Special Populations and Policy Reforms
The devastation and failures from pre, during and post Hurricane Katrina guided the 109th Congress to toward a series of reforms known as the "Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 (PKEMRA).
According to the objective evidence the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 (PKEMRA). Requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency, (FEMA) Regional Administrators to identify the issues in their regions with regards to special needs populations.
These 2006 post-Katrina reform policies (PKEMRA) have attempted to adequately address emergency and disaster relief and plans for "Special Needs Populations?" According to the my findings there are several groups that designated as special populations, who are at the most risk during any all-hazards emergency. (FEMA2006).
For the record, the federal government classifies the following to be of "Special Needs Populations.' These groups include, but are not limited to, children, persons living in institutionalized settings, limited English proficiency citizens, non-English-speaking citizens, people with intellectual disabilities, deaf community, elderly, transportation disadvantaged. (FEMA2006).
The reforms focus on, but are not limited to establishing a Disability Coordinator for developing guidelines that properly accommodate individuals with disabilities. In addition, establishes the National Emergency Family Registry and Locator System to reunify separated family members.(FEMA2006).
Furthermore, it helps to coordinates and support precautionary evacuations and recovery efforts. Assists with transportation needs to relocating and returning individuals displaced from their residences due to major disaster. In addition, offers case management assistance to identify and address the needs of survivors of major disasters.
REFERENCES
FEMA. (n.d.). Older Americans [Video file]. Retrieved April 18, 2012, from the Talladega County Emergency Management Agency website: https://www.talladegaema.org/video/Talladega County Emergency Management Agency - Office of Homeland Security.
Haddow, G. D., Bullock, J. A., & Coppola, D. P. (2014). Introduction to emergency management (5th ed.). Waltham, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann. ?Chapter 4, "The Disciplines of Emergency Management: Preparedness:
National Commission on Children and Disasters. 2010 Report to the President and Congress. AHRQ Publication No. 10-M037. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. October 2010. ?Read pp. 7-45 and pp. 111-134
Sylves, R. (2015). Disaster policy and politics: Emergency management and homeland security (2nd ed.). Washington, DC: CQ Press. ?Chapter 5, "The Role of Scientists and Engineers.