Nov 3, 7:51 AM
Vanessa Fletcher wrote:
As a disable person I feel safer knowing that there is a plan and people that are really considering alternatives. I want a mirror and a flash light because I live in a rural island area. Thankyou.
Archive for the ‘10/18/2007 - Hilo’ Category
Comments (2007 Hawaii Emergency Preparedness)
November 21, 2007CONSOLIDATED NOTES FOR 2007 ACTION PLAN (GOALS 6-7)
November 21, 2007Goal 6
K1 In background statement, second line:
● Premise that equivalent notification should be provided may need to be modified for [persons with] cognitive disabilities who need to depend on [social service] agencies and or care givers
K2 Spell [out] acronyms
K3 Emphasize that redundancy of notification is important (in background statement)
K4 No one system works for all and people may not pay attention until they hear the message the third or fourth time
K5 Long term care facilities need same advances, lead time as hospitals – general comment
K6 Would like to have more specifics on contacting populations with developmental disabilities and who are Deaf – general comment
K7 Reword Goal 6 to read: SCD mechanisms will make available information in accessible formats
M1 Shelters – can they charge cell phones, black berries, etc.
M2 Notification based on use of electricity – need alt. power
● Radio stations need backup generator
● People need battery radio
M3 Stations need updates at 15 minute intervals – many stations not ‘live’ – list which station to turn to
KON1 Project Lifesaver – bracelet triangulation monthly battery check. Only effective on Big Island. May be good for very vulnerable population. (Cost is $30 a year, expense of a battery replacement, the county has this technology.)
KON2 Ensure each agency with client caseload has an “emergency tree [phone] system” [to contact clients in the case of an emergency]
KON3 Sirens [are] nonfunctioning [currently] – some don’t go off. Need multiple level system [of emergency notification]. For [example, in the case of a] local tsunami, there is no enough time to alert [residents].
KON4 [Sirens] Differentiate [among tsunami] near ocean versus others – different sounds mean different action
● Need to educate tourists on [the different sounds and type of emergency]
KON5 Ensure all radio, television, utility have back-up generators and stay operational
KON6 Satellite communication systems? Status?
KON7 Develop a symbol which means “take action” for [an] emergency
● Different for each emergency, adapt from Department of Labor and Natural Resources signs
KON8 “Symbol” [would] pop up on cell phone, Department of Transportation road signs, [and in] laser light shows, [as well as] computers
KON9 Lifeline service – notify people [who use this services as a] “reverse Lifeline”
KON10 All providers – cell and regular phones and pagers
KON11 Loudspeaker for tsunami – trucks in neighborhoods (low tech)
KON12 Networking – CERT teams, caregivers, postal carriers, care-homes, homeowner subdivisions – condo associations, service club
KON13 Cognitive disability – work through caregiver or family
H1 Expand wording to reflect notification of emergency in addition to evacuation.
How to warn people (other than relying on friend) who are deaf or blind?
O1 Draw “X” on person’s back
O2 Buddy system – COBWEB image
O3 Sprint – notify in emergency (have program to subscribe – on trial now for people who are deaf & hard of hearing
O4 SNAP – Video Relay Service (VRS) – relay video
O5 HOVRS
O6 Civil Defense
● Use flag & hoist at various location (store, mall, school – Red Alert)
● System & strobe with own power
O7 Weather service – self subscribe; need to promote – NOAA.gov
O8 Layer from: no-tech, low-tech, hi-tech
O9 Remember notification in middle of night – most systems not in place
● Flares in night – use military
O10 Notification system in condos
O11 S.O.S.
O12 Need to ensure that siren system is working, especially at night
O13 Use neighborhood watch system
O14 HPR used to give out info (statewide)
● Based on geographic area
O15 Neighborhood notification board
O16 Crime stoppers – Emergency Watch
O17 Town crier / block watch – depend on human
O18 Reverse 911 – self subscribe
O19 Encourage use of old (wired, plug into telephone jack) phones
O20 Back up generator for Oceanic Cable vision for phone.
● If power goes down, no phone
O21 Satellite phones – will they work?
O22 Manual Siren – tsunami
O23 Sprint notification system when developed will reach all subscribers
Objective 6.1
K1 State Civil Defense (SCD) should monitor TV captioning and crawl as it is aired
K2 Note that purpose of TV alert is only warning to direct person to alternate source for more specific information
K3 Need to differentiate ALERT NOTIFICATION from INFORMATION
M1 Please identify ‘all broadcast media’
H1 Radio in Kona only caught Maui. If emergency on one island, all islands should broadcast.
Objective 6.2
M1 Explain Blog
M2 Teach people to register for emergency notification
O1 Add video relay at SCD
O2 Back up generator for radio station
O3 Video Relay Service (VRS) – if it is faster to get. DSL, then teletypewriter for the deaf (TTY) not best choice
O4 Notify agencies (residential services) that serve PWD in advance – how long in advance
Objective 6.3
K1 Add universal pictures or pictograms or symbols for emergency on website – some people may not read words but would understand pictures.
K2 Add other sites such as Kauai.gov, Hawaii.gov to list
Objective 6.4
K1 Add cognitive
K2 Check emergency email.org as possible alert paging system
K3 Health insurance company (HMSA, Kaiser, Medicare, Medicaid)
K4 Initiate system with ISP to post notice on website as soon as you log in
K5 Put “Flash” audio warning on Kauai.gov website (check with ISPs) other websites
Objective 6.5
K1 Reverse 911 – problem to keep up list. Therefore system should be self-register or subscribe and unsubscribe
K2 First responders and persons with special needs are target but system can be open to all
K3 Kauai.gov ensure staff 24/7 and link to fire and police
K4 Do not limit objective to reverse 911 (instant messaging or other systems may be as appropriate as reverse 911)
Objective 6.6
M1 Teletypewriters (TTYs) for the deaf – low on list
M2 Look at text messaging
M3 Get text message from cell phone company
M4 Repetition, duplication
M5 Lifeline systems – activate call
M6 Maui County status of Reverse 911?
M7 Different sounds with sirens
M8 Educate public to use phone books
M9 HAM radios – still being used?
M10 Molokai & Lanai – check re: notification
M11 Advanced (before general public) notice
● Agencies, senior housing, home care, long term care
● How much advance notice depends on type of emergency?
● (Legality?) Case managers in state
M12 Town bulletins (Paul Revere)
M13 E-mail good in some situations
M14 Warning signs on roads
M15 Flashing strobe
M16 Individual Service Plans (ISP) – Developmental Disabilities Division (DDD) for notification
M17 Check fire department – people on ventilators
● Durable medical equipment – liability?
● Public libraries – handouts
● Amber Alert – not on Maui
M18 School can give out emergency card to parents (shelter info)
M19 TV commercials
M20 Have a designated radio station – (KMVI) – Maui
M21 List of providers – add to 1st responders
M22 Register with system where people get benefits (social worker, to then go out) – Social Security or welfare
M23 Radio
New Objective
K1 Initiate Statewide public service campaign on siren system, especially to information visitors
K2 Have Hawaiian’s Tel Relay Service initiate calls to all TTY users for notification. Have Oceanic, etc. text messages to subscribers
Other Comments
H1 Plan should take into account what will work in an emergency – especially in earthquake (Radio station no back up power)
H2 Distinguish hurricane from earthquake because amount of notification.
H3 Updated interpreter list – make sure they can go to a TV station
H4 People who are Deaf just don’t get information
H5 Need to plan for no electricity or communication system
H6 Reverse 911 – phone, cell, pager, voice & text
● Who will be contacted?
● Will it be self-registry?
