“Challenges and Opportunities”
Marianne C. Jackson
Federal Coordinating Officer
FEMA-DHS
Virginia Department of Emergency Management
Community Based Emergency Response Seminar
May 2007
Preparing for All Abilities
Marianne C. Jackson
March 21, 2016
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?
Define “Special Needs”
Identify trends for older adults (65+)
Look at stats for people with disabilities
Identify and talk about available
resources
Review the FEMA process for obtaining
assistance
Look at some of the post-Katrina reforms
Marianne C. Jackson
March 21, 2016
DEFINITION
Special Needs: Needs of individuals
that impact their ability to carry out the
independently activities of daily living,
such as mobility impairments, cognitive
or mental health impairments, sensory
impairments (e.g., hearing, speech, and
vision), disaster-caused loss of
essential medications or durable
medical equipment, or other factors that
impair the person’s ability to function
independently.
Marianne C. Jackson
March 21, 2016
DEFINITION
While age is not necessarily a defining
factor, many individuals age 65 years and
above may be affected by one or more of
the cited situations and therefore require
assistance for their Special Needs.
Marianne C. Jackson
March 21, 2016
POPULATION HISTORY 65+
•
•
•
•
1900 - 3.1 million
1930 - 6.7 million
1960 - 16.7 million
2000 - 34.7 million
35
30
25
20
15
10
Also, the population went
from mostly rural in 1900
to mostly urban (29%) and
suburban (48%) in 2000.
Marianne C. Jackson
5
0
1900
1930
March 21, 2016
1960
2000
MORE WOMEN THAN MEN
In the Current Population 65 or Over
42% are
Men
58% are
Women
Marianne C. Jackson
March 21, 2016
AND IT CHANGES AS WE AGE
In the Current Population 85 or Over
30% are
Men
70% are
Women
Marianne C. Jackson
March 21, 2016
LET’S LOOK AT THE IMPACT
 Often on fixed income
 Often high medical costs, little or no
insurance
 May seldom go places (no money or frugal)
 May not have or can’t afford transportation
 Very often no computer or Internet access
 Some less able to advocate (can be
language, educational and cultural barriers)
Marianne C. Jackson
March 21, 2016
Please don’t forget...
many older adults are not
dependent on anyone and are
healthy, vigorous, and active.
Some, however, are less
independent for reasons
such as health, income,
isolation and even fear.
Marianne C. Jackson
March 21, 2016
SO THERE WE HAVE IT
 The older adult population is sizeable
 Often low and/or fixed income
 May be isolated, fearful of strangers
 More health issues, perhaps immobile
 Generally more medical expenses
 Low threshold for technology
 Now - hit by disaster
Marianne C. Jackson
March 21, 2016
WHAT’S THE MINDSET?
 I’ve lost my possessions, many of which
represent my life (photos, family artifacts)
 I’ve lost my independence and control
 I’ve lost my pride (I’m dependent on others)
 I may be in an emotional and debilitating
depression
Marianne C. Jackson
March 21, 2016
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
•
•
•
•
Total population in the US over 281 million
Almost 50 million
That’s 19% or one out of every five
Includes mobility, lifting, hearing, vision and
cognitive challenges
• 34 million use assistive technology devices
• About one fourth of those with a disability
use a wheelchair
Marianne C. Jackson
March 21, 2016
DISABILITIES AND AGE
• As we age, limitations on “activities of daily
living” (ADLs) often occur (e.g., eating, bathing
and bathroom use, dressing, managing money,
using the telephone)
• Although the percent of older adults with a
severe disability is decreasing, the number is
increasing.
• In 2000, the percentage of non-institutionalized
older adults with a severe disability was 33.4%
• In 2000, the percentage of non-institutionalized
older adults with any type of disability was
52.5%
Marianne C. Jackson
March 21, 2016
QUESTION?
Do you think individuals with special
needs are prepared for a disaster?
LET’S BE MORE SPECIFIC
What about individuals in your community?
What about each individual you know?
What about you?
