Minutes September 13, 06

Attendees:       Royce Jones, American Baptist Men; Garrett Alessandroni, Red Cross; Bonnie Frazer, United Way 211; Paul Oby, R.E.A.C.T.; Eugene Allen, MN Council of Churches; Anne Harvell, MN United Methodist; Lucy Angelis, Metro Red Cross; Seth Gardner, Nechama; Jon Weiss, Nechama; Gene Borochoff, Nechama; John Moore, The Salvation Army; Donna Bauer, MNVOAD President; Chrissie Morrison, The Salvation Army;

 Introductions:  Royce Jones of the American Baptists area of coverage is Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska. Is looking to ask Walter Johnson to be his VOAD member representative for the Minnesota area.

Lucy Angelis of the Red Cross stated she is the new Planning Coordinator and has replaced Vicki Fodor, in addition Kathryn Schmidt has replace Bob Munson’s position.

 Last meetings minutes were approved,

 Treasurer’s report: Garrett reported $2, 679.23, with a break down of receiving $1,935.00 received from dues, with nine (9) organizations still outstanding owing dues. Each organization may want to check with Garrett to see if you are up to date on paying your dues.

Survey Monkey: Donna spoke briefly on the Survey Monkey saying it is a web based questionnaire that can be used for a variety of things, (used to access supervisors and employees) and a way to give feedback without identifying yourself. The web based questionnaire pulls all responses together and gives one final report. We are thinking of a general survey asking questions such as: 

1.                  Are you receiving enough information from the Executive Committee?

2.                  Is our mission still appropriate?

3.                  Are we meeting our objectives?

4.                  Customer Service? Marketing Tools? Brochure? Website?

 The Survey Monkey can be used for sending up to 10 people this questionnaire or can be purchased at $25.00 for a month with all the questionnaires you want to send and you can send this up to 100 people. Our target would be to send to the main contacts first, and see what kind of response we receive. Donna will work on coming up with some good questions and present at the next meeting. 

February 10, 2007 Training Conference (John Moore): Talked about the conference setting, technical support, kitchen facilities, and stated that they have secured the building for 2008 also. The upcoming conference is based on last year’s surveys, and the number one comment was a question on the media and how they related during a disaster, how it affects their world and how they respond. We will have the weather department and media spokespeople doing the morning sessions with a break out of a tabletop for the rest of the day. 

Ideas were suggested for future training regarding Utility Companies at disasters relating to communications, bringing in workers, and etc.  

Protocol Review regarding recent disaster responses:  We talked about self dispatching, suggesting that those agencies who are available and can assist work with the Emergency managers and have their approval first instead of self dispatching. You should only arrive at the disaster once you have received a call from the officials in the disaster requesting your assistance or through MNVOAD stating they need our services and are you available. Conference call availability needs to be set up ahead of time prior to a disaster so we can just move forward and make it happen.  

AMEM Presentation: Donna Bauer, Red Cross and Barb Fonkert will talk about “Creating a culture of Citizens” and how we all need to work together in marketing to the communities and how education is a big factor in getting out our preparedness messages. Our brochures were handed out one for the EM’s and the other for general on how to volunteer and get connected.  

Business Continuity Planning template: This is on the MNVOAD website for others to review and use throughout the state. This was brought together with efforts from Donna Bauer and the MN Food Bank.  

Contact Lists: Need updated much of the information we have is outdated so please make changes to the list Donna will be sending out and return to her as soon as possible.  

Agency Updates:

LSS/LDR: Donna mentioned that Audrey Zellman’s position ends with LSS/LDR this coming Friday. Melody is returning and will resume her old position.

Red Cross: Still hiring new people can refer Audrey to Red Cross. Lucy stated she has some documentation that helps people slowly buy items for a Emergency Supply kit in 20 weeks and will get this information to Donna to share with the other organizations.

Nechama: Been very active assisting in the south with disaster clean up and is looking at returning to the south from December 17^th thru January 13^th (four weeks), also spent 3 months in New York to clean up after flooding. 

American Baptist Men: Have crews in the gulf coast area doing clean up, also working with Habitat for Humanity crews for the next 6 months. Royce stated that a national meeting regarding NIMS in Burmingham, MD about two months ago and stated that it will soon be required for everyone to have the 100,200, 700 and 800. 

UMCOR: In the process of annual congregation planning and groups planning, they did respond to the Rogers Tornado and also the LeSeuer disaster.  

United Way: COOP meeting working on personal preparedness messages and staff meetings sharing this information. 

The Salvation Army: Doing more training now that Major Chuck Hendrickson is in charge of the Metro area disaster response.  

R.E.A.C.T:    Paul will get us new contact numbers for people within this organization.

