Challenges and Opportunities Marianne C. Jackson Federal Coordinating Officer FEMADHS Virginia Depar


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Challenges and Opportunities Marianne C.
JacksonFederal Coordinating OfficerFEMA-DHS
Virginia Department of Emergency
ManagementCommunity Based Emergency Response
SeminarMay 2007

• Preparing for All Abilities

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WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO

• Define Special Needs
• Identify trends for older adults (65)
• Look at stats for people with disabilities
• Identify and talk about available resources
• Review the FEMA process for obtaining assistance
• Look at some of the post-Katrina reforms

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DEFINITION

• Special Needs Needs of individuals that
  impact their ability to carry out the
  independently activities of daily living such as
  mobility impairments cognitive or mental health
  impairments sensory impairments (e.g. hearing
  speech and vision) disaster-caused loss of
  essential medications or durable medical
  equipment or other factors that impair the
  persons ability to function independently.

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DEFINITION
While age is not necessarily a defining factor
many individuals age 65 years and above may be
affected by one or more of the cited situations
and therefore require assistance for their
Special Needs.
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POPULATION HISTORY 65

• 1900 - 3.1 million
• 1930 - 6.7 million
• 1960 - 16.7 million
• 2000 - 34.7 million

Also the population went from mostly rural in
1900 to mostly urban (29) and suburban (48)
in 2000.
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MORE WOMEN THAN MEN
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AND IT CHANGES AS WE AGE
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LETS LOOK AT THE IMPACT

• Often on fixed income
• Often high medical costs little or no insurance
• May seldom go places (no money or frugal)
• May not have or cant afford transportation
• Very often no computer or Internet access
• Some less able to advocate (can be language
  educational and cultural barriers)

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Please dont forget... many older adults are not
dependent on anyone and are healthy
vigorous and active.

• Some however are less independent for reasons
  such as health income isolation and even fear.

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SO THERE WE HAVE IT

• The older adult population is sizeable
• Often low and/or fixed income
• May be isolated fearful of strangers
• More health issues perhaps immobile
• Generally more medical expenses
• Low threshold for technology
• Now - hit by disaster

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WHATS THE MINDSET

• Ive lost my possessions many of which represent
  my life (photos family artifacts)
• Ive lost my independence and control
• Ive lost my pride (Im dependent on others)
• I may be in an emotional and debilitating
  depression

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PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

• Total population in the US over 281 million
• Almost 50 million
• Thats 19 or one out of every five
• Includes mobility lifting hearing vision and
  cognitive challenges
• 34 million use assistive technology devices
• About one fourth of those with a disability use a
  wheelchair

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DISABILITIES AND AGE

• As we age limitations on activities of daily
  living (ADLs) often occur (e.g. eating bathing
  and bathroom use dressing managing money using
  the telephone)
• Although the percent of older adults with a
  severe disability is decreasing the number is
  increasing.
• In 2000 the percentage of non-institutionalized
  older adults with a severe disability was 33.4
• In 2000 the percentage of non-institutionalized
  older adults with any type of disability was 52.5

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QUESTIONDo you think individuals with special
needs are prepared for a disaster

• LETS BE MORE SPECIFIC
• What about individuals in your community
• What about each individual you know
• What about you

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CRITICAL PROBLEM

• What is the most critical individual and
  overall problem facing both older adults and
  people with disabilities after a disaster
• COMMUNICATION

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FOR EXAMPLE

• In NYC when the WTC towers collapsed
• Roads were blocked
• Public transportation shut down
• Phones and TVs did not work
• Multiple emergency numbers were publicized
• Newspapers couldnt be delivered and
• The new OEM building was destroyed.

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AVAILABLE RESOURCES

• Federal agencies (FEMA DHHS AOA etc.)
• State staff resources and programs
• City county and/or township too
• Advocacy groups for people with disabilities and
  older adults (Local State and National)
• Faith-based organizations
• National Institute on Disability and
  Rehabilitation Research

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www.rtcil.org
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NATIONAL ADVOCACY NETWORKS

• Protection and Advocacy System (PAS)
• United States Access Board (and UFAS)
• National Organization on Disability (NOD)
• Amer. Assn. For Retired People (AARP)
• Centers for Independent Living (CIL)
• National Aging Information Center (NAIC)
• National Institute on Aging (NIA)
• National Council of Senior Citizens (NCSC)

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DISASTER WEBSITES TOO

• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
• National Volunteer Organizations Active in
  Disasters (NVOAD)
• Church World Service (CWS)
• Disaster News Network (DNN)
• American Red Cross (ARC)
• National Hurricane Center (NWS/NOAA)
• Disaster Finder (a NASA search service)

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WHOS RESPONSIBLE

• In a disaster who ultimately has the greatest
  impact on an adult individuals safety and
  security
• Family
• Neighbors
• Friends
• Church synagogue mosque
• Advocacy or community organizations
• Actually its none of the aboveits the
  individual
• The goal is to maximize self-sufficiency

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INDIVIDUAL DISASTER PLAN

• Discuss emergency/evacuation plans with family
• Decide how to stay in contact if separated
• Post crucial information by the telephone
• Know location of valves and how to shut off
  utilities
• Keep medications (and a list) in a container
  together
• Think about extra medical equipment needed
  (batteries oxygen needles special
  instructions etc.)

