RESCUE Tri-Counties is a disaster preparedness program designed for those served by Tri-Counties Regional Center (TCRC), their families, and their service providers. But what does RESCUE mean?
RESCUE stands for Readiness, Education, Safety, Collaboration, and Understanding in Emergencies.
Living in California, we face many hazards, and the frequency and intensity of natural disasters have only increased. According to the United Nations, 84% of people living with disabilities do not possess a personal emergency plan. TCRC serves 20,600+ individuals, so according to UN statistics, this would potentially leave 17,300+ people we serve without a preparedness plan. As a result, TCRC created this disaster preparedness program.
The RESCUE Tri-Counties program is made up of three core components and is based on the four phases of the emergency management cycle, as seen in the graphic below.
The main component of RESCUE Tri-Counties is the core training lessons developed to help those served by TCRC achieve a base level of disaster preparedness. Three versions of these lessons exist; all contain the same basic information, only with minor changes to reflect the intended audience. The three intended audiences are:
These lessons can be found below and are hosted on our YouTube channel dedicated to RESCUE Tri-Counties. These lessons are presented in PowerPoint format and contain videos accompanying the topic. These lessons can also be presented live and in person if requested. These training topics cover each of the four phases of emergency management listed above. Three topics from each phase make up the 12 core lessons of this program. With each version of the lessons, there is also a resource library provided.
Three topics from each phase make up the 12 core lessons of this program:
The total length of all 13 presentations (including the Introduction to RESCUE Tri-Counties) is about 3.5 hours. However, you can choose to watch the topics of interest to you. Just know that the lessons build on each other, so trying to watch them all is recommended, but it is not necessary.
If you receive our emails or follow us on Facebook, you may have already seen our RESCUE Bulletin newsletter. If not, you can find each issue below. New issues will be released each season, covering local events and disaster preparedness-related material.
Our newsletter typically contains four main articles covering various topics, from weather events to preparedness tips. Each issue will include a section of multiple activities that your Emergency Response Coordinator (ERC) has participated in as part of regular job duties, such as the Emergency Coordinators conference held every six months. It will also contain a status update on related initiatives, such as the Backup Battery initiative, which provides free portable battery backup systems for those meeting specific eligibility criteria. Lastly, each issue will contain a brief biography of the current ERC, their contact information, and an invitation to give feedback or request coverage of topics in future issues.
Click here, or the image above, to view current and previous issues.
The last component of our program will include an additional informational brochure to complement our current offerings. For those who don’t have the time to watch our series of videos, we want to add a disaster preparedness informational brochure to help you take actionable steps to increase your preparedness. The brochure is currently in the final editing stages before it is printed and will be available.
