CVAN

The tragedies of the World Trade Center, hurricane Katrina, and more recently the massive earthquakes and floods in China and Myanmar have heightened public awareness and need for a comprehensive emergency preparedness and disaster relief system that includes the frail elderly, disabled and homebound persons. While first responders such as fire, police and medical personnel focus on high priority areas, the frail elderly, disabled and homebound populations may be left to survive on their own without power or telephones for up to a week or more.

CVAN is an independent grassroots neighbor-to-neighbor support system under the auspices of RSVP of South Bay that provides communications, education and support before and after a disaster or major emergency when there is a total loss of power and normal communications are disrupted.
Members of CVAN:

•	Help identify high risk populations in their neighborhoods
•	Help address the needs for community disaster preparedness through workshops and education programs aimed at community-based organizations for frail elderly, disabled and homebound persons
•	Operate a neighborhood Amateur Radio network

No one can predict when an emergency will occur and therefore it is important that each homeowner and/or neighborhood association be prepared. CVAN volunteers meet with neighbors and associations to discuss disaster preparedness within their own homes, families and neighborhoods. They help develop plans and identify supplies needed in an emergency.

Communication is key to survival for many of the elderly and others with special needs living within the community. CVAN coordinates with the local Amateur Radio community and nearby volunteers to provide a communications network that can focus local resources to assist these individuals.

While traditional Amateur Radio emergency organizations support police and fire during the first hours or days of an emergency, CVAN’s goal during this period is to support neighborhoods across the South Bay. RSVP of South Bay communications responsibilities focus primarily on FCC-licensed Amateur Radio operators (hams) living within local neighborhoods, providing support for their neighbors during an emergency. Where licensed operators are not available within a neighborhood, CVAN volunteers work with local amateur radio clubs and organizations throughout the South Bay to license and train new operators.

The lessons of China, hurricane Katrina and the World Trade Center are simple:

(1)	Proper individual preparedness can save lives,
(2)	Neighbors are more likely to be the first contacts with individuals in their community following a catastrophic event, and
(3)	All disasters are first and foremost local disasters.

CVAN has evolved into a first contact neighbor-to-neighbor program providing a level of disaster readiness from the bottom up to better equip and educate neighborhoods to communicate within their communities and to live independently for a week or more without outside assistance.