This document outlines District 7490's response to Hurricane Sandy in 2012. It discusses the four step process of: 1) preparing before the disaster, 2) establishing communication methods, 3) collecting donations of cash, supplies, and gift cards, and 4) collaborating with other organizations. Specific actions taken by District 7490 included appointing disaster chairs, setting up donation drives, securing warehouses to store supplies, delivering supplies, and partnering with organizations like Rebuilding Together to assist with rebuilding efforts. Over $680,000 and supplies from around the world were donated and redistributed to impacted areas through these relief efforts.

1. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Mobilizing Your Rotary District in a
Disaster
From Catastrophe to Collaboration
Rotary Districts 7230, 7250, 7260, 7490, 7500 and 7640!
Bonnie Sirower, District Governor, Rotary District 7490

2. 2013 RI CONVENTION
2013 ROTARY INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION
Mobilizing Your District for a Catastrophe:
A Four Step Process
• Before Disaster Strikes
• Communications with your District and the
world
• Collections of Cash, Gift Cards and Supplies
• Collaboration with other organizations

3. 2013 RI CONVENTION
• Appoint a Disasters Chair
• Find out about local planning groups
• Prepare an e-mail to go out to all of your
members to prepare them for the disaster
• Appoint a Public Relations Chair
• Set up a 501(c)(3) organization to accept
donations
Before Disaster Strikes

4. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Appoint a Disasters Chair
Peter Wells, Park Ridge Rotary Club

5. 2013 RI CONVENTION
E-mail to All Clubs in the District Prior to the Storm
Good afternoon, Rotarians.
There is an increasing probability that a serious multi-day storm will impact our District early next week.
We should expect significant flooding, power outages, transportation and communication disruptions, and
property damage. Last year, many of our towns were severely impacted by Hurricane Irene, but working
together as Rotarians, we were able to make a significant difference.
Personally, I urge you to review your disaster preparedness for your family today. If you don't have a
checklist of things to think about, you can put one together by reviewing http://www.ready.gov/ and
http://www.redcross.org/prepare. We can not take care of others unless we have taken care of our own
first. As Rotarians, think then about friends, neighbors and fellow Rotarians who may need assistance
preparing for and being looked after during this storm. Seniors, people living alone or with medical
conditions might especially appreciate your help. You may also want to check with your local municipality
to learn of volunteer opportunities to prepare for, assist during and clean up after the storm. I have already
been in touch with Peter Wells, who is serving as our Disaster Chair this year. Peter is keeping tabs on
the situation. Although he will not be around during the end of next week, he has also been in touch with
our Chief of Staff and last year's Disaster Chair, Ray Falcon, about steps we must take. Peter's phone
number is 201-248-6443. We can do far more together as a Rotary club than any of us can do alone. You
may want to use the weekend to organize your Club to take care of each other first and then look for
opportunities to be of service to others in your community. Your first step should be how you will all be in
contact with each other. Your second step should be how you will all be in contact with each other should
we lose internet, cell and/or land-line service. If District resources are needed, contact me at 201-446-
1814 or Botzie@aol.com and I will organize assistance as best as we are able.

6. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Catastrophe!
October 28-29, 2012
Hurricane Sandy Strikes…

7. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Where Hurricane Sandy Hit…

8. 2013 RI CONVENTION

9. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Breezy Point in Queens

10. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Breezy Point in Queens

11. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Breezy Point in Queens

12. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Breezy Point in Queens

13. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Staten Island

14. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Staten Island

15. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Staten Island

16. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Staten Island

17. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Staten Island

18. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Atlantic City

19. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Roads and
Transit
Trashed

20. 2013 RI CONVENTION
New York City/ Brooklyn

21. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Belle Harbor, L.I.

22. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Lindenhurst, NY

23. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Hoboken, NJ
Jersey City, NJ

24. 2013 RI CONVENTION

25. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Moonachie, NJ

26. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Seaside Heights, NJ

27. 2013 RI CONVENTION
• Contact Rotary Resources:
RI Disaster Staff – Amanda Rudge
Disaster AID USA
Rotary Disaster Action Group: Leigh Readdy
• Use Facebook and Linked-In to Communicate with
your Governor Class and your District
• Set up your own website for the catastrophe
• Create (or use) a (501)(c)(3) organization
• Communicate within your own District
Setting Up Communications

28. 2013 RI CONVENTION
• Find a local restaurant or café (or Rotarian) who
hasn’t lost power) and work from there.
• Charge your I-pad and I-phone in these places
• If possible, have a generator ready, with plenty of
gasoline.
Working without Power , Cable or Phone

