This publication provides practical guidance for local officials, emergency planners, homeless service providers and others involved with their community’s disaster planning process to better meet the needs of homeless populations after a natural disaster. The publication covers a range of topics, including: defining special needs populations, personal preparedness, communication, transportation and evacuation, sheltering, health status… Read more
King County, Washington, developed a suite of tools and resources to assist community agencies that deal with vulnerable populations in becoming more prepared and resilient in the wake of natural disasters and other emergencies. The tool outlines 13 standards that a community agency should work towards, ranging from communications tools to emergency payment procedures and… Read more
In the chaos of natural disaster response and recovery — or any natural disaster planning, response or recovery activity — it’s important to remember that it is against the law to discriminate against individuals on the basis of race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, or economic status in all disaster assistance programs in Presidentially declared disaster areas. This… Read more
The Integrated Public Alert and Warning Systems (IPAWS) was designed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under Executive Order 13407[1] as a way to integrate and modernize the existing US population warning systems in order to save time during disaster response. The program was developed in response to criticism of the Federal government’s response to Hurricane… Read more
During and after a natural disaster, utilities and local governments must work together to ensure the safety of citizens and navigate the restoration of infrastructure. Accordingly, it is critical they share an understanding about roles, responsibilities and processes during a disaster. Even when utilities and local governments have a productive, well-established relationship with each other,… Read more
During a long-term power outage, communications challenges with emergency management and the local government can hinder recovery efforts. Use these tips to build and maintain a relationship with your local emergency management agency that allows for an open flow of information before, during and after a weather-induced power outage. Maintain your relationship with emergency management before… Read more
This special populations assessment tool was designed to help identify those groups of individuals who require differing messages from the general public information message or who cannot be reached through mass communication channels. In conducting the assessment, consulting individuals within a population, or representative organizations, may be helpful in understanding how the population may receive… Read more
This guide is intended to help close many of the gaps in emergency planning and preparedness for vulnerable older adults. In particular, it aims to give public health officials, the Aging Services Network, emergency management personnel and partners at all jurisdictional levels (state, regional, and community) the critical information, strategies and resources that they need… Read more
This evidence-based guide, developed by the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), shares stories, tools and projects issued by state and local agencies and organizations to determine the extent of preparing and planning for at-risk populations, as well as assisting these communities in emergencies. As part of this project, ASTHO performed an extensive… Read more
During and after a natural disaster, local governments and utilities must work together to ensure the safety of citizens and navigate the restoration of infrastructure. Accordingly, it is critical they share an understanding about roles, responsibilities and processes during a disaster. Even when local governments and utilities have a productive, well-established relationship with each… Read more
