The “At Risk” APP is designed to provide a simple way for individuals (directly or through their Guardians) to be identified as needing additional assistance during an outage or disaster in their area. It is targeted toward individuals that would need assistance in a disaster or outage (disabilities, age, etc.), but could be valuable for others.  Typically an individual would be pre-entered for a known “At Risk”, individual, so that they can be pre-assigned to a responder (and potentially a backup) so that they have downloaded instructions and any needed equipment. The feature would support someone registering a person (or removing them) after an event had occurred (e.g. can get a hold of someone, they had a recent accident or illness that limits their capability, a working parent would not be able to get home to their children, or the person is not at the location).

 

Although it is a fairly simple, it has many features that are integrated within the System to make it work.

 

End Users

 

• Simple registration to request assistance (or just being checked on) during an outage

• Automatically provides status updates to any contacts you list

• Provides needed support and resources in case of an outage or disaster

• Potential features and equipment to maintain some capabilities during an outage or disaster

 

Guardians (friends/family)

 

• Simple registration to request assistance (or just being checked on)  for someone you help care for during an outage

• Automatically receive status updates (the area and the individual) for yourself and any contacts you list

• Can add register an individual after a situation occurs (but it would probably be a delayed response with registered individuals already in the system)

 

Postal Service

 

• Requests to the Postal Service to periodically check on the person (could also be part of the USPS online services (e.g. stopping the mail)

 

Public Disaster Response Officials

 

• Simple way for Disaster Relief Officials to identify any “At Risk” individuals in an area at any time

• Identification of potential features and equipment individuals may require to maintain some capabilities during an outage or disaster

• Can create local copies of information

• Utility and other Special Services can to identify any “At Risk” individuals in an area at any time

• Can assign and download required information  (with escalation for no response) to staff or volunteers with the required expertise in the individual’s area

• Automatic status update notifications (on the situation and individual) to listed contacts

• Automatic management, escalation and follow-on activities integrated into a remote Call Center (volunteers/staff check in verification of services rendered, escalations, priorities, re-assignments, follow-ups, etc.)

• Ability to coordinate directly and through partnered organizations for volunteers

• On-line Training

 

Volunteers

 

• Simple way of signing up and being able to support others in your area in case of an outage or disaster

• Potencies features and equipment to communicate during an outage or disaster satellite phone or modem, battery backup, first aid Kit)