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June Isaacson Kailes, Disability Policy Consultant logo

Disasters are always inclusive. Response and recovery are not, unless we plan for it!

June Isaacson Kailes, Disability Policy Consultant


In disasters, people with disabilities continue to lose their health, independence and sometimes lives because information transfer and lessons documented over decades, are not yet uniformly learned and applied!

June Isaacson Kailes, Disability Policy Consultant


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Disability Competencies
Communication Access
Exercises
Evacuation

Functional Assessment Service Teams (FAST)
Functional Needs (formerly special needs)
Funding
Organizing Community Based Organizations
Organizing Neighborhoods
Planning Guides
    Continuity of Operations Templates
Promising Practices
Registries - for People with Access and Functional Needs
Sample Plans
Sheltering
State and Local Government
    Training
    Whole Community Planing
Forms, Checklists, Tools, Samples, etc.
Other Resources

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Disability Competencies

Disability Competencies:

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Communication Access

Communication Access for People with Limited Speech last accessed 12.26.09

Gear up. Get Ready. It can happen! The Access and Functional Needs (AFN) Emergency Preparedness Resource Guide, 2012 , last accessed  01.1.13

Research Report and Options for Consideration in Community Preparedness Campaign Development, 2012 - Illinois-Indiana-Wisconsin Combined Statistical Area Community Preparedness Campaign, A Collaboration of the Citizen Preparedness Subcommittee of the Regional Catastrophic Planning Team, Research Report and Options for Consideration in Community Preparedness Campaign Development, last accessed  01.1.13

Emergency Preparedness From the National Association of the Deaf, last accessed 12.26.09 

Emergency Responder Video (working with Deaf, Hard of Hearing and DeafBlind People) – Video is captioned, but not signed, last accessed 12.26.09

Making Lessons Documented - Real! - Integrating Disability Issues into Instructors' Toolkits, with June Kailes, Hilary Styron and Elizabeth Davis. National Center for Biomedical Research and Training 4th Annual Instructor Professional Development Conference Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge River Center Baton Rouge, LA, 8/17/06.

Orientation Manual for First Responders on the Evacuation of People with Disabilities, FA-235  August 2002, FEMA & US Fire Administration (2002). PDF Format, last accessed 12.26.09

Project Civic Access
, U.S. Department of Justice (2004), & Settlement Agreement Between The United States of America and City of Detroit, Michigan, Department of Justice Number 204-37-284. last accessed 01/17/08

Report on Special Needs Assessment for Katrina Evacuees (SNAKE) Project, National Organization on Disability, 2005, PDF Format, last accessed 01/17/08

Saving Lives: Including People with Disabilities in Emergency Planning, National Council on Disability, 2005, last accessed 01/17/08

Improving the Accessibility of Social Media in Government Covers agencies’ responsibilities to ensure that digital services are accessible to all people citizens, individuals with disabilities. Includes recommendations for improving accessibility of social media, tips for making: Facebook posts accessible, Tweets accessible, YouTube videos accessible; and resources, training, and how to provide feedback (2013)

Web site Access - Web site designers need to Build Access in from the beginning by following: 508 and W3C guidelines (last accessed 07.24.11)

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Exercises

Guidance for Integrating People with Disabilities in Emergency Drills, Table Tops and Exercises Edition 1, 2015.

I prepared this draft guidance, for North Carolina Emergency Management.  It uses the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) Master Task List format commonly used in the field to provide a set of guiding principles for exercise programs, as well as a common approach to exercise program management, design and development, conduct, evaluation, and improvement planning.  The second column is what is new and it focuses on steps that to recruit, accommodate, include, and get feedback from people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs in your exercises. It also includes some suggestions for injects that can be tailored to your specific exercise.

It is work in progress, but I thought you would be interested in seeing and maybe using it.  Your feedback is encouraged.



Evacuation

Access & Functional Needs Evacuation Planning Toolkit DVD produced as part of a pilot project to support counties in planning for the evacuation and transportation needs of all their citizens during an emergency. Provides an introduction to issues to consider while planning for a large scale evacuation and provides tools.  last accessed 5.7.10

Be Ready to Go: Evacuation Transportation Planning Tips for People with Access and Functional Needs. June Kailes [2010] last accessed 11.15.10, format PDF

U.S. Department of Transportation

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Functional Assessment Service Teams (FAST

“The intent of using Functional Assessment Service Teams (FASTs) in shelters is to recognize that some people need assistance with essential functional needs and some do not.  What is important is that response planning incorporates ways to offer life preservers and safety nets.

