Part of “FAST Across the Nation” ADA Webinar Series October 12, 2017 FAST IN WISCONSIN Part of “FAST Across the Nation” ADA Webinar Series October 12, 2017 Look at logo,

PROFILE 5.71 million people 72 counties 11 federally recognized Tribal Nations Mixture of urban and rural Home Rule State 2

HOME RULE STATE Safety and well-being of every resident is the responsibility of the senior elected official at the lowest level of government impacted by a disaster. Manage the incident using their own resources or partners. Coordinate evacuation and shelter of people with access or functional needs. Determine need to declare a local state of emergency. Coordinate through the county emergency management with state partners when state and federal resources are needed. 3

FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT SERVICE TEAMS The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) leads a statewide initiative to identify, recruit, and train state, regional, and local Functional Assessment Service Teams (FAST).   Following national and local disasters, it is clear that preparation, planning, and response to support people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs continues to need improvement. As mentioned before, I am the state FAST Coordinator, and have been working with our key partners of WEM, ARC, WI VOAD, TSA, Western WI PH Consortium, Counties of Milwaukee, Waukesha, This WI’s FAST logo, right hands on green background, hopefully easily identifiable around the state. I have vests to share with local teams, have them call me, once training and background checks have been done 4

PARTNERS American Red Cross (ARC) Milwaukee County Emergency Management Waukesha Health & Human Services Department Western Wisconsin Public Health Readiness Consortium Wisconsin Association of the Deaf (WAD) Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM) Wisconsin Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster Original FAST Guidance team morphed into core team of ARC, WEM, DHS, and WAD 5

WHAT IS FAST? A trained team of state, county, tribal, non-governmental organizations, and volunteer personnel that deploy to a disaster area and support people with access and functional needs in community shelters or reception centers. The team identifies and requests resources needed by people to maintain their independence while displaced from their homes. As mentioned before, I am the state FAST Coordinator, and have been working with our key partners of WEM, ARC, WI VOAD, TSA, Western WI PH Consortium, Counties of Milwaukee, Waukesha, This WI’s FAST logo, right hands on green background, hopefully easily identifiable around the state. I have vests to share with local teams, have them call me, once training and background checks have been done 6

WHY? To strengthen a whole community’s disaster resilience To reduce impact on medical support resources To allow people the ability to stay with friends and family in the same shelter To support FEMA’s Functional Needs Support Services Guidance (FNSS) To identify and strengthen community partnering Resilience, Physical science definition of metal. Resilience in metal is the point which metal can bend to a point and not break. Resilience is our ability to bounce back from a growth perspective from an impactful life event. 7

EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE Cognitive and Developmental Disabilities Behavioral Health Vision Loss and/or Impairment Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children and Adults Physical Disabilities Chronic Health Conditions (including chemical sensitivities) Local Community Team members understand the languages and cultures of their communities and know where to get resources These are the skills that we are looking for, these are the skills that you are looking for. These are the types of partners that need to be included now, up front. These are areas where people with disabilities and others with access functional needs can help you to make sure that your local plans are usable, useful, and will be effective.

TEAM MEMBER QUALIFICATIONS Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of people who have: access and functional needs, people with activity limitations or may be older Ability to communicate effectively Ability to interact with a variety of staff, volunteers, and members of the community Have two years of direct work experience in assessing the needs of people with access and functional needs These are the member qualifications, over the years, I have found that some people are more comfortable than others connecting with people with access and functional needs, or you are not. 9

DEPLOYMENT OPTIONS Community Shelters and Reception Centers May expand to: Support larger scale points of dispensing health settings Help the local elected official identify other needed county resources Assist with door to door canvassing/outreach 10

CHALLENGES Involve human services in emergency planning and response Remember that FAST is only one resource Keep training and member engagement relevant Inject access and functional needs scenarios in exercises Determine how to deploy FAST on weekends/overnight Engage more partners Increase number of local teams Increase state and regional team support Share the Susan M story from first few training sessions 11