H7 Many DD clients live alone – can’t read or speak
H8 Develop symbols for those who are high visual or can’t read/understand symbols exist but not used in notification (county has new signs for tsunami areas)
H9 Police – can they go out and flash lights?
H10 Big Island word of mouth (rural)
● Text will work longer than voice on phones
H11 Reverse 911 – 1st responders then general public until system shuts down
H12 AM / FM station ok. HAM radios ok
H13 E-net (Hawaiian Paradise Park) – bullhorn within the community – very local level; use CERT or neighborhood (police) watch citizens’ corps.
H14 Community Association President is called during emergency. Include condo association in Kona.
H15 Check with other places – Safe place – Austin, TX
H16 In Flossie – DOH notified DDD and all OHCA facilities of impending disaster.
H17 In reverse 911, priorities to TTY users text msg.
H18 Use informal support (neighbors) through large agencies to notify people
H19 Register database. Use Office on Aging – vans used for evacuation; for notification?
H20 Reverse Life Alert implement (waiver can pay)
H21 Neighborhood notification system
H22 Develop program for HAM radios
H23 Ensure all sirens are functional. *DD priority
H24 DOH says that if you experience earthquake, get out. 20 minutes
H25 Puna – lava outbreaks alert now
H26 Alert PAs and caregivers to tell their clients – top priority for reverse 911
H27 Habitat for Humanity – include safe room in their projects
H28 Pre-taping generic announcements with captioning or interpreting
H29 Neighbors – 1st line of redundancy. Set up notification system at local level -community based phone tree / network
H30 Rebates for purchase of HAM radio and flashlights manual or not dependent on electricity / battery
H31 Alert sticker on home / business
H32 Federal Communication Commission (FCC) regulation limits local stations change regulations?
H33 Green Harvest – drop info / bullhorn
H34 Homeless disabled – care-a-van notification and outreach workers (private non-profit) and police
H35 Establish announcements on road signs
H36 Program street lights – flashing light (code lights)
H37 Link flashers with tsunami warnings (code lights)
H38 Utility company to contact those dependent on electricity – check with medical supply companies.
Goal 7
K1 Comments on evacuation – general
● The amount of time is a factor in providing transportation
● Hurricanes may have days warning notice to allow for transportation and evacuation
● Tsunami generated elsewhere may be a matter of a few hours notice
● Tsunami generated locally may be as little notice as half an hour
● In the case of a tsunami, there can be no evacuation for isolated or hard to reach areas (Ha`ena to Hanalei, as example) due to lack of time. Evacuation with transportation is only realistic with a hurricane due to advanced notice.
● Emphasize that mass transit is the preferred means instead of private automobile to get to shelter
● Resolve liability issue
M1 Maui Economic Opportunity (MEO) and Roberts both in inundation zone. Need to move their assets if tsunami as top priority
M2 Time of day affects where you move people (work to home, home to shelter)
M3 Tsunami vs. hurricane (most severe) affects response
M4 Frail elderly – many cannot use buses
M5 Need central dispatch for Kaunoa
M6 Identify gas stations operable
M7 How soon after evacuate?
M8 Shelters – when full can or should you transport to the shelters?
M9 Maui County Transportation will respond to County Civil Defense (CD) for “unique transport situations. Keep mass transit operating as long as possible. Then revert to on-call to CD. Cannot respond to any individual public request.
M10 Emphasize personal plan
M11 County to take over all buses in disaster
M12 Set up an ohana (neighbor) response to provide transportation to PWD and elderly who are isolated. – CERT is limited to specific emergency.
M13 Use of rental cars, taxi
KON1 Realities showed that trying to move people is more of a risk than people staying in place
KON2 Question whether there is any realistic option in Kona – keep in the plan so that issue is not lost
KON3 All buses must be lift accessible
KON4 Rural Kona – difficulty in getting in and out of client’s home due to isolation and poor [road or travel] conditions [therefore] shelter in place
KON5 Alternate arterial roadway system
H1 MOA to use vehicles – not county has authority to take private vehicles or facilities
H2 County Transportation needs to respond to a voluntary list of people with disabilities to transport. (County Office of Aging will activate for their clients)
H3 Activate the school buses and develop a registry of drivers who are able to drive a bus or van. Create incentive for those with Commercial Drivers License (CDL) to be activated.
H4 Tax incentive to trucking companies whose drivers would be activated in emergency.
O1 TheBus – Oahu – buses will have notice to transport to shelter
O2 Maile Alert System – electricity
O3 Electronic system on highways
O4 TTY is not a good way – because it is becoming obsolete
O5 Transportation depends on amount of advance notice
O6 Handi Van will not transport if emergency announced. Will try to pick up clients, if possible
O7 Roberts, Gomes – bus has capability to transport – van pool? Agencies servicing PWD have vans.
O8 Military – active duty, reserve – limited use for transportation in flood, might evacuate
O9 Agreements to use school buses and tourist buses
O10 Transport to shelter ahead of time? Need to open Level II
O11 Direct service workers – protect families first
New Objective
K1 Tie transportation registries into “neighborhood evacuation” group or CERT teams
K2 The paratransit list is too limited
K3 Coordinate with utility companies to notify people of emergency, include if they have transportation needs. Kauai utility company has a registry already. [Notify the following groups by phone:]
● Special needs
● Medical
● Elderly
K4 Establish County agreements to share use of private vehicles (e.g. with long term facilities) to increase [transportation] capacity
K5 Coordinate with transportation services for medical trips
CONSOLIDATED NOTES FOR 2007 ACTION PLAN (GOALS 4-5)
November 21, 2007Goal 4
K1 Document own needs
•Pre-registration for ALL shelters
•Prescription
•Contact number
•Department of Health form to use (to give to public)
K2 Fire department
•Volunteer stickers (Symbol for person with a disability, i.e., symbolic representation of person using a wheelchair, pet)
K3 Standardized identification for persons with disabilities/special health needs
•Item in emergency kit
•Part of the county brochure – use that “Hurricane readiness”
•Wallet-sized
K4 Develop system to fill out form (including foreign language)
K5 Collaboration to include health provider in discussion (especially if [person] speaks foreign language)
K6 Provide information to
•parents
•health insurance company (HMSA, Kaiser, Medicare, Medicaid)
K7 What can we learn from Hurricane ‘Iwa and ‘Iniki? Use past experience
K8 Agency listing – include the Americans with Disabilities (ADA) Coordinator, Center for Independent Living (CIL),
Area Agency on Aging (AAA)
•Need to designate agency to maintain list
K9 Education campaign
•Use what’s in media now re: disaster [preparation]
•Community meetings
•School system, insurance
•Internet
•Health fairs
•Fun runs
•State fairs/county fair information booths
K10 Use senior companion program for education (and senior centers)
K11 Develop natural supports/buddy system
K12 Staff positions to teach facilities to review and make functional evaluation plans
K13 As shelters are designated (Level II), post information in places to inform the public
K14 People register for shelters
•Estimate how many people will use shelters (although not everyone will show up)
•American Red Cross can determine staffing needs for shelter
K15 First responder liability (when not on duty)
K16 Recovery phase – Need to develop short term and long term plans
K17 Visitors
•Hotels – involve in planning
•Registration – of persons with severe health needs or physical needs
•Inform of own responsibilities
•Provide information card to visitor at hotel registration
K18 Client information
•Picture ID – address
•Homeless – physical description of location where they regularly stay
•Database and paper file
K19 Provider agencies – give services/get information / provide information
K20 Partner with pharmacist when people get their prescription
•Contact form – gather information and provide education
•Contact form /provide information (minimum supply /O2 [oxygen])
K21 Release of information /share information forms (agencies to share information with each other)
K22 PSA – educational (residents and visitors)
K23 Shut-ins brochure to provide information on emergency preparedness
•1-1 staff to educate person /make plan
•1-1 staff to help execute plan
K24 Develop specialized agency for this purpose
•Educate community (people with disabilities, persons who are elderly, families and agencies)
•Set up database
•Maintain database
K25 Use civic organizations as partner
•Education
•Buddy system
K26 Churches – member list
K27 Electric company – has listings (persons with severe health needs, medical, and elderly
•Bill insert – for educating
•Software with programmable message (within one year)
K28 Education PSAs – “Help your neighbor” campaign
•Care providers
K29 Physician’s offices distribute information
K30 Live broadcasting
•Internet – streaming media
•Information – in a PDF format
•Blog
•Radio
K31 Community Meetings – for public education
•Neighborhood Watch
•Have voluntary registry of people who need assistance
K32 DOH annual assessments – check form to identify if education is needed or to request meeting
K33 Ethnic or cultural associations
K34 District meetings
•Discuss needs
•To improve communication between parties
K35 Mandate emergency planning and evacuation as part of the “Plan of Care”
•For people who are Medicaid regulations, Hawaii Administrative Rules (HAR), developmental disability (DD), or have a mental illness (MI)
•Licensing Hawaii Administrative Rules (HAR) 100 or 89 Adult Residential Care Home (ARCH or Dom Homes)
•Include emergency planning
K36 Agencies contracting with the State of Hawaii
•Include emergency evacuation plan
•Work with Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS) - procurement
K37 Goal 4 – make first sentence an objective
•Make second sentence the goal – “emergency preparedness or evaluation plan in place.”
