Site makes emergency info readily available

(from the Longview News-Journal)

A new Web site compiled by the Northeast Texas Public Health District seeks to make emergency preparedness information accessible to residents with special needs, Longview city spokesman Shawn Hara said.

The site, accessibleemergencyinfo.com, includes videos with American Sign Language interpreters advising how to prepare for 18 topics, ranging from anthrax and botulism to pandemic flu and plagues, according to Stephanie Walker, the district's Anderson County coordinator.

The videos also have voice audio and text appearing alongside the interpreter, she said.

The site includes emergency preparedness guides formatted in Braille, large print and regular font for download. All of the information is free for public use, and any group may link to the site, Walker said.

Preparedness information for deaf populations is limited, she said. In less than one month, the site's home page has received nearly 7,000 visits, and Walker has gotten responses from public health officials in several states from Washington to South Carolina, she said. The Federal Emergency Management Administration has asked Walker to host a Webinar to tell other officials how to compile such a site.

"A lot of people don't realize that there's about 10 percent of the population that's deaf," Walker said. "When we don't give them the information, how can we possibly expect them to be prepared when disasters strike?"

"We hope the information will assist at-risk populations and serve your organization as a tool to become prepared for all hazards," Walker said in a Dec. 1 e-mail to other health and government officials. "We also hope this project serves as a springboard for further development of materials for at-risk population preparedness." The Northeast Texas Public Health District includes Wood, Smith, Rains, Van Zandt, Henderson and Anderson counties.

KWJZ Radio Interview - Vulnerable Populations

Radio interview with Sheri Badger, Pierce County Department of Emergency Management on Sunday, August 23rd with Gary Shipe, Public Affairs Director, KWJZ Smooth Jazz.

Project Homeless Connect in Tacoma, WA - Oct. 14

Project Homeless Connect is a one day connection to resources and services for people experiencing homelessness in Pierce County. Medical and dental care, haircuts and flu shots, access to benefits through the Veterans Administration, the Department of Social and Health Services, replacement of identification and new glasses – all available under one roof.

This is the third annual event, each year reaching more and more individuals in need. This year's event will be October 14 from 9am to 5pm at the Tacoma Dome Exhibition Center. Please join the event organizers in spreading the word to those in our most vulnerable population. For more information: www.pchomelessconnect.org

H1N1 Workshop for Community Based Organizations

Mercer Island (WA) Community Center
September 24th, 2009
9:30-12:00

Get answers to the following questions:
· How can I protect my vulnerable clients and staff?
· How should I prepare my organization?
· How should I clean and disinfect my facility?

Get updates on current situation and Public Health’s preparedness and response planning:
· Vaccine distribution
· Public education and communications

Location:
Mercer Island Community Center
8236 SE 24th Street, Mercer Island, WA 98040
(206) 275-7609

To RSVP (appreciated but not required):
Robin Pfohman, Public Health Seattle & King County
Robin.pfohman@kingcounty.gov
206.263.8759
Vulnerable Populations Action Team (VPAT)

Gig Harbor/Key Peninsula High Risk Population Summit Invitation

Register today for the Gig Harbor/Key Peninsula (WA) High Risk Population Summit on Wednesday, Sept. 16 from 8 to 12 noon.

See attached for agenda.

It will be held at St. Anthony's Hospital in the Milgard Pavilion, 11567 Canterwood Blvd NW in Gig Harbor.

Please RSVP to Jonathan White, Peninsula Light 253-857-1514 and Lisa Marshall, Merrill Gardens, 253-858-5300.

Sponsored by: Peninsula Multi Agency Coordinating Council (MACC)

Emergency Responders and the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community: Taking the First Steps to Disaster Preparation (course)

The CEPIN (Community Emergency Preparedness Information Network) course, Emergency Responders and the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community: Taking the First Steps to Disaster Preparedness is being presented on Wednesday, September 30, 2009 from 8:00am-5:00pm at the Pierce County Emergency Operations Center, 2501 South 35th St, Suite D, Tacoma, WA 98409.

Hosted by Hearing Speech and Deafness Center – South Sound in cooperation with the Pierce County High Risk Populations Planning Committee this course requires a balance of participants between emergency responder and planning personnel and members of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Communities, both professional and community members. Attached is a registration from in PDF that can be completed and saved and emailed to LeeAnna Paynter, Program Assistant, HSDC-South Sound, lpaynter@hsdc.org . Continental breakfast and lunch will be provided. Registration deadline is September 23, 2009.


