Developing a Community Action Plan Oct 2012 ... - NCJTC Home

Developing a Community Action Plan 

Before a Mass Casualty Event 

October 17, 2012 

Karen D. Thomas, Consultant 

Connections Training Group 

Office for Victims of Crime 

This project is supported by Grant No. 2010-RF-GX-K001 

awarded to Fox Valley Technical College by the Office for Victims 

of Crime. 

The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), along with Fox Valley 

Technical College (FVTC) through a cooperative agreement with 

the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Office of Justice 

Programs (OJP), will be providing a series of 12 weekly webinar 

events on topics which are categorized in 3 Tracks: Planning, 

Response and Post-Event. 

. 

1

National Criminal Justice Training Center 

This webinar is being brought to you by the Fox Valley Technical 

College-National Criminal Justice Training Center (NCJTC). 

For more information please visit www.ncjtc.org. 

Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and 

do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. 

Department of Justice or Fox Valley Technical College. As well, they 

may not be appropriate in all jurisdictions. Before implementing, 

please check with competent legal representation. 



• Victim Advocate 

• Crisis Responder 

• Law Enforcement Officer 

• CERT and LEPC 

2

Today’s Objectives 

• Develop guidelines for integrating victims 

services in local crisis plans so as to provide 

the best services possible to victims and 

their family members 

• Understand the importance of having preexisting 

relationships with representatives 

from agencies in your community 

• Identify services offered at a FAC and how 

to promote these services. 

Handouts 

• Who’s Who 

• Action Plan 

• Helpful Websites 

• Training Information Websites 

• FAC Floor Plan 

3

Virginia Incidents 

• Arlington: 9/11/01 Pentagon Attack (184 dead, 63 

injured) 

• Buchanan County: January 2002 Law School 

Shootings (3 dead; 3 injured) 

• DC; MD; VA - Spotsylvania, Prince William, Hanover 

and Fairfax Counties: October 2 -22, 2002 Beltway 

Sniper Shootings (10 dead; 3 injured) 

• Montgomery County: April 2007 VT University 

Shootings (32 dead; 26 injured) 

• Appomattox County: January 2010 Domestic 

Related Shootings (8 dead) 

Where Could It Happen In 

Your Community 

• Local Schools 

• Universities 

• Churches 

• Mall/Shopping 

Center 

• Government 

Buildings 

• Courthouses 

• Public Gatherings 

– Concerts 

– Festivals 

– Special Events 

– Farmers’ Markets 

– Restaurants 

• Workplace 

– Disgruntled Employee 

– Notice of Layoff/Closing 

– Domestic Violence 

4

What To Do Before 

It Happens 

• Identify Emergency Manager 

• Identify Agency Heads of Responsible 

Agencies 

• Identify Contact Persons at the State Level 

• Identify College/University Contacts 

Developing An 

Action Plan 

• What agencies should be included 

• Identify the resources that each 

agency can provide during a mass 

casualty criminal victimization 

• What issues need to be addressed 

• What training should be provided 

5

Specific to 

Universities/Colleges 

• What university policies need to be 

developed 

• What university procedures need to be 

in place 

Incorporating Victim 

Advocates in Crisis Plans 

• Establish and maintain relationships 

• Understand each other’s roles 

• Training and Exercises 

• Commonwealth of Virginia Emergency 

Operations Plan – Family Assistance Center 

Policy (example) 

6

Questions or Comments 

7

Establishing a Family 

Assistance Center 

• Location 

• Press 

• Security 

• Check-In process 

• Staff credentials 

• EOC 

• Spontaneous 

volunteers and 

donations 

• Agencies Involved 

Agencies Involved at 

Virginia Tech FAC 

• Virginia Department of 

Social Services (ESF 6) 


Criminal Justice 

Services 


Emergency 

Management 

• Virginia CICF 

• American Red Cross 

• Mental Health Agencies 

• Chaplains/Ministers 

• Rep from Funeral 

Director’s Association 

• Rep from Medical 

Examiner’s Office 

• Massage Therapists 

• Therapy Dogs 

• University Staff 

• Law Enforcement 

• Victim/Witness Staff 

• Medical/Rescue Squad 

8

Direct and Indirect 

Victims 

• Injured 

• Family of Injured 

• Family of Deceased 

• Those Who Witnessed 

Tragedy 

• Police, Fire, Rescue 

• Hospital Staff 

• Victim Advocates 

• Clergy 

• Funeral Home Staff 

• VOAD Agencies 

• Employees/Staff 

• Absentees 

• Community 

Injured and Family 

Family of Deceased 

• Accompaniment 

• Crisis Counseling 

• Referrals 

• Sounding Board 

• Case Management 

• Follow-up 

• Assistance with 

medical bills, etc. 