K38 Use consistent wording
•“emergency preparation” and “emergency evacuation preparation” as these terms don’t mean the same thing – perhaps use “comprehensive emergency planning”
K40 Definition page – include terminology and abbreviations
K41 Outreach to homeless population
•Who is responsible to help develop this plan?
K42 Staffing Level II shelters
•Medical Reserve Corp
K43 Emergency Preparedness Campaign Week (same message – consistency)
•Electricity bill inserts
•First responders
•Television Public Service Announcement (PSA)
•County Plan
•Transportation Plan
•Registration
•Update individual plans annually
K44 Media Campaign
•Disaster mascot (like “Sparky”)
K45 Updated Shelter list
•Publish in newspaper
•Publish in phone book
M1 Department of Health (DOH) – Developmental Disabilities Division (DDD) – in process of meeting with clients
•Provide list of supplies
•Case manager notify clients / parents – meeting with parents / family – Individual Service Plan (ISP)
•Identify shelters – listen to radio – ensure shelter open
•Provide special ID for person with developmental disabilities (bracelets)
•If can’t wait in line at shelter, American Red Cross is looking at “spotters” to see if there is a need to be addressed and can move people out of line
M2 Person with disability – have indicated on State ID card “epilepsy” “diabetes”
M3 Schools – emergency plan
M4 Checklist in phone book
M5 Accurate & update information to disseminate
M6 Public Service Announcement (PSA) – television (elderly prefer)
•*Budget for State Civil Defense (SCD) to do PSAs (LeslieWilcox – Public Broadcasting Station director – contact)
•Use current tsunami card to include more information about person
M7 Portable TV – battery operated
M8 Community Organizations –meetings- establish list of PWD
M9 Churches
M10 Mail-deliver 1 page flyer & stuff in mailboxes – use a large postcard
M11 Emergency medication for Medicaid clients
M12 www.mauiready.org
•Website with emergency info
•Booklet & wallet card, shelter list & map
M13 Disaster kit include:
•Air mattress
•Ziploc bags
•Paper plates
•Incontinent supplies
•Folding shovel
•Use fishing vest with pockets for person in wheelchair to have easy access to items, instead of looking for it in a bag
M14 Insert -Maui news
M15 Identify isolated clients
•Education – provide checklist
•Examples – flashlights
•“Ready to Go Plan”
•*Think of preparation
M16 Information desk / booth at community events (whole day)
M17 Postcard advertising at Internet cafes “Are You Ready?”
M18 Short video – air different stations
M19 Radio announcements
M20 Advertising stickers / magnet – where to go for information
M21 Frank Delima for PSA
M22 Senior fair / health fair – information booths
M23 Maui LTC Partnership (MLTCP) – Maui Health Initiative Task Force (MHITF)
M24 Veterans Organizations – resource for information distribution
M25 Aloha Disaster Network (faith-based group)
M26 Mormon Church
M27 Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD)
M28 Local Emergency Planning Council (Maui Electric Company)
M29 Maui Economic Opportunity (MEO)
M30 Vocational Rehabilitation (VR)
M31 Homeless Community – education
•Anyone working with homeless & emergency preparedness? Are there any existing resources?
•Information exchange
M32 School curriculum to teach kids about emergency preparedness
KON1 Have radios, flashlights and phone [that] work without batteries
KON2 Weather alert – [over the] Internet
•Doesn’t work anymore – how do get it again
KON3 [Pacific Disaster Center, managed by the University of Hawai`i and located on] Maui [could it be used?]
•Inform their staff with respect to people with disabilities
KON4 Shelter in place included in each [personal] evaluation plan?
KON5 Big Island has many different kinds of emergencies
•How do you deal with [all the] variety?
KON6 Let people know all involved – education about all issues
KON7 [Provide] Drills in schools
•Tsunami drills
KON8 Humane society and veterinarians – [when an individual or family] adopts a pet provide information on emergency
KON9 Evacuation [When the] statewide survey [is conducted] – include schools – “Safety week” theme include different variety of
KON10 Agencis [emergency in blogs or disaster have evcuation readiness] issues plan and practice (including hotels)
KON11 Schools need to prepare to keep children if disaster occurs
KON12 [Put information about emergency readiness in the] Phone book
•Information
KON13 [Put out a public service] message to have battery-powered radio (or a crank radio)
H1 HDRC – ice chest – use as a kit. Preparedness
•What would you do? (practice on own and in simulations)
•Assessing if plan will work (reality during emergency)
H3 Standardize part of message
•PSA – captioning / interpreting message
•Posters – for people with mobility impairments; post/mount near water fountain
H4 DOH
•PSAs good
•Health educators part of team (work with district office)
H5 Work with community colleges / high schools and have students work on project
H6 Living in Paradise – Derek Koresu (local stories)
H7 Provide a statewide message and include PWD in general message – safety and emergency prep is statewide issue
H8 Find a way to get more than 30 days worth of medicine (Quest / Medicare / Medicaid) – look at this on larger scale (have back up for emergency – rotate supplies)
H9 *Legislation for monies for PSA
H10 Beacon lights – mount on homes to indicate “special needs” home
H11 Work with churches to include PWD in plans
H12 Grocery stores – info table for emergency prep checklist
•Have price cap for cost of items during emergency
•Stay open 24 hours during emergency
H13 *Matson containers
•Use for community storage and can lock for security
•Add lights that blink during emergency
•Can store generators and large supplies
H14 Each family look at own needs – investigate re: being paid back – people with limited income have difficulties
H15 Sprint – text message for people who are Deaf
H16 TV – text and have an American Sign Language interpreter
H17 Community forums
H18 Agencies serving PWD
•Responsible to educate clients, families, direct service worker (DSW) / personal care attendant (PCA), community based providers
•Easter Seals does education; has phone tree and will contact families to inform them of disaster and having plan in place
•Share plans
H19 Keaau Youth Business Center (include in discussion)
•Has audio visual equipment
•Cyd Hoffeld (contact person) to create educational video
H20 Have back up plan if no power for cell phones
H21 Emergency prep planning (include all groups – include churches)
H22 Foodbank for planning to gather food for those without food
H23 Employers / airlines – provide education (brochures)
H24 Worry about tourist, homeless
O1 Reword, summarize it
•Use action word 1st “Develop and Implement a Personal Emergency Readiness / Preparedness Campaign (Larry Littleton to come up with wording)
•Preparedness includes evacuation
•Clarify Goal 4 – Develop goal and then disseminate
•Develop statewide outreach program
Objective 4.1
M1 Message ideas
•”You are Responsible”
•”Shelter in Place”
•”Are You Prepared?”
