Emergency Preparedness Special Initiative System of Support

2014

Emergency Preparedness Special Initiative System of Support is FEMA Project addressing the need for individuals with access and functional needs and their families to be prepared in an emergency. Hawaii Emergency Preparedness System of Support (HiEPSS)increase community resilience by transforming the most vulnerable members into leaders and subject matter experts to empower, strengthen and unify whole communities. Hawaii emergency preparedness network of partners supports persons with access and functional needs (PAFN) to educate community members on personal preparedness; and emergency management personnel on best practices related to special needs and vulnerable populations. a. HiEPSS will build on existing partnerships and community strengths. There are currently 40 Feeling Safe Being Safe certified trainers teaching others how to be personally responsible and prepared for emergencies. All trainers are PAFN, and are a recognized and valued part of the collaboration. HiEPSS will develop this corps of certified trainers into a permanent community resource of subject matter experts; who will instruct agency personnel and first responders on best practices for working with individuals with PAFN and continuing to train individual community members. b. Traditionally, PAFN are part of a one-way model of service delivery. HiEPSS will create a 360-degree approach to preparedness, strengthening the most vulnerable members and dramatically increasing community resilience. Skills and potential of PAFN will be identified and leveraged to create community leaders from traditional recipients of care. This approach raises expectations within and between individuals, changes perceptions about abilities, and builds interdependence using valued and equitable relationships. HiEPSS inspires community members to be prepared; educates agency personnel and first responders to value the skills and strengths of self-advocates; and builds capacity of whole communities to respond effectively to emergencies. c. The strength of HiEPSS is the commitment of the collaborators; which includes the eight partners providing funding and in-kind support, listed in question six. In addition, Easter Seals Hawaii, Goodwill Industries of Hawaii, ARC of Hawaii, Lanakila Pacific Rehabilitation, and Maui Aging and Disability Resource Center will employ and support to trainers, and coordinate training and community activities. All collaborators will facilitate training for agency personnel and first res ponders and participate on an advisory council to direct project execution. d. HiEPSS will be sustained through the network of agencies, require minimal ongoing funding for materials, and document positive community outcomes. It is a model that promotes replication by crossing culture, language, age and ability boundaries, harnessing diversity, and strengthening communities. The initial investment requires strong commitment of informal partners, moderate financial investment, and once planted the system sustains itself from within. e. Grant funds will assist partners and self-advocate trainers to bring this train-the-trainer personal empowerment model to communities state wide, establish local trainers in each county and provide education and materials to first responders, agency personnel and community members. f. Impact of the project will be measured in numbers of individuals who are trained, become prepared, or become trainers, and first responders and agency personnel who learn best practices related to PAFN. Additional impact will be the number of PAFN employed or participating with agencies and the increased response capacity of communities.

emergency preparedness, self advocacy, community leadership,

Training Trainees, Developing & Disseminating Information

Quality Assurance, Health-Related Activities, Employment-Related Activities, Quality of Life, Other - Leadership

Community Trainees / Short term trainees, Professionals and Para-Professionals, Family Members/Caregivers, Adults with Disabilities, General Public

Disadvantaged Circumstances, Geographic Areas, Specific Groups

State

N/A