Emergency Response
Dallas Emergency Response Coordinator
Eduardo Valenzuela
Email: Est1975ev@gmail.com
Phone: 469-782-7076
Home Council 14568
Texas Northeast Regional Emergency Response Coordinator
Ron Kwiat
Email: rpkwiat48@gmail.com
Phone: (619) 368-5996
Home Council
- For more information, please visit: www.kofc.org/prepare or send email to: EmergencyResponse@TKofC.org
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
Knights of Columbus > Faith In Action > Community > Disaster Preparedness
A Higher Purpose
Prepare your community before disaster strikes. Councils will engage their parish and community in disaster preparedness exercises by organizing trainings, fundraisers and various awareness activities.
Council Disaster Preparation
Organizing and maintaining a council-level action plan is extremely important to the success of any disaster response efforts within the local community and at the jurisdiction level. There are many steps that a council should take to be prepared in the case of a disaster, including:
- Prepare a communication plan:
- Meet with your parish priest on an annual basis to identify specific needs of the parish and determine how the Knights can assist
- Create a phone tree with contact information for all council members. Practice using this phone tree at least twice a year.
- Know the disaster chain of command within your jurisdiction and the council’s role and responsibilities, including individual roles and responsibilities
- Maintain contact lists of the parish’s vulnerable community members (the elderly, disabled, and widow(er)s) to ensure that they are safe prior to a disaster or after a disaster has struck
- Provide disaster safety and awareness training to council members and parish community. These trainings should include information on:
- Fire safety
- Disease control
- Natural disaster awareness
- Allocate at least $500 dollars in the council’s general funding account in case of a disaster
DOES YOUR COUNCIL HAVE AN
EMERGENCY RESPONSE COORDINATOR?
Each Knights of Columbus Council needs to appoint an Emergency Response Coordinator (ERC). This individual will have the following responsibilities:
- Coordinate council responses to local & state emergencies.
- Educate council members on how to prepare for local disasters (Example: floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, power outages, wildfires, etc.).
- Organize council fundraising and food drives for local, Texas, & national disasters.
- Organize council volunteers for disaster response and projects organized by the Diocesan ERC, Catholic Charities, or Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
- Prepare & regularly update a list of council resources that may be utilized in case of disaster (generator, large grill, trucks, trailers, power tools, etc.) and give a copy to the Diocesan ERC.
- Prepare & update a list of Knights and widows of Knights cell phone numbers so they may be contacted to see If they need assistance when there Is a disaster.
- Implement the Knights Disaster Preparedness Program and submit required reports to upreme and your Diocesan ERC.
- Keep the Diocesan ERC informed on Brother Knights suffering from a local disaster and council emergency response activities.
For more information on the duties and responsibilities of the Council ERC, please contact your Diocesan ERC or Regional ERC, or e-mail EmergencyResponse@TKofC.org. If no Council ERC is appointed, then the Grand Knight will be responsible the Council ERC duties.
The Council ERC is appointed by the Grand Knight and reports to the Community Director and the Diocesan ERC. The Council ERC should have the following qualifications:
- Brother Knight in good standing who is respected in the community.
- Must be in good health (able to walk around & supervise volunteers).
- Have reliable transportation.
- Should NOT be a first-responder (must be available to help during a local disaster).
Once they are appointed, the Council ERC should contact their Diocesan ERC and Regional ERC, and e-mail EmergencyResponse@TKofC.org with their name, address, cell phone number, e-mail address, KofC membership number, council number, location, and diocese. The Council ERC will then receive training and regular communications from the Texas Emergency Response Committee.
Don’t wait until disaster strikes. Appoint your Council ERC today!
Vivat Jesus! Viva Cristo Rey!
Harry S. Storey
Emergency Response Chairman
Texas State Council -Knights of Columbus
Cell: 214-557-2923 E-Mail: hss@storeycorp.net