Champions of Change Blog

Helping My Community in the Wake of a Storm

Mohamed was recognized as a White House Champion of Change in Community Resilience and Preparedness. 

My education is in health. In Somalia and Kenya, I studied tropical medicine and conducted biomedical research, and once I immigrated to the United States, I completed a master’s degree in public health. 

But I’ve found that many of my fellow Somalis face a much different situation. They confront many challenges accessing, understanding, and receiving health services and information. Health issues can be daunting, and few organizations are well equipped to handle the customs and language of my community. As a result, my people are suffering.

The gap in the refugee health experience weighed on me, and I wanted to do something to ensure my community had access to information that would protect them. Like many opportunities for change, mine came swiftly and suddenly – in the way that storms do.

Last winter, a major wind and ice storm was headed for the Puget Sound area where I live. The last time a storm of this size hit, over 200 people were hospitalized for carbon monoxide poisoning and eight people died. Most of the victims were from local immigrant communities who did not have access to information that could have prevented the poisonings.

As a community health leader, I knew it was important to help my community by warning them. I joined forces with other Somali religious leaders, community leaders and staff at Public Health – Seattle & King County. I explained the dangers of carbon monoxide to my peers and organized a rapid communication strategy for getting the message out. We sent an automated phone call to Somalis in King County, and included my personal contact information in case of questions.

It didn’t take long for the calls to pour in, and through these calls, I learned that a number of Somalis families had lost power. I worked with Public Health – Seattle & King County and local emergency management to identify shelter options and collaborated with Abubakr Islamic Center, a local mosque, to set up a culturally appropriate shelter. Then the Executive Director of the Islamic Center and I rented four-wheel-drive vehicles to deliver hot meals and to transport people to warmth and safety.

After the storm had cleared, we learned that not a single life was lost and area hospitals reported a 90% drop in admissions for carbon monoxide poisoning compared to the previous storm.

Since that storm, I collaborated with other health professionals in the Somali community to form the King County Somali Health Board, where I am currently Co-Chair. We work to improve health outcomes through meaningful partnerships and mutual education with health care entities. I’m proud of the work we have done, and even prouder of the of our local Somali community. I hope leaders in ethnic communities around the United States can learn from our experience and find their own Champions of Change.

Sometimes it’s as simple as a phone call.

Mohamed Ali, MPH, is the co-chair of the King County (WA) Somali Health Board.

Awareness to Action: Volunteer-Driven Initiatives for Community Preparedness

Matt was recognized as a White House Champion of Change in Community Resilience and Preparedness. 

I am honored to represent over 1000 resident volunteers as a White House Champion of Change.  While serving as a congressional aide in Washington, D.C. in 1996-1997, I was exposed to the power and value of committed individuals and the positive impact they have on their communities, whether at the local, state, national or global level.  It was this experience and insight that lead me down the path of public service.

Our CERT volunteer enrollment grew rapidly following Hurricane Katrina.  The city’s existing Emergency Management Plan provided the foundation on which to build a committed corps of volunteers who would spread the preparedness message to their families, neighbors and local organizations. City employees, residents, businesses, schools, and civic organizations have all benefited from the CERT volunteers’ creative initiatives and diligent work.  Through their efforts, Newport Beach now has the highest per‐capita CERT volunteer‐to‐resident ratio in all of California.

“Awareness to Action” is truly the mantra of the Newport Beach CERT volunteers.  The initiative taken by these volunteers to develop programs and training opportunities within their own ranks and neighborhoods is impressive. Examples include the creation of:

CERT Volunteer Board of Directors:  A small group of highly motivated individuals saw a need to support the growing volunteer ranks with resources over and above the standard city offering.  Partnering with the City, they identified and developed training opportunities, marketing and outreach programs and assisted with administrative efforts involved in CERT recordkeeping, process documentation and event planning. 

CERT Volunteers Become Trainers:  Looking for ways to keep CERT volunteers engaged and active in the program beyond the required certification training.  The board identified that advanced skills training was needed in radio and technology communications, mutual aid, CPR, first aid, and survival techniques. 

CERT Volunteers Organize Neighborhood Events & Projects:  The city has over 154 distinct neighborhoods, each with its own unique culture, needs and geography.  Our volunteers are keenly aware of the necessity to create neighborhood-specific disaster plans and outreach/education programs because one-size doesn’t necessary fit all when it comes to preparedness.  As a result of our volunteers’ outreach efforts, fund-raising projects for the acquisition of supplies and equipment are a top priority for many HOA’s, using creative techniques such as silent auctions.  Some HOA Boards are now creating a budget line-item for emergency supplies. 

We have accomplished much in the last two years, and the momentum continues to grow.  However, our volunteers won’t rest on their past accomplishments.  They continue to look forward and anticipate solving new preparedness challenges through creative ideas and adaptive planning.  They are empowered knowing that they have the support of the community and city behind them.

Matt Brisbois is the Life Safety Specialist for the City of Newport Beach, CA.