WHAT HAS HAPPENED Since 2013, Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM), Department of Health Services (DHS), Western Wisconsin Public Health Readiness Consortium (WWPHRC), American Red Cross (ARC), and Wisconsin Association for the Deaf (WAD) have provided FAST training. The world and FAST look different than they did 3.5 years ago when Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM), the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), the Western Wisconsin Public Health Readiness Consortium (WWPHRC), the American Red Cross (ARC) and many other partners within the State FAST Guidance Team worked together to promote FAST development as a statewide initiative. Since then, the core training team of ARC, DHS, WEM and the Wisconsin Association for the Deaf (WAD), has helped human services departments and related agencies join ARC, emergency management and public health at the emergency response and planning table. The core team has also successfully spread the word about FAST, training more than 450 individuals representing most Wisconsin counties and many tribal nations. Most attendees came for informational purposes with 30 volunteers recruited as members of a regional and/or state level team. Local teams have started around the state and two existing local teams changed their names to FAST.   Recently DHS, ARC, WEM, WAD, and the Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ODHH) met to discuss the next steps in the program’s evolution. 12

WHAT HAS HAPPENED During the floods in July 2017, Red Cross opened 10 community shelters—the most community shelters opened since the floods of 2008. Large apartment fires continue to negatively impact people with access and functional needs throughout Wisconsin. The world and FAST look different than they did 3.5 years ago when Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM), the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), the Western Wisconsin Public Health Readiness Consortium (WWPHRC), the American Red Cross (ARC) and many other partners within the State FAST Guidance Team worked together to promote FAST development as a statewide initiative. Since then, the core training team of ARC, DHS, WEM and the Wisconsin Association for the Deaf (WAD), has helped human services departments and related agencies join ARC, emergency management and public health at the emergency response and planning table. The core team has also successfully spread the word about FAST, training more than 450 individuals representing most Wisconsin counties and many tribal nations. Most attendees came for informational purposes with 30 volunteers recruited as members of a regional and/or state level team. Local teams have started around the state and two existing local teams changed their names to FAST.   Recently DHS, ARC, WEM, WAD, and the Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ODHH) met to discuss the next steps in the program’s evolution. 13

HOW PREPARED ARE WE? Not as ready as we should be or could be. Started quarterly FAST conference calls Created FAST refresher training Fill the training gap Remind people of the access and functional needs support services resources that exist Encourage sharing and collaboration Keep a spotlight on access and functional needs resources and needs 14

LOCAL TEAMS* Calumet Waukesha Brown Washburn Portage Dodge Ozaukee/Washington Milwaukee *In varying stages of development 15

LOCAL TEAM DECISIONS FAST member qualifications Type of deployment setting options Response areas, i.e., within or outside county What teams can and can’t do Who will be team leader or coordinator How alerting and notification protocol occurs In this home rule state, keep this in mind…. 16

REGION AND STATE TEAMS State - 14 members Region 1 - 6 Region 2 - 2 17

STATE TEAM Consists mostly of regional members selected by skill and availability Members are assigned by State FAST Coordinator. All completed FAST training and have key skills needed in a response. Credentials are verified within Wisconsin Emergency Assistance Volunteer Registry or WEAVR. Background checks are done and vests provided prior to deployment. Might deploy as a full team or partial team Gap: Need more involvement from other state agencies 18

REGIONAL TEAMS Members are assigned by State FAST Coordinator. All completed FAST training and have key skills needed in a response. Credentials are verified within Wisconsin Emergency Assistance Volunteer Registry or WEAVR. Background checks are done and vests provided prior to deployment. Based on needed skills, might deploy as a full or partial team Regions are based on the healthcare coalitions. 19

REGIONAL TEAMS 20 Caches or go-kits will be located in each region Include forms, vests, badges, contact lists, lists of regional assets, American Red Cross/Salvation Army contact info Regional team leader will be a “regional champion” Meet core training and skills May serve as liaison to local Emergency Operations Center to support Human Services Branch Director Gap: Need regional team leaders and more members in some of the regions 20

HOW DOES FAST WORK TODAY? Ensure that local FAST contact information and notification procedures are embedded in local plans and procedures Know how to reach out to access resources in the next county, the region, the state, or federal partners 21

NEXT STEPS Talk with partners to discuss the future of FAST in Wisconsin Recruit regional team leaders to help define role and relevant policies and procedures Talk with more state agencies Work out alert and notification flows Relook at training requirements Get caches defined and located 22

FOR MORE INFORMATION Jan Devore State FAST Coordinator Emergency Human Services Coordinator Janet.devore@dhs.wisconsin.gov 608.264.6303 23