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CDP to become a COVAD--Community Volunteer Action in Disaster--Group
Posted by: Marcia
on Jun 22, 2009 
At a meeting with the head off Mason County's Emergency Management Department, Martin Best, CDP members explored how the CDP group might fit under the Mason County EMD as a C O V A D Community Volunteer Action in Disaster group. As a COVAD group we would have access to education and training events and have a venue to coordinate the use of our volunteers in the event of a disaster. We would provide volunteer support through the series of shelters identified in our area.
Two community CDPEP planning workshops have been held in Belfair to date. The first was held on July 10, 2009 and the second on September 10. The third will be held from 3:00 -5:00 at the FD#2 firehall in Belfair on October 15. Discussion involved emergency shelters, swine flu, community education, linkages with community organizations, media and the program itself. The public is welcome to attend all meetings.
As part of accomplishing an important goal in its current strategic plan, Mason County Fire District #2 is supporting CDPEP (The Community Disaster Preparedness Public Education and Preparedness Program)--a comprehensive effort to: (1) raise public awareness; (2) provide opportunities for emergency and environmental management education for all members of the community, and( 3) develop our collective capacity to prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters.
Emergency Management - The Soft Skills
Firefighters, EMTs, Paramedics and Fire Chief Bakken participated in a series of one day courses to enhance capabilities in what are referred to as Soft Skills. All of these personnel are highly trained in the technical skills required for their work. There are times with other skills are required. Included in the series were sessions on Emergency Coordination, Negotiating, Networking, Leadership and Facilitation.
Humanitarian Field Coordination Program – HFCP -- Training of Co-Facilitators
A plan to work himself out of a job – Denny and Marcia believe in developing the capacity of organizations to manage their own staff development. As part of the overall development of organizational capacity and to embed personnel with training and facilitation skills throughout the organization, Denny has been working with the Director of Staff Development and Learning of the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Geneva to design and conduct a program on humanitarian field coordination. That program is well underway now and to build internal capacity to conduct the HFCP workshops thirteen participants from around the planet attended the training for facilitators workshop. Participants had the opportunity to develop a range of skills including: communication, presentation, facilitation, listening, planning and organizing skills. Those participants that successfully completed the course will now have the chance to co-facilitate HFCP workshops in the field.
Humanitarian Field Coordination Program – HFCP – Mombasa Workshop
Denny was the senior member of a team which included two of the personnel who completed the training of facilitators course in April. The four person team facilitated a 6 day workshop on elements of Humanitarian Field Coordination for 27 personnel working with the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Participants came from several countries in Africa, including Kenya, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda and Sudan where they are working in on going humanitarian emergencies. The competency based course focused on developing skills required to support coordination, manage information, develop advocacy strategies, provide protection support for internally dislocated persons and refugees, develop emergency preparedness and response plans and organize humanitarian funding. Highlighted among the competencies were: communication, negotiation, facilitation, analysis, planning and organizing, empowering others, leadership and creativity.
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