Marianne C. Jackson
March 21, 2016
CRITICAL PROBLEM
What is the most critical individual and overall
problem facing both older adults and people
with disabilities after a disaster?
COMMUNICATION
Marianne C. Jackson
March 21, 2016
FOR EXAMPLE
In NYC when the WTC towers collapsed:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Roads were blocked
Public transportation shut down
Phones and TVs did not work
Multiple emergency numbers were publicized
Newspapers couldn’t be delivered, and
The new OEM building was destroyed.
Marianne C. Jackson
March 21, 2016
AVAILABLE RESOURCES
• Federal agencies (FEMA, DHHS, AOA,
etc.)
• State staff, resources and programs
• City, county and/or township too
• Advocacy groups for people with
disabilities and older adults (Local, State
and National)
• Faith-based organizations
• National Institute on Disability and
Rehabilitation Research
Marianne C. Jackson
March 21, 2016
www.rtcil.org
Marianne C. Jackson
March 21, 2016
NATIONAL ADVOCACY
NETWORKS
– Protection and Advocacy System (PAS)
– United States Access Board (and UFAS)
– National Organization on Disability (NOD)
– Amer. Assn. For Retired People (AARP)
– Centers for Independent Living (CIL)
– National Aging Information Center (NAIC)
– National Institute on Aging (NIA)
– National Council of Senior Citizens (NCSC)
Marianne C. Jackson
March 21, 2016
DISASTER WEBSITES TOO
– Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA)
– National Volunteer Organizations Active in
Disasters (NVOAD)
– Church World Service (CWS)
– Disaster News Network (DNN)
– American Red Cross (ARC)
– National Hurricane Center (NWS/NOAA)
– Disaster Finder (a NASA search service)
Marianne C. Jackson
March 21, 2016
WHO’S RESPONSIBLE
In a disaster, who ultimately has the greatest impact
on an adult individual’s safety and security?
• Family?
• Neighbors?
• Friends?
• Church, synagogue, mosque?
• Advocacy or community organizations?
Actually, it’s none of the above…it’s the individual
The goal is to maximize self-sufficiency
Marianne C. Jackson
March 21, 2016
INDIVIDUAL DISASTER PLAN
 Discuss emergency/evacuation plans with
family
 Decide how to stay in contact if separated
 Post crucial information by the telephone
 Know location of valves and how to shut off
utilities
 Keep medications (and a list) in a container
together
 Think about extra medical equipment needed
(batteries, oxygen, needles, special
instructions, etc.)
Marianne C. Jackson
March 21, 2016
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
• Plan, plan, plan
• Clarify your role. How can you help meet needs after a
disaster (i.e., food, water, evacuation, transportation,
medical services, sheltering, long –term housing, etc.)?
• Identify the medical and equipment needs (i.e., oxygen,
medications, crutches, wheelchair, etc.)
• Review how your efforts fit with the efforts of others
• Keep your client database up-to-date
• Help clients put together a “72 hour survival kit”
Marianne C. Jackson
March 21, 2016
MORE INFORMATION
There are several excellent documents available to
help create individual disaster plans. Below is a list
of just a few such resources.
– FEMA – “Are You Ready: A Citizen’s Guide to
Preparedness”
– FEMA and ARC – “A Checklist for People With
Mobility Problems”
– NOD – “Guide on the Special Needs of People
With Disabilities – for Emergency Managers,
Planners & Responders
Marianne C. Jackson
March 21, 2016
A FEDERAL DECLARATION
•
•
•
•
•
Local and State entities are the “first responders”
Request for federal disaster aid made by Governor
President approves a “major disaster” declaration
Eligible counties are specified
FEMA Teleregistration is publicized
• (800) 621-FEMA (3362) or
• TTY/TDD (800) 462-7585
• Disaster Recovery Centers are opened
The Post Katrina Reform Act and numerous internal
changes have been made to improve the Federal
response. I’ll expand on that more a little later..
