Preparing the Preparers: Educating Community Leaders in Emergency Preparedness & Planning.

Preparing the Preparers: Educating Community Leaders in Emergency Preparedness & Planning. Special Populations Michael T. “Mick” Maurer, PhD, MHA Department of Applied Psychology, NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development And the Bachelor of Science in Critical Infrastructure Protection degree program (Homeland Security, Emergency Management, Business Continuity, and Strategic Intelligence) Paul McGhee Division NYU School for Continuing & Professional Studies www.mickmaurer.com mm152@nyu.edu

Population Exposure model www.mickmaurer.com mm152@nyu.edu

www.mickmaurer.com mm152@nyu.edu

Natural vs. Human-Caused Disasters Source: CMHS. Psychosocial Issues for Children and Families in Disasters. A Guide for the Primary Care Physician. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Publication No. (SMA) 96-3077, 1996. www.mickmaurer.com mm152@nyu.edu

Percentage Distribution of the Population By Race and Hispanic Origin(Includes foreign and native-born populations) * Persons of Hispanic/Latino origin may be of any race. Groups listed under “Race” are not of Hispanic origin.** Includes American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Aleuts.Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. (2000). Projections of the resident population by race, Hispanic origin, and nativity: Middle series, 1999 to 2100. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Commerce. www.mickmaurer.com mm152@nyu.edu

Disaster Projects Confront Distrust • Several disaster crisis counseling projects supported by the Federal Government have had to address the distrust of ethnic minority groups and their reluctance to use available resources. • For example, following the 1994 California earthquake, the disaster crisis counseling project found that many immigrants’ distrust of government posed a barrier to their use of disaster services. • Likewise, some of the survivors of a hurricane in Alabama were immigrants from Asian Communist countries who did not trust any government and were not accustomed to receiving Government assistance. California Final Report, 1995 • Alabama Final Report, 1999 www.mickmaurer.com mm152@nyu.edu

Damage from Mississippi Tornadoes Unequal • In the late 1950s, several tornadoes struck rural Mississippi. • The only persons killed were black. • A subsequent study found that many people in the black community had great difficulty in coming to terms with this disaster. • They did not understand how a just God could discriminate in such a fashion between white and black. Perry and Perry, 1959 www.mickmaurer.com mm152@nyu.edu

Civil Unrest Causes Emotional Problems for Refugees • The civil unrest and fires in Los Angeles that came in the wake of the Rodney King verdict affected a community inhabited by many refugees from Central America and Asia. • For immigrants who came from war-torn countries, the Los Angeles disturbances reactivated fears and emotions associated with their homeland. • Many experienced increased agitation, depression, confusion, and recollections of prior bereavements. California Final Report, 1994 www.mickmaurer.com mm152@nyu.edu

Disaster Strikes a Highly Diverse Community • On January 17, 1994, a major earthquake struck Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. • The Northridge earthquake was the largest and most violent to hit an urban area in the United States since the 1906 San Francisco quake. • The post-disaster recovery effort provided mental health services to 1.9 million persons, representing myriad ethnic groups, special populations, and lifestyles. • The size and scope of the two affected counties, as well as the ethnic diversity of their residents, constituted a challenge to disaster mental health providers. • For example, Ventura County is home to many undocumented migrant farm workers, the majority of whom do not speak English and are mistrustful of government at any level. • Language and cultural barriers had to be overcome for persons from several Asian cultures as well. • The diverse population in the affected areas also included other special populations, such as physically challenged persons and runaway youth, two groups that required special outreach strategies. California Final Report, 1995 www.mickmaurer.com mm152@nyu.edu

Vulnerable Groups Underserved by Science and Technology • Elderly shut-ins during heat and cold waves • Illegal immigrants crossing southern border • Victims fearful of revealing identities • Publics vulnerable to terrorist attacks at home, in workplace, in mass transit, at play www.mickmaurer.com mm152@nyu.edu

People with disabilities -- • are not currently included in emergency planning and little, if any, communication exists between planners and the disability community • have a wide variety of communication, support and health needs that differentiate them from persons without disabilities • tend to live in low income areas that include areas at higher risk for chemical emergencies www.mickmaurer.com mm152@nyu.edu

Train response personnel • There are very few materials available to use for information and training purposes, but the Red Cross (1998) has developed some materials on natural disaster sheltering and evacuation, and the Emergency Planning for People with Disabilities and Other Special Needs (Inclusion Incorporated, 1999) offer’s assistance in training personnel to deal with issues such as: • Transporting • Lifting or carrying people with disabilities • Assistance animals • Communication • Dealing with highly emotional people & appropriate language www.mickmaurer.com mm152@nyu.edu

Seven key principles should guide disaster relief: • Accessible Disaster Facilities and Services • Accessible Communications and Assistance • Accessible and Reliable Rescue Communications • Partnerships with the Disability Community • Disaster Preparation, Education, and Training • Partnerships with the Media • Universal Design and Implementation Strategies www.mickmaurer.com mm152@nyu.edu

