From Transition Letter Attachment Sent by AAPD and a Coalition of Consumer Controlled Organizations (12/22/08):
Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery Needs
Background:
·
Up to 1/3 of individuals affected by emergencies or disasters, have
functional needs related to disability and/or chronic conditions that affect
their safety, health and independence.
·
Policies, practices and programs of local, state and federal agencies
charged with emergency management fail to adequately address the needs of
individuals with disabilities.
·
During emergencies and disasters, human and civil rights violations are
rampant, despite simple and readily achievable solutions to protect lives and
maximize limited resources.
·
Agencies charged with emergency management often underutilize experts
in emergency management needs of people with disabilities, and often exclude
them from planning and response at all levels.
·
The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act
(Stafford Act) fails to adequately address proper disaster management needs and
results in misuse of limited resources.
·
Studies show every dollar spent in preparedness saves nine dollars in
response and recovery for the general population and significantly more for
preparedness needs of individuals with disabilities.
Long Term Goals:
·
Establish a mandate for the interagency coordinating council to incorporate expertise
available outside the federal government into its decision.
·
Appoint a coordinator with expertise in the needs of people with
disabilities to all federal agencies with specific emergency preparedness
responsibilities, and the authority and resources to act on them.
·
Provide adequate resources and authority to FEMA, the National Council
on Disability, the HHS Office on Disability, and the Domestic Policy Council to design, implement, and
coordinate policy and practice initiatives across agencies to improve outcomes
for individuals with disabilities.
·
Mandate that emergency management agencies at every level engage
disability community experts to help address the needs of people with
disabilities before, during and after disasters.
Short Term Goals:
·
Ensure the National Security review team assesses FEMA’s progress in
fulfilling the directives in the 2006 Stafford Act amendment as outlined by the
ten statutory charges for the Disability Coordinator.
·
Establish an Office on Disability in FEMA with adequate authority and
resources for the Disability Coordinator to fulfill the expectations of this
position.
·
Include expertise in emergency preparedness, response and recovery of
people with disabilities on the Domestic Policy Council team and all other
areas throughout the administration charged with emergency preparedness.
·
Change the composition and authority of the Interagency Coordinating
Council formed under Executive Order 13347 to include private sector experts at
the table.
·
Ensure that people with disabilities have equal access to necessary
services and supports to maintain health and independence during, and after
emergencies, disasters, and/or crises.
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