M2 Get car charger for cell phone
M3 Being prepared means having gas in your car
M4 County Fair / Fundraiser / Walks – information booths – caregivers walk
M5 Department of Human Services (DHS) – Do mail-out with Medicaid / Med Quest
M6 Preparation – have medication ready
KON1 General message about readiness with website listed (on-going messages) – Shelter in place message [broadcast]
•Film for windows (broadcast where to purchase)
KON2 How to get message out to people with disabilities so that it’s understandable
KON3 [Utilize traffic or transportation] Message boards (digital) [to alert the public of impending emergency]
KON4 One message – yellow flashing light means “turn on [your] radio” [to learn about emergency]
KON5 Include the Department of Health Communications Office, [contact] Janice Okubo
KON6 Put up two FM towers to improve communication system in rural/remote areas (Puna, Oceanview, Ka`u, and H1 Kohala)
H1 Simple statewide slogan. Use a “short and sweet message”
•”Be Emergency Ready” & pictures
•”Readiness Alert Information”
H2 PCA / DSW – training for self and client to be ready
H3 Agencies have in place as part of Medicaid Waiver Contracts – annual plan review (have plan outline for provider)
H4 For clients – part of Individual Service Plan (ISP), but not “real”
•Practice (basic)
•Families / case managers need to work on developing natural supports and community contracts
H5 Downtown associations / malls / Small Business Association (SBA) – outreach and training – use posters
H6 Bus stops near ocean
•Stop operations – normal transportation not operational
•Be aware of action plan and practice
H7 Agencies – post maps and emergency evacuation plan for people to see and use
H8 County Civil Defense – design standardized signage for emergencies (symbols and color)
H9 Community groups in various geographic areas can begin to inform public
H10 Department of Education (DOE) train children every quarter on how to be ready for emergency – when working with “deaf-blind” person write “XX” on back means it is emergency and need to follow them now and it will be explained later
H11 “Making Your Own Connections for Notification of Emergency”
•For people with communication difficulties
•Don’t wait – go now (if any questions, go now)
•”Planning, planning, planning” (with practice)
H12 How can a person send universal “S.O.S” if they are in trouble or need assistance?
•Personal signaling device ($30/mo)(Lifesaver program)
H13 Include alternative format
•Simple language or graphics
•If you know someone who needs alternate format, do this.. . (go to website, radio, etc)
H14 If you are okay, check on your neighbor
H15 Message – send to workers who work with PWD or kids with disabilities to help family to figure out needs – develop, practice, implement plan
O1 Use identifiable personality
O2 Private/public partnership
•Phone book information (ensure information is accessible and page number, update what’s in phone book) used to provide information in Braille – not now; include phone number to have information provided on tape
•Use “Katrina” to get information out (“Remember Katrina – Are you prepared?”
•Cable TV – emergency evacuation information – provide in large print and spoken (accessibility)
O3 County and State Civil Defense
•Use city bus and cab to advertise/post information
O4 Get to blind consumers – National Federation of the Blind (NFB), American Federation of the Blind (AFB)
O5 Channel – how to reach blind community, wheelchair users and general population
O6 Footnote – add accessibility for people who are blind
•Medium – Braille, large print, print, electronic (ensure it’s available to deaf-blind people)
O7 Mascot (contest to select one) – age appropriate
O8 Motto “Always be prepared”
O9 Include “gum”, “squeeze ball”, “worry beads” in kits for stress relief
Objective 4.2
K1 Challenge agencies to ensure clients have individual plans
H1 Good to continue to work with all agencies – Hawaii Waiver Providers Association
•Working with consumers with disabilities
•Do collaboration with them at DOH
H2 Home health care collaborate
•Hawaii Health Care Association
•Primary Care Association
H3 People with mental health issues – include in education and planning (DOH –Adult Mental Health Division (AMHD), Child & Adolescent Mental Health Division (CAMHD), private organizations) – *information on support services Mental Health (MH) Transformation Grant available
O1 Clarify purpose for listing of agencies (what will be done with list)
•Agencies on list – what can do during emergency and after disaster (Hawaii VOAD group)
•Add Hawaii Centers for Independent Living (HCIL), Honolulu Police Department (HPD), Honolulu Fire Department (HFD)
O2 Develop one phone number for emergency information (211, 711, etc.)
O3 Provide accessible information form at phone company, electric company, gas company (for cooking purposes)
O4 One-stop-shop for emergency evacuation needs
O5 Assistance for people with cognitive disorders to assemble kits
•Sylvia Yuen – Center on the Family (UH). Scatter gram to look at cluster of PWD (census data)
O7 Kupuna Program
O8 Number itself detracts from objective
O9 Delete “form the foundation of”, and replace with “information dissemination” (Keep language simple)
•Making list of organization serving persons with special needs
O10 Definition section
O11 Ok way it was
O12 Deaf information hotline / emergency alert (free) – text
O13 Comic book
O14 Be sensitive to Health Insurance Portability and Accounting Act (HIPAA) confidentiality requirements
O15 Include Department of Education (DOE), University of Hawaii (UH) & Community Colleges (CC)
Objective 4.3
K1 Change the wording
•“individuals who need level II shelters.”
•Use people first language through out the document and label Shelters Level II not Level II individuals
M1 Each agency working with PWD / SHN – have agency emergency preparedness plan
M2 Use agency email lists to send out emergency info (i.e. Special Olympics)
M3 Designate agency to order /assemble / distribute disaster kits
•*Use civic organizations (Lions, Rotary, etc.) to fundraise to purchase kits
M4 Educate Foodbank staff – will need to distribute food during emergency
M5 Collect water – catchments
KON1 Check about National Emergency Preparation Month (September – annually)
•October 21, 2007 Is the `Ohana Outreach Fair
•Outreach and counseling to earthquake victims [from a year ago]
KON2 Include Hawai`i Disability Rights Center in interagency work group
KON3 Communication disconnect at various stages of government
•State and County
•Agencies: development of materials (example Hawai`i Disability Rights Center [developed] forms in isolation)
KON4 Use plan in other places
•Plans [should] have outcomes
•This is not a “vision” – it is on-going
•Designate lead agencies to work with clients; [this is] occurring
KON5 Who explains 20 shelters but only two are operational?
KON6 Who is the point of contact for involvement in this plan? How can they be involved?
KON7 Communication, even across [this] island about plans can be severe disconnect; often exclude persons with
H1 Evening trainings – families and friends and PWD – Churches who may be responsible for various areas
H2 Need money to purchase kits – grants / money from civic organizations to buy and assemble kits (kits with wheels)
H3 Ace Hardware – at Christmas – asks for money donations and assembled kits for people who are homeless
H4 Offer evening trainings to families and friends
H5 Anxiety and stress levels increase during and after event
H6 Use video for some information – already developed – online version of training – distance learning
H7 Make available on public access channel
H8 Resource -Mental Health Division
H9 Educate state employees with family members with disabilities about emergencies
H10 Hawaii Visitors Bureau
•Train the trainers on critical stress management
•Volunteer de-briefing
H11 Include “calming” foods / techniques in disaster kits (teas but no coffee or chocolate)
O1 Multilingual and in accessible format
O2 Broaden into agencies providing services
O3 Include QUEST – Aged, Blind & Disabled (ABD) population
O4 Simplify language
•Use one term (defined at beginning of plan) for who the target population is and use one term throughout the Plan
•At beginning – include that we must have the ADA in the forefront of our minds
O5 Maintain multilingual wording (separate objective) (demographic on language – use information from that)
O6 Where is cultural aspect addressed?
