Children and Emergencies

1. Children and Emergencies

2. Save the ChildrenDomestic Emergencies Unit Goal: Reduce Risks for Children • Advocacy & Policy Change • Chair the National Commission on Children and Disasters • FEMA’s National Advisory Council • National and State VOAD Member • Preparedness, Response and Recovery Programming

3. Save the ChildrenDomestic Emergencies Unit Resilient & Ready Communities Initiative • Addressing Children’s Needs in Emergency Operation Plans • Briefing Emergency ReliefOrganizations and Officials • Coordinating county-specific Children and Emergencies Working Groups • Developing community capacity : Temporary Respite Care • Providing Disaster Risk Reduction Programs • Resource: • “Children in Emergencies Planning Guide” to assist local and stateemergency planners

4. Children’s Unique Needs in Emergencies • Children are not “little adults.” • They have unique needs that must be addressed • to ensure their safety and well-being: • Physical protection • Psychosocial protection • Cognitive protection

5. National Progress for Children National Commission on Children and Disasters • Authorized under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008 • The Commission is tasked with: • Conducting comprehensive study examining children’s needs • Reviewing / evaluating existing laws, regulations, policies, programs • Reviewing, and evaluating the lessons learned from past disasters • Reporting to the President & Congress on its findings & recommendations • Appendix C: “Supplies for Infants and Toddlers in Mass Care Shelters and Emergency Congregate Care Facilities” (NCCD Interim Report) • Essential Items to support children’s safety and well-being

6. National Progress for Children FEMA and Administrator Fugate’s Commitment: • Children’s Working Group • DHS 2010 HSPG Supplemental Resource: Children in Disasters Guidance • No Unfunded Mandates

7. National Progress for Children National Standards & Indicators for Mass Care • Standards and Indicators for Disaster Shelter Care for Children (ARC) • Temporary Respite Care for Children • Shelter Guidance (STC) • Low Cost and No Cost Guidance to mitigate risks • Counting Children • Family dormitory areas • Private breastfeeding area for women

8. Suggested Child-Focused Checklist • Emergency Planning and Training • Include needs of children across emergency training and exercises • Designate individual as children’s needs coordinator • Provide staff with briefings on children’s unique needs and how they can protect and support children in their role

9. Suggested Child-Focused Checklist • Evacuation • Include child-tracking and family-reunification procedures in emergency plan • Mass Care • Provide safe shelter environments for children and families, including access to essential, age-appropriate supplies Includes • Physical and Mental Health • Capability of hospital Emergency Departments to provide effective care for children • Basic psychological first aid training for emergency personnel to assist children

10. Suggested Child-Focused Checklist • Disaster plans for child care facilities • Evacuation, reunification, children with disabilities or special medical needs training and drills • Plans on file with state and local emergency management and licensing offices • Plan for establishing emergency child care • Long-term disaster recovery plan for children and families • Includes family-appropriate housing, schools, child care, mental health, medical care, child welfare, juvenile justice and court facilities

11. How can you address children’s needs in emergencies? • Make it a priority in your organization to improve emergency planning/response to meet the needs of children. • Review guiding documents • Participate in your upcoming, county-specific Children and Emergencies Working Groups. • Contact me to set up trainings for your organization’s personnel and volunteers in • Temporary Respite Care • Briefing on children and emergencies

12. Questions? Comments? Gabriel Martin Nehrbass Program Specialist Resilient & Ready Communities Domestic Emergencies Unit Cell: 228.342.5180 gnehrbass@savechildren.org Thank you!