A Model for Disaster Preparedness in Families with Special Needs

Families of children with special needs face many challenges, and are particularly vulnerable to adverse health outcomes in emergency disasters. Although there are numerous resources available, there is a gap between the concerns in families with special needs, and the level of readiness for disasters. This is a qualitative description of the proceedings of a workshop from a collaborative of community agencies focused on persons with disabilities, in the Inland Empire, CA. This workshop addressed the need for anticipating barriers and developing a community model, in preparation for environmental and toxic threats. Scenarios were presented on poisonings and natural disasters; special needs were assessed for pregnancy, breastfeeding, and medical vulnerabilities; and available community resources were examined. In order to gain insights into attitudes and behaviors, emerging themes for special needs families were examined, including: "Possibilities, Preparation, and Protection." By examining possible threats in the community, participants reported increased awareness. Education on preparation strategies, and protection offered from community resources afforded participants tools to develop readiness and connectivity to community support. Each participant was then challenged to share the information with someone, in a "Tell One" model. This furthered the educational potential of the workshop by stimulating readiness discussions and addressing concerns in the special needs community. Disaster preparedness for vulnerable families is a significant public health need. Development and dissemination of the "Tell One" model with participant follow-up, offers the potential to enhance preparedness in the special needs community, and promote maternal and child health through disaster readiness.