O7 Define “agency” “everybody”
O8 Status on work with people who are elderly
O9 Report on status of clients served by state agencies (which populations completed)
Objective 4.4
K1 Challenge agencies to ensure clients have individual plans
H1 Developmental Disabilities Division (DDD) – attached with ISP
•Done as annual planning process
•Clients have plans / kits (encourage families to have plans and kits also)
H2 ??Department of Human Services (DHS) Progress on Big Island
H3 ??DOH AMHD and CAMHD – status on Big Island
KON1 Can we get some emergency kits for care home clients?
KON2 Where are the nearest shelters?
KON3 How can we get to the shelters? [For Goal 7]
KON4 Neighborhood readiness: in case of emergency, focus [will be on the provision of] water, sewage [service provision]
KON5 Care facilities dilemma – know what need to do but cannot people who need care get there
KON6 Rural areas – longer wait for service
•Infrastructure missing (ex., Lack of building inspectors). No registry of building inspectors.
•Two county building inspectors – need to increase the number. This is a county issue. [However] the county call the state for a solution
KON7 Communication between the government liaison and city and count and state systems – need to identify these breakdowns in responsibility and where to create change.
KON8 Make system more responsive
KON9 Get information out – county training communities – (CERT contact Ralph Yawata) to be self-sufficient. Take care of their own. Needs to be incorporated into this plan. – Take care of self and own, especially in isolated rural areas
•Do this with neighborhoods (as they do in Hana)
•South Kona, Puna, and Kohala also examples
•Sub-divisions off feeder highways with their own community center such as Cove, Oceanview Estates
KON10 [Create] own registry in [these more isolated] communities
KON11 Personal information doesn’t appear to be concern – not overriding concern. Should this be expanded?
KON12 [The federal] Department of Justice suggested a registry for agencies serving people with disabilities
KON13 People at the Mayor’s Committee for Persons with Disabilities discussed [the idea and implementation of a registry] and were unanimously opposed to it.
KON14 How does one create a registry that does not collect dust [and remains in] use?
KON15 [The] DD Council [has been] discussing this [the idea of a registry] for some time
O1 Adult Mental Health Division (AMDH) working in education of clients
O2 Partner with Health Insurance Companies
O3 Have a guide, checklist, clearinghouse of information (211)
O4 Department of Health (DOH), Developmental Disabilities Division – case managers working first with individuals (statewide) – follow up doing now
O5 Delete “clients” use “customers” or “consumers”
O6 By case managers / providers – put in deadline
Objective 4.5
K1 Combine Objectives 4.4 All state clients needs plan and 4.5 All students need plan
M1 More detail
M2 Make emergency ID for children with disabilities and teach student how to put on during emergency – include one
M3 Parents involved with developing evacuation plan
M4 Department of Education (DOE) – parent / teacher meeting
M5 Train DOE staff – for all students (Public Health Nurses to train DOE staff)
M6 Safety fair – annually at each school – *can make interactive for participants
M7 Involve fire/police departments with planning -*have “Emergency Preparedness Week”
M8 Include disability awareness information at safety fairs – pass out standardized information
M9 *Block watch programs – “Help Your Neighbor Campaign”
M10 Include Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) in educational efforts
M11 Include all tenants / community / realtor associations – develop “Aloha Kits” to distribute
M12 Red Cross – Information on “How to Find Each Other After a Disaster”
M13 Use churches -meetings – work to educate – Office of Social Ministry – Catholic Church
M14 “Aloha Network” -meeting 1/mo – Education Emergencies
•Med Quest -mailing
•”This is where your shelter is…”
M15 ”Make sure you have enough medication.”
M16 Include phone book.. . indicate which shelter is Level II
M17 National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) website
•Hana
•Everyone knows each other
•Everyone know who PWD are
M18 Help each other during crisis
M19 Have emergency kit in car – water & food
M20 Have insurance companies hand out emergency information to members to put together evacuation plan
M21 What are plans for beyond DOE? [University of Hawaii (UH) & Maui Community College (MCC)]
O1 Emergency preparedness in schools – Gene Kaneshiro, DOE; Rodney Iwaski, Department of Education (DOE).
O2 Special Education – has bathrooms and possible generator. Include private schools.
Other Comments
H1 Message needs to be multi-language and culturally appropriate
H2 Need registry on Big Island
H3 Many people living in remote areas have equipment they need to take during evacuation
Goal 5
M1 Health care providers – transporting people – keep emergency kit in car
M2 Why aren’t Adult Residential Care Home (ARCH) plans monitored?
M3 ARCH clients have “direct plan” for Power of Attorney for decisions during disaster
M4 Require disaster kits for each consumer with a disability (Make it standard)
M5 Shelter in place needs:
•Stove
•Water (purification / catchments)
•Medication
•Refrigeration
KON1 Not sure if civil defense procedures are in place
KON2 Check care homes in operation to ensure if they receive state dollars, [assure that they] are accessible
KON3 Improve monitoring and inspections of ICF/SNF
KON4 Who decides if the person wants to stay in place?
KON5 Who is responsible when decision is made [for person with disability to] stay in place?
•Who is liable?
KON6 DDD Case manager doesn’t make decision. Leans toward a person with an informed consent
•May need to pursue further
KON7 If [who hears?] allegations of abuse and neglect, contact state ombudsman’s office
O1 Hawaii Health Systems Corp – Tom Driskill
O2 More comfortable – shelter-in-place
O3 Facility inspection / hardening
O4 Shelter-in-place – staffing needs (short and long term planning)
O5 “Evacuation” not appropriate wording – Disaster mitigation
O6 Add definition of” health care providers”
O7 Remove “evacuation” from 5.1 and 5.2
Objective 5.1
M1 Follow up on dissemination of county guidelines
KON1 Agencies [should] work together
KON2 Add the County Civil Defense
KON3 New technology should be integrated into the plan, for example GPS
KON4 Project Lifesaver – bracelet triangulation monthly battery check. Only effective on Big Island. May be good for very vulnerable population. (Cost is $30 a year, expense of a battery replacement, the county has this technology.)
O1 Remove “evacuation”
Objective 5.2
M1 Follow up on dissemination of county guidelines
H1 County Civil Defense works with individual agencies to develop plan
H2 Need to identify the homes (apartments) with PWD (under Housing and Urban Development – HUD) but not licensed by State – have night managers but no one there 24/7
H3 3,600 students with DA identified by DOE in county of Hawaii
O1 Remove “evacuation”
CONSOLIDATED NOTES FOR 2007 ACTION PLAN (GOALS 1-3)
November 1, 2007
GOAL 1
K1 Reword to “all public shelters shall meet the minimum ADA requirements for Level II shelters”.
K2 Combine OBJECTIVES 1 & 3 and reword.
K3 Change wording from level I to “Level II”.
M1 Add “ADA” to minimum requirement.
M2 Add the word “egress” to the wording.
H1 Add “ADA” to minimum requirement.
O1 Use simple words:”exit, entrance, in, out”.
OBJECTIVE 1.1
K1 Insert “all buildings or sites” in place of schools.
K2 What is meant by “hardening”?
K3 Replace the word community with “emergency evacuation”.
K4 Review use of all terrain chairs at non ADA compliant sites.
M1 Include “UH and community colleges” in the plan.
M2 Spell out ADA.
KON1 Add to wording “other locations’, private schools, county buildings, community centers, etc.