Key Concepts of Disaster Mental Health • No one who sees a disaster is untouched by it. • There are two types of disaster trauma—individual and community. • Most people pull together and function adequately during and after a disaster, but their effectiveness is diminished by the effects of the event. • Stress and grief in disasters are normal reactions to abnormal situations. • Many emotional reactions of disaster survivors stem from problems of daily living brought about by the disaster. • Disaster relief assistance may be confusing to some survivors. They may experience frustration, anger, and feelings of helplessness related to Federal, State, and private-sector disaster assistance programs. • Most people do not see themselves as needing mental health services following a disaster and will not seek such services. www.mickmaurer.com mm152@nyu.edu

Survivors may reject disaster assistance of all types. • Disaster mental health assistance is often more practical than psychological in nature. • Disaster mental health services must be tailored to the culture of communities where they are provided. • Mental health workers should set aside traditional methods, avoid mental health labels, and use an active outreach approach to intervene successfully in disaster. • Survivors respond to active, genuine interest, and concern. • Interventions must be appropriate to the phase of disaster. • Social support systems are crucial to recovery. www.mickmaurer.com mm152@nyu.edu

Training • Independent Study Courses from FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute.At this site find courses (in PDF files) for a number of emergency management topics. You may enroll in courses, take final exams or do independent study. Programs for Reaching Hearing Impaired. The Tennessee Fire Marshal’s office offers a course for safety educators in reaching people with hearing disabilities in the event of fire.http://www.state.tn.us/commerce/sfm/fireSafetyEducationResources.html www.mickmaurer.com mm152@nyu.edu

Articles • Emergency Preparedness For People with Disabilities and other Special Needs: Another Look After Katrina Carl T. Cameron, Ph.D., Disaster! This article in the November, 1994 issue of Mainstream Magazine deals with the gaps in emergency management related to people with disabilities. Coping With the Aftermath: How Does Someone With An Anxiety Disorder Cope In a Changed World? Kathleen Henning, 9/19/01. • Disaster Mitigation for Persons with Disabilities: Fostering a New Dialogue. A report by The Annenberg Washington Program in collaboration with The President’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities by Annenberg Senior Fellow Peter David Blanck. www.mickmaurer.com mm152@nyu.edu

Websites • The Community Preparedness Website Project --www.preparenow.org. This Website focuses on supporting the special needs of vulnerable populations in disasters. It includes a checklist for facility preparation & inventory of neighborhood resources and information on how to prepare for disaster for people with special medical needs. • Disaster Preparedness for Persons with Mobility Impairments- www.nobodyleftbehind2.org/ • American Red Cross.--www.redcross.org/ -- Disaster Preparedness for People With Disabilities Audio tapes. Educator’s information, Disaster Preparedness for people with disabilities, Curricula for schools, videos and more. • The Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Response Association, International (DERA). --www.disasters.org/dera/dera.htm“DERA was founded in 1962 to assist communities worldwide in disaster preparedness, response and recovery, and to serve as a professional association linking professionals, volunteers and organizations in all phases of emergency preparedness and management”. This site also contains a calendar of conferencesFederal Emergency Planning Agency (FEMA).www.fema.gov • Documents titled: Access to Agency Programs for People With Disabilities, Fire Safety and the Disabled Program, Fire and the Elderly, and a Document titled Emergency Procedures for Employees with Disabilities in Office Occupancies athttp://janweb.icdi.wvu.edu www.mickmaurer.com mm152@nyu.edu

Websites • Emergency Preparedness Information Exchange (EPIX) http://hoshi.cic.sfu.ca/epix/topics/training.html . Education, training, exercises and simulations.United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). www.epa.gov/ceppo . Preparedness - Emergency Planning, Communities Right to Know. Occupational and Safety & Health Administration (OSHA). www.osha.govNational Organization for the Disabled. www.nod.org. This website contains list of websites addressing disabled and emergency planning and other useful information for planning.Disabled People and DP2 Disaster Planning. www.citycent.com/dp2/ This is a California website that deals with disabled and access in earthquakes; however it is useful information for other situations.eSight. Emergency Plans That Include Workers With Disabilities www.esight.org. www.mickmaurer.com mm152@nyu.edu

Websites • Emergency Power Planning for People Who Use Electricity and Battery Dependent Assistive Technology and Medical Devices, June Kailes, 2006 • Emergency Preparedness: Taking Responsibility For Your Safety - Tips for People with Activity Limitations and Disabilities. (2006)Los Angeles County Emergency Survival Program, posted 05/2/06 Making Community Emergency Preparedness and Response Programs Accessible to People with Disabilities (last accessed 08/12/06) • Serving and Protecting All by Applying Lessons Learned Including People with Disabilities and Seniors in Disaster Services, (March 2006), June Kailes and California Foundation for Independent Living, posted 05/2/06Report on Special Needs Assessment for Katrina Evacuees (SNAKE) Project, National Organization on Disability, 2005Saving Lives: Including People with Disabilities in Emergency Planning, National Council on Disability, 2005Disaster Services and “Special Needs:” Term of Art or Meaningless Term?June Kailes, 2005Survey of Hurricane Katrina Evacuees, September 2005, The Washington Post, Kaiser Family, Foundation, and Harvard University. Accessed 11/19/05 www.mickmaurer.com mm152@nyu.edu

Preparing the Preparers: Educating Community Leaders in Emergency Preparedness & Planning.