How You Can Take Action!

DAP has an ambitious agenda that will only be achievable with the help of a number of volunteers and interns helping with a range of small to large tasks that include:

• online research (basic, policy, legal)
  
• organizing & outreach
• fundraising (small and large donations, grant research and writing, evening planning)
  
• writing
• graphic design
• web design & programming

There is no minimum time commitment and it's ok if you're completely new to this work and want to learn.

Volunteer your time:

1. Serve as a Disaster Accountability Monitor (see description)

2. Do Research: Track a policy recommendation to improve the disaster system on our website. (see description)

3. Request a copy of your local and/or state evacuation plans. Does one exist? Is it easy to find? We'll help you review it -- and add a dose of accountability. (see description)

4. Help us Fundraise! (see description)

5. Blog for Disaster Accountability (see description)

6. Help us update, enhance, and maintain our website (see description)

Spread the word:

7. Send an email to your network about the Disaster Accountability Project-- encourage them to visit our website and get involved. (see description)

8. Introduce us to organizations in your area that may be interested in the work we do. (i.e. housing, disability, healthcare, professional, and mental health organizations/associations) (see description)

Lead:

9. Become a resource for your family and community on emergency preparedness. (see description)

10. Write to local, state, and Federal agencies to suggest improvements to emergency plans and policies. (see description)

11. Help us recruit Disaster Accountability Monitors! (see description)

Descriptions

1) Disaster Accountability Monitors play a key role in ensuring gaps in key disaster response/relief services are addressed. We are recruiting monitors across the nation. Responsibilities include: dissemination of the toll-free hotline, assisting individuals with reporting gaps in disaster services, and helping to verify and publicize reported gaps. Monitors may also serve as case-workers when we get messages on the toll-free hotline. Click HERE to sign up to become a Disaster Accountability Monitor.

2) Accountability Through Research: Since Hurricane Katrina, there have been literally thousands of reports that include policy recommendations for improvement to the nation's disaster prevention, response, relief, and response systems. Right now, over 500 recommendations can be tracked by the public on our website. Are the recommendations collecting dust? Have the responsible leaders, agencies and organizations made the changes necessary to prevent another Katrina? Will you help us track the recommendations? Sometimes a Google search might be all that's necessary... View the recommendations HERE .

3) Request a copy of your local and/or state emergency/evacuation plans. Are the plans easy or difficult to find? Send us a copy of what you find and we'll work with you to raise awareness about your local and/or state preparedness needs. See our training materials for more information about how to find and/or request emergency/evacuation plans.

4) Fundraising: We need support to do this ambitous work. Please consider organizing a happy hour, house party, or other creative fundraising event. If you have grant writing experience, help us write a grant-- Or, contribute now.

5) Blog for Disaster Accountability! Emergency preparedness is in the news every day-- some towns, counties and states are doing what they need to do. Others are not. Help us -- and the public -- keep track of it all.

6) Help enhance and update our website! We use Joomla. Add press releases, tracking information, critical gap alerts from our hotline, video clips from Congressional hearings, and more.

7) Use this sample letter to email your friends and network to tell them about this project. (coming soon)

8) Use this sample letter to email organizations in your area to tell them about this project. (coming soon)

9) The recommendations on our website can help you better understand components of complete and inclusive disaster preparedness, response, relief, and recovery systems. Use your knowledge to educate others and plan for your own family and community.

10) We'll provide you with information about ways you can comment on Federal agency plans when they are proposed. Stay tuned.

11) Send this sample email to your network encouraging them to serve as Disaster Accountability Monitors. We'd like to have monitors spread across the U.S.