29. 2013 RI CONVENTION
• Contact Disaster Aid USA's team leader, Kenneth Larry Agee or
Bob Grill at bob.grill@disasteraidusa.org .
• https://www.facebook.com/DisasterAidUSA
• Team DASUA is currently working with Serve Moore Organization
which is a partnership between 5
churches. ( http://www.servemoore.com/ ) The city has been divided
in to 10 zones for aid organization purposes. Serve Moore is
strategically working with the City of Moore to man and direct aid in
these zones and supply the volunteers to accomplish the
mission. Team DAUSA has been helping in 3 capacities'. The first is
we have a chainsaw and debris removal team at their disposal and
have been deployed to 4 different zones in 2 days to help fill gaps in
their need. Disaster Rotarian Action Group: reddyla@aol.com
Contact Rotary Resources

30. 2013 RI CONVENTION
• Contact Amanda Rudge at Rotary International’s
Disaster Staff
• Contact Leigh Readdy at Disasters Rotary Action
Group (presentation to follow)
Contact Rotary Resources

31. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Good morning, everyone. I finally have e-mail, but no phone, either cell or landline. I apologize for
not reaching out yesterday- I had no e-mail until late last night and still can't access our District
website. Even now, e-mail service is sporadic. I have heard from some of you in the worst-hit
areas. I see that Bayonne, Hoboken, Jersey City, South Bergen and Mid-Bergen areas,
Meadowlands area, Jersey City area are still under water. The rest of us are dealing with downed
limbs and lack of power, most of us until Monday.
My first question is, is everyone safe? My next question is, how can we help?
We have received offers of help from as far away as Russia, Turkey and Canada. What do the
members of your club and towns need to help get things back to normal? We had an offer to send
Shelter boxes -can anyone use those?
Do not call, as my cell phone still has no service
Communicate with your District
Using E-mail and Facebook

32. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Communication – Reaching Out to Rotary
and the World
• www.nynjrotary.org
• E-mails from Governors far away
and to all Governors who called
• E-mails to our District

33. 2013 RI CONVENTION

34. 2013 RI CONVENTION
E-mails to Our District
• To: all the members of District 7490
• We have heard from the Hoboken Club. They need diesel fuel,
generators, pumps, clothing, bedding, appliances, cleaning supplies
and non-perishable food. If you have anything you wish to donate
please deliver it to Calisto Bertin's warehouse. We also know of
trouble for the South Bergen, North Hudson, Mid-Bergen and maybe
the Palisades and Jersey City Rotary Clubs, so please know that
your donation will be appreciated.
• Those wishing to financially donate can send checks to the
Walter D. Head Foundation of Rotary District 7490 c/o Calisto
Bertin, Bertin Engineering, 66 Glen Avenue, Glen Rock, New Jersey
07452. Please mark in the memo line; Sandy Relief. Once we take
care of the needs of our District we will send any extra monies to our
fellow Districts 7500, 7640, 7250 and 7230, which were all very hard
hit.

35. 2013 RI CONVENTION
E-mails to other districts
• Hi, Woody.
• Bob Grill is sending trucks up tomorrow evening. We are getting
trucks ready and warehouses ready to receive them. If possible,
please get your donations to Bob's group before he leaves
tomorrow.
• Bob, gas up before you go. No gasoline here anywhere.
On Nov 4, 2012, at 9:51 AM, "Woody Sadler"
<lorwood@embarqmail.com> wrote:
Bonnie,
• We have 50 flood disaster kits on pallets. The kits were put
together by the Rotary Club of Salem, Va. just for something like
this. We are sending them to DG Bob Parkinson in 7620 in
Maryland who will be bringing them the rest of the way. It cuts
our drive in half. Hopefully we will have more coming. Stay safe!

36. 2013 RI CONVENTION
More Ways to Communicate
• Ask your local media for help: WCBS News Radio
880 donated 50 10-second spots – ―Help Rotary
Help Hurricane Sandy victims: Go to
www.nynjrotary.org‖
• Use Facebook and Linked-In to reach out to
Rotarians in your own District and others
• Hold conference calls on a periodic basis with other
Districts and with VOAD

37. 2013 RI CONVENTION
General e-mails to all
• Dear Friends throughout the Rotary world and
beyond... It has now been almost a week since Hurricane
Sandy attacked New Jersey and New York. All of the seven
District governors in the area whose Districts were most
affected have been in contact with one another, and
• I would like to give you an update on what has happened
to each of our areas, as well as a list of both immediate and
long-term needs as we know them now. At Zones 24 and
32's director Bryn Styles’ suggestion, we are all working
together to get donated supplies to the right area.

