THE VOICE OF THE TOWNSHIP
Emergency Preparedness
Does it seem as if everyday you look in the paper or watch the news and there has been another catastrophic event? Do you ever wonder what will be next? It appears that what happens nationally now affects us on such a daily basis. We have been accustomed to gasoline price being high; in fact, $2.00 a gallon would seem like a great deal these days, when only a year ago it might have seemed outrageous. Are we becoming numb or are we just in a state of continual shock and anxiety.
Natural disasters are a part of this world. We have seen what can happen when we’re not prepared or when we are unorganized in times of crisis. My job is to deal with the daily issues that face our most vulnerable citizens. The recent economic trends make life for the indigent even more stressful. The economy has also brought us a new type of client. The family that was once barely making ends meet may have now fallen through the cracks. Rising fuel costs increase the price of goods that need to be transported and delivered. Rising natural gas prices increase the amount it takes to heat our homes, will it ever stop?
This city has responded well to catastrophe historically, we were once known as the city that saved itself. It appears now that we may also be known as the city that helped save the evacuees. As we start to receive the victims of Hurricane Katrina, I am astounded at the generosity of this community. My own Deputy Trustee Al Stoller is currently in Houston volunteering with the Red Cross and using his own personal vacation time to do so. Private enterprise, the faith-based community and the social services of this area have also banded together to address the problem. From the emergency first responders to the transitional resource teams and referral agencies this community has, and is still, working so well together. I have found that our community partnership strategy has been so successful in these times when teamwork is of the utmost importance. I really can’t say enough about how all the agencies have worked in sync to handle the problems that these troubled times have brought us.
My staff has been diligent in providing special arrangements for those who are now homeless. We have had over one hundred dwellings donated to house displaced families. We’ve had discussions with utility companies who are willing to make special arrangements so that these families can receive utility service as soon as possible. We were also part of the resource transition team that provided services to victims September 29th from 10:00am to 2:00pm in the Omni Room at the city county building. Social service agencies were present to provide services for those who had been initially assisted by the Red Cross.
Wayne Township has a disaster recovery mode whereby Township government can be up and running within 24 hours. Our disaster recover plan has been made possible through our On Base computer systems and long range planning that began over a year ago to prepare for a disaster here in Fort Wayne. All of our information, records and forms are backed up daily by this system; we also have records and applications stored off site in case our building is destroyed.
When you are in the business of providing assistance in emergency situations, being proactive is the rule rather than the exception. I’m just glad that Wayne Township is capable of meeting the needs of our local clients and those placed in our temporary care.
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