Delivered by Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc. (TDI)

This course will provide participants with an understanding of the tools and knowledge needed to prepare a community response, as well as respond to and recover from emergencies ranging from weather-related emergencies to a terrorist attack, for deaf, hard of hearing, late-deafened, and deaf-blind individuals.

COURSE DETAILS
This is an 8-hour course, beginning at 8:00 am and ending at 5:00 pm. The maximum number of students is 40. All registrants must be a U.S. Citizen. Photo identification is required upon registration. There is no registration fee for this class.

Audience: This course is designed to provide deaf and hard of hearing (including deaf, deaf-blind, hard of hearing, late-deafened and other individuals with hearing loss) and emergency responders with the basic skills they need to communicate with each other in the event of emergencies such as terrorist attacks and natural and biological disasters. The course will also instruct participants how to respond to a variety of emergency situations.

All key members of emergency response agencies involved in the planning of and response to a disaster would benefit from this course including: law enforcement, fire, EMS, public health, community advocates, special needs populations representatives, elected officials, homeland security officials and others who may be indirectly or directly affected.

Scope: At the conclusion of this course, participants will gain the skills they need to prepare for and respond to an emergency situation involving individuals who are deaf, deaf-blind, hard of hearing or late-deafened. The course materials will train participants to identify and recruit those in their neighborhood whose daily activities place them in a unique position to identify potential barriers to effective communication as well as proven solutions to work around such obstacles

Applications being accepted for Fall Emergency Planning Institute

The Emergency Planning Institute is a 12-hour class sponsored by the Pierce County (WA) Department of Emergency Management which is targeted toward social service agencies, long term care facilities and anyone else who is interested in putting together or improving their organization's emergency plan.

The next class schedule is:

• Thurs, Sept 24 from 8 am to 12 p.m.at TACID (Tacoma Area Coaltion for Individuals with Disabilities) in Tacoma

Session 1: Incident Command/Introduction to Disasters - Overview

• Thursday, October 8 from 8 am to 12 p.m.at TACID (Tacoma Area Coalition of Individuals with Disabilities) in Tacoma

Session 2: Plans and Procedures

• Thursday, October 29 from 8 am to 12 pm at Pierce County Emergency Operations Center in Tacoma

Session 3: How to…Update, Train and Exercise

We ask that participants commit to all three classes. Click here for the registration form. Classes are limited in size to 20 people. The application deadline is September 11.

National Council on Disability Recommends Sweeping Emergency Management Changes for People with Disabilities

The National Council on Disability (NCD) today released its report
Effective Emergency Management: Making Improvements for Communities and People with Disabilities, calling on federal, state, and local authorities to make sweeping changes in emergency management practices for people with disabilities.

According to NCD Chairperson John R. Vaughn, “NCD’s first evaluation of government work in this area was published in a 2005 report Saving Lives: Including People with Disabilities in Emergency Planning. That report laid out a scenario of a major hurricane striking the Gulf Coast and outlined steps that the federal government should take to include people with disabilities in emergency preparedness, disaster relief, and homeland security. Hurricane Katrina struck four months later.”

As a result of NCD’s work, the 2006 Homeland Security Appropriations bill’s Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act (H.R. 5441) required Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to employ a National Disability Coordinator and to interact, consult, and coordinate with NCD on a list of eight other activities.

According to NCD Vice Chairperson Pat Pound, “NCD identified a major gap in the government’s homeland security knowledge base, which involves the availability and use of effective practices for community preparedness and response to the needs of people with disabilities in all types of disasters. In 2008, NCD began reviewing the spectrum of available studies and defined a set of best/promising practices for emergency management across the life cycle of disasters and geographic areas. With this new knowledge, it is time to act. The lives of people with disabilities hang in the balance.”

Scientists report a worldwide increase in the number of natural disasters over the past 25 years. In 1980, only about 100 such disasters were reported per year, but that number has risen to more than 300 a year since 2000. The increase is expected to continue, and storm-related disasters are predicted to increase in intensity.

