Seacoast Public Health Region Conducts Drill

On June 23, the Seacoast Public Health Region conducted a shelter operations drill at Exeter High School that included volunteers from the Greater Exeter Citizen Corps and the Kingston Citizen Corps.  Emergency shelters provide immediate refuge, food, water, basic first aid and access to community services for the general public during an ice storm, flood, heat wave, or other emergency situation that may require the community to leave their homes.

The group had a chance to test their regional shelter plan by setting up a mock shelter with cots, registration and medical evaluation, as well as other resources. Volunteers’ families served as “occupants of the shelter” and role played the registration process by completing forms that included information on medications, pets, medical needs and activities for daily living.

Volunteers received a briefing as well as job action sheets such as Registration Unit Leader and Medical Unit Leader and those positions reported to the Shelter Manager.  The operations at a shelter follow the Incident Command System that is outlined by the National Response Framework.

“By conducting a drill, the participants and the region learn if the job descriptions for the shelter workers are clear and understandable.  Many of the workers at the shelter are our Citizen Corps and Medical Reserve Corps volunteers who assist us in an emergency,” said Mary Cook, the Region’s Public Health Coordinator.  “We also learn what we can do better and how we can better prepare for incidents that would involve opening a shelter.”

In addition, the drill concluded with a recognition lunch for volunteers.  Nancy Parker, resident of East Kingston, received the Volunteer of the Year Award.  Nancy has been facilitating the 8-week Community Emergency Preparedness classes and has assisted with many projects in the public health office at the Exeter Fire Department.

For additional information or how to become a volunteer and receive free emergency preparedness trainings, please contact Mary Cook at mcook@town.exeter.nh.us or at 418-6404.  To learn more and to view a slideshow of the shelter operations drill, please visit www.seacoastphr.org and go to the News page.

The Seacoast Public Health Region includes the communities of Brentwood, East Kingston, Epping, Exeter, Fremont, Greenland, Hampton, Hampton Falls, Kensington, Kingston, New Castle, Newfields, Newmarket, Newton, Newington, North Hampton, Nottingham, Portsmouth, Raymond, Rye, Seabrook, South Hampton and Stratham.

Submitted by Mary Cook, coordinator, Seacoast Public Health Region, Exeter