Shelter and Mass Care Planning

Situation:

The New England Regional Catastrophic Planning Initiative (NERCPI) sought assistance to help New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts consider how they would organize, coordinate, and respond to the displacement and care of up to 15% of its population after a catastrophic incident

Need:

NERCPI contracted Hagerty Consulting to help facilitate the development of a Shelter and Mass Care Coordination Annex and Playbook. To successfully complete this project, Hagerty professionals would need to:

  • Gather information about best practices for mass care,
  • Assess the region’s resources, capabilities, and shortfalls, and
  • Prepare an action plan going forward.

Solution:

Hagerty began the project by extensively researching best practices and analyses of mass care needs in catastrophic multi-jurisdictional disasters, existing NERCPI plans, After Action Reports from catastrophic incidents worldwide, supplementary mass care tools, and other studies from experts with experience in the field. This research was summarized and presented as a Mass Care Best Practice Report.

The second phase of the project was to develop a comprehensive capability assessment and catastrophic mass care gap analysis. Jurisdictions in the region were asked to complete a questionnaire regarding their current mass care and sheltering capabilities. Those capabilities were compared to catastrophic mass care resource needs for the region based on federal guidance, standard mass care practices, and input from subject matter experts. The results were used as the basis for the Regional Improvement Action Plan. This plan provides stakeholders with the necessary information to plan for longer-term mass care development and capacity building.

The final phase of this project was the creation of a Mass Care Coordination Annex and Playbook and a series of mass care supplemental tools. The annex is a coordination tool for the region to better prepare for and respond to a catastrophic incident requiring mass care services. The plan includes an Executive Playbook, specifically geared towards providing valuable and easy-to-use procedures that regional mass care leadership may take during a catastrophic incident. Additional tools include a Functional Needs Support Services Checklist and a Household Pet Sheltering Checklist.

Outcome:

The client extended Hagerty’s contract and requested developing several workshops about Functional Needs Support Services (FNSS).