According to NCD Vice Chairperson Chad Colley, “NCD’s report offers information and advice to assist all levels of government in their work to establish evidence-based policies, programs, and practices across the life cycle of disasters.”
Some of the recommendations and interventions include:

Federal Recommendations
● Continue strengthening efforts to enforce compliance with Federal Communications Commission policies regarding emergency broadcasting to reach people with disabilities.
● Complete the FEMA Comprehensive Planning Guide (CPG) series—including 301 Special Needs and 302, which includes service animals—in sync with other CPG series guides.
● Hire disability coordinators at the FEMA regional offices.
State-Level Interventions
● Task a state official with disability and disaster issues.
● Involve disability community organizations and state offices or agencies in all state efforts regarding natural hazards, terrorism, technological or hazardous materials concerns, and pandemic planning.
Local-Level Interventions
● Local jurisdictions should create working groups to review and revise emergency operations plans, mitigation plans, and recovery plans to address the issues of people with disabilities.
● Cross-training on disability and disaster issues should be conducted among emergency managers, first responders, voluntary agencies, and disability agencies.
Individual-Level Interventions
● Accept personal responsibility for preparedness in a disaster context; where that is challenging, involve caregivers in such efforts.
● Create contingency plans for evacuation and other protective action, shelter life, medical care, and service animals.

For more information or to receive a copy of the report, please contact NCD’s Mark S. Quigley, at mquigley@ncd.gov or by telephone at 202-272-2008.

FEMA Announces Creation Of Children's Working Group

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- While testifying before the Senate Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Disaster Recovery today, the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Craig Fugate announced the creation of a "Children's Working Group."

The working group will allow FEMA and its partners to explore and implement planning and response strategies specific to children throughout the agency and ensure that during a disaster the unique needs of children are not only considered, but fully integrated into how FEMA administers this support to states and the public.

"It is time for special needs populations, whether children or any other segment of our communities who have traditionally been underserved, to be more fully and consistently integrated into preparedness and planning efforts at every level of government," Administer Fugate said. "Children are a part of every community. We must understand and address their needs from the outset, recognizing that they are not simply small adults. That means not putting the considerations specific to children in a separate box, but incorporating them into our planning on the front end."

The Children's Working Group will be composed of FEMA employees across multiple directorates and offices to ensure coordination and action, and will report directly to the Office of the Administrator. The working group will be chaired by Tracy Wareing, counselor to Secretary Napolitano for FEMA.

Areas of focus of the Children's Working Group will include:

• Child-specific guidance as to evacuation, sheltering, and relocation;
• Tracking and reunification of families;
• Coordinated case management supports;
• Enhanced preparedness for child care centers and schools as well as for children in child welfare and juvenile justice systems;
• Enhanced national planning, including incorporation of children into national planning scenarios and exercises;
• Incorporation of children's needs into grant guidance;
• Improved recovery coordination across the federal family and with state and local partners in support of children's education, health and housing;
• Consideration as to how the federal family can help ensure child care centers are able rebuild and restore services more quickly following a disaster, and;
• Increased public awareness efforts to educate families and protect children during disasters.

FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

Evacuation of 130-bed nursing home

One of the main presentations from the Pierce County High Risk Populations Disaster Planning Summit on June 9th was the January evacuation of a 130-bed health care center (nursing home). Erwin Steinlein, Director, Environmental Services, Health & Safety from Linden Grove Health Care Center provided the linked Power Point on their experience, including lessons learned.

Three weeks to sign up for High Risk Populations Disaster Planning Summit

Three more weeks to sign up for our yearly Pierce County High Risk Populations Disaster Planning Summit. This will be the third year, and one of our main focuses this year will be on medications. We have a great panel, including representatives from the pharmacy, insurance, and medicaid industries.

The Summit is on Tuesday, June 9, from 8 to noon, at the Oasis of Hope Center, 1937 S. G St in Tacoma. There is no cost to attend, but RSVPs are requested. Please e-mail or call Sheri Badger at 253-798-2204.

Fantastic information on LEP populations for WA counties

I was sent this information today. It is a link to the Washington State Multicultural Heath Communications Directory. Great overview of racial categories by counties, including languages spoken. Also includes an inventory of all media in each county, particularly targeted language media. Awesome resource for reaching out to Limited English Proficient populations.

AoA Applauds the Alabama Department of Senior Services for National Award for Weather Preparedness

The Administration on Aging congratulates the Alabama Department of Senior Services (ADSS) and Commissioner Irene Collins for being honored last week at the 2009 National Hurricane Conference in Austin, Texas as the winner in the "Senior Citizens’ Preparedness Award" category for development of the Safe Center concept.

