Special Needs Population

Public Safety Reaches Out to Special Needs Population for Disaster Training

JEFFERSON CITY, Feb. 1, 2006-Director of Public Safety Mark James continues his pledge to assist local communities in planning for emergencies as he today announced important new accomplishments from a task force developed by Department of Public Safety to address special needs populations.

The task force is a broad-based coalition of many public and private agencies that have a disaster relief mission or serve those who may have special needs in a disaster.

“Emergency response plans must not leave anyone behind. Our new plans will incorporate the special needs community specifically by tailoring education and preparation training to their needs,” James said. “I am confident this approach will help some of our most vulnerable citizens become more prepared for an emergency situation.”

The State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) lead the coordination of the Special Needs Task Force in conjunction with key partners agencies such as Department of Health and Senior Services and Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. This task force has developed a comprehensive special needs population emergency response strategic plan. This response plan will cater to individuals and communities who have a broad range of special needs from physical, mental and emotional to cultural, ethnic, and socio-economic status, that create barriers to understanding or the ability to react properly in an emergency situation.

The task force has completed work on several key documents including: a special needs annex to the State Emergency Operations Plan, a planning template for a special needs annex to a local emergency operations plan, standard operating guidelines for the Department of Health and Senior Services and for the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. In addition SEMA is regularly conducting a training course for those serving special needs populations. This course, designed by FEMA in collaboration with SEMA is a national course and will be taught in Missouri frequently over the next year.

For more information about the Special Needs Task Force, please contact Dante Gliniecki the Statewide Volunteer Coordinator for SEMA at (573) 526-9132.

*News Release*
*Public Safety*	Matt Blunt, Governor	Mark James, Director
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For more information, please contact: Terri Durdaller Communication Director Work:(573) 751-4819 Cell: (573) 301-2023
Public Safety Reaches Out to Special Needs Population for Disaster Training JEFFERSON CITY, Feb. 1, 2006-Director of Public Safety Mark James continues his pledge to assist local communities in planning for emergencies as he today announced important new accomplishments from a task force developed by Department of Public Safety to address special needs populations. The task force is a broad-based coalition of many public and private agencies that have a disaster relief mission or serve those who may have special needs in a disaster. “Emergency response plans must not leave anyone behind. Our new plans will incorporate the special needs community specifically by tailoring education and preparation training to their needs,” James said. “I am confident this approach will help some of our most vulnerable citizens become more prepared for an emergency situation.” The State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) lead the coordination of the Special Needs Task Force in conjunction with key partners agencies such as Department of Health and Senior Services and Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. This task force has developed a comprehensive special needs population emergency response strategic plan. This response plan will cater to individuals and communities who have a broad range of special needs from physical, mental and emotional to cultural, ethnic, and socio-economic status, that create barriers to understanding or the ability to react properly in an emergency situation. The task force has completed work on several key documents including: a special needs annex to the State Emergency Operations Plan, a planning template for a special needs annex to a local emergency operations plan, standard operating guidelines for the Department of Health and Senior Services and for the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. In addition SEMA is regularly conducting a training course for those serving special needs populations. This course, designed by FEMA in collaboration with SEMA is a national course and will be taught in Missouri frequently over the next year. For more information about the Special Needs Task Force, please contact Dante Gliniecki the Statewide Volunteer Coordinator for SEMA at (573) 526-9132.
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