In an Emergency
Voices of Echo
“I believe that each member of our community has the moral responsibility to help those less
fortunate, in this particular case folks that do not speak the English language. There is no greater reward in life then to utilize your skills and talents on behalf of human kind.”
Leo Espinoza
Community Advocate
Emergency Information for Officials
“ In March, 2009, the Red River overflowed its banks, cresting at a record-breaking 41 feet and flooding Moorhead, MN. We needed to get our residents – including Croatian, Kurdish, Somali and Spanish speaking individuals – critical flood and evacuation safety information. We activated ECHO and within hours, they provided audio and video materials in all four languages, and helped us secure the safety of all our community members." – Kathy McKay, Clay County Public Health
In November 2010, the ECHO Board approved a newly revised and more comprehensive Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) and Field Operations Guide (FOG). In a crisis, local public health and safety agencies can activate ECHO to translate, produce and distribute critical information rapidly and effectively.
The EOP/FOG outlines ECHO’s emergency response services, the method of activating these services during an emergency, and defines the roles and responsibilities of the jurisdiction requesting services and ECHO staff. It commits ECHO to working within and pursuant to the National Incident Management System, including the Incident Command System.
ECHO’s EOP and FOG are intended for integration into an organization’s already existing Plan(s) as a tool/resource to help reach limited English proficient populations during emergencies. Learn how ECHO can partner with your agency during a public health or safety crisis and help us work toward the day when everyone in our communities has access to the information that they need – no matter what language they speak. Contact info@echominnesota.org.
