Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-m8qmq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-24T20:38:43.337Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A Functional Needs Approach to Emergency Planning

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 July 2014

Rebecca Zod ,
Robin Fick-Osborne  and
Eleanor B. Peters
Rebecca Zod*
Affiliation:
Washington University in St Louis, School of Arts and Sciences, St Louis, Missouri
Robin Fick-Osborne
Affiliation:
Saint Louis County Department of Health, St Louis, Missouri
Eleanor B. Peters
Affiliation:
Saint Louis County Department of Health, St Louis, Missouri
*
Correspondence and reprints to Rebecca Zod, 1331 Cinnamon Dr, Fort Washington, PA 19034 (e-mail: beccazod@gmail.com).
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective

This study was conducted to test the ability of the St Louis County Department of Health to efficiently dispense medication to individuals with functional needs during a public health emergency and develop new guidelines for future emergency planning. Historically, people with functional needs have been vulnerable in emergency situations, and emergency planners are responsible for creating equal access for mass prophylaxis events.

Methods

Measures to create access for individuals with functional needs were tested in a countywide exercise in which 40 volunteers with functional needs walked through an open point of dispensing location to collect medication as if it were a real emergency. Actions were informed by representatives from the functional needs community in the St Louis area.

Results

During the exercise, medications were successfully dispensed to all participants. Many participants offered feedback for future program design.

Conclusions

Outcomes indicated the importance of working closely with the community organizations that serve people with functional needs in designing appropriate response measures, providing sensitivity training to staff members, employing useful technology, and using visual and verbal cues. The lessons learned from this exercise apply to emergency planning nationwide, as planning efforts for persons with functional needs still lag significantly.(Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2014;0:1–9)

Keywords

post-exposure prophylaxisvulnerable populationsemergency preparedness
Type
Concepts in Disaster Medicine
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 8 , Issue 4 , August 2014 , pp. 301 - 309
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2014 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Federal Emergency Management Agency. Guidance on Planning for Integration of Functional Needs Support Services in General Population Shelters. San Antonio, Texas: Federal Emergency Management Agency, Health and Human Services; November 2010:166. http://www.fema.gov/pdf/about/odic/fnss_guidance.pdf. Accessed May 5, 2013.Google Scholar
2. Brault, MW. Americans with Disabilities: 2010. Washington, DC: US Department of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration, US Census Bureau; 2012; http://www.census.gov/prod/2012pubs/p70-131.pdf. Accessed May 5, 2013.Google Scholar
3. Kailes, JI, Enders, A.. Moving beyond “special needs”: a function-based framework for emergency management and planning. J Disability Policy Studies. 2007; 17(4):230-237.Google Scholar
4. Robinson, S, Gerber, B, Eller, W, Gall, M. Emergency planning and disabled populations: assessing the FNSS approach. Int J Mass Emerg Dis. 2013; 31(2):315-329.Google Scholar
5. Federal Emergency Management Agency. Civil rights program; 2013. http://www.fema.gov/civil-rights-program. Accessed August 14, 2013.Google Scholar
6. St Louis Area Regional Response System. Assessment of the functional needs populations of the St. Louis region. St Louis, Missouri: St Louis Area Regional Response System; 2011:18.Google Scholar
7. Disability characteristics: 2012 American community survey 1-year estimates: St. Louis County. Washington, DC: American Fact Finder, US Census Bureau; 2012. http://factfinder2.census.gov. Accessed November 4, 2013.Google Scholar
8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Question and answer about the cities readiness initiative (CRI); July 5, 2007. http://www.bt.cdc.gov/cri/qa.asp. Accessed April 15, 2014.Google Scholar
9. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cities readiness initiative; 2013. http://www.cdc.gov/PHPR/stockpile/cri/index.htm. Accessed April 15, 2014.Google Scholar
10. Koh, HK, Elqura, LJ, Judge, CM, et al. Implementing the cities readiness initiative: lessons learned from Boston. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2008; 2(1):40-49.Google Scholar
11. RAND Corporation. Point of dispensing (POD) standards. Washington, DC: Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response, Strategic National Stockpile; 2008:31.Google Scholar
12. National Council on Disability. Saving Lives: Including People With Disabilities in Emergency Planning. Washington, DC: National Council on Disability; 2005.Google Scholar
13. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division. ADA Guide For Local Governments, Making Community Emergency Preparedness and Response Programs Accessible to People With Disabilities. Washington. DC: Department of Justice; 2006:11. http://www.ada.gov/emergencyprepguide.htm. Accessed August 12, 2014.Google Scholar
14. Davis, E, Styron, H. Functional needs of people with disabilities: a guide for emergency managers, planners, and responders. Washington, DC: National Organization on Disability; 2009:64. http://www.nod.org/assets/downloads/Guide-Emergency-Planners.pdf. Accessed August 14, 2013.Google Scholar
15. National Council on Disability. Effective emergence management: making improvements for communitities and people with disabilities. Washington, DC: National Council on Disability; 2009:514.Google Scholar
16. De Voe, P, Mertz, R. Immigrant Needs Assessment for St. Louis Metropolitan Area of Missouri 2007:47. http://www.iistl.org/PDF/MFH_Immigrant_Needs_Assessemnt_2007.pdf. Accessed August 12, 2013.Google Scholar
17. US Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board). Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility guidelines for buildings and facilities. Washington, DC: Americans with Disabilities Act; 2002:142. http://www.access-board.gov/attachments/article/1350/adaag.pdf. Accessed May 5, 2013.Google Scholar
18. Goldstein, T, Winkler, M, Chun, M. Succeeding together: people with disabilities in the workplace: a curriculum for interaction. Washington, DC: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; 1995.Google Scholar
19. Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. 2013-2014 Missouri School Immunization Requirements. Jefferson City, Missouri: Bureau of Immunization Assessment; 2013:1.Google Scholar
20. McVeigh, T. Organizational development and quality enhancement provider handbook: information, advice, and resources on becoming an effective and successful service provider for Missourians with developmental disabilities. Jefferson City, Missouri: Missouri Planning Council for Developmental Disabilities; October 2002.Google Scholar
21. Washington State School for the Blind. Sighted guide technique. Vancouver, Washington: Washington State School for the Blind.Google Scholar
22. Department of Health and Human Services. Public health workbook: to define, locate, and reach special, vulnerable, and at-risk populations in an emergency. Atlanta, Georgia: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2010; http://www.bt.cdc.gov/workbook/pdf/ph_workbookFINAL.pdf. Accessed August 14, 2013.Google Scholar