Deploying as an Individual or Small Group

Steps to Deploying

1. Use the Determining Need for SAFE Infant Feeding Support questions to evaluate whether a response is needed, and if so, at what level.
2. If you do or will work with families directly, review Infant Feeding Support for Clients in an Emergency — for Small Organizations and Individuals.
3. Watch for information about shelters, points of distribution, and other survivor resources on TV, radio, social media, posters, and signage. Track these locations in a spreadsheet or other convenient place.
4. If you know other people will also be doing some IYCF-E response, talk to them.

If you are working as an individual, you will do as much of this as you believe to be appropriate on your own. If you are collaborating with other people, make sure to have some agreements in place about how you will operate.

Working with Others

If other people will also be supporting families with safely feeding their infants and children, discuss and agree on these topics.

• Does anyone want to collaborate at all, even by sharing information or covering different areas?
• Are you operating individually or as part of a group? If as a group:
• Do you want to use the group’s name or your own names?
• When leaving callback or contact information for referrals, will you use your own emails and phone numbers, one specific person’s contact information, or a shared email address and phone number?
• How much information will be shared?
• About sites?
• About available resources?
• About people? (Remember to keep personal information and confidentiality issues in mind.)

A site and operations tracking template is available from the SAFE Team at info@safeinfantfeeding.org.

• Will you coordinate at all regarding who is going where and when?
• Will you track who went to which locations and what they did, to better coordinate efforts?
• Under what circumstances will you refer to each other?
• If you are distributing kits, handouts, or other materials, will there be any sharing of those expenses or materials, or is each person responsible for their own? An inventory tracking template is also available from the SAFE Team.
• How will you handle other types of expenses?
• If someone offers donations, how will that be handled?
• How and where will in-kind donations be received, kept, and shared (or not)?
• If monetary donations are offered, how will they be received, kept, and used?
• Are there any types of support your group wants to keep off-limits?
• How will you support each other to ensure good self-care, emotional support, and taking days off when needed?

What to Wear

Dress appropriately for the expectations in your area, as well as for safety.

• Sturdy, comfortable shoes for a lot of standing and walking.
• Weather-appropriate clothing:
• Use layers for temperature fluctuations.
• A hat and/or sunglasses if it may be sunny — many points of distribution are outdoors.
• Warm gear, including hat and gloves, if it may get cold.
• Clothing that will support trust from most people in your area.
• If people in your area tend to trust officials such as government, police, and healthcare professionals, you may find it helpful to wear scrubs.
• If people are more trusting of neighbors and regular people and less trusting of officials, wear casual clothing.
• Choose clothing you don’t mind getting dirty, especially if there may be mud, soot, debris, or similar mess around.
• If indicated by local conditions: masks, gloves, shoe covers, or other PPE.

Items to Bring

When going to visit a point of distribution, shelter, site, or event, these items may be helpful.

ALWAYS tell someone where you are going, even if you are travelling with someone else.

• Self-care items:
• Water — bring plenty if you can, as it may not be easily accessible out in the field.
• Snacks and/or lunch — food may or may not be easy to come by.
• A little cash — if power outages are occurring, purchases may not be able to use electronic payments, including credit cards.
• A paper map and/or written directions if cellular service is unreliable.
• Name tag or badge. You may want to de-emphasize the words “breastfeeding” or “lactation.”
• Permanent marker.
• Handouts and resource information:
• Business cards, so people can contact you or your team.
• Hotline cards, if you have access to a hotline.
• A copy of your rapid needs assessment, if you need it for reference.
• A public link to your resource directory, or a printed copy so people you’re helping can copy the information or take a photo of it.
• A link to or copy of suggested shelter signs.
• Safe formula storage sheet.
• DIY sheets — how to assemble your own sanitation kit.
• Extra booklets, if you are not always distributing a kit.
• A Spanish phrases reference sheet for IYCF-E, if you speak any Spanish. Available at safeinfantfeeding.org.
• An appropriate number of kits for yourself or your team, if you are distributing kits.
• Carriers, hand pumps, and similar items, if you have any on hand and want to distribute them.
• Any items needed for special requests.