5-Minute Message: Election Day
In the weeks following Election Day, newly elected candidates are often eager to be accessible to the public. Use this time to educate officials about the unique preparedness needs of your community. Don’t assume they are informed about preparedness or about the special needs of various populations or service providers.
Examples:
• Elected officials often do not realize that merely translating English language materials into other languages fails to address the cultural issues of people with Limited English Proficiency (LEP).
• Offering programs designed for residential and neighborhood preparedness to nonprofit organizations fails to address the professional needs of these key agencies and ignores the special needs of their clients.
Ask questions, introduce yourself, read and post to their blogs, and talk to their staff. Help elected officials to better understand and serve the preparedness needs of our diverse community.
