Emergency Awareness and preparation

1. LCCO Preparedness Program

We strive to improve the community level emergency preparedness efforts, and supports governments and communities initiatives, in particular in developing countries, to minimize the occurrence and harmful effects of technological hazards and environmental emergencies.

2. Methodology

The LCCO Process aims at creating a cohesive and resilient community in the face of technological or natural hazards through raising awareness and agreement on roles and responsibilities of all community stakeholders in potential preparedness and response measures. This is achieved by assisting decision-makers to increase community awareness and to prepare coordinated response plans involving industry, government, and the local community, in the event that unexpected events should endanger life, property or the environment. As a result, LCCO helps to save lives and minimize adverse impacts resulting from technological hazards and environmental emergencies.

3. Goals

The specific goals of the implementation of the LCCO Process are to:

• Provide information to the concerned members of the community on the hazards involved in industrial operations in its neighborhood, and the measures taken to reduce these risks
• Review, update, or establish emergency response plans in local areas
• Increase local industry involvement in community awareness and emergency response planning
• Integrate industry emergency plans with local emergency response plans into one overall plan for the community to handle all types of emergencies
• Involve members of the local community in the development, testing and implementation of the overall emergency response plan.

People with disabilities may be especially vulnerable during and after emergencies. In an emergency, many systems you rely on may not function as well as they usually do. Familiar landmarks and usual travel routes you and your service animal know may be altered. Utilities like electricity, water, gas and phone service may be disrupted. You might need to temporarily evacuate to a shelter which may not be fully accessible for your needs.