Prepare for Emergencies

By Sandy Porcaro BSRI Case Manager, Leland

“BSRI works to promote the well-being of all seniors in Brunswick County, including in times of emergency,” says Sandy Porcaro, BSRI lead case manager for disaster preparedness. In this role, Porcaro manages tasks and preparation before, during, and after a hurricane to ensure the safety of seniors in our community.

The case management team and center staff work together to prepare for a weather event. The team takes inventory of our supplies available at our centers: cases of water, pet food, cleaning supplies, paper products, and other necessities. Additional supplies are ordered and kept at each center, available to distribute to seniors in need following an emergency. The food pantry also provides food boxes for the homebound or those with food insecurity.

The case management team identifies vulnerable clients in our community who may need additional assistance during a hurricane or other weather event. Before an emergency, case managers reach out to vulnerable clients to ensure they have a plan in place, the support of family, or a way to get to a shelter if necessary.

We stay in contact with other community organizations to share the latest information. The case management team collaborates with emergency management services, Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry, Brunswick Family Assistance, Red Cross, and many others to ensure information and resources are shared about shelter locations, transportation resources, food banks, weather updates, closures, and more.

BSRI is part of Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD). VOAD promotes coordination among agencies and fosters more effective delivery of services in a disaster. The goal is for community agencies to work together to meet community needs.

VOAD will host a disaster expo from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 28 at St. Brendan’s Church in Shallotte

to provide information to the community about resources available during an emergency. Participants include the Red Cross, Brunswick Family Assistance, Legal Aid, Brunswick Housing Opportunities, Emergency Management, and more.

Before an emergency, the BSRI case management team reaches out to senior clients to ensure they are safe, disseminate information and resources, answer phone calls, plan for center closures and distribution of meals, and work with family members to ensure the safety of their loved ones.

During an emergency, staff continues to work as safety allows from the office or home managing requests for information and supplies.

After the event, case managers collaborate with other community organizations to assess the damage, determine where the needs lie, and assist with recovery.

If you have additional needs or

know you will require support before, during, and after an emergency event, register with the Access and Functional Needs Program. This registry assists clients in creating personal emergency plans and will contact you when an emergency event has triggered an evacuation for the community.

If you need additional assistance and would like to register or have questions, call (910) 253-5383 or register online at forms.brunswickcountync.gov/ forms/accessneeds.

The best way to prepare for an emergency is to be prepared. Many websites can provide you with information and resources. Check out the following:

 Fema.gov  www.redcross.org  readync.org  flood.nc.gov

BSRI wants our participants, volunteers, and staff to be safe, so we shut down during hazardous weather. Here’s how to find out what’s going on during a storm:

 BSRI uses a mass notification system for emergency announcements regarding our operations. All active participants will receive automatic notifications by telephone, cellphone, text, or email.

 Check the BSRI homepage at www.bsrinc.org.  Check local radio and television stations, especially WECT

Channel 6 or FM radio station 102.7 GNI.

 Check the WECT website list of business closures.

You can also call (910) 754-2300; but please read or listen to all notifications before contacting BSRI. Volunteers and staff may not be available to answer inquiries during an emergency.

If we expect bad weather, MOW will deliver shelf-stable or frozen meals in advance when possible. Meals on Wheels (MOW) participants will receive a notification as long as we have their phone number and they do not choose to unsubscribe. MOW clients may also check WECT or GNI or the BSRI website for updates (www.bsrinc.org). If you have trouble with health or transportation during severe weather, these numbers may help:

 Emergency: 911

 Brunswick County Office of

Emergency Management: 910-253-5383 or www.brunswickes.com. Find information about shelter locations, evacuation routes, and updates.

 www.bsrinc.org

 Brunswick Electric Membership

Corporation (BEMC): 1-800- 842-5871 or 910-754-4391

 BEMC Outage Reports: 1-800-682-5309

 Atlantic Telephone: 910-754-4311

 Local municipalities: www.brunswickcountync.gov/ info/municipalities/

Sandy Porcaro, Case Manager at the Brunswick Center at Leland, presents information about BSRI and Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD) at the Oak Island disaster expo in June.