Bay Area Aid Groups Fall Short in Disaster Plans

A report by United Way of the Bay Area, in San Francisco, has found that Bay Area nonprofit aid groups are not well positioned to respond to an earthquake, terrorist attack, or other catastrophe, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

The report was released yesterday as six major Bay Area nonprofit aid groups and the city of San Francisco promised to work together on disaster preparedness.

Leaders of the aid charities have been meeting for more than two years and were scheduled to sign a formal charter yesterday. The leaders make up the governing body of San Francisco’s Coordinated Assistance Network, one of six such collaborations around the country.

The United Way report drew on interviews with more than 50 Bay Area disaster-response leaders. It concludes that nonprofit groups’ response plans have a number of gaps, including a lack of common standards and best practices, a dearth of resources, and a need for better communication with local governments, the military, and businesses.