Resilient & Ready Communities March 18, 2010 Children and Emergencies

Goal: Reduce Risks for Children Advocacy & Policy Change –Chair the National Commission on Children and Disasters –FEMA’s National Advisory Council –National and State VOAD Member Preparedness, Response and Recovery Programming Save the Children Domestic Emergencies Unit

Resilient & Ready Communities Initiative –Addressing Children’s Needs in Emergency Operation Plans –Briefing Emergency Relief Organizations and Officials –Coordinating county-specific Children and Emergencies Working Groups –Developing community capacity : Temporary Respite Care –Providing Disaster Risk Reduction Programs Resource: –“Children in Emergencies Planning Guide” to assist local and state emergency planners Save the Children Domestic Emergencies Unit

Children’s Unique Needs in Emergencies Children are not “little adults.” They have unique needs that must be addressed to ensure their safety and well-being:  Physical protection  Psychosocial protection  Cognitive protection

National Commission on Children and Disasters Authorized under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008 The Commission is tasked with: –Conducting comprehensive study examining children’s needs –Reviewing / evaluating existing laws, regulations, policies, programs –Reviewing, and evaluating the lessons learned from past disasters –Reporting to the President & Congress on its findings & recommendations Appendix C: “Supplies for Infants and Toddlers in Mass Care Shelters and Emergency Congregate Care Facilities” (NCCD Interim Report) –Essential Items to support children’s safety and well-being National Progress for Children

FEMA and Administrator Fugate’s Commitment: Children’s Working Group DHS 2010 HSPG Supplemental Resource: Children in Disasters Guidance No Unfunded Mandates

National Standards & Indicators for Mass Care Standards and Indicators for Disaster Shelter Care for Children (ARC) –Temporary Respite Care for Children Shelter Guidance (STC) –Low Cost and No Cost Guidance to mitigate risks Counting Children Family dormitory areas Private breastfeeding area for women National Progress for Children

Suggested Child-Focused Checklist Emergency Planning and Training Emergency Planning and Training Include needs of children across emergency training and exercises Include needs of children across emergency training and exercises Designate individual as children’s needs coordinator Designate individual as children’s needs coordinator Provide staff with briefings on children’s unique needs and how they can protect and support children in their role Provide staff with briefings on children’s unique needs and how they can protect and support children in their role

Suggested Child-Focused Checklist Evacuation Evacuation Include child-tracking and family-reunification procedures in emergency plan Include child-tracking and family-reunification procedures in emergency plan Mass Care Mass Care Provide safe shelter environments for children and families, including access to essential, age-appropriate supplies Includes Provide safe shelter environments for children and families, including access to essential, age-appropriate supplies Includes Physical and Mental Health Physical and Mental Health Capability of hospital Emergency Departments to provide effective care for children Capability of hospital Emergency Departments to provide effective care for children Basic psychological first aid training for emergency personnel to assist children Basic psychological first aid training for emergency personnel to assist children

Suggested Child-Focused Checklist Disaster plans for child care facilities Disaster plans for child care facilities Evacuation, reunification, children with disabilities or special medical needs training and drills Evacuation, reunification, children with disabilities or special medical needs training and drills Plans on file with state and local emergency management and licensing offices Plans on file with state and local emergency management and licensing offices Plan for establishing emergency child care Plan for establishing emergency child care Long-term disaster recovery plan for children and families Long-term disaster recovery plan for children and families Includes family-appropriate housing, schools, child care, mental health, medical care, child welfare, juvenile justice and court facilities Includes family-appropriate housing, schools, child care, mental health, medical care, child welfare, juvenile justice and court facilities

How can you address children’s needs in emergencies? Make it a priority in your organization to improve emergency planning/response to meet the needs of children. Review guiding documents Participate in your upcoming, county-specific Children and Emergencies Working Groups. Contact me to set up trainings for your organization’s personnel and volunteers in –Temporary Respite Care –Briefing on children and emergencies

Questions? Comments? Gabriel Martin Nehrbass Program Specialist Resilient & Ready Communities Domestic Emergencies Unit Cell: Thank you!