Area’s non-profits prepare for ‘worst case’ scenarios

Three recent fires at nonprofit organization buildings in the Baton Rouge area are placing a higher priority on disaster preparedness for nonprofits in the Tri-parishes.

The July 24 blaze at the O’Brien House, a halfway house for recovering alcoholics and drug addicts, was the largest of the three fires.

In response, Susan Hymel, disaster recovery coordinator with the Louisiana Association of Nonprofit Organizations, placed a photograph in the Baton Rouge Morning Advocate newspaper of the remains of the O’Brien House with a caption stating, “If this is what your organization looked like yesterday, who would you serve today?”

Hymel has been conducting disaster preparedness seminars for nonprofits throughout the state.

The first session she gave was in Houma on July 18, with the assistance of the South Central Planning and Development Commission.

“We can’t say enough about your area,” she said.

Hymel will be conducting another disaster preparedness seminar for nonprofits on Aug. 20, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., in New Orleans at Nonprofit Central, 1824 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd.

“Fires, chemical releases, and burglaries are the biggest problems we face,” she said.

LANO has prepared downloadable information about disaster preparedness for nonprofits to follow.

“I go through the seminar quickly,” Hymel said. “The information on the CD, I go over it.”

One major piece of advice LANO offers to nonprofits is to take photographs of the office.

“You’ve got to be prepared,” she said.

At the session in New Orleans, attendees will receive tips on:

– Collecting vital information on all employees and board members.

– Inventorying and recording information on all equipment for insurance and recovery purposes.

– Safeguarding critical documents and data.

– Taking proactive steps to reduce the impact of a disaster.

Attendees will receive a copy of Disaster Preparedness … for Nonprofits, and the CD. Call LANO at 225-925-2390 for more information.

Mary Bisland, executive director of Terrebonne Association for Retarded Citizens, said that TARC’s facility off Grand Caillou Road near the Houma Terrebonne Municipal Airport, conducts medical emergency, tornado, and hostage situation drills.

“We have plans like Code Blue for medical emergencies, Code Red for fire, and Code Yellow for a bomb scare,” Bisland said.

“Plus, the fire station is right down the road,” she said.

The average time to complete an emergency exit is less than a minute.

At the TARC facility, 15 to 16 persons live in their own apartments, which are equipped with fire alarms. Some contain fire sprinklers.

“We do fire drills there as well,” Bisland said.

TARC does not staff its facility around the clock, however.

When hurricanes threaten, TARC has an arrangement with Camp Harden near Alexandria to evacuate there. Camp Harden rents its buildings to TARC.

A safety committee inspects TARC’s facility once a month as well.

“The more eyes, the better,” Bisland said. “We feel confident we can handle any emergency.”

Besides, the fire marshal inspects the facility regularly.

“Don’t mess with the fire marshal,” she said. “He’ll shut you down.”