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Agenda Item # 7

BOARD MEMORANDUM

Background:

The University of New Orleans hosted a conference to address how we protect and identify the needs of vulnerable populations before, during and after a catastrophe.  Vulnerable populations include, but are not limited to, the elderly, disabled, individuals with limited English proficiency, individuals who are impoverished, individuals without vehicles and individuals who live in isolated communities.

Katrina was a Category 3, not a Category 5 storm as originally predicted, yet the effects of the hurricane devastated an entire region.   According to statistics published in separate documents from AARP and the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, as of August 2006, 1,464 deaths were attributed to Katrina.  Of those, approximately 71 percent of the victims were over 60 years of age and approximately 47 percent were over 75 years of age.  In addition to the loss of so many lives, approximately 183,000 housing units in New Orleans were extremely damaged or destroyed (US Department of Housing and Urban Development 2006). 

Discussion:

Much of the discussion was about what we can do in our own communities to protect vulnerable populations. 

Federal Law

Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act):

Ensures orderly and systematic assistance by the federal government to state and local governments.

Post Katrina Emergency Reform Act of 2006:

Sec. 212 Individuals with disabilities

Sec. 213 Establishes the appointment by FEMA of a national Disability Coordinator

Sec. 214 Accessible housing

Sec. 215 GAO study on accessibility of emergency shelters

Sec. 219 Mental Health services

Sec. 220 Disaster related information services (accessible formats and limited English proficiency considerations)

Sec.221 Standards for state and local emergency preparedness plans (in pre and post disaster planning consider the needs of individuals with special needs and their caregivers, individuals with disabilities and service animals, individuals with limited English proficiency)

Federal Transit Administration Office of Civil Rights:

Relevant Laws and Directives include:

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Executive Order on Environmental Justice

Executive Order on Limited English Proficiency

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

The Age of Discrimination Act of 1975

The FTA is completing a report of 20 metropolitan regions that will examine demographic profiles, emergency preparedness plans of transit agencies, MPOs and state DOTs.  The San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA consolidated metropolitan statistical area is one of the regions that was examined.  The report is expected to be published April 15, 2007.

National Medical Registry (some talk of establishing this but not a law yet):

When the residents of the Gulf Coast region were evacuated to new locations, physicians treating them did not have any information about their medical histories or prescribed medications.

When planning for disasters consider that some places are more isolated than others.

Do community impact assessments to identify the needs.

Identify individuals who will need assistance in the event of a catastrophe.  Consider a voluntary registry of those individuals and their caregivers while keeping in mind privacy laws such as HIPPA.  When deciding to relocate individuals with disabilities or special needs consider the cumulative effects of a move after a stressful event.  Many elderly individuals suffer from “transfer trauma.”  The ideal situation is to keep vulnerable individuals as close to home as possible.  Jurisdictions should identify shelters that can accommodate individuals with disabilities and special needs before a disaster.  Service animals must be allowed to accompany their owners.  Also, consider the impacts to other communities when relocating individuals who are receiving special medical therapy such as dialysis or chemotherapy.  Will the new community be able to accommodate an additional 50-100+ new dialysis or chemotherapy patients?

Jurisdictions should consider using GIS systems to map social service agencies, hospitals, and locate vulnerable populations and individuals registered as needing assistance.

Jurisdictions should consider buddy systems in neighborhoods to help those who will need assistance, and identify medical professionals, first responders, law enforcement officers and others who could be of assistance in neighborhoods.

Many elderly citizens have vehicles but would not have the stamina to drive an evacuation route.

Tourists should also be considered when identifying vulnerable populations.

Jurisdictions should consider the fact that some individuals may have multiple vulnerabilities: poor, disabled and elderly.

Jurisdictions should coordinate efforts with everyone…transit agencies, social service agencies, news media, law enforcement officials, hospitals, grocery stores, pharmacies, etc.   They should consider putting information in utility bills about disaster planning.

Individuals with disabilities and special needs should be included in the process of developing coordination plans and communications.

It is important to build trust among residents to open lines of communication.

Churches, temples, mosques are also valuable resources to disseminate information.

Planning

Include vulnerable populations in the planning process. 

Have more than one plan…have plans A, B, C and D.   If one fails, you have backups.

Plans should be flexible.

Involve the entire region when planning.   Team build.

Define roles so that everyone knows what to do.

Everyone needs to know what the plan is.

Evacuation

Phase evacuations.   Determine who goes first.   Typically, residents closest to the disaster leave first, then smaller communities, and finally larger, urban areas.

No more than two shelters should open at once.   When one shelter reaches 50 percent capacity, open the next shelter. 

Jurisdictions should process and track every individual who leaves the community.   Keep families together; particularly children with their parents.

Have a plan to evacuate pets.   Many people will not leave unless they are assured that their pets will be taken care of, and shelters do not take pets.

Jurisdictions should take guns to a major dealer for tracking and processing.

Plans should include time estimates, such as time of day, day of the week, and season, which can all impact the ability to move and shelter people.

Buses are the key to moving large groups of people.   Jurisdictions should consider public transit agencies, school buses, over-the-road coaches and paratransit vehicles.

Transit agencies need to prioritize how they will protect their infrastructure:

1. Rolling stock

2. Signs/wires

3. Tracks

Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP): voluntary assessment and accreditation tool for state and local government emergency preparedness plans.

We Can Do Better:  Lessons Learned for Protecting Older Persons in Disasters (www.aarp.org )

“Planning for the Evacuation of New Orleans” article written by Wolshon in 2002 published in the Institute of Transportation Engineers Journal

“Crying Wolf: Repeat Response to Hurricane Evacuation Orders” by Dr. Susan Cutter

Community Impact Assessments:  www.ciatrans.net

Families helping Families:  ladisabilitytalk@yahoogroups.com

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