Dear New ENLA Member, Welcome and thank you for joining the Emergency Network Los Angeles!

Transcription

1 Dear New ENLA Member, Welcome and thank you for joining the Emergency Network Los Angeles! ENLA is a group of nonprofit faith-based organizations and community-based organizations that plan to provide voluntary disaster/emergency-related services in Los Angeles County. Government agencies, forprofit companies, and groups outside Los Angeles County are welcome to join as non-voting members. ENLA is the place to come to create collaborative relationships before disaster. ENLA S mission is to enhance the capacity of non-profit, community, and faith-based organizations, government agencies and the private sector for preparedness, response to and recovery from disasters in Los Angeles County by facilitating cooperation, communication, coordination & collaboration. Your membership gives you access to information about ENLA trainings and member organization trainings and exercises, monthly ENLA board meetings, quarterly general membership meetings, the Annual General Meeting, and our group mailing list for sharing information. ENLA is a member of National VOAD and a FEMA partner. These are exciting times for ENLA as we implement our new strategic plan: * ENLA will soon be sending out its quarterly newsletter with lots of information on past events, present activities, and future opportunities for you to maximize your membership * ENLA is revitalizing our committee structure, and all committees are seeking members with the appropriate skill sets and experience * We will be working with members to identify the types of training and exercises they need to become more prepared and ready to respond during disaster Please join us on the second Thursday of every month for board meetings. Meetings run from 9am to 11am at the Salvation Army Silvercrest Residence at 947 South Hoover Street, Los Angeles, CA RSVP on our website by going to the Calendar page and clicking on the appropriate meeting item, and check out minutes of past meetings on the Committees page. Your organization s participation adds to the strength of the Network. Welcome and please feel free to call or any time with questions or ideas. Sincerely, Alix Stayton Program Manager Emergency Network of Los Angeles 501 Shatto Place, Suite 100 Los Angeles, CA, office fax info@enla.org

2 WHO ENLA MEMBER ORIENTATION INFORMATION The Emergency Network of Los Angeles is the Los Angeles County VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster). A VOAD is a group of nonprofits (community-based or faith-based organizations) in partnership with city, county and state organizations that provide disaster services. VOADs may also have partners or members in the private sector. We are FEMA s partner in disaster preparedness and response for our county. Who can become a member of ENLA? VOTING MEMBERSHIP is open to 501(c)3 non-profit charitable organizations willing to provide emergency preparedness, response, disaster relief, and/or disaster recovery services when needed. Nonprofits may also join ENLA to improve their organization s individual preparedness. NON-VOTING MEMBERSHIP is open to government agencies, departments, and elected officials involved in emergency preparedness, response, disaster relief and/or disaster recovery. We also welcome private sector organizations and businesses involved or activated in emergency response, disaster relief and/or disaster recovery. ALL MEMBERS must execute a letter of intent to support the mission of ENLA Inc. and place it on file with the secretary of ENLA Inc. All members must have (or develop within six months of membership) a disaster mission statement. ALL MEMBERS must have a stated non-discrimination policy of commitment of resources to meet the needs of people affected by disaster without regard to their race, age, gender, religion, national origin, veteran status, marital status, physical or mental disability, or medical condition.* * Membership information from the ENLA Bylaws WHAT The mission of ENLA is to enhance the capacity of non-profit, community, and faithbased organizations, government agencies, and the private sector in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disasters in Los Angeles County by facilitating cooperation, communication, coordination & collaboration. Cooperation: an act or instance of working or acting together for a common purpose or benefit; joint action.* Communication: A system, such as mail, telephone, or TV, for sending and receiving messages. * Coordination: harmonious combination or interaction, as of functions or parts. The linking of two syntactically equal units, as by a coordinate conjunction. * Collaboration: To work together, especially in a joint intellectual effort. *