• Financial Resources 

• Point of Contact 

9

What Works Well 

• Victim advocate and “site liaison” 

working together 

• Daily “briefings” or newsletters for FAC 

staff and separately for victims 

• Victim advocate “escorts” each victim 

through the FAC 

• As appropriate, attend funerals, 

memorial services, etc. 

Selecting Staff 

to Assist at FAC 

• Routinely provide services to crime 

victims and can work in crisis situations 

• Well-suited to provide compassionate 

and appropriate services 

• Understand unique dynamics surrounding 

homicide related deaths 

10

Victim Advocates Role 

in a Mass Tragedy 

• Types of services provided 

• Local advocates and statewide support 

• Comp Staff and Victim Advocates 

working together 

• “Companioning” 

• What worked well in past events 

Local Victim Advocates 

• Can quickly access community 

resources 

• Interface with local agencies 

• Cut through “red tape” 

• Expedite delivery of services to victims 

• Medical Care and HIPPA 

11

Lessons Learned 

• One clear point of contact 

• Daily briefings for families (including 

advocates) 

• Family Liaisons and Victim Advocates 

• Be Flexible 

• Develop a “hook” – ribbons, bears 

• Hotel rooms 

• Keep Records!! – After Action Reports and 

Investigative Panels 

• Website updated several times per day 

12


After the Tragedy 

• Debriefings! 

• PTSD – signs to look for; training for 

appropriate staff 

• Call Centers – use someone from “outside” 

• Post Critical Incident Seminars 

13

Call Centers 

• Injured 

• Families of Deceased 

• Direct Witnesses 

• Staff and Employees at Site 

• Don’t forget: 

– Maintenance staff, housekeeping, clean-up crew, 

cafeteria personnel 

– Absentees 

– Management 

Counseling Options for 

Direct and Indirect Victims 

• “Stealth counseling” 

• Grief counselors 

• Consistency 

• “Advocate/Drop-In” for each dept. 

• Considerations for HR/Management: 

• Insurance co-pays 

• Use of leave to seek counseling 

14

“Stealth” Crisis Counseling 

• Walk and Talk at VT 

• “Ribbon” table at Student Union 

• Alumni Weekend 

• EMS National Memorial – Bear Room 

and Bar 

• Companioning at DRCs in MS 

Counseling Options for 

Indirect Victims 

• Employee Assistance Programs 

• Agency Counselor 

• Do not refer LE to local community 

services boards for counseling 

• Strong need for anonymity! Chief 

must agree that first responders do 

not have to report counseling to 

agency 

• Flexible leave policy 

15

Retreat-Style Programs 

for Victims 

• Invite injured and family and family of deceased 

• No costs to attend; set limit for travel expenses 

• Joint sessions and separate sessions based on 

gender and relationship to victims 

• Modified Group Crisis Interventions (GCI) 

• Uplifting speakers and messages 

• Use speakers who have suffered similar incidents 

(injured and deceased) 

• Question and Answer Session 

• Plenty of “Down Time” where they can socialize 

• Don’t hover, but be available 

Retreat-Style Programs 

(cont’d) 

• Prepare for Anger 

• Coordinator should be made aware of any 

issues/dynamics within groups 

• Basic rules, etiquette, respect 

• Activities (plan for daycare) 

• Alcohol 

• Prepare injured that families of deceased 

may want to “question” them about tragedy 

• Special accommodations for severely 

injured 

16

Post Critical Incident 

Seminars for First Responders 

• Developed by the FBI 

• Used extensively after OKC Bombing 

• Virginia used them after 9/11 for 

responders to the Pentagon Attack 

• Peer Driven, Mental Health Counselors 

on Staff 

• 2.5 days residential “debriefing” 

OVC Link to Victim Assistance 

& Compensation Programs, 

by State 

• This link is an alphabetical list of phone 

numbers and Web sites of state 

administrators for victim assistance and 

victim compensation programs in the U.S. 

and U.S. territories receiving Victims of 

Crime Act (VOCA) funds administered by 

OVC 

• http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/map.html 

17

OVC Discretionary Funding for 

Terrorism and Mass Violence Crimes 

• Services and other support to meet the 

immediate and extended needs of victims 

and communities including 

• crisis response 

• consequence management 

• criminal justice support 

• crime victim compensation 

• training and technical assistance 

• http://www.ovc.gov/fund/welcome.html 

Training Available 

• Incident Command System (ICS) 