H1 Add “other facilities (private, community centers, etc)”.
O1 Used as emergency evacuation centers.
O2 State & County facilities.
O3 Split Objective 1.1 DOE facilities / other facilities.
OBJECTIVE 1.2
K1 Insert “upgrade current emergency evacuation sites that are not ADA compliant”.
M1 Be more specific to the site.
OBJECTIVE 1.3
K1 Include occupany plus 20%.
K2 Tax credits to private care facilities for retrofitting their own facilities with their own funds.
K3 Use of public funds for retrofit of private facilities.
M1 Add “county buildings and facilities” to the plan.
M2 Minimum requirements should be 120-130 %
KON1 Add “all homes to be accessable”
H1 Add to wording “county & federal buildings”.
H2 Add in Note: “pertains to gov’s administrative directve”.
H3 Add “to include all hardened structures:.
O1 Add “all newly constructed state buildings”.
O2 “Accessible per contractor working with special needs owner”.
OBJECTIVE 1.4
K1 Currently no trained staff for Level II shelters.
K2 Look at evacuees in the general population shelters to assist in Level II shelters.
M1 Add “level II” to the wording.
M2 Insert “DOH shall provide training”.
M3 Also “use other methods of training”.
M4 Add words, “approved by American Red Cross”.
M5 Also add “participate in exercises”.
H1 Governor’s office to direct departments.
H2 Assign all state employees in the event of a disaster under Gov’s directive.
H3 Add ” how to respond to needs”.
H4 Provide funding to the organizations that do the training.
H5 Red Cross to attach module to CNA training.
H6 Need to emphasize cultural sensitivity if Red Cross training.
H7 Have Aging Disability Resource Center (ADRC) do the training.
O1 To include people with disabilities to go thru Red Cross training towork in shelters.
O2 Add Red Cross to be the lead for Level II shelters.
GOAL 2
K1 Add another OBJECTIVE to include tax incentives for builders, developers to plan to use potential shelters.
K2 Add “residential homes”.
M1 State why we want to shelter-in-place. (Stable, consistant, familiar environment).
M2 Cite a study to support the new statement.
O1 Add “every community”.
OBJECTIVE 2.1
K1 Replace the word facility with “structure (home, building, etc)”.
M2 Add the word “home”.
H1 Offer grants to offset costs to private owners.
O1 “Ensure provision of”.
O2 Include grants for private facilities.
OBJECTIVE 2.2
K1 Site visits can be requested from SCD.
H1 Include “encourage care home facilities to work together in an event”.
O1 Include retirement homes.
OBJECTIVE 2.3
K1 Community pitch in to help spread the word.
K2 Change HRS to give tax credits to private care facilities.
M1 Public awareness campaign should consist of —
KON1 Date the objectives.
KON2 Emergency readiness is more important because we have more smaller disasters.
H1 Stress shelter-in-place.
GOAL 3
K1 Shorten Goal 3 wording – “Increase the number of emergency evacuation shelters to support Level II individuals”.
M1 Find out percentage of level II shelters.
M2 Establish a goal for level II increase by a timeline.
M3 Add “as funds become available”.
M4 Create a timeline.
M5 Create a program for funding level II shelters.
H1 Put “increase” at the beginning.
O1 Clarify centers.
OBJECTIVE 3.1
K1 Add Red Cross to list of agencies.
KON1 Add “medication”.
O1 Add “accessable toilet facilities”.
O2 Reword “medication”procedures.
O3 Only have 30 day supply of medications.
OBJECTIVE 3.2
K1 Initial Level II shelters be located close to hospitals for support.
K2 Designate emergency personnel to man Level II shelters.
K3 Add Red Cross to list of agencies.
K4 Add Medical Reserve Corps to list of agencies.
M1 Offer training program to serve level II shelters.
M2 Establish staffing levels.
H1 Have incentives to establish network of staffing.
OBJECTIVE 3.3
K1 Add “minimum training level”.
M1 DOH should organize staffing levels.
H1 All agencies & organizations willing to staff.
O1 Have an incentive program to encourage volunteers to staff Level II shelters.
OBJECTIVE 3.4
K1 Add “voluntary registry, just a list of needs”.
M1 Have local organizations provide input about special needs people in their communities.
M1 Local community identifies special needs.
KON1 Eliminate objective entirely.
H1 Contact all appropriate agencies (county/state) ie: office of aging
H2 ”Identify geographically”.
O1 Add “for planning purposes”.
O2 Follow Samoa’s model, “identify villages”.
OBJECTIVE 3.5
OTHER SUGGESTIONS
K1 Build more shelters for tourists using funds from tourism industry.
K2 Need to add by dates to all OBJECTIVES.
K3 Voluntary pre-registration with a signed consent to release info.
K4 Have shelter registration forms available to those that want to fill it out prior to evacuating to a shelter.
K5 State incentive (tax credit) for pre-registration for shelters.
K6 Explore idea of soliciting private contributions for retrofitting public as well as private hardening projects.
K7 Tax credits for charitable contributions.
KON1 The medication prescription supply issue needs to be addressed
H1 ID people with special needs, ie: sticker on house.
H2 Have better documentation for service animals.
H3 1st Aid/CPR training to all shelter staff.
H4 Propose donation on tax returns for emergency preparedness.
H5 Ask Habilitat support
H6 County should build community center in Kau to be used as a shelter.
H7 Train ARC staff in Level II.
H8 Transportation for Level II.
H9 Do County plans first, by Counties, starting with Big Island.
H10 All schools that have special needs students should have warning lights/sirens.
O1 Add objective for an agency/organization to take lead & role.
O2 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) monies for evacuation shelter retrofits.
O3 There is ashortage of staff at hospitals.
O4 Where are we going to address interpreters for deaf/hard of hearing?
O5 Make change to include DEM.
O6 Everything/part add ADA compliant
Hilo opening session
October 31, 2007Hilo opening session – delayed from 9 a.m. start (9:18 a.m.)
Welcome – Francine Wai
Introduce self, Debbie Jackson – planner for DCAB, Danny Tengun and Ina Chan from Civil Defense (planning, sheltering), Robin Brandt taking notes and posting it on a blog site
Howard Marks, Developmental Disability Council, introduced Francine Wai, Executive Director of DCAB
- Asking you to work, update this plan. Make it a better plan, specific to your needs. Want open discussion about what you [general citizens] want in this plan.
- This is not a training workshop, a workshop because we are asking you to work.
- Turn the 2007 plan into a 2008 plan. Every year we update this and share it with legislators, policy makers, people who provide funding so that it is responsive to persons with disabilities and special health needs.
- Really need grassroots examination of the plan and improve it, specific to local conditions.
- We will accept and take all your comments. Tell us if something is junk. Give us your input.
- Appreciate you taking your time to spend it with us and provide your opinions.
- If you need to take a break to feed your meter, please do that whenever you need to do that.
Introduce the people who will help facilitate the plan.
- Debbie Jackson
- Francine Wai
- Danny Tengun
- Robin Brandt
All the agencies that are collaborating to make these meeting possible.
- Paid for by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Debbie will discuss agenda and ground rules.
Debbie:
- Hope everyone has an agenda – there is an Internet address to allow you to get into a blog. There should be comments on the blog from each visit to each island.
- Everyone get handouts
- Everyone knows where the bathrooms, refreshments are in the back
- Agenda and general timelines – to complete by 3 p.m.
- Copy of PowerPoint handout
- Notice the blog address – comments from your workshop and around the state will be posted
- Some people have not used the blog – it’s pretty intuitive to use
- The PowerPoint to review this morning
- Evaluation form
- Interagency Action Plan handout
- Directions about which facilitator will direct each group and the goals to review. Everyone will participate in every group.