Safety nets help people, whose margin of resiliency is smaller and whose vulnerability is greater, get essential functional needs met in unstable and changing environments.

Some people and systems confuse safety nets with fishing nets.  Fishing nets, as they do with fish, scoop people from environments in which they coped or thrived, confine them and threaten their health, safety and independence.”

June Isaacson Kailes, Disability Policy Consultant, 2008


Functional Assessment Service Teams (LAST ACCESSED 04.3.09)This site contains information about disaster sheltering for People with Disabilities and Elderly (PWD/E) and Functional Assessment Service Teams (FAST):

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Functional Needs (formerly special needs)

Variation in human ability is ordinary, not special, and, affects most of us for some part of our lives.

The term “special needs “doesn’t work because in emergency planning and response because it doesn’t provide the guidance to operationalize the needed tasks needed.

June Isaacson Kailes, Disability Policy Consultant


Defining Functional Needs - Updating CMIST (2017) - resulting from the evolving of terms as well as the clarity, precision, and specificity of our thinking and practice. CMIST is a memory tool to help people remember and plan for the five functional needs individuals may have in an emergency or disaster:  communication; maintaining health; independence; support, safety and self-determination; and transportation.

Emergency plans based on optimizing function rather than “specialness” increases the chance of successful accommodation of predictable needs. For example, the fact people have survived a stroke, tells us nothing about their functional needs for maintaining their health, safety and independence, which can range from no needs to many needs.


Moving Beyond ìSpecial Needsî: A Function Based Framework for Emergency Management and Planning. Kailes, J., Enders, A., (2007), Journal of Disability Policy Studies.  PRO-ED, TX:Austin. 2007. 17: p. 230-237. Formats: PDF, Microsoft Word. Posted 12.26.09


Paradigm Shift in Planning for Special-Needs Populations. Parsons, B. and Fulmer, D. (2007), Emergency Management in Higher Education: Current Practices and Conversations; Papers from the 2007 FEMA Emergency Management Higher Education Conference. Microsoft Word Posted 12.26.09

Disaster Services and  "Special Needs:" Term of Art or Meaningless Term?  (PDF)  Kailes, J. (2005), last accessed 01/17/08, Also published in International Association of Emergency Managers Bulletin, Special Focus Issue: Emergency Preparedness for Individuals With Disabilities, Part 2.


Functional Needs Planning  Rick Tobin interviews June Kailes, 1.16.09, last accessed 12.26.09

Language Is More than a Trivial Concern!  10th edition (2010), Kailes, J. Formats: PDF, Sensitizes people to appropriate terminology to use when speaking with, writing about or referring to people with disabilities. Challenges readers to be aware of the importance of using disability-neutral terms. Details preferred language and gives reasons for the disability community's preferences. Serves as an excellent reference tool for the public, media, marketers, providers and for board members, staff and volunteers of disability-related organizations. Includes a language quiz and many examples. 

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Funding

Integrating Disability Access and Functional Needs Efforts FEMA Grant Programs Directorate Information Bulletin No.  361, May 2011


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Organizing Community Based Organizations

Los Angeles County Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster. Emergency Network Los Angeles (last accessed 01/24/08)

Preparing The Vulnerable Population) -- The Triad Alliance
, City of San Leandro, (last accessed 01/24/08). 

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Organizing Neighborhoods


Guide to Organizing Neighborhoods for Preparedness, Response, and Recovery,
Volunteer Center of Marin (last accessed 01/24/08). 

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Planning Guides

Accommodating Individuals With Disabilities In The Provision Of Disaster Mass Care, Housing, And Human Services  last accessed 12.24.11, [2007] conetnts include:   


Continuity of Operations Templates - sample of the many available online (last accessed 04.27.18):


Crisis Response and Disaster Resilience 2030: Forging Strategic Action in an Age of UncertaintySummary of Key Insights of the 2010-2011 Strategic Foresight Initiative. January 2012 – “To ensure our Nation’s resilience to disasters, the emergency management community must be postured to manage the complexity, pace of change, and uncertainty of the future environment. To do this, the emergency management community needs to establish and maintain a foresight capability — to explore future drivers of change and trends that could shape the future, understand their strategic impacts, and develop actions to meet future needs to inform decision-making.” format: PDF,  Last accessed  01.25.12

