PLANNING FOR INDIVIDUALS
WITH DISABILITIES AND
OTHER ACCESS AND
FUNCTIONAL NEEDS:
EVACUATION AND
TRANSPORTATION
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This presentation was created by Nusura, Inc. for the
Orange County Sheriff’s Division of Emergency
Management
Facilitator Introductions
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June Kailes
Gary Gleason
Andy Neiman
Participant Introductions
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Name
Title
Agency/organization
Role during an emergency
Any burning issues
Logistics
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Safety
Electronics
Breaks
Contact Info
Survey feedback
Agenda
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Evacuation basics
Evacuation & transportation strategies
Coordination & communications
Key AFN considerations
Evacuation Objectives
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Expedited movement out of harm’s way
Access control
Safe re-entry
Evacuation and Transportation Planning
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The goal is to ensure the evacuation needs of the
whole community, including those with AFN, are
planned for.
AFN evacuation planning must be based on an
existing community evacuation plan or be a part of
a larger, community evacuation planning effort.
Transportation-related Vulnerability
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People who do not drive or do not have access to a
personal vehicle for the purposes of evacuation, reentry, and recovery.
When considering transportation-vulnerability,
remember that some people who do not have
transportation-related vulnerability in normal times may
have them in a disaster.
The vast majority of transportation-related vulnerability
is associated with evacuation, and planning for re-entry
and recovery should also be considered.
Notice vs. No Notice Events
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Notice
Intact infrastructure including roads, communications, and
power
 Staged/progressive evacuation
 Service continuity
 Excess self-evacuation of non-required individuals
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No-notice
Damaged infrastructure and assets
 Situational awareness difficult
 Population needs less known
 May be complicated by additional requirements such as
decontamination
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Evacuation Strategies
 Support
self-evacuation
 Provide
resources and support that make self-evacuation or
evacuation with friends or family possible.
 Reduces the burden and costs of facilitated evacuation.
Evacuation Strategies, continued
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Two primary transportation-related evacuation
strategies:
 Accessible
transit including, but not limited to, transit
vehicles that are lift-equipped, suitable for transporting
those on oxygen, etc.
 Used
primarily to help those with mobility-related functional
needs, and features vehicles that are lift-equipped, suitable
for transporting those on oxygen, etc.
 Access
 Used
to mass transit for the purposes of evacuation.
primarily to help those with transportation-related
access challenges such as no access to a personal vehicle or
lacking the financial means to evacuate.
Non-evacuation Related Transportation
Strategies
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Non-evacuation support strategies to consider:
 Buses
which bring people to recovery centers
 Subsidizing public transit fees
 Reentry busing
 Providing transportation to obtain personal
preparedness supplies
Evacuation-related Challenges
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Loss/Separation from adaptive equipment
Loss of power
Loss/disconnection from service providers
First-time customers
Lacking resources to evacuate self
Personal Preparedness
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Emphasize and support personal preparedness as part of
all planning strategies.
Personal preparedness provision for people with access and
functional needs to consider include:
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support networks
adaptive equipment and batteries
service animals and their provisions
rendezvous locations and components
accessible transportation
medications and medical supplies
food and water
important legal documents
Planning Collaboration
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Collaborate with partners already working in
transportation and evacuation
 Accessible
transit agencies
 Paratransit
systems
 Dial-a-Ride
 Mass
transit systems
 Airport shuttle providers
 School transit systems
AFN Planning Elements
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Mutual Aid/MOUs/Contracted Support
Evacuation Intelligence: Needs & Resources
Resource Coordination
Communication
Mutual Aid/MOUs/Contracts
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Asset management
Cost sharing agreement/reimbursement
Liability
Evacuation Intelligence: Need
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Where are the transportation-vulnerable
populations and what type of assistance will they
require?
Use existing hazard vulnerability assessments,
census data, etc.
Evacuation Intelligence: Resources
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What transit and transportation resources are
available?
 Pre-disaster
surveys of resources
 Type
by passenger capacity, fuel type, space for durable
medical equipment, owner, and special considerations
regarding disaster commitment
 Post-disaster
 Plans
survey of resources
should include procedures for identifying and
reporting in on the status of resources (what is damaged,
what is available, etc.)
Resource Coordination
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Disasters result in scarce resources
Resource distribution and asset allocation must be
prioritized and prioritization process documented
AFN coordinator in the EOC
Communication
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With transit service providers
With individuals with disabilities and other AFN
With disability and AFN service and advocacy
organizations
Include back-up and non-traditional communication
strategies
A note on registries
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Registries have limited utility and, often, lots of problems
including:
Many don’t register
 Many are afraid to self-identify with a particular limitation
 Some see registry participation as commitment from community to
provide services
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Instead seek population statistics and other registry type
information from agencies and organizations who serve
individuals with access and functional needs
 Collaborate with these agencies to develop process by
which they will contact and/or connect individuals requiring
assistance with responders during an emergency
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Evacuation-Transportation
Considerations
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Medical triage
Non-ambulatory space
Personal care
attendants
Distance to boarding
location
Accessible stops, routes
to stops (curb cuts)
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Accessibility by service
animals
Aisle and doorway
widths
Space for personal
property
Accessibility by service
animals
Time on/in vehicle
Key AFN-related Evacuation Plan
Elements
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An inventory of assets by type
Clearly defined evacuation thresholds and protocols
Language detailing prioritization procedures
Procedures for scheduling emergency trips
Consideration fare waivers
Procedures for communicating evacuation-related
information to people with AFN
Questions?
Discussion Question 1
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A successful evacuation often depends on
availability of vehicles.
A number of interviewees reported a concern about
not knowing how many accessible vehicles are
available, how accessible they really are, if they
are committed to more than one function, etc.
Please discuss these issues and planning strategies
to solve them.
Discussion Question 2
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What evacuation/transportation concerns do you
have?
What ideas and solutions does the group have?
Thank You!
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Please complete the course feedback form before
you leave