Emergency Planning
Grunewald Consulting team members have worked for decades in all facets of emergency management from field response and Emergency Operations Center Coordination to planning and recovery. Our depth of experience includes planning for many different hazards, such as coastal storms, extreme weather, health emergencies and technological events. We have worked within the contexts of some of the largest most complex disasters our country has seen.
Our work with clients focuses on two broad areas: increasing the resilience of specific organizations and helping jurisdictions create and implement programs and systems that address complex emergency management challenges.
Organizational Resilience
Nonprofits and healthcare institutions that people rely on everyday are the same organizations that are the cornerstone of recovery after disasters. In order for providers to serve their communities during disasters, they need to be prepared themselves.
That's where we come in. We demystify and break down the stodgy constructs and language of emergency planning into systems and plans that are intuitive and actionable. We know budgets are tight – so we work with our partners wherever they are in the process, whether it’s helping to organize a brainstorming session about response strategies with senior staff, revamping an existing plan, or focusing on the resilience of the most critical services.
In Action
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Nursing homes and primary care centers: Coached leadership teams on creating and strengthening emergency and continuity planning. Facilitated exercise development. Grunewald Consulting has worked with more than 30 different facilities.
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Consortium of social services organizations: Worked with an organization representing more than 40 multi-service social service agencies in NYC. The goal was to help these organizations to continue and to enhance services during and after disasters. Led focus groups, analyzed member planning needs, and developed planning templates. Created a framework for coordination and support of members during disasters. Developed and facilitated symposium on Community Resiliency and authored supporting Issues Briefing to share lessons learned.
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Victim assistance organization: Conducted Hurricane Sandy debrief and lessons learned discussion, produced next steps document to provide roadmap for future planning efforts.
Key Knowledge
and Experience
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Disaster sheltering
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Volunteer management
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Disaster mental health
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Disaster recovery programming
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Disaster case management
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Multi-agency assistance centers
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Community disaster education
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Community collaborations and coalition building
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Integration of people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs into all aspects of programming
Jurisdiction-Wide Emergency Systems
Government entities and other coordinative bodies are responsible for creating emergency management programs that keep people safe during response and facilitate recovery following disasters. Grunewald Consulting team members understand how to build functional teams and planning constructs among vastly different stakeholders: public safety services,social services, healthcare, education and private business. We have a track record of creating response and recovery systems that have buy-in and are actionable.
In Action
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City-wide model to reach the most vulnerable following disasters: Worked with jurisdiction to design and actualize large scale door-to-door canvassing operation model designed to facilitate equal access to critical post-emergency services for people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs. Established stakeholder working groups, created operational concepts, plans, and policies related to the growth and sustainment of the program. Developed approach for engaging community-based organization volunteers and residents.
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Emergency planning guide for critical social services organizations: Created guide for mental health providers and organizations serving older adults and people with disabilities. Included worksheets, templates and instructions addressing many of the most challenging aspects of continuity of operations planning for social service providers. Led focus groups and feedback sessions.
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Post-disaster mental health coordination: Led disaster mental health exercise aimed at clarifying the roles of disaster mental health providers in a suburban county during and after disasters. Resulted in improved working relationships and understanding of the emergency management environment in their community.
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State-wide response and recovery simulations: Worked with team managing state level HSEEP compliant exercise program. Served as subject matter expert to health and human services functional groups, supported exercise development, facilitation and evaluation.
Key Knowledge
and Experience
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National Incident Management System (NIMS) and associated sector specific models such as NHICS and HICS
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Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP)
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Hazard Vulnerability Analysis (HVA)
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Knowledge of and experience working with the wide range of stakeholders needed for successful response and recovery systems.
