IHS Head Start Program Indian Health Service 5300 Homestead, NE Albuquerque, NM

1. Indian Health Service Head Start ProgramDisaster Planning/Response March 22, 2005 IHS Head Start Program Indian Health Service 5300 Homestead, NE Albuquerque, NM

2. Indian Health Service Head Start Program • Cheryl A. Wilson Acting Program DirectorCheryl.wilson@ihs.hhs.gov Phone: (505) 248-4368 • Ralph Fulgham Lead Environmental Health SpecialistRalph.fulgham@ihs.hhs.gov Phone: (928) 871-5804 • Bob Bialas Early Childhood Health & Safety SpecialistRobert.bialas@ihs.hhs.gov Phone: (360) 792-1235

3. Disasters Happen... • Chicago Fire – 1871 • Oklahoma City Bombing – 1995 • Rhode Island Nightclub Fire – 2003 • San Francisco Earthquake – 1906 • September 11, 2001 Attacks • Three Mile Island Incident – 1979 • Space Shuttle Challenger – 1986 • Exxon Valdez Oil Spill – 1989 • Sri Lanka Tsunami - 2004

4. Myths vs. Reality • Worst in Human Behavior • In general, disasters DO NOT lead to mass panic • People are often immobilized by disasters • Residents of disaster-affected areas respond actively • Epidemics and plagues are inevitable after every disasters • Epidemics DO NOT spontaneously occur after a disaster

5. Consequences of Disasters • Injury, Illness & Death • Psychological distress • Damage to buildings • Damage to infrastructure • Evacuation of homes & communities

6. What is a Disaster? • Hazard • Is a condition or agent that has the potential to cause harm • Natural or Man-Made • Disaster • Is a hazardous event that occurs in a community and overwhelms the community’s ability to respond. • For example: An earthquake that occurs in the middle of the desert versus an earthquake that occurs in Portland

7. Natural Events Earthquakes Tornados Hurricanes Droughts Coastal erosion Man-Made Biological terrorism Bomb blasts War Civil strife Fires Intruders/Violence Chemical Spills Types of Disasters

8. Earthquakes

9. Ache Before & After

10. Tacoma Narrows Bridge - 1940

11. Tornado

12. Chemical Spill

13. Floods

15. Oklahoma City

16. Nuclear Explosion

17. Space Shuttle

18. House Fire

19. Phases of a Disaster • Non-disaster phase • Disaster preparedness • Pre-disaster or warning phase • Warnings are issued & protective actions are taken • Impact phase • Disaster strikes • Emergency Phase • Immediately following the impact • Reconstruction Phase • Reestablishing normal services, repairing damage, etc.

20. Assessing the Head Start Program’s Risks & Resources • Hazards that could cause a disaster in your community • Specific areas of vulnerability and concern for your Head Start Program in the event of a disaster • Human, material, financial, and other types of resources that can be used both in planning for and responding to a disaster • Your Head Start Program’s disaster planning priorities

21. Community Risk Assessment • Define the geographic areas impacting your Head Start center & associated hazards • What type of hazardous events have happened in your area & how can these events impact your Head Start • Identify the structures and facilities in your community that could result in a man-made disaster • Assess the likelihood with which certain hazardous events may happen in your community

22. Site-Specific Hazard Assessment • Identify the hazardous features of the buildings where your Head Start center and administrative sites are located

23. Resource Assessment • Identify the resources that your Head Start program currently has and what you will need in order to respond effectively to a disaster

24. Summary • Summarize assessment results and prioritize needs to help guide your disaster planning strategy

25. Developing/Implementing a Disaster Plan • The purpose of the plan is to have policies and procedures in place prior to a disaster • Adaptable to any situation • Each site should have an individual plan

26. Pre-Event Planning • Introduction • Emergency Contacts • Information on Interagency Relationships • Education and Training • Watches and Warnings

27. Incident Response • Organization and Assignment of Responsibilities • Emergency Supplies • Maps • Evacuation Policies and Procedures • Sheltering in Place • Hazard-Specific Information • First-Aid Information

28. Incident Recovery • Reuniting Children with Parents and Caregivers • Organizational Recovery

29. Evacuate or Shelter in Place • In the event of an emergency where hazardous materials, floods, power outages, esc., affect the areas outside of the Head Start center, you may be instructed to shelter in place.

30. Emergency Plans • Already in place for events at the Center (fire, intruders, loss of utilities) • Plans are to safeguard your Center and children during and immediately following a disaster • Must incorporate larger issues facing your community

31. Safe Evacuation Routes • Select evacuation routes that minimizes exposures to hazards • Know location of gas & power lines, and transportation routes • The fire evacuation route may not work for all evacuations • Alternative Routes

32. Evacuation of Children/Staff with Disabilities • How to evacuate people with disabilities • Debris on floor • Loss of electrical power and the effect on evacuation routes • Buddy system

33. Evacuate to Where? • Need to establish where children will be evacuated • Coordinate with Emergency Services • How to inform the children’s parents • News media • Sign posted at entrance to Center compound

34. Evacuation Transportation • How will the children be transported away from the facility? • School buses • Emergency Services • Transportation procedures for driving in a disaster • What are the driving hazards associated with floods, earthquakes, tornados, blizzards, etc.

35. Shelter in Place • Short-term solution • Designed to use the Center to avoid an outdoor hazard • Measured in minutes not days

36. Shelter in Place • Discuss with local emergency coordinator • Identify a room that will meet the needs • Determine proper procedures, coordination & communication • Determine the required supplies

37. Community Relationships • Fire Department • Health Clinics • School District • Police Department • Tribal Administration • Building Owner

38. Communication System • What is going on outside the Center? • How to inform the Staff of an emergency? • How to inform and properly evacuate or shelter in place the children? • How to properly inform the EMS? • Contacting Parents.

39. Training • Staff • Policies and Procedures • Staff orientation • Drills • Children • Evacuation • Protection • Parents • Informing parents of the policies and procedures

40. Conclusion • Parents and the Community must be involved • Staff must feel comfortable and confident • Use local EMS • Practice, Practice, Practice!