordinatorGeorgia Emergency Management AgencyGeorgia Emergency Management AgencyOffice: (404) 624-2266Office: (404) 624-2266Email: Email: janay.stargell@gema.ga.gov oror praise@gema.ga.gov