Be Prepared: Emergency Planning for All Hazards, All People, All Stages

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Be Prepared Emergency Planning for All Hazards,
All People, All Stages

• L. Irene Bowen
• U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division
  
• Deputy Chief, Disability Rights Section
• Emily Singer
• Director
• Disability Support Services
• The Catholic University of America

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Considering All People
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All Hazards When You Least Expect Them

• 9/11
• Katrina and Rita
• California wildfires
• Virginia Tech shootings

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Learning Outcomes

• Acquire general background information
• Understand basic legal responsibilities
• Explore resources
• Survey means of communicating with people with
  disabilities
• Learn ways of working with others to ensure that
  every phase provides for people with disabilities

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Outline

• Legal Responsibilities
• Types of Emergencies
• Stages of Preparedness and Response
• Unusual Challenges
• Best Practices and Tips for Preparation
• Discussion and Final Thoughts

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Legal Responsibilities

• Colleges/universities
• Americans with Disabilities Act title II
  (public) title III (private)
• Section 504
• Employment title I
• State/local governments (title II and Section
  504)
• Red Cross and others (title III)
• Equal access to all services and information

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Types of Emergencies

• Natural disasters, weather (hurricane, tornado,
  earthquake, wildfire, flood)
• Localized fires, bomb threats
• Chemical emergencies (gas leak, chlorine, nerve
  agents, radiation, nuclear blasts)
• Explosions
• Shooting incidents
• Bioterrorism (anthrax, plague)
• Pandemic

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Stages of Preparedness and Response

• One Planning
• Two Notification
• Three Evacuation
• Four Transportation
• Five Sheltering
• Six Returning and Recovery

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Stage One Planning

• Consider the possibilities
• types of hazards (e.g., hurricanes, fires,
  chemical contamination)
• events that cannot be specifically anticipated
• Emphasize preparedness
• individual
• institution

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Stage One Planning (Contd)

• Consider the needs of
• Students
• Staff
• Faculty
• Administrators

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Stage One Planning (Contd)

• Consider all disabilities people who
• Use mobility aids
• Have limited stamina
• Use oxygen or respirators
• Have vision or hearing impairments
• Have cognitive disabilities
• Have mental illnesses
• Have other disabilities

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Stage Two Notification

• Identifying individuals with disabilities a
  registry?
• Must be confidential, current, available
• The reality becoming disabled in an emergency

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Stage Two Notification (Contd)

• The reality becoming disabled in an emergency
• Ensuring notification to all

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Notification to All
Ronna Gradus, Miami Herald
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Stage Three Evacuation
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Stage ThreeEvacuation (Contd)

• Exiting buildings

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Danger no waiting area outside path of travel
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Area of Rescue Assistance/Refuge
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Stage Three Evacuation(Contd)

• Identifying evacuation routes and destination
  points

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Stage Four Transportation

• Ensuring transportation for those without vehicles

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Stage Four Transportation (Contd)

• Providing transportation that is
  accessible to all

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Stage Five Sheltering

• Sheltering in place
• Sheltering off campus
• Providing information to people with hearing,
  vision, and cognitive impairments

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Stage Five Sheltering (Contd)

• Campus used as public shelter

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Stage Five Sheltering (Contd)

• Physical access

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Access to all spaces
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Appropriate Signage
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Stage Five Sheltering (Contd)

• Nondiscriminatory policies

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Stage Five Sheltering (Contd)

• Access to services

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Stage Five Sheltering

• Electrical power

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Stage Five Sheltering

• Access to medication

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Stage Six Returning and Recovery

• Needs of individuals when returning to campus
• Physical access (e.g., what if some buildings are
  no longer usable)
• Policy matters

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Unusual Challenges

• Pandemic/ Bird Flu
• Norovirus Outbreak
• Shooting Incident

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Unusual Challenges

• Pandemic/ Bird flu
• Building campus awareness as a DS office
• Anticipating possible scenarios the phases of a
  pandemic
• Preparedness checklist for institutions and
  individuals/families

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Pandemic/ Bird Flu

• Planning for needs of people with disabilities
• Continuing operations if quarantine or social
  distancing is required
• Notification of plans, procedures, continuing
  developments

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Pandemic/ Bird Flu

• Access to medical care and medications
  (stockpiling?)
• Sheltering in place
• Further information
• www.pandemicflu.gov
• www.who.int

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Unusual Challenges

• Norovirus Outbreak
• Things to do to stay germ free
• Bathrooms
• Eating areas
• Offices (telephones, computers, desks, door
  handles)

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Unusual Challenges Violent Incident

• Shooting Incident/Violence
• Notification
• Emotional impact on others
• Coordination between Counseling Center, Health
  Services, Disability Services

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Best Practices and Tips for Preparation

• Be involved with planners
• Ensure consideration of people with disabilities
• Train individuals with disabilities, responders,
  others
• Practice
• Get feedback
• Revise plans and procedures

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Resources from schools

• University of Virginia http//www.virginia.edu/p
  andemic/
• University of Chicago http//provost.uchicago.edu
  /initiatives/disabilities.shtml

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National Resources

• Department of Justice
• www.ada.gov
• (watch for new PCA Tool Kit chapter)
• ADA Guide for Local Governments
  www.ada.gov/emergencyprep.htm

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National Resources (Contd)

• www.NOD.org
• www.disabilitypreparedness.gov
• www.espfocus.org
• The National Fire Protection Association
  Evacuation Planning Guide for People with
  Disabilities. http//www.nfpa.org

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Resources from AHEAD

• Adapting Emergency Procedures on Campus for
  Individuals with Disabilities, Mary Farrell, ed.
• Helps readers develop or adapt procedures for
  individuals with disabilities in emergency
  situations.
• Contains a general framework for planning
  emergency procedures (with disability-specific
  guidelines), management procedures for specific
  disaster situations, emergency procedures for
  laboratory settings, and self-advocacy.

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Final Thoughts

• Campus and community networking We need to be
  familiar with campus and community resources to
  address food, shelter, medical, financial,
  housing, counseling, spiritual and other
  fundamental needs during an emergency.
• Consider concerns about communication and
  transportation.
• Counseling for "disaster survivors" There is an
  initial and long-term need for meaningful
  support.

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Final Thoughts (Contd)

• Lessons for us all
• Among other lessons, Hurricane Katrina was a
  wake up call for better emergency preparedness,
  emergency evacuation, and post-disaster survival.
  
• We have much to do.
• We have much to be thankful for.
• Compiled by Ann Ito, University of Hawaii
  Manoa

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• L. Irene Bowen
• U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division
• Deputy Chief, Disability Rights Section
• 950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW -- NYA
• Washington, DC 20530
• Phone [phone] (V/TTY)
• Fax [phone]
• EmailL.Irene.Bowen_at_usdoj.gov
• Emily Singer
• Director
• Disability Support Services
• The Catholic University of America
• 620 Michigan Ave NE
• 207 Pryzbyla Center
• Washington, DC 20064
• Phone [phone]
• Fax [phone]
• Email singere_at_cua.edu