At its core, Crisis Cleanup is a work order management system with a couple of aspects. First, work orders are crowdsourced from the affected public to create a master list of issues. Starting later today, the public will be able to call 800-451-1954 to request help. Second, organizations select the issues that they are willing and best able to address given their capabilities and resources. For example, an organization that focuses on helping survivors with "muck-outs" would self-select the related issues, which would then be taken off the master list so there is not duplication of effort.
The approach mentioned above is guided by several core principles that may affect your decision to use the tool:
"Crisis Cleanup empowers relief organizations to instantly coordinate response efforts in real time, redirecting thousands of volunteers from to waiting lines to survivors' basements.
It was developed by and for field volunteers, team leaders, canvassers, and the people who work one-on-one with survivors whose homes have been affected by flood, tornadoes, earthquakes, wind, fire or other disaster. Crisis Cleanup can respond to a new disaster the same day, permitting relief organizations to instantly coordinate efforts.
It implements a "Craigslist" philosophy to recovery efforts – organizations that are aware of work orders enter them into the system, and organizations with capacity to help can claim and perform the work. The system is not public, but it is open and transparent among participating organizations. No centralized organization is "in charge." This nonthreatening approach minimizes duplication and maximizes communication, coordination and efficiency.
While entering a client into Crisis Cleanup does not guarantee that he or she will be served, it guarantees visibility and maximizes the chances for assistance, while helping relief organizations prioritize their limited resources."
Adherence to these principles has led to these for the tool:
48−the number of disaster relief efforts assisted since July 2012.
28−states in which Crisis Cleanup has been used.
5−number of countries using Crisis Cleanup.
900-plus−number of relief organizations that have used Crisis Cleanup worldwide
25 percent−Approximate increase in volunteer efficiency through elimination of time spent on travel, coordination, collaboration and management.
30,000-plus−households assisted worldwide.
50,000-plus−volunteers who have directly or indirectly used Crisis Cleanup.
1.8 million−number of volunteer hours facilitated.
450,000-plus−volunteer hours to survivors enabled by Crisis Cleanup that would have otherwise been wasted in management, travel and overhead.
$9 million−minimum value FEMA offset value to local governments in the United States.
$56.25 million−minimum market value of services to survivors, enabled by volunteers to serve survivors rather than standing in lines and traveling.
For every $1 invested in Crisis Cleanup, survivors have received $271 in value that would have otherwise been wasted in overhead.
Brandon Greenberg is an associate at Obsidian, a Cadmus Company. He has more than 12 years of interdisciplinary experience helping clients plan for and operate in complex, dynamic and uncertain environments.