The Safe Center concept, a storm-proof structure that provides a safe refuge for seniors in times of emergency, is the result of a partnership between ADSS, U.S. Administration on Aging, Alabama Emergency Management Agency and the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.

Since its conception, the initiative has continued to develop in response to needs identified for special populations after other hurricanes and tornados ravaged the state. Before the Safe Center was developed, there were no identified safe shelters for seniors to retreat to before or after a storm to regain a since of normalcy and reconnect with friends. To advance this cause, Alabama broke ground on the nation’s first safe center in Guin, Ala., in 2006 – a landmark event toward ensuring the safety of Alabama’s seniors by demonstrating a commitment to their well-being. Two years after the groundbreaking, the Guin Safe Center opened its doors and now serves as a model for other communities and the nation to combine a senior center that will be used daily with a safe center area that will provide a place of respite for seniors in the event of a disaster.

In addition to the Guin Safe Center, several other centers across the state are in the process of being built to achieve the goal of seven centers by 2010. AoA has recognized Alabama's Safe Center concept as an Older Americans Month Program Champion because it represents the efforts of the national administration to modernize community-based long term care and provide greater assurance that older people in the U.S. will maintain their independence in the community longer than ever before. For more information about Alabama's Safe Center, visit http://www.adss.state.al.us/news.cfm

'Death in Disasters' seminar

I just got back from the 'Death in Disasters' seminar that was put on by the Pierce County High Risk Populations Disaster Planning Coalition. Of the three quarterly seminars held to date, this was by far the best attended. Of the information presented, here is a summary (taken from one of the speaker's slides):

• Recommend developing a planning committee
  This should include those who handle deaths at your facility on a daily basis (e.g. pathology)
• Identify storage location; evaluation whether facility meets requirements for refrigerated trailer
• Identify staff to perform key morgue management job functions
• Review and adapt (as necessary) protocol for:
  -Death Reporting
  -Managing Personal Effects
  -Decedent Tracking
  -Death Certification

There has been some interest from the WA State Department of Health on putting together several trainings on this issue. Feedback on what type of training might be useful would be welcomed by Cindy Gleason at cindy.gleason@doh.wa.gov - please feel free to share your opinions with her.

Ready.gov for people who are disabled

The federal government has part of its disaster preparedness website, Ready.gov, dedicated to disaster readiness for people who are disabled. It's pretty interesting, and I liked their suggestion for people who receive any sort of payments from the government (Social Security, SSI, etc.) to get direct deposit. This will allow them to continue to receive their money if something happens and banks close, electricity is down, mail delivery is delayed and the like.

911 system upgrade would let you text

New upgrades for the 911 system in Washington would allow easier and timelier access to emergency calls for those who are deaf and hard of hearing. Story from Saturday's News Tribune here.

FEMA is on YouTube!

Check out the Federal Emergency Management Agency - FEMA - on YouTube! Some pertinent and up-to-date videos, up to and including the flooding this past weekend on the Red River in Fargo, North Dakota. And it is captioned!!

Emergency preparedness information for kidney dialysis patients and providers

One distinct group in the high risk population is those who need kidney dialysis. Due to the life-threatening nature of not recieving regular dialysis, there are plans available to help patients and providers prepare for disasters. The Northwest Renal Network is a private, not-for-profit corporation independent of any dialysis company, individual unit, or transplant center. Their mission is to promote optimal dialysis and transplant care for kidney patients in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. The network has a website with more information on emergency planning for both patients and providers

New FEMA on-line course - Special Needs Planning

Just found out that there is a new FEMA on-line course for "Special Needs Planning Considerations for Emergency Management (IS-197.EM)." There is also another one for "Special Needs Planning Considerations for Service and Support Providers (IS-197-SP)." I believe the difference is the audience that the course is aimed toward, but I haven't taken both courses. I'd love to hear feedback on either one or both, to see if they are courses we should be recommending to all of our partners.

Coordinated transportation

This past week I had the opportunity to meet the coordinator for the Pierce County Coordinated Transportation Council (PCCTC) which works with various agencies and organizations to locate transporation options for low-income or high risk populations. One of the issues when putting together a robust emergency plan for a long term care facility is when one has to evacuate the building. Finding another location and the transportation to get the guests there can be challenging. We will be looking at the PCCTC to maybe help transportation providers partner with some of these facilities in case of a facility-wide event.

