ML20247G569
| ML20247G569 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Seabrook  |
| Issue date: | 04/12/1989 |
| From: | Speck S Federal Emergency Management Agency |
| To: | Federal Emergency Management Agency |
| References | |
| RTR-NUREG-0654, RTR-NUREG-654 OL-I-MAG-071, OL-I-MAG-71, NUDOCS 8905310012 | |
| Download: ML20247G569 (9) | |
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Radiological !=ergency Preparedness ( M?)
Cuidance Memorandum #2e l'au plassed :n trans=1: the final version of Guida:ce Me=orandu= lI. *R.adi:::g:,:a !
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Imergency Preparedness !ct Handicapped Persons" for your presen:
sugges:icas you =ade in response :s my r.e orancu= cf Nove=ber 20, ;983, have been evalustad and al=es: all of :he= have been accepted and 1.. corpora:ed.
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Guidance Memorandum 24 Technological Hazards RADIOLOGICAL. EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS FOR HANDICAPPED PERSONS Purpose i
This Guidance' Memorandtsn supplements and expands upon existing guidance in c
MUREG-0654/ FEMA-REP-1, Rev. 1, relating to the protection and safety of handicapped persons in radiological emergencies.
Background
Recent progress in making public. facilities' accessible to handicapped persons, and in institutionalizing the more severely handicapped, has increased the need for greater efforts during emergencies to ensure the safety of.the people with disabilities. Handicapped persons can now be found throughout the general population in schools, private homes, offices.
industries, Jails, day care and senior centers, etc. Even though they'are apt to be costly and, therefore, controversial, the following fundamental premises regarding handicapped people and emergency preparedness have
' bees. adopted:
4 Handicapped individuals have a right to' protection in emergencies;
_Some handicapped individuals have specialized needs in emergencies; and Emergency preparedness activities should recognize those needs and plan actions that proraote participation.
While it may seem natural to view 'the handicapped" as a totality, they are not a homogeneous group.
In fact, the differences between handicapped individuals are probably greater than their similarities. The capabilities and limitations of handicapped persons vary, including functional characteristics ne9ded to cope with an emergency.
To address this issue, it is necessary to view handicaps as part of three major types, each of which has its own specialized emergency preparedness requirements:
o Sensory Impairments:
deaf and hearing impaired blir.d and visually impaired.
o Movement Impairments:
. loss of normal mobility ranging from one who uses crutches to the quadriplegic who requires a wheelchair and special vehicle for movement in an emergency frail elderly persons life-support-system hindered.
o Mental / Emotional Impairments j
. retarded I
emotionally disturbed senile extreme alcoholic / drug-abuse cases.
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'We must also keep in'aind that.some persons may have more than one disability.
For instance, an) handicapped person may also have special dietary or medication requirements. The.needs of each handicap type.will vary depending upon the particular: planning and preparedness standard being addressed.:
NUREG-0654/ FEMA-REP-1 REY.1. provides general guidance for handicapped
. persons'at:
- Standard G. Public Education and Information, G-Id, which states that the "special needs of the handicapped" should be recognized in the coordinated oeriodic dissemination of information to the public on how they will be notified and what their actions should be in an emergency; and
- Standard J. Protective Response,.J-10c and d, which requires that the State and local governments include in their plans "means for notifying'and protecting those persons whose mobility may be impaired due to factors such as institutional-or other confinement."
The section which follows expands upon this general guidance.
It outlines four planning and preparedness factors which should be part of any State and local ~ plans, procedures and preparedness programs to ensure that handicapped persons are notified and can adequately respond to a radiological emergency:.
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.I; Identification of Handicapped Populations;
!!. Public-Education and Information; III. Notification Methods and Procedures; and IV.. Protective Response.
1 These guidelines are provided for use during your review of plans submitted for 44 CFR 350 approval. The guidelines for each factor are followed by
'l a discussion of salient considerations.
Guidance I.
Identification of Handicapped Populations Guidelines A means to systematically identify individuals within the plume exposure pathway emergency planning zone (EPZ) is established and maintained.
The security of. acquired information is assured.
Functional characteristics necessary to cope with a radiological emergency are determined for those identified.
Individuals and organizations capable of assisting and the type of assistance required are determined. The accuracy of the data is periodically validated. This data base is integrated with the planning process and reflected in the plans and procedures.
Discussion
$rstematic identification of handicapped individuals located within the EPZ around nuclear power plants is the first major step in radiological J
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, emergency preparedness (REP) planning for the handicapped. This will provide planners and decisionmakers with information necessary to determine adequate manpower, the level of. services required, how to manage emergency operations, and the types of response necessary. All compiled data should be.tept confidential in order.not to compromise the privacy and security of handicapped persons who generally desire anonymity.
Data identifying locations of stationary handicapped individuals wiki be necessary.as a basis for developing protective response plans.
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" functional" characteristics needed to cope with radiological emergencies.
including those. requiring special notification but able to take independent action, will be taken into account in developing an appropriate array.of protective actions.
