Community Emergencies

Tulsa Human Response Coalition/Citizens Corps Volunteer Project, and Tulsa Heat Coalition

Historically, Tulsa has experienced a wide range of small to large community emergencies that have required special responses from non-profit, government, and religious organizations. The Tulsa Human Response Coalition (THRC) was developed by the Community Service Council to provide planning assistance to public and private “first response organizations,” funding sources, and other community organizations in identifying and filling gaps in the service system that result when man-made and severe weather events occur. The THRC has addressed local needs resulting from floods, activation of Tulsa-based military units, numerous tornadoes, local needs related to the Oklahoma City Bombing, mass evictions from apartment complexes, and more. Members of the THRC will deliver services at the site(s) of community emergencies or events requiring special accommodation of affected citizens.

Membership in the THRC includes organizations such as the American Red Cross, The Tulsa Area United Way, Family & Children’s Service, The Salvation Army, Tulsa Metropolitan Ministries, Tulsa Area Emergency Management Agency, law enforcement, and many others. Participation varies widely depending on the event. The Coalition coordinates the services of these agencies and those provided by less traditional disaster programs in order to fill service gaps and unexpected service demands during or immediately after a community, state or national emergency. The THRC has enabled Tulsa Area United Way funded agencies, government services, union members, elected officials, clergy, professionals, and others to collaborate in order to better serve clients and make efficient use of scarce resources.

The THRC promotes preparation and a coordinated response to community emergencies and other extraordinary conditions affecting our community. Most THRC activities occur through regular meetings and training sessions involving a wide range of government, health, human service and faith based organizations.

THRC functions enhance the planning and services that most likely impact the delivery of human services during and after a community emergency. Through planning sessions, collaborations and training events, THRC activities have brought the customary programs of human service organizations into the planning and response cycles of emergency programs operated by law enforcement, fire safety and medical emergency agencies. THRC was enhanced in 2003 with FEMA funding for increased staff support that enabled year round work and more volunteer support (e.g., mental health volunteers) for different components of emergency response.

This project has historically benefited low to moderate income families, those who lost colleagues and loved ones as a result of terrorism, those affected by natural disasters, and others affected by a wide range of community emergencies.

During the summers of 2001, 2002 and 2003, the THRC coordinated initiatives aimed at preventing heat related deaths, a function not fulfilled by an existing public or private agency. Coordination of alerts, advisories, and special services for at-risk populations resulted in effective communication with the public and use of existing resources to lower the heat related death rate. Participants in the THRC’s Heat Coalition included EMSA, the National Weather Service Office in Tulsa, the Tulsa Weather Coalition (another CSC service), the Tulsa Fire Department, Tulsa Area Emergency Management Agency (TAEMA, Tulsa County Social Services, The Salvation Army, and the Tulsa City County Health Department. The Tulsa Heat Coalition responds to a seasonal condition that threatens the health of Tulsans. It requires planned and coordinated public education and delivery of services to reduce heat related deaths. Its goal is for the general population of Tulsa County to experience a lower death rate, as a result of health education and service coordination efforts of multiple public and non-profit agencies operating under the auspices of the Tulsa Heat Coalition. (The Tulsa Medical Examiner reported zero heat related deaths in Tulsa County during 2003.)

In general, Tulsa Human Response Coalition (HRC) promotes inter-agency communication and builds a cadre of local volunteers who are trained and ready to volunteer skills and services to people in need. Individuals from various “community units” such as businesses, neighborhoods, and nonprofit agencies (service providers, churches, and unions) will help build a stronger community, collaborating among organizations that provide human services in times of increased stress, helping to address local disasters, economic decline, community violence, and other issues. The Tulsa Human Response Coalition generates inter-agency coordination by bringing representatives from diverse organizations together to create effective responses to local community emergencies or unexpected events such as the terrorist attacks of September 11th. The effectiveness of the THRC is linked closely to its ability to establish working relationships with a broad range of non-profit, public service, religious, and sometimes political or business leaders. Although some agencies are routinely involved in coalition programs due to their community service responsibilities, first-time participation by some organizations is very common due to the nature of the emergency or event, its geographical location, and the people affected.

THRC Holds Second Annual Tabletop Exercise

The Tulsa Human Response Coalition held its second annual tabletop disaster simulation exercise on Wednesday, January 26, 2005. Over 75 participants from 50 different agencies engaged in the mock response to a disaster scenario involving a "dirty bomb" detonation in Tulsa's downtown Civic Center. Responders were organized into staging areas and formed a Rapid Response Team to address issues arising immediately after the incident, two days out, and two weeks out. Developments ranged from exposure to radiation to backlash against multicultural/multifaith groups, questions of water quality, evacuation of the emergency operations center, and coordination of mental health resources.

"We were very pleased with the way the group handled the exercise," said THRC Coordinator Carrie Wiggs. "The communication and

collaboration between work groups was exceptional. We are looking forward to receiving feedback from the exercise which we can incorporate into THRC's disaster response plans."

The tabletop also marked the first time THRC's Rapid Response Team was mobilized using the Incident Command System. Testing the RRT was viewed as a highlight of the exercise.

Thanks are due to exercise facilitator Mike McCool, director of the Tulsa Area Emergency Management Agency; observers Roger Jolliff, assistant director of TAEMA, and Maria Alexander, Emergency Response Planner for the State Department of Health.

Simulation Cell members who were involved in the exercise planning include Mike Evanson, Tracey Booth, Claudia Arthrell, Carrie Wiggs, Jim Lyall, Bob Roberts, Mary Finley, Nancy Day, Mike McCool, Crystal Klein, and Linda Muirheid.

For more information: Jim Lyall, CSC Associate Director - jlyall@csctulsa.org - 831-7241