Crisis Response and Disaster Resilience 2030 -  Full Report - includes insights on the future role of emergency and disaster management; strategic needs and gaps the community will have to address; and a look into the emergency management community of 2030.  The strategic needs, highlighted focus around essential capabilities, innovative models and tools, and dynamic partnerships – are intended to be a catalyst for leadership throughout the emergency management community and to prepare us, and the Nation at large, for whatever challenges and opportunities the future holds. format: PDF, Last accessed  01.30.12


Developing and Maintaining Emergency Operations Plans, Comprehensive Preparedness Guide (CPG) 101, Version 2.0, November 2010, format: PDF, last accessed 12.19.10

Provides FEMA guidance on the fundamentals of planning and developing emergency operations plans (EOP). Shows that EOPs are connected to planning efforts in the areas of prevention, protection, response, recovery, and mitigation. Encourages emergency and homeland security managers to engage the whole community in addressing all risks that might impact their jurisdictions.

Integrates key concepts from national preparedness policies and doctrines, as well as lessons learned from disasters, major incidents, national assessments, and grant programs. Provides methods for planners to:

Incorporates these concepts from operational planning research and day-to-day experience:

Effectively Including People with Disabilities in Policy and Advisory Groups (Edition 2, 2012) PDF, MS Word (See State and Local Government for description)

Emergency Planning for People With Access and Functional Needs - (2010) Focuses on the need for a plan that covers all members of the community and ways to identify and incorporate populations with functional needs into the emergency planning process. The DVD version of this training is 508 compliant with closed captioning and an audio-only track. last accessed 10.6.12

A Guide for Including People with Disabilities in Disaster Preparedness Planning, Connecticut Developmental Disabilities Network, 20006, Format PDF, last accessed 02/4/08

A Framework of Emergency Preparedness Guidelines for Federal Agencies, Preparing the Workplace for Everyone: Accounting for the Needs of People with Disabilities, 7/05, Format PDF, last accessed

Agency Disaster Preparedness Plan, Volunteer Center Serving Howard County, Columbia, Maryland, 7/03, Format PDF, last accessed 02/4/08

Disaster Planning Toolkit for the Small to Midsize Business Owner ñ Open for Business 8/06, Format: PDF, last accessed 02/4/08

Disaster Training for Long-Term Care Communities: Will Yours be Prepared? 2006, last accessed 12.26.09

Experiences of Direct Support Professionals During Hurricanes Katrina and Rita 2007, last accessed 02/4/08 

First Responders Guide – provides a reference tool for assisting people who have access and functional needs during the response and recovery. Content can also be accessed by mobile devices at  http://terrorism.spcollege.edu. Includes checklist, guides, videos (2011) Last accessed 12.24.11

Guidance on Planning and Responding to the Needs of People with Disabilities and Older Adults - for emergency managers and planners, and disability and older adult service systems, for planning and responding, during disasters and recovery, produced by the Californiaís Governorís Office of Emergency Services,  Office of Access and Functional Needs. Last accessed 12.26.09

Including People with Disabilities in Emergency Planning: How Are We Doing? 2007,Format PDF, last accessed 02/4/08

Attachment A SNF/NF Disaster Preparedness Plan Tool, 11/04

Attachment B  ICF/MR Disaster Preparedness Plan Tool

Occupant Emergency Program Guide, U.S. General Services Administration, Public Buildings Service, Federal Protective Service, 03-02, Format:  Microsoft Word, last accessed 02/5/08

Pandemic Influenza Workbook for Long Term Care Providers California Association of Health Facilities, August 2007

Planning Guidance for Response to a Nuclear Detonation - Department of Homeland Security’s Planning Guidance (2008), provides  guidance for emergency response planners to prepare for responding to consequences of a nuclear detonation.  Scientific analysis has shown that today’s threat is different; potentially survivable for thousands, especially with adequate shelter and education. Spending the first few hours in a good shelter, such as the center of a multi-story building, can keep radiation exposure at a non-lethal level. File Format: PDF Last accessed  05.21.11

Self-Assessment Guide, Disaster Preparedness For Community Care Facilities, California Department of Social Service, 11/03, Posted 02/4/08, Format PDF, last accessed 12.26.09

Serving and Protecting: The Role of Disability and Aging Organizations in Disaster Planning 2006, last accessed 02/4/08

When Disaster Strikes: An Emergency Preparedness Checklist for Service Providers 2006, last accessed 02/4/08

Why and How to Include People with Disabilities in Your Emergency Planning Process? 2008, Microsoft Word.

