Project Description:
The Support All Families in Emergencies (S.A.F.E.) Project will create a one stop center to coordinate shared resources and funds to train individuals with developmental disabilities and their family members to be prepared for possible emergency situations in Detroit, Wayne County. The project will target participants that are un-served and underserved and at risk of being unnoticed in the event of a disaster. Currently only 21% of emergency managers are planning to develop guidelines to assist people with disabilities (White, Fox, et al., 2007). To mitigate this problem, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will bring together key personnel from the United States Department of Homeland Security, the local chapter of the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the Michigan State Police, Community Emergency Response Team (CERTS) , Wayne County Health Department, Wayne County Community Mental Health Agency, People First, an elected official and Wayne County Regional Education Services Association emergency school personnel in collaboration with individuals with disabilities and families who have children with disabilities to address the unique needs of this population in Wayne County. There are approximately 2 million residents in Wayne County, 354,000 have disabilities. There is no formal registry of people with disabilities and in the event of a disaster, they could languish in their homes, alone, frightened and in danger. This region populous is vulnerable because it shares a border with Canada, turbulent weather, and an aging nuclear power plant. The S.A.F.E. project will forge partnerships between the disability community and emergency preparedness leaders, to ensure that when disaster strikes, the whole community has equal access to safety.
Project Goal: To implement Support All Families in Emergencies, a one-stop center to assist underserved families who have a member with a disability to be prepared in the event of a natural disaster, or emergency in Detroit, Wayne County.
Project Objectives:
1. Convene the S.A.F.E. community advisory team.
2. Train 200 emergency management personnel to engage and work with individuals with disabilities.
3. Recruit and train at least sixty families and individuals with disabilities each year in emergency preparedness.
4. Develop a legal analysis that reviews existing State and Federal funding streams, funding barriers and obstacles to people with disabilities receiving the optimum supports in a disaster.
5. Facilitate a public awareness campaign and website to the Wayne County community to increase the visibility of people with disabilities.
Core Function(s):
Performing Technical Assistance and/or Training, Performing Research or Evaluation, Developing & Disseminating Information
Target Audience:
Professionals and Para-Professionals, Family Members/Caregivers, Adults with Disabilities, Children/Adolescents with Disabilities/SHCN, Legislators/Policy Makers
Unserved or Under-served Populations:
Racial or Ethnic Minorities, Geographic Areas, Empowerment Zone, Urban
