Dawn Skaggs and Debbie Jackson at FEMA Conference

The National Capacity Building Conference sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was held in Baltimore, Maryland on September 22-24, 2010.  Approximately two hundred fifty (250) representatives from emergency management agencies, state emergency management and transportation agencies, disability-related and faith-based agencies and individuals representing disability agencies from all fifty (50) states and territories of the United States were selected and invited to attend this conference.  Hawaii's two (2) representatives (Dawn Skaggs from the University of Hawaii, Center on Disability Studies and myself) were included in FEMA Region IX with delegates from Arizona and California.  A delegate from American Samoa was selected but did not attend, and no one applied from Nevada or Guam.  Delegates from Region IX were seated together and worked cooperatively sharing ideas and experiences for the entire conference.

FEMA provided Hawaii with a unique opportunity to attend this conference to meet, interact and work with regional FEMA employees and delegates from California and Arizona, as well as meet other delegates on a national level.  Workshops offered were about transportation of people with disabilities during an emergency, working sessions to develop plans for what each region would accomplish in the next year, and an opportunity to meet and share information with Craig Fugate, FEMA Administrator. It was an opportunity to learn about Administrator Fugate's vision for the inclusion of individuals with disabilities into emergency management planning efforts. FEMA is also in the process of hiring ten (10) regional Disability Integration Specialists, who will work with states within each region on issues relevant to individuals with disabilities, the elderly, and those with special health needs.

 

Krisi (Feeling Safe Being Safe Trainer) and Debbie at FEMA Conference

A follow-up conference may be offered by FEMA in Fall 2011 to report back on the progress states are making on regional action steps established at the conference. There are also plans to continue dialog and work through periodic conference calls or meetings via available Internet technology. Hopefully, DCAB will continue to work with and assist in any scheduled regional work groups and attend the 2011 national conference to maintain contacts with emergency management delegates on issues impacting individuals with disabilities and special health needs.

 

For more information about the conference, please contact Debbie Jackson at (808) 586-8121 or via e-mail.

The Center on Disability Studies at the University of Hawaii-Manoa, has recently been awarded an Emergency Preparedness Special Initiatives Project grant from the U.S. Administration on Developmental Disabilities.  This project will be a three-year endeavor designed to build on the significant progress being made by community agencies to ensure that all of Hawaii's individuals are prepared for an emergency.  It is a collaborative effort of state and local government and community agencies as well as individual stakeholders to pool resources, educate communities, and prepare individuals with disabilities and their families for an emergency. 

This project will provide emergency preparedness services to sixty (60) individuals each year, facilitate self advocates to become trainers and community leaders in emergency preparedness, and support the continued development of a single point of entry system for resources and information.  For more information, please call 956-9797.

Article submitted by Dawn Skaggs,
Center on Disability Studies, University of Hawaii at Manoa

Volunteers Needed for the Medical Reserve Corps

The Hawaii Medical Reserve Corps is a statewide team of volunteers who help in emergencies and promote healthy living. They are looking for more volunteers.

The Medical Reserve Corps has over 200,000 medical, public health, and other volunteers nationally, and was founded by President George W. Bush after September 11th. There are more than seven hundred fifty (750) men and women who volunteer at one of four (4) units on Maui, Kauai, the Big Island and Oahu.

According to Dr. Kate Gaynor, Director of the Hawaii Medical Reserve Corps, "You don't have to be a medical professional. In addition to health professionals, people are needed to fill roles such as translators, administrative and logistical support. The most important qualification is a strong desire to help your local community."

Volunteers serve in a variety of roles. They help out with the Stop Flu at School Program, free flu vaccine at three hundred thirty (330) schools statewide, staff Alternate Care Sites, facilities that provide basic medical care during pandemic and other natural disasters, and help in an emergency to rapidly dispense antibiotics from a Point of Dispensing site in the event of a bioterrorism event. Also, volunteers participate in community health fairs, psychological first aid and patient handling trainings, and at regional and national conferences for health preparedness.

To become a Medical Reserve Corps volunteer, you must attend an orientation and training session, participate in quarterly meetings, demonstrate that you have a personal emergency plan, and complete two (2) self-paced introductory disaster management courses. On Oahu, call 587-6583 to register for the next training session. To volunteer on the Neighbor Islands contact: Rachel Heckscher at (808) 243-8649 on Maui; Anne Holmberg at (808) 974-6480 on the Big Island; and Michael Robless at (808) 241-3555 on Kauai. Each of these individuals is the Medical Reserve Corps volunteer in that specific county.

Department of Health Press Release: September 30, 2010-059