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Sample Plans

Access Board Emergency Evacuation Procedures, (last accessed 01/24/08).

Agency Emergency Plan, Formats: PDF, (last accessed 12.26.09). 

City of Oakland’s Access and functional needs annex (last accessed 07.24.11).

Oakland adopted a functional needs plan in part to settle a 2007 lawsuit. The plaintiff’s attorneys, Disability Rights Advocates, described the settlement as the “first constructive resolution in the country in which the broader disability community and a public entity worked cooperatively to develop the best possible plan for disability access to disaster readiness activities.” For more information on the settlement, Oakland’s Functional Needs Annex, and other functional needs planning resources.

Additional resources provided in the Annex include:
Disaster Preparedness Workbook for Service Providing Agencies, (last accessed 01/24/08). 

Functional Needs Support Services (FNSS) (Texas Toolkit)

FNSS are defined as services that enable children and adults with or without disabilities who have access and functional needs to maintain their health, safety, and independence in a general population shelter.

To provide planning guidance to local emergency management and shelter planners, the State of Texas FNSS Integration Committee has created a toolkit that can be incorporated into existing shelter plans to meet access and functional needs in general population shelters. This toolkit provides guidance to assist planners in understanding the requirements related to sheltering children and adults with and without disabilities who have access and functional needs in the state of Texas.

FNSS and provided guidance are designed to assist in planning and resource allocation for sheltering operations whether government, Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), faith- or private-based to meet the access and functional needs of children and adults. This toolkit is designed to provide first responders and emergency management professionals basic information about interacting with Texans with disabilities during a disaster and to identify disability leaders in the local communities. (Last accessed 07.24.11) Formats: MS Word,  (508 compliant),PDF 


Associated Attachments:


Oakland California's Journey from Emergency Management Defendant to Model City for Inclusionary Practices, (see Promising Practices)

People with Disabilities and Elderly Shelter Annex and Functional Assessment Service Teams, 7/22/08 Draft, Document is being used in conjunction with the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) Mass Care and Shelter Plan in large-scale, multi-county, interregional emergencies and disasters.  This plan will provide the structure, policies, procedures, and forms for CDSS Disaster Operation Center activation and operations.

USDA Employee Emergency Response Guide USDA Headquarters, Washington, D.C., March 2006, last accessed 02/4/08

U. S. Department of Transportation Emergency Preparedness Guidelines for People with Disabilities (last accessed 01/24/08)

Volunteer Center Response Plan, The Volunteerism Project (last accessed 01/24/08). 

Volunteer Organized Initiative for Community Emergencies, How to Create an Agency Disaster Plan, VOICE of Contra Costa County (last accessed 01/24/08). 

Workbook for Service Providing Agencies, Monterey County Office of Aging, Community, & Employment Services (last accessed 01/24/08). 

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Other Resources

9-11 offers important lessons in disaster preparedness January 2002. (last accessed 01/24/08).

Citizen Corps (last accessed 01/24/08).

Crisis Response and Disaster Resilience 2030: Forging Strategic Action in an Age of UncertaintySummary of Key Insights of the 2010-2011 Strategic Foresight Initiative. January 2012 – “To ensure our Nation’s resilience to disasters, the emergency management community must be postured to manage the complexity, pace of change, and uncertainty of the future environment. To do this, the emergency management community needs to establish and maintain a foresight capability — to explore future drivers of change and trends that could shape the future, understand their strategic impacts, and develop actions to meet future needs to inform decision-making.” format: PDF,  Last accessed  01.25.12

Crisis Response and Disaster Resilience 2030 -  Full Report - includes insights on the future role of emergency and disaster management; strategic needs and gaps the community will have to address; and a look into the emergency management community of 2030.  The strategic needs, highlighted focus around essential capabilities, innovative models and tools, and dynamic partnerships – are intended to be a catalyst for leadership throughout the emergency management community and to prepare us, and the Nation at large, for whatever challenges and opportunities the future holds. format: PDF, Last accessed  01.30.12

Emergency Prescription Assistance Program (EPAP), a program jointly administered by FEMA and the Department of Health and Human Services, which provides a method for pharmacies to process claims for prescription medications and durable medical equipment to individuals who are from a disaster area declared by the President and who do not have any form of health insurance coverage. (last accessed  07.24.11)


FEMA’s Office of Disability Integration and Coordination (ODIC)
Integrating and coordinating emergency preparedness, response and recovery for children and adults with disabilities and others with access and functional needs before, during and after a disaster. (last accessed 12.19.10)

Getting Real- 2010 Inclusive Emergency Management National Capacity Building Training Conference , last accessed 12.19.10

Site includes full transcript and videos.

