Episode-1018- The Vision of the TSP DRT
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Disasters are Nothing New as this Photo from 1900 Clearly Shows
A week ago I floated the idea of a new group, the TSP-DRT or The Survival Podcast Disaster Response Team. Due to a large number of both positive and negative responses on Friday I released a blog post explaining it a bit more in depth. Today I will lay out a true vision for the DRT with far more details and a better explanation of the role I see the DRT playing in the future.
I will also lay out my concepts of a vetting process for DRT Team members along with minimum level training/certifications. Additionally I will tell you why I feel such a new group is necessary rather then TSP simply joining or partnering with an existing group.
From there I will lay out my concept for on going training, drills, community outreach and “musters” along with how we can ensure that on site responders are aware of the DRT and can understand how to best utilize our assistance.
There are two primary goals with today’s show…
- Explain the DRT Concept Fully to the TSP Community
- Provide a vision and starting point to the DRT Leadership Team
Join Me Today As We Discuss…
- Why the DRT and why now
- Why we really do need to do this as an individual group
- Why I will only be an adviser to the leadership council
- Minimum level skills/training/certification required to be part of DRT
- The operations manual and making it available to other responders
- How responders/LEOs will be able to vet our team members in seconds
- How DRT will be different by providing the “most needed” items on demand
- The need for initial drills, non-disaster deployments and musters
- The primary concepts I currently have for what the DRT will do
- Why those that say it can’t be done should get out of the way of those already doing it
Resources for today’s show…
- Members Support Brigade
- TSP Gear Shop
- Join Our Forum
- TSP Copper
- ShelfReliance.com – (sponsor of the day)
- Free State Project – (sponsor of the day)
- Red Cross Claims their Sandy Response was “Near Flawless”
Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon. Also please enter our listener appreciation contest and help spread the word about our show. Also remember you can call in your questions and comments to 866-65-THINK and you might hear yourself on the air.
Jack hit the nail on the head again! Amazing. I hope that our community will throw its collective weight to assist this. It breaks my heart that there are still those affected by Sandy that are hungry and cold.
AMEN BROTHER!!! “those that say something can’t be done should get out of the way” again AMEN BROTHER!!! I say JUST FRIGEN WATCH ME NOW MOVE
FYI If donations are needed at all to take the sting out of start up or what ever. I can/will help. If you have training / meet ups in my area I can put people up & or fix meals or help find lodging. Live 25 min from PDX. Pleanty of room for rigs too. If that is needed.
The best thing about this is that it will absolutely work. The most obvious signs that it will work common sense organization communication willingness determination problem solving awareness & size. It is a lot easier to mobilize and organize a smaller group than a huge corp. organization. You can get in and help those that will be left much much longer with no assistance because of where they are at or deemed unimportant such as you mentioned the homeless. Will this get off the ground without any learning experiences no of course not But each one of those learning experiences will just build the badassity of TSP DRT!!
I know a bit early on the branching and basic needs and foundation come first. As well as the people. Just wanted to throw a broad thought into the wind animals, and livestock. Maybe something someone would have info/training about that is mainly kept in the bag of tricks but could come in useful.
Some links if any one would be interested for their own education.
http://www.livestockwelfare.com/resources/07aprbarnfires.pdfhttp:
http://www.livestockhandling.net/areas_of_expertise/livestock_emergency_response
Great show. Just a tech idea branching off your comment on the name badge for the honchos to consider along with a database + tspdrt.com.
Custom QR codes are a great direct link tool. Name badges could have a QR code that links to a smart phone friendly formatted “data card” for the individual responder hosted on tspdrt.com. This way local authorities, if so inclined, could scan the badge and get a ton of relevant information within seconds. Just an idea.
This is very timely for me and I have sent the link to this podcast to a local friend on Facebook, he wishes to start up a help unit too. I hope he listens and finds your information valuable. Also First Responders of America I thik they are based out of Pennsylvania and featured on the Weather Channel might be good to interview in connection to this or just for information you can pass on to us. I love your podcast and seek never to miss one.
Jack, please email me. I think I can help with the organization of the DRT. I am an Alabama Advanced Level Certified Emergency Manager and a CERT instructor. I was previously the Assistant Director of Emergency Management in Reno County, (Hutchinson) Kansas and a former Kansas Certified Emergency Manager. I have a certain set of skills and insight into this, if you’ll drop me a line, I will send you my CV.
Hey, Im Active Duty Army, thinking about entering the field when I retire in a couple years. Plan to retire in AL, hoping I can swing my next assignment to be a training advisor to the Guard/Reserve in AL. Id like to talk to you offline about your career field and breaking into it.
caveman21@gmail.com
If I ain’t already on a watch list, this ain’t gonna get me there and if it does, then who cares I am gonna do right.
