On Nov. 3, the California Emergency Management Agency (CalEMA) and Bank of America signed a memorandum of understanding that formalizes an existing relationship under which the state and bank cooperate in recovery efforts. “Just having it done ahead of time sort of takes and streamlines the whole process,” said Jay Alan, communications director for CalEMA.
The agreement allows the bank to provide mobile banking services to an affected community, including locating ATMs and setting up trailer-based branches depending on the scope of the disaster. Bank of America also maintains a team of volunteers — some of whom have Community Emergency Response Team, CPR and first aid training — to help the community recover from the disaster. The agreement also covers the activation of that team.
“If we’ve got banking centers that are unable to operate because of the disaster, whatever that may be, and literally cannot open their doors to support our customers, then we’ll do the best we can to make sure the customers have their immediate needs satisfied,” said Caroline Bradberry, senior vice president for Consumer and Small Business Banking Readiness and Response at Bank of America. “Typically in an emergency it’s cash and working with those needs.”
Following a disaster, the bank typically conducts an assessment of the impact on the community and determines whether to provide banking or volunteer support.
The memorandum of understanding also provides the bank with access to a business operations center within the state’s operations center during disasters.
Agreements like the one between CalEMA and Bank of America allow for more targeted and efficient delivery of goods and services by formalizing 24-hour contacts with the private sector similar to those that have been established among government agencies, the state said in a news release.
Other organizations that have signed similar agreements with the state include the California Utilities Emergency Association, Wal-Mart, Target and Home Depot.