38. Collections – Getting Supplies, Cash
Donations and Gift Cards
for those who need them
• Secure warehouses or empty stores: Ask Rotarian
Realtors, Store Owners, Factory Owners
• Avoid the Disaster After the Disaster – do not collect
used clothing
• Have a place available where pallets can be
downloaded and forklift trucks are available
• Work with your local Volunteer Agency (Bergen
Volunteers Center) to get volunteers other than
Rotarians for sorting and deliveries

39. 2013 RI CONVENTION
• 142 Trucks came to our aid from as far away as
Vancouver, Orlando, San Diego
• 225 Volunteers – half Rotarians, half not-yet
Rotarians
• More than $680,000 in cash donations
• 120 cars and trucks went out in a 300-mile radius
• Rotarians unloaded trucks
In our area….

40. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Route 17 South Collection Center

41. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Route 17 South
Collection
Center

42. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Route 17 North
Collection Center
Pallets and fork-lift trucks
available

43. 2013 RI CONVENTION
• Four warehouses were filled and emptied five times
• Countless dollars worth of supplies were donated:
cleaning supplies
• Only new clothing could be distributed – make
arrangements with Salvation Army or Goodwill for
donation of used clothing - 84,000 lbs. of used
clothing collected was donated to those gorups
Collections in our Area

44. 2013 RI CONVENTION
• Recruit volunteer drivers
• Contact local Rotary clubs through their District
Governors or Presidents to determine just what is
needed
• Have out of area volunteers bring gasoline
• Use gift cards or give drivers gift cards for gasoline
purchases.
Set Up a Delivery System

45. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Loading Up and
Delivering the Goods

46. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Down the Shore and out to Long Island

47. 2013 RI CONVENTION
• In the U.S., set up a 501(c)(3) fund
In our area, cash donations were made to one fund, the
Walter D. Head Foundation of Rotary District 7490
• Set up a way that districts can wire transfer money to
your fund
• Set up a PayPal account or other account so that
people can donate online using major credit cards.
• Work with RI to set up a Designated Disaster Fund
• Set up a system to record all donations and thank all
donors
• Post donations on special website
Securing Donations of Funds

48. 2013 RI CONVENTION
• $35,000 in gift card donations received
• More than $680,000 in cash donations
received
• Evenly split among six most-affected areas,
but any monies raised within a District stayed
in that District
Collections –Cash and Gift Card
Donations in our area

49. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Join your local VOAD: Voluntary Organizations Helping in Disasters:
http://www.nvoad.org/
National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) is a nonprofit,
nonpartisan membership organization that serves as the forum where
organizations share knowledge and resources throughout the disaster cycle—
preparation, response, recovery and mitigation—to help communities prepare for
and recover from disasters.
The National VOAD coalition includes over 50 of the country’s most reputable
national organizations (faith-based, community-based and other non-governmental
organizations) and 55 State/Territory VOADs, which represent Local/Regional
VOADs and hundreds of other member organizations throughout the country.
Collaborate with Other Organizations

50. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Local VOAD in District 7490

51. 2013 RI CONVENTION
• Partner with Rebuilding Together or Habitat for
Humanity – Do NOT Go It Alone!
http://rebuildingtogether.org/
Home by Home, Block by Block, Rebuilding Together is
rebuilding homes and communities nationwide. For almost 25
years, Rebuilding Together has provided extensive home
rehabilitation and modification services to homeowners in-need.
• http://www.habitat.org/
• Recruit a contractor from your District to oversee rebuilding
Rebuilding: Collaborate with Other Organizations

52. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Set up a Disaster Relief Center
Hurricane Sandy Relief Center in Moonachie, NJ

53. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Funding the Hurricane Sandy Relief Center in Moonachie

54. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Collaboration: Rebuilding Together
• District 7490:
– Rebuilt and refurbished two firehouses in Little Ferry
– Re-equipped Ambulance Corps in Moonachie and
Hoboken
– Renovated recreational fields in Secaucus
– Now rebuilding and refurbishing of Senior Center in
Moonachie in collaboration with Rebuilding Together -
Bergen

55. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Sandy Santa’s- South Bergen Rotary club brings Christmas to those who had lost everything
Involve your Local Clubs in Rebuilding
South Bergen Thanksgiving Party for
Displaced Residents

56. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Re-building the Little Ferry Firehouses

57. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Re-building the
Little Ferry
Firehouses

58. 2013 RI CONVENTION
Bonnie Sirower, DG District 7490
(Bergen, Passaic, Hudson Counties, NJ, USA)
Botzie@aol.com
Remember:
Rotarians are there to help
you….