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Grant funds would enable RSVP. to add temporary help and use its existing volunteer <br />management infrastructure to partner with other agencies to facilitate and implement training of <br />newly-recruited senior volunteers. This would lead to convenient educational presentations and <br />follow-up interventions directed toward behavior change, thus resulting in seniors who are better <br />able to shelter in place or to be better equipped to go rapidly to a designated shelter. Initiatives <br />would also increase the number of volunteers available, upon request, to assist partner <br />agencies in similar efforts. RSVP would aim to "hire" from a senior citizen pool. <br />Numerous agencies have agreed to partner should this grant be awarded, including the <br />Department on Aging's Eldercare Services, the American Red Cross, the Orange County Health <br />Department, Emergency Management Services, the Orange County Animal Shelter, the Orange <br />County Department of Social Services, the NC Cooperative Extension Service, Orange Public <br />Transportation, Piedmont Electric, and Duke Power. (Other potential partners include Orange <br />Congregations In Missions (OCIM) churches and the Orange County Sheriffs Department.) <br />Fifty new volunteers and 150 clients would be recruited from diverse populations of senior <br />citizens through senior centers, Meals on Wheels and outreach programs. Initiatives would be <br />tailored to seniors' lifestyles and needs during disasters. <br />Performance measurement tools would be developed to evaluate training, number of clients <br />who meet the baseline measures, client satisfaction with preparedness level, and pre/post <br />comparison to identify action taken. <br />The Expanded Program Would Consist of Three Timeframes <br />Before Disaster (Raise Awareness) <br />• All volunteers would have basic training on disaster preparedness, senior behaviors and <br />stages of behavior change. <br />• Volunteer educators would present information, limited assistance and resources, if <br />available, to help clients meet the baseline measures (increased awareness level and <br />tangible product, such as an emergency plan, "Pick Up and Go Bag," Vial of Life, No- <br />Cook Food Bags, emergency phone numbers). <br />• A model central database (voluntary) of identified clients would be established, housed <br />and maintained, preferably at EMS. It would be used for telephone reassurance or other <br />County agencies, and include emergency contacts and potential emergency needs <br />(transportation, prescriptions, etc.). <br />During Disaster (Check Clients' Status/Needs/Referrals) <br />Trained telephone reassurance volunteers would check on assigned clients based on existing <br />County models. Volunteers would be at shelters to involve residents in on-site activities. <br />After Disaster (Ongoing Awareness) <br />The telephone reassurance team would follow up with database clients to learn their status and <br />the benefit of their emergency preparedness effort. The database would continually be <br />maintained and expanded, and special activities on timely topics could be offered. Efforts <br />would be modified based on the evaluations. <br />FINANCIAL IMPACT: PNS grants are special, competitive grant applications issued by RSVP's <br />federal sponsor, the Corporation for National and Community Service, to its funded agencies. <br />RSVP received notice only recently that it was eligible to apply for this grant. Grant applications <br />