November 2006

Community's response to crisis was admirable

By JAMES M. BOLES
The Buffalo News

11/9/2006

Since 9/11, there has been a major focus on how to respond to a crisis. What we witnessed from our
October Surprise is minor in comparison to that horrific day, Hurricane Katrina or other significant
natural disasters or terrorist attacks. However, these events taught us that when a crisis hits, you do what you can to rise to the occasion and do your part to help those who are most vulnerable.

There are stories abounding from the Southtowns to the Northtowns of people checking in on their
elderly and disabled neighbors as well as their loved ones. People opened their doors to each other
and stepped up for those who couldn't for themselves.

When the storm hit on Oct. 12, People Inc. had almost 800 direct care workers on duty at locations
all over Western New York. Almost 95 percent of them were working at about 80 sites that were
impacted by the storm.

On Friday morning, as the sun began to rise and shift changes were to occur, the severity of what had occurred overnight became apparent. Homes for our consumers were without power throughout Erie and Niagara counties.

Although we spend a great deal of time training our work force about what to do in the event of a major storm that causes power outages, we never witnessed something as widespread as this.
Immediately, direct care staff and managers began to assess via cell phones the conditions at each site. Were generators working? What sites needed one? Most importantly, was everyone safe?
Neighbors of our group homes began to check on the well-being of our consumers and employees. Ironically, this occurred in some neighborhoods where people were opposed to us being there.
A local volunteer fire department brought a generator and came over regularly to replenish it with gas, from the day the storm hit until the power was restored on Tuesday.

At our independent senior housing sites, staff slept on floors for days and tenants came out of their individual apartments so they could get food and updates in the community room at each of our locations. They began to have cookouts on grills in courtyards. Said one tenant, "It was just like being at Chestnut Ridge!"

Just as neighbors mingled on streets throughout Erie County to discuss who had power, who needed assistance and in some ways found out things about each other that were unknown before - the same thing was happening at our senior housing sites.

At one site in West Seneca, seniors reminisced and played board games. A tenant has since remarked, "It was depressing the first day, but when I came down to get my mail I heard the voices in the community room and everyone was enjoying themselves and having a good time." He added, "I am going to miss it."

Another tenant said, "What happened to be so terrible at first turned out to be a wonderful experience. We got to know our neighbors and we worked together."

Despite some minor damage at our sites, for the most part we escaped without any major occurrence. I think it's a tribute to our employees, our consumers, our senior tenants and the greater community.

Although there are plans that explain what to do in the event of a disaster, you can't teach compassion. For a lot of people in our community, it is just part of them.