Next Membership meeting November 9th, 2006 and the Executive Committee meets October 12, 2006.

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July 2006
Attendance:  Donna Bauer, Audrey Zellman, Dennis Walter, Chrissy Morrison, Lelian Gilley from NE MNVOAD, Barb England, Paul Oby, Marian Robinson, MNSARDA, MN DeafBlind Association, the attendance sheet has been misplaced, please let me know if your name was omitted).

Donna reported that the website crashed and we continue to piece it back together. She recently purchased Adobe software to allow more documents to be uploaded to the web-site.

May 18th General MNVOAD minutes were approved...with one correction that the Annual Training MNVOAD Day is Feb. 19th NOT January 10th.

Discussion on marketing idea for MNVOAD.

There was a discussion about Pandemic Planning and Preparedness. The public has been calling the Governor's office asking what they can do to help in a pandemic situation....they are being referred to MNVOAD. 

Health Care Ministries:  trying to reach out to the communities and inform them about how churches can help. 

Dennis came to the Mn. Horse Council meeting in Maple Grove on July 11th to encourage others on the Horse Council Board to work more with their disaster team because it is so critical that we work with Homeland Security and other agencies in time of disaster. 

Marian talked about what the Animal Disaster Coalition is doing:  October 17, 18, 19 a DART (Disaster Animal Response Training) at the Golden Valley HumaneSociety.  One of the Horse Council volunteers on the team is going to South Caroline August 7, 8, 9 for a LART class (Large Animal Response Training) and we are hoping our volunteers will have a lot to share with us when she comes back.  August 14th, Monday, 6:30pm there is going to be a 'paper tabletop exercise' at the Delano Sportsman's Club being sponsored by the MN.Horse Council Disaster Response Team....potluck dinner before the 'exercise'.

Dennis again reminded us all that taking IS-700 FEMA course is very important. 

The visitors from the MN DeafBlind Association remarked that interpreters would be really nice to have on hand at disaster sites...for those who need assistive services.

Audrey of LDR:  Reported on what Lutheran Social Services does to be prepared and how a tabletop exercise is in the making.  Talked about Camp NOAH and how there are 60 such camps across our country. 

Search and Rescue Dog Association:  they are training and certifying dogs on a continual basis to remain ready----the agencies that usually call on their services are the fire and police departments. 

Dennis:  talked about Community Volunteers and how important they are.  This coming April 2007 it is most likely that the Citizen's Corp Conference will be held in St. Cloud.

September is Disaster Preparedness month. Disaster Response Organizations and agencies are encouraged to putting on trainings and preparedness events. 

Chrissy from the Salvation Army:  Talked about staff changes at the Salvation Army.  The Salvation Army is hosting a Compassion Fatigue course Friday and Saturday July 14 and 15. 

Paul from REACT:  July 19th there is a parade on Rice Street and REACT will be providing communication support. REACT will also participate in the Safe-A-Roni event at the Minnesota Zoo in August, where display booths are being set up to inform the public about preparedness. 

Donna:  regarding the VOAD website...if there are any errors or omissions on the site please contact her. We talked about having a banner for the VOAD booth in the future.  Promotion giveway ideas:  magnets with our logo on it, clear rulers to hand out at the AMEM Conference in Sept.  Please send any ideas to Donna. 

Susan Jensen from FEMA will be in our area July 19^th and 20th. The meeting adjourned at 8:40pm

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DATE: May 18, 2006 TIME: 6:30-8:30pm

 Attendees:  

Donna Bauer, President, Marian Robinson, Secretary, Mn. Horse Council, Irene McMillen, Mn. Horse Council, Ed Povlinski, Red Cross, Audrey Zellman, LSS, Jon Weiss, Nechama, Seth Gardner, Nechama,

Anne Harwell for Heather Klason, United Method. Church, Gene Borochoff, Nechama, Dennis Walter, HSEM, John Moore, Salvation Army, Aubrey Williams, MN/WI Baptist Convention, Paul Oby, REACT,

Garrett, Alessandroni--Red Cross, VOAD Treasurer, Dick Roberts, ARRL, Maj. Jay Craswell, Civil Air Patrol. 

Meeting came to order at 6:30pm May 18th, 2006

President Donna Bauer presiding. Financial review postponed until next meeting.

Donna passed out a lot of information on projects that are coming up, also updates on contacts.

Dennis reported on Operation Pez which is Friday, June 16, 2006 at two locations---Grace Church in Eden

Prairie (Henn. Co.)(8am-11:30am) and Apple Valley High School (Dakota Co.) (7:45am-12noon).....500 volunteers for each location are needed.  Contact Josh at 612-673-2910 for more information.