Another definition - special needs populations

This definition is from the National Response Framework (FEMA's response plan) for special needs popuations. They define the group as "populations whose members may have additional needs before, during and after an incident in functional areas, including but not limited to:

• Maintaining independence
• Communication
• Transportation
• Supervision
• Medical care

What do you think?

Long term care facilites wanting to prepare

The Red Cross of St. Louis is test piloting a program that will soon spread to other Red Cross organizations nationwide. The Red Cross Ready Rating™ Program is a first-of-its-kind program designed to help your business or organization become better prepared for an emergency or disaster. The Red Cross Ready Rating Program provides a framework for businesses to get prepared at the office and help their employees get prepared at home.

Incidentally, it coincides with an effort that King. Pierce and Snohomish (WA) counties have been trying to put together on their own - a way to encourage long term care facilities to beef up their emergency plans. After talking with some facility managers and owners, they felt they needed something that would help them in the marketing of their facility - and thus the idenification as a "Red Cross Ready Rating" business would be a selling point. We are looking into utilizing this Red Cross program that has already been set up to encourage long term care facilities to go beyond their fire safety plans and their required-by-law plans to a full and robust disaster plan that will benefit their clients, staff and the company. The program

We'll keep you updated on the progress. Our first test site is in Everett, WA. Washington Oakes Retirement Community has been working with our group for the past year to help move this project along.

When you can't Drop, Cover, and Hold On

For people who cannot safely DROP, COVER and HOLD ON in response to an earthquake, there are still many protective measures that can be practiced. Some of the most valuable:

• Use arms, to protect head and neck.
• Close eyes, as eyelids provide some protection from dust and debris.
• Lock wheels, if in a wheelchair, to prevent extra movement.
• Learn how to fall, to minimize injury if you are thrown to the ground.
• Reduce or remove hazards, to make the physical environment support personal safety. Example: use museum wax to keep pictures and breakable items in place.
• Practice “safety eyes”, taking care to notice and avoid any particular danger zones.

Have more questions about what to do if you can’t Drop, Cover and Hold On? Share your comments on this 5-Minute Message on CARD's Blog from your partners in preparedness,
Ana-Marie Jones and Scott McCormick CARD -- Collaborating Agencies Responding to Disasters 1736 Franklin Street, Suite 450 Oakland, CA 94612-3456phone: 510-451-3140 fax: 510-451-3144

Preparedness workshop for people with disabilities

I just participated in the second of several preparedness trainings for people who are clients of The Center for Independence in Lakewood, WA. The Center received a grant last fall from the Christopher and Dana Reeves Foundation to provide these workshops, which includes each person going away with a three-day kit, and some knowledge of how to prepare and how to ask if the homes they are living in are prepared for emergencies and disasters.

I was extremely impressed with the staff's commitment to this workshop - for a demonstration, each staff member showed what part of the preparation they themselves each did. They also talked about the measures they've added in their own agency as a result of their researching the preparedness workshop. The first training was held only two days before a major snowstorm, and Sue Thompson, one of their staff, said it made her feel a little better knowing that there were a dozen or so more people out there ready for the winter.

Definition of High Risk Populations?

This is a big question. My short answer, when anyone asks me, is "anybody who thinks they are" - because that is how they are going to act in a disaster. This is also my reasoning for preparing people for emergencies and disasters, so they then "don't think they are."

I'd love to hear how you define this unique group. At one workshop I attended several years ago, the presenter asked us to help her list the members of this population. After she filled a white board with (legitimate) high risk groups, it seemed like the only group that wasn't listed was healthy white males between the ages of 21 and 39.

I participated in a state after action report for the 2006 December Western Washington windstorm event, and the 'official' definition of high risk populations for this document (which we adopted for our county planning purposes as well) is "Individuals who have high risk for harm from an emergency due to significant limitations in their personal care or self-protection abilities, mobility; vision, hearing, communication, or health status. These limitations may be the result of physical, mental or sensory impairments; or medical conditions. Some of these individuals may be reliant on specialized supports such as mobility aides (wheelchairs, walkers, canes, crutches, etc.), communication systems (hearing aides, TTY’s, etc.), medical devices (ventilators, dialysis, pumps, monitors, etc.), prescription medication, or personal attendants. For some individuals, loss of these supports due to emergency related power and communication outages, or transportations and supply disruptions, may be the primary or only risk factor."