• National Incident Management System 

(NIMS) 

• Critical Incident Stress Management 

(CISM) 

• National Organization for Victim 

Assistance (NOVA) Community Crisis 

Response Team 

• Community Emergency Response Team 

(CERT) 

18


Contact Information 



521 Springdale Avenue 

Colonial Heights, VA 23834 

(804) 586-1743 

KarenD.Thomas@verizon.net 

19

Webinar: Developing a Community Action Plan 


Presenter: Karen D. Thomas, Consultant 


Who’s Who In My Community 

Identify Agency Head or Emergency Contact Person in Your Jurisdiction: 

Chief(s) of Police 

Sheriff(s) 

Regional Office for State Law Enforcement 

Local Emergency Manager 

Victim Advocate (Prosecutor’s Office) 

Victim Advocate (Law Enforcement Agency) 

Victim Advocate (Sexual Assault or Domestic Violence Program) 

American Red Cross 

Mental Health Agency 

Identify Contact Person at the State Level: 

Agency Contact for ESF-6 

State Emergency Management Office 

Victim Compensation Program 

Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Administrator 

Identify College/University Contacts: 

Chief of Police at College(s)/Universit(ies) in Your Jurisdiction 

College/University Victim Advocate 

Contact in the Department of Student Services 

Other: 

List the names of at least one victim advocate in three adjacent localities:

List the colleges and universities in your jurisdiction: 

List the agencies to meet with prior to a mass casualty event.





Preparing For a Mass Casualty 

Criminal Victimization Event 

Action Plan 

I. What agencies should be included 

II. 

Identify the resources that each agency can provide during a 

mass casualty criminal victimization. 

III. 

What issues need to be addressed 

IV. 

What training should be provided 

V. Other Considerations Specific to Universities/Colleges 

 

What University policies need to be developed 

o Is there policy developed by multi-disciplinary stakeholders 

from community and university about who will respond; 

and/or mutual aid agreements about who from surrounding 

universities/areas might provide support





o Is there a Coordination Committee to develop, implement 

and provide oversight of the policy 

 

What University procedures need to be in place 

o Is there a decision-tree or other method to determine 

which department will coordinate which type of response 

o Does the University Information Technology Department 

have procedures in place for communicating with students, 

parents, faculty and staff 

o Which campus facilities will be designated for triage, 

communications, and/or provisions 

o How will emergency power be provided 

o Will surviving student residents be asked to go home 

o What about international students


Before a Mass Casualtyy Event 

Presenter: Karen 

D. Thomas, Consultant 


Helpful Websites 

 

Report of the Virginia Tech Review Panel 

http:/ //www.governor.virginia.gov/TempContent/techpanelreport.cfm 

 

Virginia Tech Memorial Website – Witness to Tragedy 

http:/ //www.vt.edu/remember/photos/ 

 

Commonwealth of 

Virginia EMERGEN 

CY OPERATIONS PLAN 2012 

 

Commonwealth of 

Virginia EMERGEN 

CY OPERATIONS PLAN – Family Assistance 

Center Plan 

http:/ //www.vaemergency.gov/sites/default/files/2011_July_Family_Assistance_Ce 

nter_ _Plan_2011_July.pdf 

 

Therapy 

Dogs International 

 

http:/ //www.tdi-dog.org/ 

Antiterrorism and Emergency Assistance Program 

http:/ //www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/pdftxt/AEAP_Brochure.pdf 

 

Critical Incident Stress Management Teams 

http:/ //www.icisf.org/cism-teams 

 

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), by State 

http:/ //www.citizencorps. 

gov/cc/CertIndex.dosubmitByState 

 

Emergency Managers – State Offices and Agencies of Emergency Management 

http:/ //www.vaemergency.com/em-community/plans/2012COVEOP 

http:/ //www.fema.gov/regional-operations/state-offices-and-agencies-emergency- 

management

Victim Assistance and Compensation Programs, by State 

http://www.ovc.gov/map.html

Webinar: Developing a Community Action 

Plan 





Training Information 

Websites 

FEMA Independent Study Courses: 

(Free and Available Online) 

Introduction to Incident Command System 

(IS-100) 

ICS for Single 

Resources and Initial Action Incidents (IS-200) 

NIMS – An Introduction (IS-700) 

National Response Framework, An Introduction (IS-800.b) 

http://training.fema.gov/IS/NIMS.asp 

Critical Incident Stress Management 

(CISM) 

National Office: www. icisf.org 

National Organization for Victim Assistance 

Community 

Crisis Response 

e Team Training 

www.trynova.org/crt/training





Connections Training Group

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