A kick-off meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 30, from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at the Port Authority Boardroom, 1001 Channelside Drive, Tampa, FL 33602. Free parking is available behind the building. We hope you will be able to attend to learn more about the PDRP and what committee(s) you may be interested in working with.
Whether or not you are able to attend this first meeting, we encourage you to go on the County’s Post-Disaster Redevelopment Plan website to review some of the background material on the project. To reach the PDRP website, go to the County’s website at: www.hillsboroughcounty.org, click on the “A-Z Index” link and then select “Post-Disaster Redevelopment Plan.” We hope you will also visit the website periodically over the next several months to read the latest drafts as we put together this important document that affects the future of our community.
The Hillsborough County Long-term recovery Program (HELP)
HELP, Inc. consists of representatives from government, health and human service agencies, nonprofit and faith-based organizations that play a role in disaster recovery in Hillsborough County. HELP was created to strengthen county-wide recovery efforts in the wake of a disaster by serving those who have disaster-caused unmet needs and to assist residents secure resources to meet those needs. Part of HELP’s mission also includes rebuilding and repairing disaster-damaged homes.
Help is one of forty plus long-term recovery organizations established throughout Florida. Many of these recovery groups have created regional partnerships, supporting each other through resource sharing, training opportunities, and best practice templates. These volunteer driven groups truely are the heartbeat and soul of recovery serving as a source of last resort and a safety net for residents who have exhausted all other means of recovery assistance. Many, if not most, of these organizations are facing financial challenges to sustain paid, skeletal in numbers, staff to continue their tremendous work. With the embrace and acknowlegement of the significance of these organizations and their vital role in recovery from Homeland Security, many are looking to municipal, county and state support and lobbying with local stakeholders for legislative advocacy and support.
The greatest benefit these organizations bring to the recovery table is their ability to fully leverage repair funds by utilizing volunteers to complete the repair or rebuild projects. Volunteers are overseen by licensed construction supervisors to ensure repairs meet any and all code requirements.
If you are a social service organization that will be providing case management support to disaster survivors, HELP encourages you to join us in the development of service provision planning. By coordinating efforts, residents of Hillsborough County will have access to recovery resources as quickly as possible, but agencies will avoid duplicating benefits provided. HELP is currently meeting the fourth Tuesday of every month. To find out about meeting location and time, please link to our disaster community calendar here.
Citizen Corp Council (CCC)
- Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) – a program that trains and educates volunteers in basic disaster response including light search and rescue and fire safety.
- The Fire Corps – a program that promotes volunteerism and citizen advocacy that supports local fire departments.
- Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS) – a program utilizing volunteers to support local law enforcement offices.
- Neighborhood Watch – a program incorporating volunteers into crime prevention and emergency preparedness and response acitivites in local communities.
- Medical Reserve Corp (MRC) – a volunteer program focusing on health and medical activities throughout the year as well as in time of emergencies.
- America’s Waterway Watch – a national awareness program that utilizes volunteers to monitor our country’s waterways for any suspicious activities that might threaten our homeland security.
