1. PLANNING FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES AND OTHER ACCESS AND FUNCTIONAL NEEDS: EVACUATION AND TRANSPORTATION

2.  This presentation was created by Nusura, Inc. for the Orange County Sheriff’s Division of Emergency Management

3. Facilitator Introductions  June Kailes  Gary Gleason  Andy Neiman

4. Participant Introductions  Name  Title  Agency/organization  Role during an emergency  Any burning issues

5. Logistics  Safety  Electronics  Breaks  Contact Info  Survey feedback

6. Agenda  Evacuation basics  Evacuation & transportation strategies  Coordination & communications  Key AFN considerations

7. Evacuation Objectives  Expedited movement out of harm’s way  Access control  Safe re-entry

8. Evacuation and Transportation Planning  The goal is to ensure the evacuation needs of the whole community, including those with AFN, are planned for.  AFN evacuation planning must be based on an existing community evacuation plan or be a part of a larger, community evacuation planning effort.

9. Transportation-related Vulnerability  People who do not drive or do not have access to a personal vehicle for the purposes of evacuation, re- entry, and recovery.  When considering transportation-vulnerability, remember that some people who do not have transportation-related vulnerability in normal times may have them in a disaster.  The vast majority of transportation-related vulnerability is associated with evacuation, and planning for re-entry and recovery should also be considered.

10. Notice vs. No Notice Events  Notice  Intact infrastructure including roads, communications, and power  Staged/progressive evacuation  Service continuity  Excess self-evacuation of non-required individuals  No-notice  Damaged infrastructure and assets  Situational awareness difficult  Population needs less known  May be complicated by additional requirements such as decontamination

11. Evacuation Strategies  Support self-evacuation Provide resources and support that make self-evacuation or evacuation with friends or family possible. Reduces the burden and costs of facilitated evacuation.

12. Evacuation Strategies, continued  Two primary transportation-related evacuation strategies:  Accessible transit including, but not limited to, transit vehicles that are lift-equipped, suitable for transporting those on oxygen, etc. Used primarily to help those with mobility-related functional needs, and features vehicles that are lift-equipped, suitable for transporting those on oxygen, etc.  Access to mass transit for the purposes of evacuation. Used primarily to help those with transportation-related access challenges such as no access to a personal vehicle or lacking the financial means to evacuate.

13. Non-evacuation Related Transportation Strategies  Non-evacuation support strategies to consider:  Buses which bring people to recovery centers  Subsidizing public transit fees  Reentry busing  Providing transportation to obtain personal preparedness supplies

14. Evacuation-related Challenges  Loss/Separation from adaptive equipment  Loss of power  Loss/disconnection from service providers  First-time customers  Lacking resources to evacuate self

15. Personal Preparedness  Emphasize and support personal preparedness as part of all planning strategies.  Personal preparedness provision for people with access and functional needs to consider include:  support networks  adaptive equipment and batteries  service animals and their provisions  rendezvous locations and components  accessible transportation  medications and medical supplies  food and water  important legal documents

16. Planning Collaboration  Collaborate with partners already working in transportation and evacuation  Accessible transit agencies Paratransit systems Dial-a-Ride  Mass transit systems  Airport shuttle providers  School transit systems

17. AFN Planning Elements  Mutual Aid/MOUs/Contracted Support  Evacuation Intelligence: Needs & Resources  Resource Coordination  Communication

18. Mutual Aid/MOUs/Contracts  Asset management  Cost sharing agreement/reimbursement  Liability

19. Evacuation Intelligence: Need  Where are the transportation-vulnerable populations and what type of assistance will they require?  Use existing hazard vulnerability assessments, census data, etc.

20. Evacuation Intelligence: Resources  What transit and transportation resources are available?  Pre-disaster surveys of resources Type by passenger capacity, fuel type, space for durable medical equipment, owner, and special considerations regarding disaster commitment  Post-disaster survey of resources Plans should include procedures for identifying and reporting in on the status of resources (what is damaged, what is available, etc.)

21. Resource Coordination  Disasters result in scarce resources  Resource distribution and asset allocation must be prioritized and prioritization process documented  AFN coordinator in the EOC

22. Communication  With transit service providers  With individuals with disabilities and other AFN  With disability and AFN service and advocacy organizations  Include back-up and non-traditional communication strategies

23. A note on registries Registries have limited utility and, often, lots of problemsincluding:  Registries have limited utility and, often, lots of problems including: Many don’t register Many are afraid to self-identify with a particular limitation Some see registry participation as commitment from community toprovide services Some see registry participation as commitment from community to provide services Instead seek population statistics and other registry typeinformation from agencies and organizations who serveindividuals with access and functional needs  Instead seek population statistics and other registry type information from agencies and organizations who serve individuals with access and functional needs Collaborate with these agencies to develop process bywhich they will contact and/or connect individuals requiringassistance with responders during an emergency  Collaborate with these agencies to develop process by which they will contact and/or connect individuals requiring assistance with responders during an emergency

24. Evacuation-Transportation Considerations  Medical triage  Non-ambulatory space  Personal care attendants  Distance to boarding location  Accessible stops, routes to stops (curb cuts)  Accessibility by service animals  Aisle and doorway widths  Space for personal property  Accessibility by service animals  Time on/in vehicle

25. Key AFN-related Evacuation Plan Elements  An inventory of assets by type  Clearly defined evacuation thresholds and protocols  Language detailing prioritization procedures  Procedures for scheduling emergency trips  Consideration fare waivers  Procedures for communicating evacuation-related information to people with AFN

26. Questions?

27. Discussion Question 1  A successful evacuation often depends on availability of vehicles.  A number of interviewees reported a concern about not knowing how many accessible vehicles are available, how accessible they really are, if they are committed to more than one function, etc.  Please discuss these issues and planning strategies to solve them.

28. Discussion Question 2  What evacuation/transportation concerns do you have?  What ideas and solutions does the group have?

29. Thank You!  Please complete the course feedback form before you leave