3 * Definitions are from WHEN Preparedness (including mitigation) happens before disaster. Response happens during disaster. Recovery happens after disaster. We work to connect all stakeholders at all stages of this lifecycle. WHERE ENLA serves the county of Los Angeles. It is a member of the Southern California VOAD (SoCal VOAD), which encompasses the 10 southern counties in the state. California is so large that there are two state VOADs; we communicate with NorCal VOAD to ensure continuity and mutual aid. We are also members in good standing of National VOAD. WHY Why was ENLA formed? For the same reasons National VOAD was. Here it is in NVOAD s words: Prior to the founding of National VOAD, numerous organizations served disaster victims independently of one another. These included both government and the private, nonprofit sector. As a result, help came to the disaster victim haphazardly as various organizations assisted in specific ways. Unnecessary duplication of effort often occurred, while at the same time, other needs were not met. People who wanted to volunteer to help their neighbors affected by disaster were often frustrated by the variety of organizations in some areas of service and the total lack of opportunities to serve other needs. Further, there was only limited availability of training for potential volunteers. Information for victims on services during disasters was woefully inadequate. Likewise, communication among voluntary disaster agencies was very limited and coordination of services was negligible. In fact, mechanisms for this were nonexistent. Why do other organizations participate? Participating organizations respond to disasters as part of their overall mission. They want to come to a centralized group where they can meet and work with other nonprofits like themselves, government agencies serving those affected by disasters, and FEMA. Or they may want to increase their organization s readiness for an event. Why should your organization participate as an ENLA member? Your organization may have a disaster function and be trying to get plugged in to the LA disaster community. The organization may not currently have a disaster function, but be interested in preparedness and recovery training, especially when it comes to serving your beneficiaries. Your organization may have a specific disaster response division or group which needs to get connected with the disaster community. You may be a for-profit company who serves a large population and want to become a member in order to get prepared and help the people you serve become better prepared. Page 2 of 2

4 ENLA Membership Information Welcome to ENLA! This document will provide a short explanation of member roles, responsibilities, and opportunities. OK, my organization has joined. What can/should we do next to participate? 1. Complete, sign and mail your Statement of Understanding (this is the letter of intent mentioned below) and your Disaster Mission Statement: ALL MEMBERS must execute a letter of intent to support the mission of ENLA Inc. and place it on file with the secretary of ENLA Inc. All members must have or develop within six months of membership, a disaster mission statement. * Membership information from the ENLA Bylaws If you have not received these materials or cannot find them, please visit our website at and click on the Resources tab at the top. 2. Join a committee, or plan to attend a committee meeting if you have not yet decided where you are best suited. As some committees are still in development, the best way to get more information about committee meetings is to call or us at or info@enla.org. 3. Attend a meeting. The General Membership meets quarterly; for calendar year 2012, the meetings will be held in March, June, September and November. The June meeting will be the Annual General Meeting, where we will elect any needed board members, assess our progress in the implementation of our new strategic plan, and make plans for the next fiscal year. Find more information for these meetings on our website as it becomes available. The ENLA Board meets monthly on the 2 nd Thursday from 9am-11am at the Salvation Army s Silvercrest Residence: 947 South Hoover Street, Los Angeles, CA RSVP on the website to let us know you re coming, and we ll send you directions. All members are welcome, and it s a great way to introduce your organization to the board if you haven t already. us at info@enla.org so we can put you on the agenda if you d like to make a 15-minute presentation. 4. Let us know what you need to get prepared, plan to respond, or provide recovery assistance. We will help you connect to other members or services providers who can help you obtain needed training, materials, documents and resources for your organization and beneficiaries. Page 1 of 2

5 5. Bring a friend. You have received a Fact Sheet in your orientation packet, which we hope you will forward widely. Invite potential members to membership meetings, committee meetings, trainings or other events so they can get to know ENLA. 6. Share what you know. If you are providing training, services, or hosting a meeting or fair, send us the information and we ll post it to the calendar and e-blast it to the general membership. What types of membership are there? VOTING MEMBERSHIP is open to 501(c)3 non-profit charitable organizations willing to provide emergency preparedness, response, disaster relief, and/or disaster recovery services when needed. Nonprofits may also join ENLA to improve their organization s individual preparedness. NON-VOTING MEMBERSHIP is open to government agencies, departments, and elected officials involved in emergency preparedness, response, disaster relief and/or disaster recovery. We also welcome private sector organizations and businesses involved or activated in emergency response, disaster relief and/or disaster recovery. EACH VOTING ORGANIZATION MEMBER shall have one (1) vote. Members shall exercise their vote for the purpose of: (1) Ratification of members of the Board of Directors (2) Review of any proposed changes in articles of incorporation (3) Dissolution of the corporation; Members are welcome to attend meetings of the Board of Directors. They may voice their opinions but have no vote in Board matters. ALL MEMBERS must have a stated non-discrimination policy of commitment of resources to meet the needs of people affected by disaster without regard to their race, age, gender, religion, national origin, veteran status, marital status, physical or mental disability, or medical condition. * Membership information from the ENLA Bylaws Page 2 of 2