Marianne C. Jackson
March 21, 2016
MAKING THE CALL
• The call is toll-free
• Multilingual operators are available
• When you call, you’ll need:
 Your Social Security Number
 Source of income
 Mailing address
 Current telephone numbers
 Members in household
 Extent of damages
• The number is available for follow-up as well
Marianne C. Jackson
March 21, 2016
IMPORTANT
• Disaster aid will not affect the individual’s pension or
other existing benefits
• Accepting assistance will not take away from others
• When calling to register, inform the operator if anyone
in the household has a disability or other special
needs
• Be sure to specify all losses in the household,
including equipment , medications, etc.
• When discussing housing needs, be sure to inform
the operator if anyone in the household uses a
wheelchair, crutches, cane, oxygen, etc.
Marianne C. Jackson
March 21, 2016
HOUSING AFTER A DISASTER
FEMA helps provide temporary housing
 For people using a wheelchair, accessible rental
housing is usually the preferred option; however, it is
seldom available after large or catastrophic disasters
 In such situations, manufactured housing may be
used
 Such housing is covered by the Architectural Barriers
Act (ABA, not ADA) passed in 1968 to require
accessibility to facilities “designed, built, leased, or
altered” with federal funds.
 FEMA now provides UFAS compliant units (Uniform
Federal Accessibility Standards) that have the turning
radius needed for a wheelchair
Marianne C. Jackson
March 21, 2016
SOME LESSONS LEARNED





Individuals need to be very clear about their
housing needs during the teleregistration
The key issue is matching the needs of the
individual with appropriate unit
Community regulations may limit or prohibit use
of travel trailers and/or manufactured homes
Manufactured (mobile) homes aren’t placed on
private sites located in a flood or wind zone;
thus, eliminating them as a housing option for a
person using a wheelchair
Commercial lots are occasionally smaller than
some of the available manufactured homes
Marianne C. Jackson
March 21, 2016
MR. G
Marianne C. Jackson
March 21, 2016
AGAIN, THE KEY ISSUE
•
•
•
•
•
Matching needs with appropriate features
Sensory impairment (deaf)? Strobe lights need to be
included on smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
Using a wheelchair? Might need a roll-in shower, a 17”
to 19” high bench and/or a hand-held shower head
Older adult with mobility issues? Need ramp with the
least possible slope (Max: 1” of rise for each 12” of run)
Entry doors and utility fixtures must have lever type
openers (not door knobs)
Other needs? Lowered counters, switches, and
thermostats; electric unit (instead of propane) for
someone using oxygen
Marianne C. Jackson
March 21, 2016
POST KATRINA REFORMS
•
•
•
•
•
•
Increases inventory of accessible manufactured
housing
Creates system to identify accessibility needs,
household size and type of unit needed
Sets minimum inventory – 2500 accessible units
Inventory must contain range of accessible quarters,
including one and two bedroom units
Requires interviews with victims to obtain information
to meet their needs
New FEMA policy beyond UFAS requires 15% of lots
in groups sites be accessible
Marianne C. Jackson
March 21, 2016
MORE REFORMS
•
•
•
•
Materials in formats accessible to persons with
disabilities such as Braille, large type
publications
Training for FEMA “front line” personnel
Development of procedures for FEMA
personnel interacting with persons with
disabilities in evacuation, mass care sheltering
and feeding efforts, transportation, contracting
and inspecting
Establishes a Special Needs Liaison at all
Disaster Recovery Centers as well as
communications enhancing equipment
Marianne C. Jackson
March 21, 2016
SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK?
• Do you know what you need to know to help
yourself or those you represent in a disaster?
• What added information do you need to move
forward from here…and where might you find it?
• How can you identify those who have not
planned for an emergency and how do you help
them develop an individual plan?
• How do you ensure adequate communication in
the aftermath of a disaster?
• After a disaster, how do you make sure everyone
who needs help is able to get it?
Marianne C. Jackson
March 21, 2016
That’s it.
Thank you for participating.
Marianne C. Jackson
Federal Coordinating Officer
Federal Emergency Management Agency
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Marianne C. Jackson
March 21, 2016