Jack,
I think a reason why big diaster groups turn down food and supplies from people that just show up might be that they do not know if said items have or have not been tampered with in a way that will harm someone.
Best, Duncan
Jack,
Just dug out this forum post I made awhile back. Count me in all the way.
http://thesurvivalpodcast.com/forum/index.php?topic=34728.msg390061#msg390061
I am sorry, but like you say…be prepared individually and you will come out way ahead. The problem I see is simply “People waiting for help.” I remember during the Katrina aftermath, scores of folks going to NO to help rebuild and having the so called “victims”, set out their frikken lawn chairs and coolers and just watch everyone else do the frikken work! They wouldn’t even so much as lift a finger to assist. People of a nanny state only want to be taken care of and if that is what you really want to do, after showing the few how to prepare, then go ahead. Keep in mind the violence that can ensue with such, “disasters.”
I find “all for me and screw the rest” people such as yourself to be as much a part of the problem as the unprepared. It sickens me that people with your attitude listen to TSP and hear me constantly talk about community and clearly just ignore it.
Jack,
A quick thought that occurred to me while you were talking about basic needs. Food, shelter, and energy are the most basic needs certainly, but something else that gets overlooked is child care. Once people are fed and they have a little power, they often want to help their neighbors or work on their own properties. That can be tough when you’ve got kids in dangerous situations. Just something to think about . . .
Jack, I love the idea and I love all of the creative juice you get flowing as you let an idea germinate for a while. I hope that I’ll be able to help out at some point in the future when my kids are older and me going away to help others no longer means “leaving the wife holding the bag.”
I have an idea for a training event that could raise some serious cash and build the skills necessary to really respond to a disaster; perhaps moreso than a camping/training event.
What if the TSP DRT put on an event that required extensive logistical support, much similar to setting up a disaster response? Imagine an event like an outdoor concert or a food truck fair or a beer tasting event that gets completely handled by the TSP DRT team while being coached by professional event planners. I was at an event last year (The Minnesota food truck fair) where over 5,000 people converged on a parking lot for a day to enjoy food and locally brewed beer, listen to music and play yard games. They presold 5000 tickets through groupon and living social ($25-$80 per ticket). The event was a disaster and a study in unpreparedness, but to see this parking lot in down town minneapolis converted in a day to a place with food, sanitation, medical, water, music, fun and lots of beer was pretty amazing. Putting on a regional event like this that is completely coordinated by DRT people on a volunteer basis would be a powerful training event and could raise at least $50,000 in a day.
The key difference here from a gathering of the DRT people to camp or volunteer on a habitat house or whatever would be that it would involve a small core group of DRT people serving a much greater quantity of unassociated people. Basically the event attenders would be “like” the disaster victims in the sense that they show up with nothing, expecting to be provided food, medical, water and sanitation for the duration of their stay at the event.
Funny, I was thinking along similar lines; putting on some type of sporting / orienteering / adventure race / spartan run / mud run type event and doing the support for it in the same manor you described. This type of event would generate revenue, allow the DRT to practice logistics, practice execution, and the event its self could be attended by DRT and by the general public to increase at least one prep related skill.
Mark, that’s a perfect type event. Great idea!
Great show Jack. I look forward to being a part of the DRT once things come together. Also, as far as the Zello channel, I just recently signed up and I can’t say enough good things about the people on there. Friendly, polite, and just downright fun to talk with! What a wealth of information being passed around as well. Just Awesome!
I thought I clicked the post button yesterday but after reading all the comments today it seems it never posted. So I’ll repeat myself.
I’ve recently joined and was officially voted into my local volunteer fire department. Once I successfully completely the “basic” trainings I’d love to be apart of all of this.
I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on this. I don’t know how desirable I am as a member…I’m in college for another year and have limited time; being next to broke I have a very limited travel range; and when I went back to school, I let my EMT certification lapse…..however, definitely want to be involved if at all possible. This sounds like an awesome idea and is no doubt something that we need.
Jack,
Count me in. Not sure what exact skills I can bring to the table, but I can drive trucks, run a chainsaw fairly well, and follow directions on building. Have someone drop me an e-mail if I am needed.
Oh, I’m in the Memphis TN area.
Great concept and I am very excited to watch it develop (and be a part of it). I think that the best part of this is the fact that we have current and former ICs and EMs that will be involved. As “honchos” they will be able to insure that the group is efficient and value added, but also be able to talk to Command at an event. Being able to speak their language will go a long way. Being able to demonstrate that we have done things that the EM community struggles with (like credentialing in some states) will put it over the top! Count me in!
Fema offers a ton of self study coarses online for emergency relief
That is really good to know!
At first, I didn’t think that I would be qualified in any way to become a part of this concept. But after listening to Jack talk out a few ideas, I feel that maybe there is something that I can do as a volunteer as it comes together. I look forward to learning what credentials I need to work to get.