EM 197 Emergency Planning And Special Needs Populations

What You Get: 140 pages in 8 Units, 5 Handouts and 3 Resource Sections and Glossary.

See some Sample Test Questions

Course Objectives

Upon completing this course, the students will be able to:

• Define special needs populations at the local level.
  
• Identify appropriate resources to assist in planning for special needs populations.
  
• Identify capabilities and limitations of the special needs network.
  
• Define key terms related to special needs planning.
  
• Describe the special needs considerations in all phases of comprehensive emergency management.
  
• Identify the relationship between special needs planning and the community Emergency Operations Plan.
  
• Identify basic components of a special needs plan.

Target Audience

The target audience for this course is very broad and includes, but may not be limited to:

• Emergency managers and senior first-response personnel.
  
• Special needs coordinators for emergency entities and other organizations.
  
• Human services organization personnel (e.g., home-based care agencies, hospitals).
  
• Facility planners at nursing homes, assisted living centers, and psychiatric facilities.
  
• Community-based organizational personnel (e.g., adult day service programs, Independent Living Centers (ILCs)).
  
• Advocacy group personnel (e.g., Lighthouse International, AARP, Area Agencies on Aging, local affiliates of such groups as the National Association of the Deaf and the National Federation of the Blind).
  
• Elected officials.
  
• Public health personnel.
  
• Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) personnel (e.g., American Red Cross, faith-based organizations).

Secondary audiences may include personnel from business and industry who are active in emergency planning and professional associations in related areas, such as nursing home administrators.

Note: Listed videos not included in course and not needed to complete the course.

Unit 1: Course Introduction This unit will include instructor and student introductions, administrative information, course requirements, a description of the course materials, and an overview of the issues related to emergency planning for special needs populations. This unit will also provide students with an opportunity to present issues and concerns they have about emergency planning for special needs populations.

Unit 2: The Emergency Management Process This unit will begin with a discussion of the four phases of emergency management. Students will learn about the response process and the role of local, voluntary, State and Federal responders. Students will learn about the importance of asking for help and will identify local resources that can help them work with special needs populations in a disaster.

Unit 3: Hazard Mitigation Issues This unit will include hazard mitigation measures for special needs individuals and facilities. Students will discuss risks they might face locally and identify mitigation strategies and priorities that they can use to protect their clients and facilities. Students will also identify local resources that can help them with mitigation efforts.

Unit 4: Preparedness Issues This unit will begin with a brief scenario that illustrates the importance of planning. Students will watch a video that stresses the need for planning. The instructor will introduce a scenario and students will answer questions about preparedness based on that scenario. Finally, students will identify preparedness actions that they can take now to plan for the future.

Unit 5: Response Issues This unit will begin with an overview of response and government's role. The instructors will use brief scenarios to discuss the type of assistance needed to help special needs populations. Students will receive an update on the scenario introduced in the last unit and answer a series of questions about response. Finally, students will identify actions they can take now to plan for response in the future.

Unit 6: Recovery Issues In this unit, the students will review the definition of recovery and outline the relationship between recovery and response. The instructor will review key Federal recovery activities. Students will then review a scenario update and identify types of assistance available, strategies for getting information about assistance to special needs populations, and key activities to accomplish during the recovery process. Finally, students will identify actions they can take now to plan for recovery in the future.

Unit 7: Unique Considerations This unit will address the unique issues related to providing emergency care to seniors, persons with disabilities, and other special needs populations. Financial issues, media relations, and current trends will be covered. To ensure that the information is accurate and the student's questions are answered, it is suggested that this unit be delivered using guest instructors who are experts in specific areas.

Unit 8: Course Summary This unit will review student expectations from the first day of class, and identify key lessons learned and actions to be taken after the class.

SAMPLE TEST QUESTIONS

Relocated senior citizens may experience

a. minimal disruption as most live near friends and relatives.
b. less medical problems as they meet other senior citizens.
c. no reduction of support as government services generally equal that of individual care they received prior to relocation.
d. transfer trauma that without care can cause illness and even death in senior citizens.

It is estimated ____ Americans have some disability.

a. 25 million
b. 16 million
c. 2 million
d. 54 million

When developing your emergency plan you should designated the American Red Cross as the lead agency as they have the most experience. True or False?

Government publications used in this document have been electronically transcribed by
International Disaster/Fire Training Institute, Inc.
Sources used to develop these courses are public domain documents.