The data gathering effort should also focus upon identifying individuals
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willing.and capable of assisting handicapped persons and the type of assistance required, should such a situation arise. This effort will also serve to identify people resources within the handicapped comunity who may be utilized in the development, review, and exercise of REP plans for the handicapped.
l Sources of help in compiling the data include:
- Responses from mailings to EPZ residents. Handicapped persons have generally responded to offers for help included in Emergency Public Information brochures containing a separate section with the heading "If You Have $pecial Needs." A detachable self-addressed
. postcard by which residents can register needs for special assistance has proved successful;
- Welfare or social agencies, which have a list of recipients of their services. (Normally this information is covered under the Freedom of Information Act);
- Religious, fraternal, sororal, and service organizations;
- Voluntary ard non profit organizations, such as the American National Red Cross, the Salvation Army, and others. This information may.
already exist in their files resulting from previous assistance in emergencies;
- National organizations for different groups of handicapped individuals, such as National Federation of the Blind.
National Association of the Deaf;" Council of Organizations Serving the Deaf, Eastern Paralytod veterans Association Mental Health Association, and National Paraplegic Foundation, J
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. Fire service organizations, which have in many instances already provided action on behalf of handicapped persons for fire safety; and 4
. Families and friends of handicapped persons.
The joirat exercise affords an excellent opportunity to test the accuracy i
of many of the data developed, through a telephone check, for example.
- 11. Fublic Education and Information Guidelines Preparedness and self-protection information is related to and in a form useful to major handicap types. Efforts are made to include handicapped persons in developing information.
Instructional materials are developed for three groups:
Handicapped persons, the general public, and emergency workers.
Products are disseminated using methods and channels most likely to reach each group in the resident and transient population.
Discussion The most significant problem plaguing the preparedness for handicapped persons for emergency situations is a general lack of awareness. Three main groups should be targeted in developing instructional and educational materi al s: Handicapped people themselves, the general public, and emergency
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services personnel. Disabled persons, or persons responsible for them, need to be cognizant of the fact that they are vulnerable to a radiological emergency and learn how to prepare for and deal with the problem. The general public need to be acquainted with ways of assisting handicapped l-persons with appropriate protective responses. Emergency workers need to have the proper training in order to effectively and efficiently I
handle emergency situations involving disabled people.
A general awareness campaign should precede any intensive educational efforts. This will serve to alert handicapped persons that such an effort is planned and tell them where they may go for further assistance. This may result in their active participation in developing more effective rep educational materials.
It will also lay the foundation for the identification effort outlined in the preceding section.
Conveying the information developed for each handicap type requires a methodology related to specific handicap' types. For example, hearing-impaired persons may be ef fectively reached through pantomime and demonstrations, literature, translation to signing, and captioned flims.
Visually-impaired people may be reached by large print, braille materials, audio cassette tapes, and other audio media. The information and materials developed may be disseminated to the public through a variety of channels including public and private schools, special education organizations, fire service organizations State, local and school groups for handicapped people, comunity and church meetings, major employers, firms selling or renting medical supplies, and libraries, especially those serving handicapped individuals.
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!!!.- Notification Methods. and Procedures Guidelines-Appropriate alert and notification (A8N) systems, including hardware and interpersonal, consnunication, are in place to provide information in a form useful to major handicap types identified. Methods for verifying warnings esist. The AAN system provides handicapped persons with directions
. for required actions.. Arrangements for special notification and. assistance I
for those requiring it are in place.
Discussion Certain types of handicaps hinder an individual's ability to perceive, be alerted to,.and evaluate an emergency situation. Current A4N systems l
fall short of meeting the heeds of al1 ~ handicapped types. Thus, multi-modal (auditory, visual, tactile, etc.) warning systems geared to particular handicap types may be warranted and should be tested for effectiveness during exercises. Hearing-impaired persons, for example, will require redundant or supplementary warning, which might be accomplished through j
i Public service announcements conveyed on the TV screen by means of printed captions or trailer messages imprinted on the bottom of the screen--as in weather information bulletins.
Such announcements can also be conveyed through an interpreter using signing:
- Use of a teleconsnunications device for the deaf (TDD) whereby vocal.
messages are consnunicated in imprinted form; and/or
. One-way or two-way personal communications devices.such as tactile alarm watches, digital transmitters, transmitters triggered by hand devices, and tactila paging system;
- A human network.
In general, individuals with all types of handicaps should be part of a
" buddy" system in which family, neighbors, building management, or caretakers personally convey the message. This is most important in States where emergency agency personnel is not authorized to enter homes.
It is especially important to have confirmation capabilities built into an AAN system for handicapped persons. This ensures that the message has i
been received early enough to permit an appropriate protective response.
Action. by disabled individuals, especially those who are elderly, can be slow.
IV. Protective Response Guidelines 1
Protective action plans have been developed for all categories of handicapped individuals present in the EpZ and integrated into the general radiological emergency plan. Responsible and knowledgeable
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contacts to provide communication.aQd physical assistance are identified for each handicapped individual.. Agreements have been made with astuf ance, e
transportation comp-des, and van drivers to effectuate the transfer of those who need specisi transportation, and route instructions are provided.
