SUMTER COUNTY
Amateur Radio Emergency Services Association (ARES)

 Sumter County, Florida

After The Storm: Safety and Welfare Checks
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    		• Friends, family and neighbors are important social contacts.  However there can be elderly people who stayed in their home and would not missed during or after the storm.  A volunteer group may be activated to check certain streets or neighborhoods by going door-to-door.  If there is no answer, that is noted for later action by the local law enforcement.  If there is an answer, there things are checked on
    • Availability of power (If no power, the address is noted and that information is fed to the local EOC)
    • Needs for food and water (If there are needs, leave water and food)
    • Is home dry
    • Are there any other needs

    CERT of The Villages performed this check in defined areas of The Villages after Hurricane Irma during 2017.

    Other Safety and Welfare Checks besides After the Storm

    The Sheriff's Department can set up for a phone check if a county resident has not called in before a specific time each day.  When a county resident fails to respond, the Sheriff's Department will go to the home and attempt to talk with the resident.

    How to Ask for a Welfare Check to be performed by law enforcement authorities

    You may call 911 if you have reason to believe that there may be an emergency situation in progress. However, you can also contact the police through a non-emergency phone number. If you live in the local area where the welfare check will be conducted, you may be permitted to accompany the authorities. It is also possible to request a welfare check in another jurisdiction. For instance, if a relative living in another state has not responded to your attempts to contact them for some time, you may want to ask for a welfare check at their residence. It is important to proceed with caution. You’ll want to be reasonably certain that your person’s behavior is out of character and have reason to believe that something is truly amiss before involving the police.

    Legal Considerations

    No court order is required for the police to conduct a welfare check. Essentially, as long as they have reasonable grounds to believe that an inhabitant in a residence is endangered, they can legally enter the premises. They typically knock on the door and await a response before announcing their law enforcement affiliation. If they still receive no response, they may enter the property. This is particularly useful when someone inside the house is unconscious or otherwise unable to respond. The ability to enter the property without permission means that emergency aid can be rendered. In some cases, this is a life saving intervention.

     

     Last Update:  07/03/2018    © Copyright Sumter County ARES. All Rights Reserved.