The Role and Contribution
of Occupational Therapy Services
in Emergencies and Disasters
Florida Occupational Therapy Association
Annual Conference Workshop
November, 2015
Orlando, FL
Michael J Steinhauer, OTR, MPH, FAOTA
The Steinhauer Group, LLC
Boynton Beach, FL
Today’s Purpose
•
To explain the 4 phases of emergency
management and best understand how
occupational therapists can best contribute to an
emergency or disaster at these phases.
•
To identify what role you as health care
professionals have in working with emergency
management planners, first responders, your
organizations and in the communities you live
and work.
Defining “Access and
Functional Needs” Populations
Any individual, group, or community whose
physical, mental, emotional, cognitive, cultural,
ethnic, socio-economic status, language, or any
other circumstance that creates barriers to
understanding or the ability to act/react in the
manner in which the general population has been
requested to proceed.
OTs think functional challenges, not diagnostic
categories
WHY PREPARE?
REALITY CHECKS:
46 percent of people
with disabilities say they
do not know whom to
contact about
emergency plans for
their community in the
event of a crisis.
REALITY CHECK
53 percent of
people with
disabilities say that
they have not
made plans to
quickly and safely
evacuate their
home or know who
to contact for
assistance with
preparing.
Only 20 percent of municipal emergency
managers have specific guidelines to assist
people with mobility impairments during
emergencies
57 percent of emergency managers do not
know how many people with mobility
impairments live in their jurisdiction
REALITY CHECK
Many people with
disabilities in New
Orleans were
evacuated without
their medicine,
medical equipment,
wheelchairs or guide
animals.
Reality
Check
2003 California Wildfires: many were unable to see
approaching danger or hear announcements to evacuate.
There was a lack of transportation for those unable to
drive. Emergency telephones at evacuation sites were not
equipped for people who were deaf, and were not within
reach of people in wheelchairs.
Lessons
Learned
Emergency planning is now learning to serve people with disabilities. Whole community
approach: the more we know about all people in our communities, the better we can meet our
obligations for their reasonable accommodations as well as their medical and personal needs.
OTs are accommodation experts
“Medicine will save your life.
OT will save your living!”
Legal Basis for Emergency
Planning Around Access and
Functional Needs Populations
 Americans With Disabilities Act Requirements
(and many other federally related acts and
statutes)
 State/Local Legal Compliance: licensure acts,
certification, accreditation, county contracts,
insurance/HMO contracts, facility policies, etc.
 Liability Issues for lack of planning at every
level
4 Phases of Emergency
Management!
The OT role is substantial in
Phases 2-3-4
Emergency Phase 1
MITIGATION
Meaning:
The action of lessening
in severity or intensity.
Hazards are mitigated, not people.
4 Phases of Emergency
Management!
MITIGATION
Examples:
• Buying flood insurance
• Landscape around the home
• Cut overhanging trees
• Improve infrastructure
• Assure shelter accessibility in your
community
4 Phases of Emergency
Management!
Emergency Phase 2
PREPAREDNESS
• Individuals, Families, Neighborhoods
(Role for OT in every treatment setting)
• Personal Level Sheltering at Home or
Evacuation (Role for OT)
• County Level (Role for OT)
• Within Organizations (COOP)
4 Phases of Emergency
Management!
Emergency Phase 2:
COOP-A Role for OT
Continuity of Operations Planning for
Organizations: Identifying your Role and
Contribution During an Emergency
• Preparedness for Caregiver and Clients
• Readying the Physical Office Space (Command
Posts, Alternative Work Sites)
• Prioritizing Clients
• Communications Planning
• Providing Resources to the municipal EOC
4 Phases of Emergency
Management
PREPAREDNESS
City and County Municipal Planning Activities
• (Radiologic, Chemical, Weather,
Communications, Evacuations, Transportation,
Warnings and Sirens, Resources like DME,
Exercises, Drills)
• Registries in Some Counties
• OTs: JOIN ADVISORY COUNCILS
4 Phases of Emergency
Management!
PREPAREDNESS
(Related to your representation of
Self Determination Principles)
• Self Determination
• No One Size Fits All
• Inclusion in Planning
• Equal Access
• Physical Access
• Effective Communication
• Program Modification
4 Phases of Emergency
Management!
Emergency Phase 3
RESPONSE
• Evacuation Planning at the Street Level (Planning
for transfers i.e., with transportation resources,
access to reception centers and shelters)
• Services of a Reception Center (Role for OTs):
Mental health, personal care and DME needs, assistive
communication technologies, etc.
4 Phases of Emergency
Management
RESPONSE
• Meeting Equipment and Staff Needs
(Role for OTs)
• Sheltering Options-General, Medical,
Functional Needs (Role for OTs):
Personal care and DME needs, transfer
training, assistance with ADLs,
4 Phases of Emergency
Management!
Emergency Phase 4
RECOVERY
• County Long Term Recovery Committees
• Case Management Assistance with FEMA Claims
• Housing, transportation, and service needs after
the incident – community reintegration
ALL ROLES FOR OTs
Take a Break!
“ The mind can only absorb
what the bottom can endure.”
10 Minutes
OT as an Emergency/Disaster
Resource
Inside the facility setting (hospital, SNF, ALF, DD group homes,
etc): working with d-c planners, participating in COOP
committees, assuring personal preparedness (see next slides).
In the community setting (home health, day care, outpatient,
neighborhood associations, etc): personal/family/community
preparedness
Integrating with municipal planners: advisory committees,
reception centers, shelters
OT as an Emergency/Disaster
Resource
Inside an academic setting (schools, universities):
working with COOP committees, enlightening your
customers about personal/family preparedness.
Doing these things:
• OTs assessing/treating evacuees (mental health, physical
dysfunction, developmental disabilities, etc)
• OTs identifying adaptive equipment resources, then individual
needs, and complete order for response setting
• OT representation during agency/facility exercises and drills
• OT representation at the EOC
• Evaluating need for personal care services in response setting
• OT member of the COOP team for the agency/facility
Refresher: patient/client/resident
education around emergencies
and disasters: key aspects of
planning
1ST: Prepare to Stay at Home
First Aid Supplies
Healthy
Snacks/Cooked
Food
Pet Safety Plan
Prepare to Stay at Home
Battery Operated Radio,
or Weather radio
Flashlights
Deck of cards, book
or something to do
for several hours
Extra Batteries
2ND: Prepare your Evacuation
Kit
• Get some supplies for your kit
• Keep kit near the front door or closet
Prepare Your Evacuation Kit
Cell Phone
ID
Keys
Names, phone numbers
of important contacts
A Little
Money
Prepare Your Evacuation Kit
A Few Days Supply of Medicine
Medical Information
Supplies for Your Medical Condition
3RD: Plan for your Pets
• Crate or Cage and
Leashes
• Special Diet Food or
Pills
• Identifying Tags
• Favorite Toy
Here’s a Handy Device:
Emergency Preparedness
Cycle
ABOVE ALL
Look out for your neighbor.
It is the right thing to do!!!
The contribution of OT is unique!
Thank you folks
• Michael Steinhauer, OTR, MPH, FAOTA
The Steinhauer Group, LLC aka Midwest
Emergency Planning Services
9566 Sun Pointe Drive
Boynton Beach, FL 33437
561-739-3242
Michael@TheSteinhauerGroup.com