Any opinions out there?

April 21 Seminar "Death in Disasters"

The Pierce County (WA) Department of Emergency Management High Risk Populations Disaster Planning Coalition is pleased to present its next quarterly Disaster Readiness Seminar "Death in Disasters: Fatality planning and response for disasters" on April 21 (see attached flyer). The seminar is being held at the Weatherly Inn, 6016 North Highlands Parkway in Tacoma, from 9 to 10:30 a.m.

Panelists for the seminar include:
-Onora Lien, Mass Fatalities Response Planner
Public Health of Seattle-King County

-Frank Sebastian,Team Leader (Acting)
DMORT Region 10 (Disaster Mortuary Team)

-Gini Dryer-Dow,Funeral Director
Weeks-Dryer Funeral Home, Spanaway

The seminar is free of charge, and open to anyone who is interested. Please RSVP by April 17th to sbadger@co.pierce.wa.us or 253-798-2204.

To registry or not to registry...

One of the issues that always comes up in discussions regarding high risk population disaster planning is the issue of registries - should those that have challenges evacuating or those that need welfare checks after disasters be put on a 'list' for first responders? What type of list? How is it maintained? Who has access to it?

If you have any examples, or viewpoints on this issue, please comment.

Emergency Planning Institute Spring Class

The Emergency Planning Institute is a 12-hour class sponsored by the Pierce County (WA) Department of Emergency Management which is targeted toward social service agencies, long term care facilities and anyone else who is interested in putting together or improving their organization's emergency plan.

Due to the great response from the participants in the first Emergency Planning Institute class, we will be offering these classes twice a year. The next class schedule is:

Friday, April 24 from 8 am to 12 p.m.
at Pierce County Emergency Operations Center in Tacoma
Session 1: Incident Command/Introduction to Disasters - Overview

Monday, May 4 from 8 am to 12 p.m.
at TACID (Tacoma Area Coalition of Individuals with Disabilities) in Tacoma
Session 2: Plans and Procedures

Friday, May 22 from 8 am to 12 pm
at TACID (Tacoma Area Coalition of Individuals with Disabilities) in Tacoma
Session 3: How to…Update, Train and Exercise

We ask that participants commit to all three classes. Click here for the registration form. Classes are limited in size to 20 people. The application deadline is April 8.

For more information, contact sbadger@co.pierce.wa.us at Pierce County Department of Emergency Management.

'Carrier Alert' partnership to help vulnerable adults

People who live alone and consider themselves vulnerable can feel a bit safer thanks to Carrier Alert, a new partnership between the Tacoma Post Office and the Pierce County Aging and Disability Resource Center.

Carrier Alert utilizes the unique daily presence of local letter carriers who keep a watchful eye on seniors and individuals with disabilities. Carriers notify the Aging and Disability Resource Center if they have a concern about one of their customers. An ADRC specialist then makes safety checks with calls to the home or the emergency contacts of registered participants.

The free program is designed to assist older adults and people with disabilities who live alone. There is no qualification to participate other than for Individuals to identify themselves as potentially vulnerable and to complete a Carrier Alert application form. They must have their own mail box.

Participating communities include Browns Point, Fife, Fircrest, Lakewood, Parkland, Steilacoom, Tacoma, Tillicum and University Place. Application forms for Carrier Alert are available at post offices in participating communities as well as Tacoma Public Libraries and Pierce County Library branches in those areas.

If something raises concerns, a carrier calls the Aging and Disability Resource Center at 253-798-4600. ADRC specialists then call the home, contact emergency numbers or make a physical check of the home.

CONTACT: Dennis Shimomura, Customer Relations Coordinator, Tacoma Post Office, 253-471-6028 or dennis.m.shimomura@usps.gov; Bob Riler, Pierce County Aging & Long Term Care, 253-798-7384 or briler@co.pierce.wa.us.

Flyer for High Risk Populations Disaster Planning Summit

Click here for the invitational flyer for the 2009 Pierce County High Risk Populations Disaster Planning Summit.

