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Serving People With Disabilities Following a
Disaster
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Your presenter is

• Jenny Latour,
• South Carolina
• Disaster Officer

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• The American Red Cross strives to provide its
  services consistent with the Fundamental
  Principles of the International Movement.

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Fundamental Principles

• Humanity Impartiality
• Neutrality Independence
• Unity Universality
• Voluntary Service

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Disaster Relief

• Shelter
• Feeding
• Individual assistance
• Information and Referral

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What is Sheltering?

• When emergencies or disasters occur, people
  will be directed to seek safe refuge. Sheltering
  is often the most critical element in protecting
  yourself and others in times of disaster.
  Sheltering can be either short or long term
  depending on the emergency

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Seeking Refuge Outside the Affected Area

• When people are instructed to evacuate their
  homes and seek shelter, they may choose to stay
  at a friends or relative's house in a safe area.
  
• If staying with friends or family isnt an
  option, then refuge may be sought in a public
  shelter.

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Types of Public Shelters

• General Population Shelters
• Shelters of Last Resort
• Special Needs Shelters

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General Population Shelters

• Are pre-identified.
• Have generally been inspected by the American Red
  Cross to meet its minimum standards or those of
  another entity tasked by the local government to
  manage the shelter.
• Have a minimum of trained shelter management
  staff.

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General Population Shelters (CONT)

• General population shelters have restrooms and
  the ability to prepare or distribute a limited
  range of pre-cooked meals. There could be a nurse
  on duty for first aid level of care.

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A Lifeboat Not a Cruise!

• Think of a public shelter in terms of a
  lifeboat rather than a cruise ship. Public
  shelters are designed to be temporary and meet
  only the most basic needs. They may be schools,
  recreation centers, and other facilities that are
  quickly turned into shelters during the chaotic
  environment of an emergency.

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Locating Appropriate Service Delivery Sites

• Red Cross chapters generally conduct evaluations
  of possible facilities for use during a disaster.
• Survey includes space for sleeping areas, kitchen
  facilities, bathrooms etc.

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Shelters could include?

• Vacant schools or municipal buildings.
• Available commercial or government warehouse
  space
• Vacant office buildings or available office space
• National Guard/Reserve unit facilities
• Vacant stores in shopping malls
• Union organization halls
• Religious facilities
• Airport facilities

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Shelter Accessibility
ADA Accessibility Standards
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Shelter Accessibility

• No single deficiency makes a facility out of
  compliance or unfit for consideration. There are
  many acceptable temporary mechanisms that can
  make a facility accessible.

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Removal of Architectural Barriers

• Remove barriers where removal is readily
  achievable. If not readily achievable, the Red
  Cross will provide alternate methods that are
  readily achievable.

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Modifications to Facilities

• Widening doorways by removing doors not
  designated as fire doors.
• Widening work areas by repositioning furniture,
  partitions or equipment.
• Installing a temporary ramp.

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Modifications to Facilities(Continued)

• Repositioning paper towel dispensers in
  restrooms.
• Designating parking spaces for workers and
  clients with disabilities.
• Providing sleeping areas with more privacy and
  sturdier cots/beds

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Service Animals

• The Red Cross permits the presence and use of a
  service animal in its shelters.
• Care and supervision of a service animal is the
  responsibility of the individual.
• Red Cross shelters do not accommodate pets.

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Shelter Considerations

• Red Cross shelter populations usually consist of
  individuals who are self-sufficient and need
  little assistance or care.
• Some clients may require accommodations, such as
  limited assistance, or other modifications.

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Who Can Be Admitted to a Red Cross Shelter?

• Persons who use wheelchairs, power wheelchairs
  and motorized scooters and are capable of
  transferring themselves.
• Persons with a controlled psychiatric illness
  such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.
• Persons with mild to moderate muscular diseases
  with a stable or assisted gait.
• Persons on special diets.

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Who Can Be Admitted to a Red Cross
Shelter?(Continued)

• Persons with artificial limbs or prosthesis.
• Persons with mechanical devices such as
  pacemakers, implanted defibrillators or insulin
  pumps.
• Persons with visual, speech or hearing
  impairments.
• Persons with managed, non-acute behavioral or
  mental health illnesses.
• Elderly individuals

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Medical Needs

• The health of the community is the responsibility
  of the local public health authority.
• The Red Cross
• Provides basic first aid in shelter environments.
  
• Can assist in the supplementation of health care
  when requested by local health authorities.
• Does not operate medical shelters.

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Medical Shelters

• Medical shelters serve individuals who have needs
  for additional assistance beyond what the Red
  Cross provides.
• People with disabilities should not automatically
  be referred to a medical shelter.
• People with disabilities can stay at a Red Cross
  shelter with accommodations or modifications.

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Medical Needs

• Attendant medical care/continuous health care
  support.
• Special bed care and/or special toileting
  arrangements.
• Life support equipment.
• Significant supportive nursing care e.g. kidney
  dialysis.
• Conditions that require care, monitoring or
  support that they cannot manage for themselves.

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Medical Needs(Continued)

• Physician-ordered observation, assistance or
  maintenance or custodial care.
• Skilled care due to recent surgery and/or medical
  treatment.
• Limited mobility (cannot sleep on a cot).
• Special equipment or services that are normally
  found in a hospital.

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What Can You Do?

• Contact local American Red Cross.
• Assist in identifying populations with needs.
• Assist in identifying resources to meet those
  needs.

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Questions?

• latourj_at_usa.redcross.org
• www.redcross.org