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HOW CAN YOU HELP

• Plan plan plan
• Clarify your role. How can you help meet needs
  after a disaster (i.e. food water evacuation
  transportation medical services sheltering
  long term housing etc.)
• Identify the medical and equipment needs (i.e.
  oxygen medications crutches wheelchair etc.)
• Review how your efforts fit with the efforts of
  others
• Keep your client database up-to-date
• Help clients put together a 72 hour survival kit

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MORE INFORMATION

• There are several excellent documents available
  to help create individual disaster plans. Below
  is a list of just a few such resources.
• FEMA Are You Ready A Citizens Guide to
• Preparedness
• FEMA and ARC A Checklist for People With
  Mobility Problems
• NOD Guide on the Special Needs of People With
  Disabilities for Emergency Managers Planners
  Responders

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A FEDERAL DECLARATION

• Local and State entities are the first
  responders
• Request for federal disaster aid made by Governor
  
• President approves a major disaster declaration
• Eligible counties are specified
• FEMA Teleregistration is publicized
• (800) 621-FEMA (3362) or
• TTY/TDD [phone]
• Disaster Recovery Centers are opened
• The Post Katrina Reform Act and numerous
  internal changes have been made to improve the
  Federal response. Ill expand on that more a
  little later..

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MAKING THE CALL

• The call is toll-free
• Multilingual operators are available
• When you call youll need
• Your Social Security Number
• Source of income
• Mailing address
• Current telephone numbers
• Members in household
• Extent of damages
• The number is available for follow-up as well

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IMPORTANT

• Disaster aid will not affect the individuals
  pension or other existing benefits
• Accepting assistance will not take away from
  others
• When calling to register inform the operator if
  anyone in the household has a disability or other
  special needs
• Be sure to specify all losses in the household
  including equipment medications etc.
• When discussing housing needs be sure to inform
  the operator if anyone in the household uses a
  wheelchair crutches cane oxygen etc.

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HOUSING AFTER A DISASTER

• FEMA helps provide temporary housing
• For people using a wheelchair accessible rental
  housing is usually the preferred option however
  it is seldom available after large or
  catastrophic disasters
• In such situations manufactured housing may be
  used
• Such housing is covered by the Architectural
  Barriers Act (ABA not ADA) passed in 1968 to
  require accessibility to facilities designed
  built leased or altered with federal funds.
• FEMA now provides UFAS compliant units (Uniform
  Federal Accessibility Standards) that have the
  turning radius needed for a wheelchair

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SOME LESSONS LEARNED

• Individuals need to be very clear about their
  housing needs during the teleregistration
• The key issue is matching the needs of the
  individual with appropriate unit
• Community regulations may limit or prohibit use
  of travel trailers and/or manufactured homes
• Manufactured (mobile) homes arent placed on
  private sites located in a flood or wind zone
  thus eliminating them as a housing option for a
  person using a wheelchair
• Commercial lots are occasionally smaller than
  some of the available manufactured homes

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MR. G
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AGAIN THE KEY ISSUE

• Matching needs with appropriate features
• Sensory impairment (deaf) Strobe lights need to
  be included on smoke and carbon monoxide
  detectors
• Using a wheelchair Might need a roll-in shower
  a 17 to 19 high bench and/or a hand-held
  shower head
• Older adult with mobility issues Need ramp with
  the least possible slope (Max 1 of rise for
  each 12 of run)
• Entry doors and utility fixtures must have lever
  type openers (not door knobs)
• Other needs Lowered counters switches and
  thermostats electric unit (instead of propane)
  for someone using oxygen

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POST KATRINA REFORMS

• Increases inventory of accessible manufactured
  housing
• Creates system to identify accessibility needs
  household size and type of unit needed
• Sets minimum inventory 2500 accessible units
• Inventory must contain range of accessible
  quarters including one and two bedroom units
• Requires interviews with victims to obtain
  information to meet their needs
• New FEMA policy beyond UFAS requires 15 of lots
  in groups sites be accessible

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MORE REFORMS

• Materials in formats accessible to persons with
  disabilities such as Braille large type
  publications
• Training for FEMA front line personnel
• Development of procedures for FEMA personnel
  interacting with persons with disabilities in
  evacuation mass care sheltering and feeding
  efforts transportation contracting and
  inspecting
• Establishes a Special Needs Liaison at all
  Disaster Recovery Centers as well as
  communications enhancing equipment

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SO WHAT DO YOU THINK

• Do you know what you need to know to help
  yourself or those you represent in a disaster
• What added information do you need to move
  forward from hereand where might you find it
• How can you identify those who have not planned
  for an emergency and how do you help them develop
  an individual plan
• How do you ensure adequate communication in the
  aftermath of a disaster
• After a disaster how do you make sure everyone
  who needs help is able to get it

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Thats it.

Thank you for participating.

• Marianne C. Jackson
• Federal Coordinating Officer
• Federal Emergency Management Agency
• U.S. Department of Homeland Security