FEMA’s Office of Disability Integration and Coordination sponsored a 3 day intensive cross-training and bridge-building conference in inclusive emergency preparedness practices with members of the disability and emergency management communities for post-training responsibility to engage and educate others on how to effectively collaborate in emergency preparedness and disaster response and recovery.

Hosted by FEMA’s Office of Disability Integration and Coordination with our partners from the FEMA National Protection and Preparedness Directorate, Individual & Community Preparedness Division, the Interagency Coordinating Council on Emergency Preparedness and Individuals with Disabilities, the National Council on Disability, the Department of Justice, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate, American Red Cross and in coordination with the FEMA Emergency Management Institute.

Lessons Learned Information Sharing - Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency program. LLIS.gov serves as the national, online network of lessons learned, best practices, and innovative ideas for the emergency management and homeland security communities.LLIS.gov provides federal, state, and local responders and emergency managers with information on planning, training, and operational practices across homeland security functional areas. A wealth of emergency planning information, which includes disability issues, incident management, training and exercises, public communications, community preparedness, private sector, critical infrastructure. Must first register for a log in name and password. (last accessed 07.24.11)


LLIS.gov Original Research - four types of research:

After-Action Reports - search hundreds of AARs from local, state, national, and international exercises and real-world events.

Plans, Procedures, Templates, and Tools

Reports and Documents

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Promising Practices

Community Engagement: Leadership Tool for Catastrophic Health Events, 2006, last accessed 12.26.09, Formats: PDF

This long, but well worth reading, seminal article makes the case for government leaders, public health and safety professionals, and communities at-large having complementary and mutually supportive roles in emergencies.

It details the critical role  that emergency related community structured dialogue, joint problem solving, and collaborative action among government, citizens at-large, and local opinion leaders can play in augmenting governments' abilities to govern in a crisis, improve application of communally held resources and lessen community losses.

Community partners can collaborate with officials to:

Disaster Alternate Care Facility Selection Tool A public health emergency can strain the capacity of hospitals and other traditional venues for medical services. In such emergencies, it may be necessary to select alternate facilities for providing medical care. Two new interactive computer tools, Disaster Alternate Care Facility Selection Tool and an ancillary tool, Alternate Care Facility Patient Selection Tool, will help institutions and communities select alternate care facilities and determine which patients to send to them. last accessed 12.26.09

Effectively Including People with Disabilities in Policy and Advisory Groups (Edition 2, 2012) PDF, MS Word, last accessed  05.28.13 (See State and Local Government for description)

Getting Real II: Promising Practices in Inclusive Emergency Management for the Whole Community” 9/12-12/11 the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Office of Disability Integration and Coordination hosted a successful conference focusing on disability inclusive promising practices in emergency management.

All of the presentations are on-line and cover a range of topics from empowering children to become emergency preparedness ambassadors to developing Smartphone apps for emergency responders to sign language interpreter strike teams. The products related to this conference are accessible.  The videos are captioned. Most videos include the ASL interpreter in a window. Text transcripts and PowerPoint presentations are also accessible and available for download.  Last accessed 12.11.11

Oakland California's Journey from Emergency Management Defendant to Model City for Inclusionary Practices, 1/8/14.Pacific ADA center

In 2009, the City of Oakland was the subject of a major lawsuit saying that its emergency management policies, practices and procedures fell short of providing individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to survive disasters and other emergencies. Hear how Oakland met the challenge by engaging a wide group of stakeholders and integrating progressive functional needs access frameworks into all aspects of its emergency management planning and response programs. The session will cover the tools that Oakland created and how local government agencies can efficiently and effectively transform their emergency preparedness programs


People with Disabilities and Elderly Shelter Annex and Functional Assessment Service Teams, 7/22/08 Draft, Document is being used in conjunction with the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) Mass Care and Shelter Plan in large-scale, multi-county, interregional emergencies and disasters.  This plan will provide the structure, policies, procedures, and forms for CDSS Disaster Operation Center activation and operations.

