Emergency Prep - Geo Zone Action Map Idea

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BrandonE
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Emergency Prep - Geo Zone Action Map Idea

#1

Post by BrandonE »

A large storm crippled our city a few weeks ago and as the newly called 1st Counselor, I was asked to utilize our Emergency Call Tree to check on the welfare of our ward congregation. Sadly, the list was 6 months old and there were a LOT of movins/moveouts so the old list was not very usable.

I've been thinking about how we could leverage the online mapping tools to help and I have an idea that could benefit ALL wards be better prepared for emergencies.

If a true emergency occurs, it's helpful to break up the ward membership by physical location. This allows an assignment to be made for a leader within a 15 min walking radius enabling members to physically check on each other in cases where transportation and power are disrupted.

As people move in and out weekly, it would be VERY helpful if the map function allowed us to export the emergency contact lists, separated by physical map area, on an ad-hoc or Monthly basis. The zone list could even be automatically e-mailed every month to the Ward Council so that everyone would have a current emergency action list (as long as the membership list was maintained).

I'm happy to discuss this further.
-Brandon Elliott -314-406-5870
Gary_Miller
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Re: Emergency Prep - Geo Zone Action Map Idea

#2

Post by Gary_Miller »

It sounds as if yo have a separate emergency phone tree outside the plan already setup by the Lord, Home Teachers. If you use your HT routes as the call list then it is always up-to date as the list is revised by Priesthood Quorums and approved by the Bishop. Its the HTs responsibility to ensure that the families they are assigned are taken care of. Each HT companionship reports to a District Supervisor, who reports the the Quorum Leadership who reports to the Bishop, who reports to the Stake President, who reports to the Area Authority, who reports to the Presidency of the Seventy, who reports to the Quorum of the Twelve, who reports to the First Presidency.
russellhltn
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Re: Emergency Prep - Geo Zone Action Map Idea

#3

Post by russellhltn »

Gary_Miller wrote:It sounds as if yo have a separate emergency phone tree outside the plan already setup by the Lord, Home Teachers.
That's assuming the HT assignments was based on proximity and not spiritual needs. A distance which may be no problem in normal times can become a major issue in an emergency.

Or were you just talking about the phone tree?
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So we can better help you, please edit your Profile to include your general location.
Gary_Miller
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Re: Emergency Prep - Geo Zone Action Map Idea

#4

Post by Gary_Miller »

russellhltn wrote:That's assuming the HT assignments was based on proximity and not spiritual needs. A distance which may be no problem in normal times can become a major issue in an emergency.

Or were you just talking about the phone tree?
I was mostly talking about the phone tree. However, there is no reason that most routes can't be centered around location as well. I do understand that sometimes there are specific needs that may not make this possible, in those cases if a walk check needs to be done it can be done by someone close by. It going to be different for every area but for the most part its do able with a little more thought than getting someone on a route.

For me my it would take 1-2 hours to check on all my families if I had to walk there. Where it would take my companion about 3-4 hours since he lives further away. So at least one of us could get there soon if we had to. Making a report up the ladder to my quorum leader would be the hardest thing for me, 5 miles away, making it to the bishop is just another 5 min walk when I'm checking on my families. On the other hand unless all my vehicles were inoperable at the sometime I don't see transportation being a big issue.
jonesrk
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Re: Emergency Prep - Geo Zone Action Map Idea

#5

Post by jonesrk »

Gary_Miller wrote: On the other hand unless all my vehicles were inoperable at the sometime I don't see transportation being a big issue.
Unless the roads are impassable (fallen trees comes to mind in light of the OP having a large storm).
russellhltn
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Re: Emergency Prep - Geo Zone Action Map Idea

#6

Post by russellhltn »

JonesRK wrote:
Gary_Miller wrote: On the other hand unless all my vehicles were inoperable at the sometime I don't see transportation being a big issue.
Unless the roads are impassable (fallen trees comes to mind in light of the OP having a large storm).
I've heard in the aftermath of a hurricane, there is so much debris on the road that tires go flat very quickly. Heavy snow does a good job of paralyzing as well.
Have you searched the Help Center? Try doing a Google search and adding "site:churchofjesuschrist.org/help" to the search criteria.

So we can better help you, please edit your Profile to include your general location.
Gary_Miller
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Re: Emergency Prep - Geo Zone Action Map Idea

#7

Post by Gary_Miller »

JonesRK wrote:
Gary_Miller wrote: On the other hand unless all my vehicles were inoperable at the sometime I don't see transportation being a big issue.
Unless the roads are impassable (fallen trees comes to mind in light of the OP having a large storm).
With a 24 inch chain saw, a rope and a 4X4 truck, trees are the easy part. Fallen power lines would more than likely be the biggest problem, but there are several alternate routes for in which I could use.
Gary_Miller
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Re: Emergency Prep - Geo Zone Action Map Idea

#8

Post by Gary_Miller »

russellhltn wrote:
JonesRK wrote:
Gary_Miller wrote: On the other hand unless all my vehicles were inoperable at the sometime I don't see transportation being a big issue.
Unless the roads are impassable (fallen trees comes to mind in light of the OP having a large storm).
I've heard in the aftermath of a hurricane, there is so much debris on the road that tires go flat very quickly. Heavy snow does a good job of paralyzing as well.
If there is a hurricane where I live (Boise, Idaho area) then we all have bigger problems than trying to contact our HT families. Heavy snows can be a problem, but having grown up in it all my life its just a small hiccup to me, in other areas it could cause big problems. But only for a day or two.
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aebrown
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Re: Emergency Prep - Geo Zone Action Map Idea

#9

Post by aebrown »

OK, that was an interesting diversion, but it really has very little to do with the original post. The fact is that there are very good reasons for having emergency preparedness zones that are geographical (to facilitate in-person contact in situations where phone lines and cell towers are down or personal assistance needs to be given), and there are very good reasons why home teaching routes may not be geographical (spiritual needs, etc.).

In any case, emergency preparedness needs may not dovetail with home teaching routes, so it's a valid request for the maps tool to support emergency prep zones.
Gary_Miller
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Re: Emergency Prep - Geo Zone Action Map Idea

#10

Post by Gary_Miller »

aebrown wrote:OK, that was an interesting diversion, but it really has very little to do with the original post.
It has everything to do with the original post. It shows there are other options already in place that has the update automatically being done without the need for a map.
aebrown wrote:The fact is that there are very good reasons for having emergency preparedness zones that are geographical (to facilitate in-person contact in situations where phone lines and cell towers are down or personal assistance needs to be given), and there are very good reasons why home teaching routes may not be geographical (spiritual needs, etc.).

In any case, emergency preparedness needs may not dovetail with home teaching routes, so it's a valid request for the maps tool to support emergency prep zones.
This is assuming that a hard copy of the maps can be printed and those needing it print it. Other ways in a power outage its does no one any good at all. Where as I know the families on my HT route and don't need a map to get there.
Last edited by Gary_Miller on Tue Mar 05, 2013 1:52 pm, edited 4 times in total.
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