Donna reported on Project Homeless Connect---June 19th Monday 11am-6pm in St. Paul at the St. Paul Armory. Please contact Joe Collins at 651-266-6020 for more information.

June 10th Saturday:  Summer Get Together at Donna's house. RSVP office@mnvoad.org or 763-493-2394 

1pm-6pm. 

John Moore:  February 10, 2007 Saturday is our Annual MnVOAD Training Day....it will be held at St. John the Baptist Church. Several potential speakers were discussed, including MNSARDA.  

Seth Gardner of NECHAMA:  They are gearing up to go back to New Orleans and are looking for volunteers who can spend 1 week down there....the group is hoping to be down there for 3-4 months.  25 volunteers per week are needed.  For more information call Seth at 763-732-0610.

Tabletop Exercise:  A severe storm hit southern Minnesota today at 6pm.  Faribault (Rice Co.) is hit

with a massive tornado and the Austin (Mower Co.) area was hit by a separate tornado.  The Austin tornado

destroyed several homes and apartments toward the edge of town and also several farms.  Debris is scattered throughout several farms.  Particularly hard hit are the migrant workers living in these homes (some are legal and some are not).

Quite a few Focus Issues were included:  shelter, food, communications, animal care,  donations,

emotional/spirtual care, childcare, FEMA/Govt/Damage Assessment, Volunteer Management and long-term

Recovery.

Everyone at the meeting had time to talk about how EOC's and partners of MnVOAD would react to this disaster in southern Mn.  A great learning tool to discuss things that some of us didn't know.  

We then went to the next step, which is after the 1st conference calabout 36-48 hours after the disaster

Hits.  The old 'enemy' that 'plagues' every 'disaster' is Communications.  It is very important to be able

to talk to the folks in the county EOC's and the state EOC and their partner groups in the field. When agencies go out in the field they should be in touch with MnVOAD whenever they can so that the VOAD liaison in the state EOC can be of help and keep state abreast of any issues they many not know of. 

Adjourned at 8:45pm, Treats brought by Donna....thank you Donna.

Sincerely, Marian Robinson MnVOAD Secretary

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DATE: 4.13.06 

Meeting came to order at 6:30pm

Members and Partners Present:
John Moore, Donna Bauer, Audrey Zellman, Garrett Alessandroni, Chrissie Morrison, Dennis Walter, Marian Robinson

Visitor:  Leila Gilley of Duluth VOAD

MNVOAD bank balance is:  $3,347.91

Reviewed the Board and Members’ action lists.  There's too much work for the Board members to complete, so we will need to recruit members or partners to assist with these projects. 

Update on the MN flood in the North West section of the state: Chrissie and others reported the following: The Salvation Army is still in Fargo.  Most everyone else has gone back to their home base.  It looks like all of the mitigation procedures that have been worked on to prevent and lessen the flood damage has come to fruition.  There was less concern about massive flooding (like in '97), despite the threat of massive storms in the last couple of days that didn't produce much rain.  All the same this year's flooding was considered the 3rd worst flooding in history BUT it could have been even worse than the '97 flood if it hadn't been for the mitigation that has already taken place.

Hurricane Support Network (HSN):  Donna and Chrissie reported that there have been some complications but the work is moving forward.  The long-term recovery committee is meeting and is working with some new partners to ensure that an Unmet Needs Committee is formed.  

AMEM Fall Conference:  Dennis discussed that there has talk about MNVOAD and CERT potentially presenting at the plenary.  Donna will talk to James Halstom and the conference chair to get more information about the theme and prospects for presenting at the AMEM conference.

Date to keep in mind:  2 locations need volunteers to pose as 'patients' at a simulated response to a public health emergency.

           Contact:           Josh at 612-673-2910

MNHSEM:  Friday May 5th pandemic Influenza Partner Preview
Individuals can register to attend on the MNHSEM website.

Exercise Drills are coming up in May, June and July. The first one is May 9th at the State EOC. Contact Donna Bauer for more information.

MNVOAD Annual Conference for 2007:  We may have it at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in New Brighton. They have more room including parking , which we need since our attendance is growing. John Moore has agreed to be the MNVOAD Conference Chair for 2007.

Donna Bauer, President of MNVOAD, is going to have a BBQ at her house on June 10th at 1pm for VOAD members and partners. Invites will be sent soon.

Members Meeting:  May 18th at 6:30pm at LSS

Adjourned at 8:30pm
Submitted by your new secretary, Marian Robinson

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DATE: 2.9.06 

Attendees: Donna Bauer (LSS/LDR), Audrey Zellman (LSS/LDR), John Moore (Salvation Army), Paul Oby (REACT), Gene Borochoff (NECHAMA) and Dennis Walter (HSEM). 

 Submitted By: Donna Bauer, President, MNVOAD