Reunification Why it is so important...
Missing Children Save the Children Video from Katrina By Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA/GSFC - http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/view_rec.php?id=7938, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=307289
After Katrina 5192 children were reported separated from parents/guardians after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 Almost 7 months before the last child was reunited with family 2006 Post Katrina Reform Act established the National Emergency Child Locater Center within the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) which is supported by FEMA
Reunification in Hospital Disaster Plan Creating a plan that is scalable from one child to many is vital Emergency personnel or well meaning adults may bring children to the hospital in a disaster to ensure that they are “ok” Personnel that may be key to your Reunification Plan are hospital based: social worker, emergency department charge nurse, registration, patient placement coordinator, risk/legal department, security, behavioral health
Community Planning Partners Emergency Management Sheltering organization (Red Cross) Emergency services (and EMSC) Public Health Schools/Daycare Law Enforcement Medical Examiner MOU with other Health care institutions
Family Reunification Options Patient Connection Safe and Well Online Registry (two registry) www.redcross.org/safeandwell or 1-800-733-2767 International Tracing Armed Forces Emergency Services and Communication Facebook and Twitter Google missing persons