Disability-inclusive emergency preparedness and response: Learning from the Canterbury earthquakes Sarah Vaughan-Jones ACC Christchurch May 2012

We are not the emergency response coordinators We are not the emergency response coordinators Lesson number 1

ACC Local emergency response coordinators Quality information on location of clients Out-of-region call centre capacity

Learning for ACC Knowing that there will be a local emergency response coordinator In an emergency: –ACC needs to quickly establish who the local emergency response coordinator is –Open channels of regular communication with them –Share information & offer out-of-region resources –Emergency response coordinator will make decisions

Local people will respond in their own ways Lesson number 2

Local people will respond Business continuity plans of home help agencies & other service suppliers contracted to ACC: –Required to contact ACC clients they provide services to People with disabilities will help themselves: –They have their own families & support networks

Local people will respond People will leave the region without telling support agencies If they need assistance, they know who to contact

Learning for ACC Expect local service suppliers & clients to respond to the emergency themselves Don’t expect them to tell ACC what they’re doing Long-term relationship means clients know who to call if they need help

Learning about ACC ACC is a purchaser of services, not a provider of services: –Apart from case management staff –ACC has no personnel that deliver treatment, nursing, or other support services to its clients

Learning about ACC ACC’s legislation prescribes: –Levies (insurance premiums) can only be spent on: Preventing injuries Accessing treatment & rehabilitation for people to recover from their injury –ACC has no discretion to spend levy payers’ money on other initiatives, such as trauma counselling

Questions?