Language Is More than a Trivial Concern!  10th edition (2010), Kailes, J. Formats: PDF, Sensitizes people to appropriate terminology to use when speaking with, writing about or referring to people with disabilities. Challenges readers to be aware of the importance of using disability-neutral terms. Details preferred language and gives reasons for the disability community's preferences. Serves as an excellent reference tool for the public, media, marketers, providers and for board members, staff and volunteers of disability-related organizations. Includes a language quiz and many examples.



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Sheltering

Also see under Sample Plans: City of Oakland’s Access and functional needs annex, Functional Needs Support Services (FNSS) (Texas Toolkit)

Cots: Standard, Accessible, and Medical 4/09 - includes 3 charts showing the differences among standard, accessible, and medical cots.  There is no legal definition of accessible cots. This document defines accessible cots as: 17-19 inches high (not including the mattress), a weight capacity of 300+ lbs, and flexible head and feet positions.  The height dimensions provided are from the floor to the top of the frame (this excludes any cushion.)  Microsoft Word

FEMA Guidance on Planning for Integration of Functional Needs Support Services (FNSS) in General Population Shelters (PDF 7.25MB TXT 466KB) last accessed 12.19.10 -provides sample lists of durable medical equipment and consumable medical supplies to assist emergency managers in their planning and preparation efforts to build capacity to meet obligations to individuals with disabilities.

Functional Needs Focused Care and Shelter Checklist
4/09-Version 3, Kailes, J.  Formats: PDF An adapted version of this checklist is included in City of Oakland’s Access and functional needs annex: see Sample Plans:

Initial Intake and Assessment Tool: Determining the Most Appropriate Shelter Environment

Initial Intake and Assessment Tool developed in 2006 by Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), American Red Cross, and several disability organizations.  Its main function is to assist with the identification of individuals who may need accommodations that enable them to remain in a general population shelter or the most integrated shelter setting. (Last accessed 05.7.10)

Oakland California's Journey from Emergency Management Defendant to Model City for Inclusionary Practices
, (see Promising Practices)

Pet Friendly Shelter Planning - Contains plans, forms, job action sheets, checklists, etc. regarding how to open, manage and close a Pet Friendly Shelter during a disaster. Last accessed 09.7.12

Service Animals – Department of Justice July 2011 revised guidance on the term “service ani­mal” and the service animal provisions in the Department’s revised regulations. (Last accessed 07.24.11)

Service Animals - working animals that help people live, work and play, what they do and how they should be treated them while on the job! View the video Partners in Independence by Ed and Toni last accessed  01.18.12

 The National Shelter System and Physical Accessibility - Time to Look Under the Hood (2017) - focuses on physical accessibility, one of the many mass care criteria used by the American Red Cross’s National Shelter System (NSS). This focus on facility access is motivated by being repeatedly told, in my role as a trainer, consultant and policy analyst, by emergency management professionals that they do not need to survey their mass care sites for physical accessibility, because they can depend on the information in the NSS. 

The information in this article is derived from informal discussions with American Red Cross staff and volunteers. These discussions resulted in inconsistent and sometimes contradictory information regarding NSS. What follows is a list of questions and concerns regarding NSS’s information accuracy, surveyor competencies, and uniformity in applying standardized policies and procedures across divisions and regions. For example, different survey versions of physical access questions appear to be used in NSS and in different regions.

 

Using FEMA’s functional needs guidance in shelters - with Janice Springer DNP, RN, PHN is a Disaster Health Services Advisor in Minnesota and June Isaacson Kailes, Disability Policy Consultant June Isaacson Kailes, Associate Director, Center for Disability and Health Policy, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, covers how general population shelters have incorporated FEMA's Functional Needs Services and Support guidance and the Communication, Maintaining Health, Independence, Safety, Support, and Self-determination, and Transportation (C-MIST) framework for planning and response. (6/26/13) last accessed  08.16.13

 

State and Local Government (also see Legal Issues and Disability Rights)

Access and Functional Services Coordinator, California Governor's Office of Emergency Service, Proposed Deputy Director Position(Version 3), Kailes, J. 2007. posted 05/3/07

Accommodating Individuals with Disabilities in the Provision of Disaster Mass Care, Housing, nnd Human Services, FEMA. last accessed 01/24/08

ADA Applies to Restoration of Damaged Facilities, 10/07, FEMA, last accessed 01/24/08

