Heatwave Tips for Organizations Serving Seniors, Children and People with Health Conditions

San Francisco -- Oakland Bay Area, September 16, 2000: Blistering heat and the power outages they can trigger are life-threatening to children, frail elderly, and people with compromised health or respiratory conditions. People dependent on temperature controlled environments, electric powered assistive living devices such as ventilators or infusion pumps, and those relying on refrigerated medicines or specially prepared food are also at higher-risk.

Childcare, eldercare, and disabled care providers need to be prepared for emergencies. Lives can depend on a caregiver knowing how to response calmly, quickly and appropriately.", says Ana-Marie Jones, Executive Director of CARD of Alameda County. CARD of Alameda County is the disaster preparedness umbrella agency providing low-cost and free services for organizations serving people with special needs. CARD offers the following preparedness tips and support to agencies with vulnerable clients --

1)   Create and maintain a fully integrated disaster response plan. A dusty plan on a shelf will not keep clients or staff safe or calm. Plans written by 'experts in isolation of other agencies and other systems leave your agency disconnected and vulnerable. An emergency response plan kept current by your trained staff can save lives.
2)   Develop reciprocal relationships with agencies providing similar services. Many critical needs can only be filled by agencies with similar training, resources, supplies, licenses, etc. The Police Department, Fire Department, and Red Cross arent designed to provide or replace your highly specialized staffing and services.
3)   Make sure all clients have go kits", containing a few basic emergency supplies. If you must leave your facility or evacuate, you pick up the kit, and GO!
4)   Keep current on First Aid, CPR, and other emergency skills such as fire suppression techniques.
5)   Understand and anticipate the disaster related needs of your clients, and be prepared to address them.
6)   Learn the basics of SEMS (Standardized Emergency Management System), and learn about cost recovery procedures. This information will help your agency in a large-scale disaster.
7)   Join CARD to get the emergency preparedness training and support you need to PrepareNow.

CARDs services are made possible by The United Way of the Bay Area, The San Francisco Foundation, Alameda County Community Food Bank, FEMA Project Impact (City of Oakland), Alameda County Operational Area, and The City of San Leandro.

For more information on CARD call 510-451-3140. CARD of Alameda County is a 501(c)3 corporation and tax-deductible contributions are accepted. To donate through the United Way of the Bay Area, call 1-800-273-1779. CARDs Donor Code Number is 3990.