As we enter “storm season” in the Pacific NW, I hope you’ve checked your preparedness supplies! Since we live in earthquake country, and since we occasionally experience storms that render us without power, your stash of flashlights/batteries, non-perishable food, water, and first aid kit should be readily available at all times.

Personal preparedness is essential, and we are fortunate at Panorama to have several resident emergency preparedness and response groups - Map Your Neighborhood, Disaster Supply Center, Crisis Support Team, and the Storm Support Team. Today I’ll tell you a bit about the Storm Support Team and its role in supporting residents during a disaster.

The Storm Support Team (SST) is activated when there is a campus disaster and resident needs exceed the capabilities of staff. SST volunteers are called to perform specific tasks for which they have been trained. The tasks are:

• Sharing campus resource information in the lobbies of Panorama Hall and the Convalescent & Rehabilitation Center.
• Making phone calls or home visits to specific residents to check on their welfare.
• Hosting at a Warming/Cooling Center or Seventeen51 Restaurant & Bistro.
• Delivering messages throughout campus in the event the phones are not working.

ACTIVATION PROCESS:

When a storm or other disaster has caused a major power failure and/or damage to campus, the Storm Support Team is activated. The Independent Living Services Coordinator contacts the SST resident co-coordinators and requests SST volunteer assistance for specific tasks and time periods.

The SST resident co-coordinators contact their list of SST volunteers and complete a schedule of tasks/shifts that volunteers sign up to cover. The volunteer reports to a staff person at the site of their volunteer service (such as the Chalet Warming Center or the restaurant) to review the specific details of their task.

Once the SST volunteer has completed their shift, they report back to their staff contact and their SST coordinator and return home.

That’s it! The tasks are not difficult or dangerous, but they provide essential support for our residents in need.

Marla LeFevre BSN, RN
Director of Independent Living Health Services