Score: +28 (28/4/0)
Sacramento County Grand Jury • 2005-2006

Flood Disaster Evacuation of the Medically Infirm Issue In the event of a mass evacuation due to a flood disaster, what

Published: June 30, 2006 13 pages
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Findings and Recommendations 10 findings

F1
The Flood Annex to the county’s All-Hazards Emergency Operations Plan is projected for completion by September 2006.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
The county must make the completion of the Flood Annex to its All- Hazards Emergency Operations Plan a matter of high priority.
F2
The Sheriff’s Department has not fully developed standard operating procedures for a mass evacuation due to a flood disaster.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
The Sheriff’s Department should, by August 2006, complete the development of standard operating procedures for a mass evacuation due to a flood disaster. This should include plans for the evacuation of the medically or mentally infirm due to age or disability.
F3
While the county has established a Geographic Information System that maps the location of nursing homes, assisted living and congregate care facilities within the county, it lacks adequate means of identifying and locating most of the special needs populations in the event of a flood disaster.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
The county should develop and maintain a comprehensive database for the location and telephone numbers of skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, board and care facilities, home health care and hospice agencies, senior centers, veterans homes, group homes for the mentally ill, client providers for persons with identified special needs, and other congregate care facilities, including numerous state licensed small scale adult day health care centers, in order to facilitate emergency communication directly or through such agencies in the event of a flood. For this purpose, each such provider or facility should be required to maintain a current list of client telephone numbers and addresses.
F4
The “Privacy Rule” component of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 is deemed by many to constitute a barrier to the sharing of lists of client names, locations and telephone numbers to county or other emergency officials under any circumstances.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4
The county should secure and distribute to all pertinent public and private agencies a formal opinion of the Sacramento County Counsel and/or the Attorney General on the effect of HIPAA upon the sharing of lists of such information in the event of an imminent disaster. 37
F5
The county has not established a full partnership of private care facilities and agencies for the evacuation of special needs clients in the event of a flood disaster.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5
The county should require training for managers and staff of private care facilities and agencies, along with formalized agreements specifying the roles and responsibilities of such facilities and agencies in the event of a flood.
F6
The county lacks adequate access to fully staffed emergency-ready specialized transportation vehicles, wheelchair and gurney capable, and fully supplied with oxygen, insulin and other essential medicines.
Related Recommendations (1)
R6
The county should secure or contract for immediate access to a determined number of emergency ready, fully staffed and equipped specialized transportation vehicles, for the transportation of persons with special needs to appropriate shelters or in-kind facilities within the region.
F7
The county has not fully identified the local hospital surge capacity under various circumstances of a flood disaster, which could impede access to one or more of those facilities.
Related Recommendations (1)
R7
The county should identify the local hospital surge capacity under various circumstances of a flood disaster, and provide for alternate care sites for special needs persons who might otherwise require hospitalization.
F8
While the county has provided for mass shelters for general population evacuees, these shelters would not have the ability to provide for special needs persons who are medically or mentally infirm due to age or disability.
Related Recommendations (1)
R8
The county should provide, reserve, staff, and equip one or more shelters for the special needs of the medically or mentally infirm due to age or disability.
F9
The county has not engaged in comprehensive pre-mobilization planning, training, or exercises for the participation of county, city and other local agency employees in mitigation and relief efforts in the event of a major emergency evacuation.
Related Recommendations (1)
R9
County, city, and other local agency employees are designated by law as disaster services workers, and may be assigned to such efforts, including evacuation and care of the special needs populations, in the event of a major emergency evacuation. Those who are able and competent to do so should be identified, organized and trained in advance of a major emergency.
F10
The county has not engaged in a comprehensive public education program for the promotion of effective personal, household, and neighborhood plans for self-help and mutual assistance, with particular regard to persons with special needs, in the event of a major emergency evacuation. 38
Related Recommendations (1)
R10
The county should refocus its efforts on public awareness, education, and promotion of effective personal, household, and local community plans for self-help and mutual assistance that would include the designation of contact monitors for each person with special needs, in the event of a major emergency evacuation. Response Requirements Penal Code sections 933 and 933.05 require that specific responses to both the findings and recommendations contained in this report be submitted to the Presiding Judge of the Sacramento County Superior Court by October 1, 2006 from: • Sacramento County Executive, as to

Agency Responses 7

Government agencies' official responses to this report's findings and recommendations. Click on a response to see the structured breakdown.