Collaborating Agencies Responding to Disasters (CARD)

Here is a link to another blog with great information for emergency preparedness and disaster response resources for nonprofits and community agencies serving people with special needs. Pierce County utilizes some of its training curricula for the Emergency Planning Institute is just implented at the end of last year.

http://blog.cardcanhelp.org/

Vulnerable Populations Action Teams

Public Health - Seattle & King County has formed a Vulnerable Populations Action Team (VPAT) to coordinate countywide preparedness efforts with a wide variety of community partners. The team includes a diverse cross section of staff with public health expertise in vulnerable populations, preparedness and infectious diseases. First efforts focus on influenza pandemic planning, with other emergencies included as partnerships and networks are strengthened.

For additional information on what VPAT is doing in Seattle and King County, go to their website - http://www.kingcounty.gov/healthservices/health/preparedness/VPAT.aspx

Monthly meetings

There is a monthly meeting of the Pierce County High Risk Populations Disaster Planning Coalition, which is open to the public. The Coalition meets on the 4th Tuesday of the month from 9 to 11 am at Pierce County Human Services, 3580 Pacific Ave in Tacoma.

Save the Date - 2009 High Risk Populations Disaster Planning Summit

Planning has already started for the 2009 Pierce County High Risk Populations Disaster Planning Summit! This year it is on Tuesday, June 9th from 7:30 to noon at the Oasis of Hope Center, 1937 South G St. in Tacoma.

This is our third summit, and each year it gets better and better. This year we will have a presentation on a nursing home evacuation during the January 2009 flooding; a panel on disaster medications; and some networking opportunities. We hope you will join us. Registration is free, and you can RSVP to sbadger@co.pierce.wa.us anytime.

The picture at the right is from last year's Summit - over 150 people attended from over 110 different agencies and organizations. Participants included representatives from long term care providers, social service agencies, law enforcement, fire departments, military, the deaf and hard of hearing community, homeless providers, local, county and state governments, and others.

'When the Unexpected Happens: Learn How to Prepare'

Last July, the Pierce County High Risk Populations Disaster Planning Coalition decided to put a 10-minute preparedness video together to target people who are in the high risk categories. This can be used by pretty much everyone, because it discusses basic preparedness principles. To view the video, go to the following web page, and click on the link below the picture of the flooding river.

http://www.co.pierce.wa.us/pc/abtus/ourorg/dem/pubed.htm

Disaster Training for people who are Homeless

Last summer (2008), a subcomittee of the Pierce County Homeless Coalition decided to expand its disaster preparedness focus to not only the homeless providers, but the homeless population as well. Two trainings are offered every other month - a two-hour overview of first aid/CPR (taught by the Red Cross) and a two-hour overview of neighborhood disaster preparedenss. After the first session on the two-hour first aid/CPR overview, the 14 participants were asked if they would want to sit through an eight-hour class for their certification. Several weeks later, 10 people were Red Cross-certified.

Here is an article from the local paper http://www.thenewstribune.com/merryman/story/540056.html

Current Projects

Pierce County Emergency Management hired a Vulnerable Populations Coordinator two years ago, and since then, the coordinator has been working with high risk population providers, advocates and individuals to better prepare for emergencies and disasters.

Our 2009 Project list is:

• Include populations we are serving by inviting them into the planning process (including LEP populations) – target is five active representatives by end of year
• Create an Emergency Medication Task Force - the question of medications keeps coming up in all of our discussions, and we'd like to move forward on looking at some possible solutions.
• Create and implement a social services survey - emergency preparedness/readiness - 30% return rate
• Plan and coordinate High Risk Population Disaster Planning Summit with a 10% increase in attendance
• Pursue funding for 20 HAM radios for placement in facilities; coordinate training and licensing staff as operators (at least three per facility).
• Using technology, making the disaster presentations (actually, anything) multimedia accessible
• Continue with the monthly trainings for people who are homeless – rotating at different locations – including full CPR/First Aid certification classes
• Create and offer three trainings on ICS (pre-ICS) using the CARD method
• Offer three ICS 100/700 trainings
• Develop and coordinate quarterly Disaster Readiness Seminars throughout the year
• Hold two Emergency Preparedness Institute classes
• Coordinate 30 Disaster Preparedness trainings for HRP provider employees and/or clients
• Coordinate planning for a Pierce County Medical Needs Sheltering plan
• Coordinate UASI Long Term Care Facility Emergency Readiness Pilot project

If anyone wants more information on the above, please feel free to contact Sheri Badger (me) at sbadger@co.pierce.wa.us