“Working with the Disability Community: A Citizen Corps Toolkit for Collaboration” Topic:...

“Working with the Disability Community: A Citizen Corps Toolkit for Collaboration”

Topic: Disaster Preparedness Working with Community members with Disabilities

Citizen Corps Mission

To have everyone in America participate To have everyone in America participate in making in making themselvesthemselves, our , our communitiescommunities, ,

and our and our nation safernation safer

We canWe can ““ALL”ALL” have a role in disaster have a role in disaster preparednesspreparedness

• a personal responsibility to be prepared;• to get training in first aid and emergency skills; and• to volunteer to help prepare others

Citizen Corps Affiliates

Who Does ALL Include?

• Young Person

• Senior Citizen

• Business Person

• Rural or Urban Dweller

• Person with or without Disabilities

• Person who speaks a language other than English

• Unemployed

• Student

• Person of means

• Low Income Person

• Person who uses sign language to communicate with others

Everyone can be involved!

In 95% of all emergencies,

bystanders or victims themselves are the first to provide

emergency assistance or to perform a rescue

Los Angeles Fire Department

The Need to be Ready

Citizen Corps Councils

Tribal/Local Citizen Corps Councils

State Citizen Corps Councils

National Citizen Corps Council

Emergency Medical

Law Enforcement

Fire Service

Volunteer Service

Private Sector

Intergovernmental

Individuals with Disabilities

Emergency Management

What YOU Can Do?

• Be personally prepared - Have a personal disaster plan!

• Learn about your school / workplace / community emergency response plans.

• Help Citizen Corps Councils provide preparedness training in your community

• Get your neighbors, friends, school and workplace prepared

• Be involved to the best of your ability

That’s What the Toolkit is About!

Providing Citizen Corps Council members and other Volunteers with

information on how to get EVERYONE involved in disaster

preparedness planning - to the best of their personal ability.

Especially people with disabilities.

The Toolkit …

• It is NOT intended to be a comprehensive disaster preparedness document NOR a “special needs” disaster plan for the community.

• Does NOT propose the addition of expensive remedies or time-consuming strategies.

• Does NOT require that a separate plan for preparing for disaster for people with disabilities be in place.

The Toolkit …

• Does identify resources, best practices and tools that will add to the existing resources available in Nebraska communities

• Does summarize issues that are critical to the needs of people with disabilities who live in communities all across Nebraska

• Does provide for opportunities for volunteers of all walks of life to be involved in disaster preparation and planning in their community

The Toolkit

• The Vision

• Guiding Principles and Best Practices

• Nebraska’s History

• The Toolkit – How to Use the Toolkit

“Community Preparedness Planning: Inclusion of People with Disabilities”

• Collaboration

• Defining Disabilities

• Identifying and Locating Community Members with Disabilities

• Working with the Disability Community

• People with Disabilities Can REALLY be Involved

The Toolkit- continued

“Issues that Impact People with Disabilities”

• Communication• Access to Information• Warning Systems for People with Disabilities• Evacuation of People with Disabilities• Roles in Response to Evaluation• Mobility Issues• Shelters for People with Disabilities• Make Plans, Use Available Resources• Safety for People with Disabilities

The Toolkit- continued

“Volunteer’s Guide:

for Disaster Preparedness Training”

• Disaster Preparedness Training for Home, Work and Community

The Toolkit- continued

• Resources

• References

• Checklists and Other Tools

The Toolkit- continued

How can it be improved?

The collective research is provided however,

we need Your input!

Your input via Survey completion, one to one interviews or focus groups is desired.

Next Steps

• Collect input from surveys, interviews and focus groups• Analyze information• Develop report based on those findings • Disseminate report via website• Include findings throughout the revised Toolkit• Disseminate revised Toolkit• Community Training via Citizen Corps Council

Volunteers

THANK YOU!

Contact us at: http://www.nvsc.ne.gov Nebraska Volunteer Service Commission Peter CalesPO Box 98927 Training and Disability OfficerLincoln, NE 68509 (402) 471-6228

Peter.Cales@dhhs.ne.gov

Our website includes preparedness materialspreparedness materials, information on programs and affiliatesinformation on programs and affiliates, and a

listing of all Councils statewidelisting of all Councils statewide.