- Lunch will be provided
- Francine and Debbie will provide a handout specific to their sessions
Logistics:
- Restroom locations provided
- Pick up handouts from outside table – telling what we will do and how we will do it
Brief ground rules
- Respect each other. Please put cell phones and pages on vibrate
- Speak one at a time. We have recorders and sign language interpreters.
- Don’t shoot the messenger. Critique ideas but not the person expressing it.
- Respect the process – let’s follow the agenda and times, start and end the meeting on time.
- Be open and honest with your feedback
- Feel free to express ideas others might not agree with.
- Speak one at a time – we are recording notes and if more than one person speaks it make it difficult.
- Ask about the assumptions – ask why. We want your comments, we want your ideas.
PowerPoint to go over what the plan includes
Francine – Ask by show of hands, how many people have seen, heard or read this plan? We’d like to have a whole room of hands of people who have read the plan.
Review of the agencies that worked on the plan.
This plan was developed by a working group that consisted of a number of state agencies:
- Department of Education - concerned with students
- Department of Health agencies
- Department of Human Services
- All Offices on Aging
- State Civil Defense
- State Council on Developmental Disabilities
- Civil Defense agency in each county
- American Red Cross
- Health Care Association of Hawaii (all hospitals that must respond)
- The Mayor’s committee on Persons with Disabilities in all counties (by various names, none in Honolulu)
- Association of the Blind
- Hawaii Services on Deafness
What we didn’t have is all of you.
Debbie
The workshop here and statewide has included monies for two representatives from each meeting to attend a meeting on O‘ahu on Monday, October 22nd. Is anyone here interested in attending that meeting on Monday and express your interests from Hawai‘i? Make sure to give me your name if you are interested.
Why is this issue so important?
- Look at the results of Hurricanes Katrina, Wilma, and Rita. It taught us that when we are not ready, it costs lives. Be prepared. You have your kit ready, you get your kit, know where the shelter is and go. People who are vulnerable and unable to evacuate: people with disabilities, the elderly, those with special health needs. We want to include more of these people in the planning.
Who are we talking about when we talk about people with disabilities?
- Physical or mobility disabilities – use canes or crutches
- People with mental illness or has mental retardation or other cognitive disabilities, people with traumatic brain injuries
- People who are blind or partially sighted (Some people on O‘ahu noted that someone could wave down a bus during an emergency, unless you can’t identify a bus)
- People with speech or hearing disability (sirens cannot be heard by people who are Hard-of-Hearing or Deaf) or people who have difficulty speaking
- Chronic health conditions or frail elderly
- Frail children and youth
- Difficulty in making notification accessible.
- Additional people to add to the list:
Who are people with disabilities and special health needs?
Harris Poll for National Organization with Disabilities found:
- In doing the plan, if you look at the ADA – it says there are approximately 20% of our population has a disability – about one in five. That’s kind of high – not everyone needs special assistance. If you function by yourself or with a care giver, you could go to a general shelter.
- For this report we are looking at a smaller percent – But the National Organization on Disability did a study and we think about 10 -13% (120,000 to 160,000 people) who may need assistance at evacuation centers.) Concerned about how many would need a Level II shelter.
Other findings in this poll:
- 58% of people with disabilities do not know who to contact in an emergency. Individuals who have case managers in a number of services are working to educate about where to go for a shelter.
- 61% have no plans to quickly and safely evacuate their home (identify people in licensed care homes – see last page of the plan – only 12,000 of the 126,000 needing assistance)
- 50% of those employed do not have an evacuation plan (a large portion of the population). Working on that at your work site – that should be planned in your business too. And you need to practice. Know where to meet.
- Where are people located? See last page on the plan to show were 12,000 are – but not most. People with disabilities live where they choose – so we don’t know where they live. Some service agencies know where they live – others live independently. Live in regulated or licensed care homes. Look at last page of your plan and it shows the 12,000 people. Listed by county – so you can see how many people have been identified. Need better idea of where the others who are not shown there, and don’t receive services for providers. There are a lot of people who live independent who have a disability.
As a public agency we know that transportation is an issue.
We know it involves recovery – but that is not in this plan. We need to build infrastructure and then include recovery later.
All objectives have one or two agencies asterisked in this plan so there is an agency that is held responsible to take action o the specific objective.
Danny
My job as the hurricane planner for the state, and shelter person, is to be responsible for general population shelters, special need shelters, pet friendly shelters and equipment that go in the Level II shelters.
Ina Chan will be writing the appendix.
Special needs are one part of the entire plan. Ina will use all this input and other meeting to write that annex report. Early part of the next year we will have a draft. In 3-4 years we will not have this plan. When objectives are completed, they go away. We want everyone to know what was in the plan.
What level of care is needed for an “incident” – all hazards?
Level I is staffed by Red Cross, general population shelter. Anyone who can function by themselves or a little help. There are 200 level I shelters in the state of Hawaii and 21 on the Big Island. Most are in schools. Look in the white pages of the phone book – it’s right there.
Out of the 29, we want all to be Level II shelters. Level II will serve those with enhanced health needs: diabetes and needs refrigeration for the insulin, someone who needs changing and feeding. You need to bring your caregiver. If you go to a Level II shelter, you must bring your caregiver. There may not be any assistance. You cannot expect anyone to care for them. We are working on staffing the shelters. If you have any questions, write it on your paper and discuss in the work groups. There will be equipment – we will discuss in the workshop.
Level III – examples: someone who is 9 months pregnant and ready to give birth; someone who just had major surgery should call the doctor and get directions about what to do. If you are under the care of a physician, you should check with a physician to see what the doctor suggests. May tell them to go to Level I or Level II shelter. Do not go to the hospital. The hospitals are needed for those in need of acute care.
How many of you have an emergency care kit? If not, shame on you. If you cannot care for yourself, you cannot care for others.
Francine:
Will go through all seven goals rather quickly. You will have more opportunities to make comment on each.
When we use the words “people with disabilities and special health needs” – in an emergency everyone has a special need. It might be that you are single parent and your children are half way across the island. Special health needs means insulin, cots, electricity for breathing, etc. Not having English as a first language is not a special health need.
Basic principals
The first basic principal is that emergency readiness is first and foremost a personal responsibility. Emergency readiness is foremost a personal responsibility. Emergency preparedness is a government responsibility.
- Government is not coming to get you. We are not going to be able to pick up and transport you, have blankets, batteries or other personal items for you. .
- PWD or special health needs should remain as a unit with their families, not be separated. We want to keep people together as a family unit – it means you will care and support for each other and less for the shelter staff and provide emotional assurance.
- As we begin to increase the number of shelters for everybody and improve overall notification system, it will be a better plan for people with disabilities. This is only an action plan to coordinate with all other plans for emergencies.
- We are not interested in a registry for people with disabilities. Some people will wait if they are on a registry and think someone will come and get them. Registries go out of date. People get a false sense of security. Surveys show that people think that if there is a tsunami, someone will come to my house. Although a registry would show that you live at a certain address, you may not be there. We don’t know where people will be there when the emergency hits.
- Will only list people who live on the island at the time of the registration but that person may not necessarily be on island at time of disaster. Or, you may have a more severe need at time of the emergency. Will be using any registrations that exist after emergency.
Basic goals:
Goal 1: All shelters become ADA compliant
Currently – Upgrade the existing shelters. Will tell you about the shelters we are already working on. The training of the shelter workers themselves.
Goal 2: Increase the capacity to shelter in place, if you have a strong enough structure. Not a single frame wooden home.
Goal 3: increase the number of Level II shelters. All shelters are Level II shelters.
Equip with equipment and medical support.
