DHS

Interagency Coordinating Council on Emergency Preparedness and Individuals with Disabilities

Issue 3: Summer - Fall

HHS/DHS Working Conference on Emergency Management and Individuals with Disabilities and the Elderly

Photo: Lady with boy On June 28-30, 2006, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) jointly sponsored the HHS/DHS Working Conference on Emergency Management and Individuals with Disabilities and the Elderly. The conference brought together state experts on disabilities, aging and emergency management to discuss promising practices, formulate state teams, take a critical look at state emergency planning processes and identify how they may be strengthened with regard to individuals with disabilities and the elderly.

Each state was asked to send up to five individuals, representing the aging, the state special needs task force, health, emergency management and homeland security. Delegations representing more than 40 states and territories attended the conference. Also in attendance were individuals representing disability perspectives selected by grantees of the Administration on Developmental Disabilities. Participants were expected to have the knowledge, authority and responsibility to contribute to the emergency preparedness and planning process in their state to address issues related to individuals with disabilities and the elderly.

Photo: Left to right: Josefina Carbonell, HHS; David Paulison, Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS; Patricia Morrissey, HHS; Michael Chertoff, DHS; Daniel Sutherland, DHS; Robert Zitz, DHS; Margaret Giannini, HHS

Left to right: Josefina Carbonell, HHS; David Paulison, Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS; Patricia Morrissey, HHS; Michael Chertoff, DHS; Daniel Sutherland, DHS; Robert Zitz, DHS; Margaret Giannini, HHS

DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff and HHS Deputy Secretary Alex Azar each delivered keynote addresses. Secretary Chertoff spoke of the collaboration needed between individuals and governments. "We need to emphasize that it is a civic duty for every individual and every family to prepare themselves to the extent they are able to do so. But we also need to make sure that government at all levels is able and has done the planning necessary to step in and fill those gaps that individuals and families are not able to fill themselves." The Secretary also emphasized the importance of including people with disabilities in the planning process. "People with disabilities want to roll up their sleeves and get in the trenches with emergency management officials to find solutions that work. They have a tremendous amount to offer because they bring a unique blend of energy, experience, ideas and personal determination to these issues. So we need to recognize that people with disabilities, their families and the organizations that serve them have to be partners in the process of emergency planning."

Deputy Secretary Azar discussed HHS' efforts to mainstream people with disabilities into general population shelters if possible. "Our Office on Disability has been working with our Office of Public Health Emergency Preparedness and others to develop a triage process to evaluate a disabled person's ability to evacuate to a general population shelter, rather than go to a medical or special needs shelter. The process will assess the person’s medical condition and level of functionality and will offer responders a way to make shelter choices that maintain independence." This triage process was later discussed in detail at one of the concurrent sessions.

Presentations were made on a wide variety of topics such as "Data Resources for Emergency Planners and Responders," "Evacuation: Why Don't (or Can't) People Leave?" and "Accessible Housing: The Lynchpin to Disaster Recovery."

The transcripts of the general sessions, including keynote addresses, and presentation materials can be viewed at the conference Web site: http://www.add-em-conf.com.

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