Newswise — A new study conducted by the Institute for Homeland Security Solutions (IHSS), a research consortium led by RTI International, recommends faith-based and secular community organizations be more closely integrated with formal emergency response networks.
The study found that while most of these organizations have capacity to aid vulnerable populations during a disaster, many are not currently well positioned to do so.
The report, sponsored by the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives and the Human Factors and Behavioral Science Division at the Department of Homeland Security, identifies strategies to integrate organizations into emergency response planning efforts as a means of improving overall community resiliency.
The study is part of a larger project being conducted by IHSS to develop and assess a model for enhancing the role of faith-based and community organizations in existing emergency response networks.
The ongoing project also aims to develop management practices to help these organizations build more effective partnerships with other organizations and government agencies involved in emergency response.
This study found that faith-based and community organizations have assisted in responding to past disasters, especially during Hurricane Katrina, but may be able to provide greater services if they are more closely integrated into the formal emergency response framework.
For example, the ability of faith-based and community organizations to serve basic human needs surged in response to Hurricane Katrina. Approximately 70 percent of these organizations provided emergency services such as food, water, clothing and temporary shelter in the aftermath of the hurricane, even though two-thirds of the organizations had no prior experience in providing disaster relief.
In some communities, these were the only organizations providing aid. For example, Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, a congregation of 3,500, housed more than 80 evacuees for an extended period in the aftermath of the Katrina, offering food, clothes, medical care, transportation and childcare services.
Additionally, faith-based and community organizations have demonstrated the ability to collaborate successfully with government agencies and each other to share resources and improve emergency response. In the aftermath of Katrina, two-thirds of these organizations shared resources, space, equipment, and supplies to provide aid to populations in need.
Despite these successes, these organizations are often challenged in providing aid because they are not fully connected to the formal emergency planning process and response network.
The study identified four strategies to be considered by the organizations, emergency response professionals, and policymakers to address these challenges:Training and education of faith-based and community organization staff members on disaster planning and response procedures;
•Building the organizational and surge capacities among these organizations;
•Improving coordination and planning between local organizations and state and local government agencies; and
•Developing information management systems to help track organizations, volunteers, clients, and resources.
Building on recent successes and lessons learned, the study presents several suggestions to help these organizations reach their full potential.
For more information, please visit the IHSS website at www.ihssnc.org
IHSS is a research consortium between RTI International, Duke University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the North Carolina Military Foundation established to conduct applied research in the social and behavioral sciences to address a wide range of homeland security challenges. IHSS focuses on developing near-term solutions to practical, real-world problems that have broad applications, including critical policy and operational implications of new technologies and information analysis tools. IHSS also conducts research to improve our understanding and analysis of homeland security threats.
About RTI InternationalRTI International is one of the world's leading research institutes, dedicated to improving the human condition by turning knowledge into practice. Our staff of more than 2,800 provides research and technical expertise to governments and businesses in more than 40 countries in the areas of health and pharmaceuticals, education and training, surveys and statistics, advanced technology, international development, economic and social policy, energy and the environment, and laboratory and chemistry services. For more information, visit www.rti.org.
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