Special areas in reception centers have been set aside for the sensory and movement impaired, the elderly and retarded, and registration, decontamination, and monitoring has been arranged for them. Agreements have been made with hospitals.. mental hospitals, nursing homes, and comunity mental health centers outside the EPZ to receive the severely movement impaired and emotionally handicapped.
Discussion For handicapped persons, as well as' for the general population, protective actions.
are either evacuation or sheltering.
Evacuation consists of four phases:
- 1. Preparation;
- 2. Travel;
- 3. Stay at Reception Center;,and
- 4. Recovery / Reentry.
Sheltering is assmed to take place in the building in which handicapped persons find themselves at the time the incident occurs, be it at home, office, institution, store, or work place.
The data gathered during the identification stage will help determine appropriate approaches to achieving the required protective actions.
Numbar and'1ocation of particular types of handicapped individuals will suggest the most cost effective methods to use.
The Sensory Impaired This group includes people with a variety of degrees of blindness and deafness. Once alerted and notified, such persons are capable of some self-protection.. They can use normal means of transportation and may follow the guidance given to the general population. They do need, however, a responsible and knowledgeable contact person, a relative, neighbor, buddy, community volunteer, or responder agency employee to assist them physically and to keep them informed. Such a contact may assist several handicapped persons as a group.
Sensory impaired persons need a means of calling for assistance if required.
An alternate buddy or contact person should be available if the first
- contact is prevented from attending to them.
1 Evacuation,
For evacuation, some blind persons may need assistance with packing necessities and provisions for their guide dog, if one is owned, with egress from buildings, with entering unf amiliar vehicles and unf amiliar reception centers.
Oeaf persons will need someone to comunicate with them by writing and/or by t
signing throughout all four phases of the evacuation, h
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59 Shelter For sheltering, some blind persons may need a responsible contact to make sure windows and ventilators are closed and a wet cloth is being used for respiratory protection.
Deaf persons will need a contact person to keep them informed of emergency broadcast system'(E85) messages.
If TV stations are repeating EBS sessages t'y signing or captions, this assistance may be unnecessary.
Mobility Impaired persons This group includes the frail elderly, people on crutches and walkers, in wheel chairs, on stretchers, and on life support systems. This group is alert, but slow or unable to respond by themselves. They must overcome barriers in buildings, such as steps and narrow doors. Assistance on a one.to.
one ratio is necessary to permit some mobility impaired persons to join with the general population in following EBS instructions.
Evacuation Mobility impaired persons should be alerted and prepared for evacuation as early as possible, because moving them is slow and sometimes complicated. For egress from high rise buildings, an elevator should be reserved for them.
The more seriously impaired people must travel in ambulances or vans with special lifts.
If possible, they should be taken to a reception center providing an access ramp and wide shower and_ toilet stalls. The less seriously disabled can share receptien center space with the general population or can have a special area set aside for them. People on stretchers and life support systems must be taken to hospitals outside the EPZ with which prior arrangements have been made.
If possible, their responsible contact should remain with them and look after their welfare throughout their stay and the return trip.
Shelter If given a choice, mobility impaired persons may prefer to be sheltered in their own homes or at work rather than undergo the strain of evacuation.
In this case, the responsible contact will only check on closure of windows and ventilators and on respiratory protection, everything else being routine for mobility impaired people.
If authorized by the State Health Department, potassium idodide tablets (KI) will be made available.
i Mentally and Emotionally Impaired Person's This group includes the retarded, senile persons, deinstitutionalized street people, emotionally disturbed persons, alcoholics, and drug abuse cases. They may live in their own homes, in halfway houses, in community mental health centers, on the street, or may be temporarily hospitalized.
Many of these individuals are on tranquil 12ing medications. They may be more or less functional at different times.
I Evacuation 4
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I Functional individuals may need very little assistance by their responsible contact persons, and may join the general population in all four phases.
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.The non-functional'and emotionally disturbed will need the assistance of trained staff on a one-to-one or other appropriate ratio.
Necessities, spedications, and records should be taken along. The mentally and emotionally disturbed can travel in ordinary cars and buses. Severe cases may need to be restrained.
At-the reception center, a special area should be set aside.for registration, monitoring, and decontamination of the mentally and emotionally disturbed and for their maintenance, where staff can exercise appropriate supervision and control, and can administer medication. Agreements to receive a specific number of individuals should be made with mental facilities outside the EPZ, to acconnodate non-functional severe cases. Responsible staff should remain with their charges throughout the reception and recovery / reentry phases.-
Shelter If given a choice, sheltering mentally and emotionally impaired persons in their customary surroundings may be preferable. The responsible contact will perform or. supervise the required protective actions, such as closing of windows and ventilation grilles and providing respiratory protection.
If authorized by the State Health Department, potassium iodide tablets (KI) will be made available.
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