Debbie –
Goal 4: An accessible public and professional emergency readiness campaign. Go out and promote readiness. Last month was National Emergency Preparedness month.
Accessibility means physical access. It also means accessible format to get the message out so everyone knows the message.
- Outreach program using existing programs and information. DCAB, Red Cross do this already. Purchase starter disaster kits. We have one to show you and basic components are in it.
- Conduct emergency planning with State case managers (know where the shelter is and how to make a disaster kit). For those who were at risk and cannot afford a kit, kits were purchased for them. The grant bought agencies a bag to show people what minimally needs to be stocked.
Goal 5: Healthcare providers must have evacuation plan in place. Nursing homes, adult mental health homes, adult residential care home – will have plans for all people living with them. It did not work at recent emergencies to take all these people and drop them off at a hospital. Many of these people do not need acute care. Overwhelmingly what is seen is that care providers are dropping clients off at hospital. If you care for people, don’t they become members of your family? Would you drop a family member off at a hospital?
Francine, Goals 6 and 7
Danny is discussing shelter.
Debbie says what you are doing to prepare for emergency.
Then you need to take action.
Goal 6: Notification. Why is that? People who have may have deaf or hard of hearing may not hear siren, persons with visible disability may not see across the bottom of the television screen, and people with cognitive disabilities may not understand what it means.
- The need for captioning and crawl messages.
- TTYs at emergency information lines
- Accessible websites
- Reversible 911
Goal 7: Transportation. We may have some unique needs but may have difficulty getting from point A to point B. What can we do in these situations?
[read the plan goal and objectives] Will see everyone’s eyes roll – we don’t even have good transportation when we don’t have an emergency. We’ve heard that neighbor islands need to take a different approach.
Are there any really general concerns about the plan that we can address:
Comment: Fantastic! Really wonderful.
Response: This is still in the evolution phase and we have a long way to go. When I first started learning abut this two years ago, I was quite depressed. But we have come a long way putting these goals in place. We need to have the goals and objectives; we won’t get money from the Legislature or Homeland Security funds.
Danny will discuss the shelters and where they are located. Don’t shoot the messenger.
I inherited this problem. It will be with us forever. There is not enough money to give every one hope that there is enough shelter space for everybody.
Overview of the shelters. 1.4 million population and there are 27 shelters on the Big Island. Other county facilities are used for brush fires, etc. There is a shortage of 26,000 spaces. (Reading from the Power Point presentation.) This is based on 35% of the population evacuating – it could be more or less. What will happen if 50% or 60% or 70% of the population needs to evacuate? Based on 35% for planning purposes – short 26,000 spaces on the Big Island. Bleak picture.
No funds for Level II shelters. The President and Governor said do something but gave no money? We came up with this solution: use classrooms for SPED students are being used as special needs shelters unofficially because they are accessible. If the restroom is not in the room, it will be nearby. Have shelters, refrigerators for the medicine, and shower in the room. We created Level II special need spaces. Only physical [space]. No equipment yet – we are hoping next year. [Examples of spaces to be used.] Did neighbor islands first – fewer and this made it easier? Showed some of the possible spaces – these are not official. The Red Cross bought into this and responsible for overall sheltering. They are responsible for staffing Level I. Pet friendly will be staffed by people by the Humane Society. No one responsible for Level II shelters yet.
We have done simulations to check the situation out – we include persons with disabilities to develop action plan – and now you will be part of it. For the last year and a half we have had people with special needs in the meetings, the simulations. Feedback from managers in Katrina was that meetings were held but not inclusive of persons with special needs.
Question: The question was not repeated by the facilitator and the recorder could not hear it.
Answer: One of the things that we learned – the ARC of Hawaii brought a bus load of people. They said that there was a high level of anxiety in the simulation. The home manager said that it will be much worse in the real thing. That’s why we plan and practice. For the pet friendly and the general population.
Level I – independent
Level II – enhanced health needs and caregiver
Level III – call your doctor for instruction, don’t go to the hospital, it may be overwhelmed.
Discussion of HUB shelter concept and model. Put money in a few shelters at first. As we get funds then others will become a HUB center, until all shelters are HUB shelters and Level II shelters. Otherwise equipment will be inconsistent. In any bad disasters, we must accept people with disabilities and special health needs at all shelters regardless of readiness and equipment.
Oxygen s the first priority. Need transfer switch for use of generators for electricity. Hook up cooking kitchen with the generators. Just for cooking kitchen. Post disaster – to feed the population. If more money will turn on lights and air conditioning. Now Kauai has generators – left by FEMA but are rusting out. Cost is $60,000 to$70,000 to maintain.
Need communication equipment and secure storage. Want these to stay in the inventory, and secure storage must be hardened so it won’t “walk away.”
People must bring own oxygen but there may be some oxygen at Level II shelters. How many pounds does a hospital bed weigh? Say 400-500 pounds. Let’s say someone is told that they must sleep on hospital bed. We found hospital bed to the shelter – we have some from PVC pipe and filled with polyfoam.
Question: Do you know much oxygen tank weighs and how long they last? They don’t last very long.
Answer: Plan now rather than two days before the disaster. Government will not give you anything. Red Cross will be there seven days.
Comment: With the cost of these tanks funding may not be available
Question: With such small amounts of support, what good is the shelter? What is the shelter for?
Answer: Let’s discuss in small groups.
Other initiatives:
Hurricane shelter location brochure
Private sheltering program – churches, theatres, parking structures, condominiums association (no one living in a condo?), nursing home.
If you have a group, County Civil Defense will go out and give presentations to groups.
Loss Mitigation grant program to retrofit your current home now. Roof to wall, all to foundation connections, safe rooms. Up to 35% of the cost, up to $2,100 of costs. Have paper copies to ask for information – and phone number to call for information. Call 586-0899. Brought applications. Download only the part of the application you need to avoid wasting paper.
Products that can be used for retrofitting: film for windows (tinted, clear and good for up to 200 mile and hour wind), screens used on schools, aluminum screens, roll down shutters. Film will hold shattered window pane in place and not fly. Black shade cloth made of Kevlar for over 200 mph resistance. You can see out but not see in. You strap it into the roof /ceiling and floor. Can only see holes when it is close up. Shelters are slide down, fold up. Hurricane retrofits Google on the internet or “shutters.”
Safe room for $5,000 to $7,000 to $10,000. Use in the corner of your house or in the garage. You can put these outside as well or add on to your home. Can get these on the internet. You and your family with your dog. You don’t need to retrofit your whole house. About 4 foot by 6 foot. Danny would never bring his family to the shelter. He’s seen cots with people guarding them. People steal things from each other. With a safe room, people can bring pets into it.
Showing a typical shelter– it has nothing in it. One gallon of water per person for eacj day – that’s a lot of water. No flush toilets. You must do your own planning.
People are leaving to put money in the meters.
Photos of things that he has in his kit for an emergency. Hand can opener. Shampoos, first aid kits. Miscellaneous things like duct tape, FRS radios, no landline. FRS can talk to family up to 10 miles. Meals – Meals ready to eat (MRE) or freeze dried. Date on canned goods. Water. Water purifier. Water treatment tablets. You’ve got to start planning.
Here is a shot of a piece of plywood that went through a coconut tree.
Picture showing what happens. The wind comes in, blows the roof off and that’s it – this is the end.
If you live in a single wall home, you must get out.
Everyone will count off. 1, 2, 3.
Short break – then move to groups at 10:35 a.m.
Emergency Preparedness for People with Disabilities and Special Health Needs Workshop Information
October 4, 2007The current Plan is found on the home page of the Disability and Communication Access Board at www.hawaii.gov/health/dcab/interagencyplan/index.htm.
