Checklist for Stake Presidents
The following checklist summarizes some of the things a stake president should do in preparation for, and after a hurricane.
Before the Hurricane
- Work with the Stake Council to develop a simple written emergency preparedness plan, including a communications strategy.
As the Hurricane Approaches
- Become familiar with the Principles of Disaster Recovery
- Begin coordinating with the Area Emergency Response Committee (AERC) regularly, as needed.
- Appoint a Recovery Leader.
- Ask the recovery leader to register at Crisis Cleanup and share stake passcode with all team leaders and authorized volunteers, but not to unauthorized individuals or persons not volunteering with the stake.
0-72 Hours After the Hurricane
- Keep yourself and family safe.
- Ascertain the safety and needs of members, missionaries, and church property. Take independent action in behalf of church members as needed.
72 Hours to 8 Weeks after the Hurricane
- Meet with the Stake Council to determine how to serve, and what level of service constitutes an acceptable offering to the Lord. See also, here.
- In consultation with the Stake Council, choose a target End Date for service (typically not longer than 8 weeks after the hurricane). Place this date in a letter to bishops and members, based upon this template, then send the letter to bishops and members.
- Work with the stake council to develop a strategy for dealing with late service requests/ stragglers.
- Draft and send letter to visiting stake presidents, based upon this template.
- Communicate that relief efforts should last no longer than 8 weeks, and that it will take up to three weeks before the full scope of damage may become known.
- Coordinate stake response with the Area Emergency Response Committee (AERC) and the Area Welfare Manager (AWM).
- Offer church services to civil authorities, as appropriate.
- Establish support centers, as needed.
- Follow the Guidelines for Use of Meetinghouses as Emergency Shelters, as necessary.
- Delegate as much of the response effort to the stake council and stake recovery leader to ensure vital stake responsibilities are not neglected.
- Ask public affairs representatives to build relationships with city and county management, and law enforcement, and coordinate their efforts with the VOAD representative and stake recovery leader.
- Review safety policies and procedures.
- Use this opportunity to build relationships with city and county leaders, as well as religious and community leaders in the areas in which you serve.
- Consider asking local newspapers or news media to highlight your service.
8 Weeks-3 months after the Hurricane
- Coordinate with the stake council to determine how to best follow up with survivors in your stake boundaries.
- Be sensitive to spiritual and emotional strains on both survivors and volunteers, weeks and months after the hurricane.