1. Broward County Special Needs and Vulnerable Population Registries . . .
They’re not just for hurricanes anymore!
Mary A. Baewer, FPEM, MCP
Emergency Management Specialist
Broward County Emergency Management Division
May 29, 2018

2. The Special Needs Registry
Required by Florida Statute
Cooperative effort between the Broward County Emergency Management Division (BEMD), Florida Health in Broward County (DOH-Broward), disability advocates and local health care providers

3. The Special Needs Registry (continued)
Our program provides temporary emergency sheltering to adult residents of Broward County
Three levels of shelter based on medical need:
General Population Shelter (no pre-registration)
Special Medical Needs Shelter (DOH-Broward)
Higher Level of Care (boarded in a participating hospital)

4. The Special Needs Registry (continued)
Residents enroll in the program via paper application available in English, Spanish and Creole
a. Register online:
b. Contact Broward County Emergency Management at 954/ and request that an application be mailed to you

5. SPECIAL MEDICAL NEEDS SHELTER APPLICATION
INFORMATION WE NEED:
CONTACT INFORMATION
MOBILITY RESTRICTIONS
COMPLETE MEDICAL HISTORY
STATEMENT OF AUTHORIZATION

6. Special Needs Shelter Kit Checklist
Sent to all residents who are triaged to a special needs shelter.
Developed by BEMD and DOH-Broward
Comprehensive listing of items that the individual needs to bring with them to the shelter:
Medications
Bedding
Personal hygiene items
Medical equipment
Etc.

7. The Special Needs Registry (continued)
Your data is secure
Data is maintained by Broward County Emergency Management staff on a secure server
Your medical privacy is maintained

8. The Special Needs Registry (continued)
Physician input/signature is no longer required
Your medical information is also available to health care providers during an activation

9. Emergency Transportation
Transportation to the emergency shelter is provided if requested.
Based on the information you and your physician provided on your application
If there is an emergency activation and shelters are opened, you will receive an automated phone call from Broward County Paratransit notifying you of the activation.

10. GENERAL POPULATION SHELTERS
General population shelters are a LAST RESORT – they are not a RESORT. You have only square feet of space per person.
You must bring all items you need to stay in a shelter for as long as three days:
Bedding
Snacks
Books, video games, music/
earphones
Toiletries
Clothing for three days
Medications
This is what a typical general population shelter looks like.

11. GENERAL POPULATION SHELTERS (cont’d.)
PROHIBITED ITEMS AT SHELTERS:
Alcoholic beverages
Weapons of any kind
No smoking in shelter
No kiddy pools
No aerobeds
No cot larger than a twin size

12. What About Your Pet?
If you have a pet, or had one in the past, you know how important they are. They’re a friend, a companion, and a member of the family that needs to be included in your emergency plan.
Pets are not permitted in emergency shelters, nor are comfort animals.
The only animals allowed in our shelters are service animals that meet the Federal definition of a service animal, either a dog or miniature horse.

13. What About Your Pet? (continued)
Broward County has a general population pet-owner friendly shelter where the pets and their owners are sheltered, provided the pet owner’s medical and/or functional needs do not go beyond what the shelter staff can support.
If you cannot stay in a general population shelter, make arrangements with your vet, or friends/family to watch over your pet during an emergency.

14. The Vulnerable Population Registry (VPR)
Registry for Broward County residents that have a medical or functional vulnerability who choose to shelter in place
High-priority mission for Broward County Commission, Broward Recovery Coalition and our disability advocates
Used by Broward County municipalities as a planning tool; municipalities maintain their residents’ data

15. The VPR (continued)
Addresses needs of vulnerable residents regardless of age
5. Registration:
On-line at
By calling your municipality
Calling the Broward County Call Center at 954/ or 311
Like the Special Needs Registry, your data is secure
7. Physician input is NOT required

16. The VPR Resident Registration Website

20. Best Practices: What we do to help you as the storm approaches
Many residents do not pre-register for services. If you’ve waited, we can still help.
Broward County Emergency Management “pre-activates” special staff to accommodate residents who choose to register in the days just before the hurricane’s arrival
A special team of medical professionals works at the Broward County Emergency Operations Center and at Florida Health to review applications and assign residents to a shelter type

21. IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO REMEMBER!
Don’t become complacent during long periods of time without a hurricane
These are year-round, all-hazard programs that provide assistance for other types of emergencies other than hurricanes i.e. tornadoes, lengthy power outages, flooding, chemical spills.

22. CONTACT INFORMATION
FOR SPECIAL NEEDS SHELTERING:
Non-activation 954/
Activation 954/ OR 311
FOR THE VULNERABLE POPULATION REGISTRY:
On-line at
Contact your municipality
Contact the Broward County Call center at 954/