6 ENLA Fact Sheet Who We Are Emergency Network Los Angeles, Inc. (ENLA) is a network of non-profit, community-based organizations (CBOs) and faith-based organizations (FBOs) based in Los Angeles County. Collectively these organizations provide assistance to individuals, families, and special needs populations following emergencies and disasters. Our Mission ENLA S mission is to enhance the capacity of non-profit, community, and faith-based organizations, government agencies and the private sector for preparedness, response to and recovery from disasters in Los Angeles County by facilitating cooperation, communication, coordination & collaboration. Our History Following the 1994 Northridge Earthquake, the Mayor of Los Angeles convened a meeting of CBOs that were active in the recovery from the disaster. The combined efforts of this group, which became known as ENLA, significantly aided the earthquake recovery efforts. In December of that year, ENLA merged with the Los Angeles County VOAD (Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters) and the Los Angeles Access Network, to bring all CBO disaster work in Los Angeles County under one umbrella. In 1997, both Los Angeles County and the City of Los Angeles designated ENLA as their primary point of contact with community based organizations for disaster preparedness, response, and recovery efforts. Our Organization ENLA is a California non-profit charitable corporation under IRS section 501(c)3. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of representatives from CBOs, FBOs, national disaster agencies (including the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army) and non-voting government representatives. ENLA is the Los Angeles County VOAD and is an affiliate of National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) and Southern California VOAD (SCVOAD). Our Membership Voting membership is open to non-profit, 501(c)3 organizations. Each member organization retains its own identity and independence. Government organizations and for-profit entities may be affiliate (non-voting) members. ENLA works closely with other organizations to improve coordination and reduce duplication of efforts and resources. Member CBOs provide mentoring to each other and share best practices. Our Activities Establishing contact and maintaining liaison with member CBOs prior to and following disasters; Facilitating improved staff and agency preparedness for member CBOs by providing training and forums; Convening quarterly general membership meetings for information sharing and encouraging periodic functional group meetings for planning and networking; Gathering, coordinating, and disseminating information through the network, including training and exercise schedules, disaster updates, funding opportunities, and other relevant news; Facilitating communication between disaster resource providers and CBOs that have disaster related needs; Creating linkages for member CBOs to government emergency management agencies at all levels; Providing reports on disaster impact to member CBOs, government, the media, and other stakeholders; Participating actively to represent LA County CBOs in Southern California VOAD and National VOAD.

7 ENLA Member Preparedness Goals I. Develop a Disaster Mission Statement II. III. IV. a. What will we do, when, and for whom? Make a plan a. Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) b. Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) Get leadership prepared a. Lead by example, and make sure you re ready to come to work after a disaster because you know your family will be ok Get members/clients/staff prepared a. Encourage people to get a kit, make a plan, and be ready V. Exercise the plan a. Practice makes perfect! This is where you find gaps in your plans, and allows you to get better and better at planning ahead ENLA s members serve a large range of Los Angeles residents. Oftentimes, agencies serve people with special needs in some other capacity. For example, a church serves many seniors and people with disabilities, but doesn t provide services for the disability they serve the spiritual needs of those people. In times of disaster, that same church may need to provide services for people using wheelchairs or oxygen, or those who have communication challenges. When you are writing your plan, take a moment to think about the people your organization serves, and what they might need from you. For our purposes, people with disabilities and seniors includes people who are vulnerable or at risk and cannot always comfortably or safely use some of the standard resources offered in disaster preparedness, relief, recovery and mitigation. They may include people who have a variety of visual, hearing, mobility, cognitive, emotional, and mental limitations, as well as older people, people who use life-support systems, people who use service animals, and people who are medically or chemically dependent. -- Serving and Protecting All by Applying Lessons Learned Including People with Disabilities and Seniors in Disaster Services Kailes March 2006