ADA Best Practices Tool Kit for State and Local Governments (Chapter 7) last accessed 08/5/07,  U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Disability Rights Section, July 26, 2007, includes:

  • Emergency Management under Title II of the ADA
  • Introduction to Appendices 1 and 2:
  • ADA and Emergency Shelters: Access for All in Emergencies and Disasters
  • ADA Checklist for Emergency Shelters
  • An ADA Guide for Local Governments - Making Community Emergency Preparedness and Response Programs Accessible to People with Disabilities, U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Disability Rights Section, Last updates 8/06, last accessed 09/12/07

    Checklist for Integrating People with Disabilities and Others with Access and Functional Needs into Emergency Planning, Response & Recovery,  2014 Format: PDF  [See: "Forms, Checklists, Tools, Samples" below for description.

    Disaster Services and "Special Needs:" Term of Art or Meaningless Term? June Kailes, 2005, last accessed 01/17/08, Also published in International Association of Emergency Managers Bulletin, Special Focus Issue: Emergency Preparedness for Individuals With Disabilities, Part 2, April, 2005.

    Effectively Including People with Disabilities in Policy and Advisory Groups (Edition 2, 2012) PDF, MS Word, last accessed  05.28.13


    Effectively Including People with Disabilities in Policy and Advisory Groups (Edition 2, 2012) - provides how-to information for effectively including people with disabilities in policy and advisory boards, councils or work groups, contains material on developing and sustaining an advisory group, why include people with disabilities, and how to identity those who are qualified people with disabilities. Includes a planning checklist that covers defining purpose, structure, size, lines of communication, membership, recruiting, budgeting, staffing, minutes, accountability, meeting access and accommodations; a planning recruiting matrix and an agenda and minutes template.

    Guidance on Planning and Responding to the Needs of People with Disabilities and Older Adults- for emergency managers and planners, and disability and older adult service systems, for planning and responding, during disasters and recovery, produced by the California's Governor's Office of Emergency Services,  Office of Access and Functional Needs. Last accessed 11/22/08

    Federal Communications Commission Reminds Video Programming Distributors They Must Make Emergency Information Accessible To Persons with Hearing or Vision Disabilities, 5/05, last accessed 01/17/08  

    First Responders Guide – (See Planning Guides for description)

    Language Is More than a Trivial Concern!  10th edition (2010), Kailes, J. Formats: PDF, Sensitizes people to appropriate terminology to use when speaking with, writing about or referring to people with disabilities. Challenges readers to be aware of the importance of using disability-neutral terms. Details preferred language and gives reasons for the disability community's preferences. Serves as an excellent reference tool for the public, media, marketers, providers and for board members, staff and volunteers of disability-related organizations. Includes a language quiz and many examples.

    Moving Beyond "Special Needs": A Function Based Framework for Emergency Management and Planning. Kailes, J., Enders, A., (2007), Journal of Disability Policy Studies.  PRO-ED, TX:Austin. 2007. 17: p. 230-237. Formats: PDF, Microsoft Word. Posted 12.26.09

    People with Disabilities and Elderly Shelter Annex and Functional Assessment Service Teams, 7/22/08 Draft, Document is being used in conjunction with the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) Mass Care and Shelter Plan in large-scale, multi-county, interregional emergencies and disasters.  This plan will provide the structure, policies, procedures, and forms for CDSS Disaster Operation Center activation and operations.

    Serving and Protecting All by Applying Lessons Learned Including People with Disabilities and Seniors in Disaster Services, (March 2006), June Kailes and California Foundation for Independent Living,
    last accessed 01/17/08

    Southern California Wildfires After Action Report.
    Kailes. J. 2008. Formats: PDF,  Text

    Be Real, Specific, and Current: Emergency Preparedness Information for People with Disabilities and Others with Access and Functional Needs, Edition 1.0, 2016 Preparedness information for the general population is not always equally applicable for people with disabilities. General emergency preparedness information is important for everyone. These materials can be more inclusive when they contain information that focuses on specific functional needs.  

    Offers guidance, examples, and resources on promoting or producing these materials and includes checking that the content:



    Checklist for Integrating People with Disabilities and Others with Access and Functional Needs into Emergency Planning, Response & Recovery
    ,  2014 Format: PDF
     

    For emergency planners, managers, responders, and public information officers (PIOs) who have responsibility for developing, maintaining, testing, delivering and revising emergency plans and services. Use it to help:

    Emergency Training Activities