Greg Hempen said the first hour after a disaster is so critical that it is often called “the golden hour.”
“That hour has the greatest potential of saving lives, reducing injuries and decreasing damage to property,” he said.
Hempen, a member of the Missouri Seismic Safety Commission, was in Joplin on Wednesday and Thursday offering workshops on disaster preparedness. He was presenting a program called Map Your Neighborhood.
Hempen said the program is used extensively in responding to earthquakes in Washington state, and it can be applied to any disaster that is so large that emergency personnel are overwhelmed.
When that happens, neighbors become first responders. The program is designed to help neighbors take care of one another after a disaster and prepare them to be self-reliant for the first 72 hours.
“That’s why this program is entirely designed around the neighborhood,” Hempen said.
He recommended items everyone should keep under a bed for a disaster, including:
• A hard hat or bicycle helmet.
• Sturdy shoes, because the most common injury in disaster zones is cuts on unprotected feet.
• Leather gloves or other work gloves.
• Signs reading “Help” and “OK” to place on doors or windows immediately after a disaster to indicate the condition of those inside.
Hempen also recommended a 90-minute neighborhood meeting, in which the skills, knowledge, equipment and supplies within the neighborhood are noted. People with disabilities and children who are often home alone can be identified before a disaster.
In the event of a disaster, neighbors would go to a predetermined gathering place and form teams, with one team checking on other neighbors, one team monitoring a weather radio, and another team checking or shutting off gas meters and propane tanks.
“You’re taking your problems into your own hands,” Hempen said. “It’s a really powerful program.”
Debbie Fitzgerald, Healing Joplin project manager with Ozark Center, said the program is worthwhile.
“Being prepared for any emergency brings peace of mind and a sense of calm,” she said.
Kathryn Wilson was one of those attending the session. She is minister of mission and outreach at South Joplin Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and she said she planned to share the information with church members.
“I think a lot of times as a citizen in a community, we don’t know how to respond to a situation,” Wilson said. “It also helps us to know our neighbors.”
The program was offered in conjunction with the Missouri Seismic Safety Commission and the American Society of Civil Engineers. It was funded by the Ozark Center's Healing Joplin project.
Learn more
ANYONE SEEKING INFORMATION about the Map Your Neighborhood program may call Debbie Fitzgerald at Ozark Center, 417-347-7720.
May 2011 Joplin tornado
Map Your Neighborhood disaster response program outlined for area residents
Neighbors become first responders in ‘golden hour’ after emergency
- May 2011 Joplin tornado
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FACES OF RECOVERY: 176,869 volunteers help put Joplin together again
They initially came in droves, pouring into Joplin by the thousands during the months following the May 2011 tornado to clear debris, clean up damaged homes and businesses and distribute donations of food, water, clothing and other necessities.
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SLIDESHOW: One year later, One day of unity, updated
Photos from a day of events commemorating the May 22, 2011 tornado anniversary
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Therapy dogs
Any question that Louie was bred to put people as ease is put to rest when the golden retriever trots over to where a visitor sits and puts his head on their knee, the dog’s eyes filled with a gentle affection.
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Nova Kluseman and Jeanne Morrow
Nova Kluseman has staked her claim on Wednesdays at the Mercy medical office clinics where she volunteers. The staff at Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri will know it’s Thursday when they see Jeanne Morrow walk through the door.
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Greentree Community Church
Every two months, Joplin plays host to some now-familiar faces. They’re members of Greentree Community Church in St. Louis, and they have “adopted” the city as one of their mission projects since the tornado.
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Virginia Laas
Virginia Laas isn’t an accountant or bookkeeper by trade. But when the tornado caused significant damage to Joplin Schools, and subsequently spurred a massive landslide of donations to the district, Laas voluntarily stepped into those roles to fill a need that administrators were too busy to handle.
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Rebecca Williams
Two years after the tornado, Rebecca Williams remains committed to helping people around the world keep up with the progress that has been made in Joplin.
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Community Outreach Team
While it didn’t yet have a formal name, the seeds of Freeman Health System’s Community Outreach Team were planted in the hours following the tornado.
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Jewish Disaster Response Corps
“Tikkun olam” is Hebrew for “repairing the world,” and the concept — of service to others, of helping those in need — is prevalent in Judaism.
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Dorothy Maples
Dorothy Maples always felt a calling to volunteer, whether it was participating in a fundraiser or giving a hand to help someone in need.
- More May 2011 Joplin tornado Headlines
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