Orange County Office on Aging: Partner in Preparedness

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Orange County Office on AgingPartner
inPreparedness Response

• Karen Roper, Executive Director
• Office on Aging and Homeless Prevention
• November 15, 2006

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Disaster Preparedness and ResponseMission

• Focus on the needs of homebound older adults and
  disabled populations
• Improve Response
• Strengthen Partnerships
• Coordinate Public and Private Partner Planning
• Coordinate Resources

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Disaster Preparedness and ResponseRegional
Planning Partners

• Office on Aging
• Health Care Agency
• Social Services Agency
• Sheriffs Department Emergency Operations Center
• Interagency Committee on Aging
• 2-1-1 Orange County
• American Red Cross
• Senior Citizens Advisory Council
• Orange County Cities
• Community-Based/Faith-Based Organizations

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Orange County Office on AgingHomebound Older
Adult and DisabledDisaster Planning Initiative

• At the regional table representing needs of older
  adults, persons with disabilities, and caregivers
• Senior Citizens Advisory Council actively engaged
• Senior Center Directors actively engaged
  (quarterly meetings)
• Participation in disaster drills at Huntington
  Beach Senior Center - a model for other cities
  and stakeholders
• Goal partner with Orange Countys 34 cities to
  pre-identify homebound older adults and disabled
  individuals and model the City of Huntington
  Beach in terms of comprehensive disaster planning
  for at-risk seniors
• Barriers HIPAA (electronic information sharing),
  resources, awareness

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Office on Aging HEAT PLAN

• July 2006 Board of Supervisors Directive to
  Office on Aging to coordinate resources to
  provide relief to seniors and disabled
  populations during heat waves
• Partners Social Services Agency, Health Care
  Agency, Orange County Housing Authority, Orange
  County Transportation Authority, Sheriffs
  Department Emergency Operations Center, Southern
  California Edison, Senior Center Directors,
  Public Authority
• Surveyed other PSAs for best practices
• Identified Orange Countys cool zones and cooling
  stations
• Prepared and distributed periodic updates and
  reports for the Board of Supervisors and other
  stakeholders
• Ongoing Efforts
• Community education
• Fan distribution plan donations from hospitals
• Finalizing heat activation thresholds with Health
  Care Agency
• Incorporating Heat Wave planning into other
  disaster planning efforts

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Partnership With Health Care Agency

• Planning efforts focus on the needs of homebound
  older adults and disabled populations
• Disease prevention
• Bioterrorism
• Pandemic Influenza and other diseases
• Mass vaccinations
• Public Information
• Emergency Operations

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Partnership to ImproveDisaster Preparedness and
Response

• After Action Reports
• Evaluation
• Identify Improvements
• Revise Plan

Plan
Improve
Train
Exercise
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Partnership with Social Services
AgencyShelter and Care

• Special populations and the mass care shelter
  plan
• Social Services Agency is partnering with the
  Office on Aging and the Health Care Agency to
  address special population needs for care and
  shelter immediately following a disaster
• Triage and assessment of needs during and after
  the crisis
• Transportation and access to emergency services
• Recovery and restabilization
• Connection to follow-up services as needed

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Partnership with Orange County Sheriffs
DepartmentEmergency Operations Center

• Orange County Sheriffs Department Emergency
  Operations Center responsible to prepare for,
  respond to, and recover from disasters
• Interfaces with State Office of Emergency
  Services
• Office on Aging presence at the planning table
  assures that needs of vulnerable older adults and
  disabled will be considered in crisis situations

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Long-Term Recovery Plan

• Office on Aging/Homeless Prevention award of
  448,954 in county general fund dollars to
  develop a long-term recovery plan
• Goal of plan is to identify partners and
  resources for transitional and permanent housing
  options for disaster victims that are unable to
  return to their homes
• An important component of the plan includes the
  2-1-1 Orange County surge capacity initiative to
  bring the call center to full disaster readiness
  (5,000 calls per day based upon Orange Countys
  population)
• The Office on Aging has a plan of cooperation
  with 2-1-1 Orange County and fields all calls
  related to older adults and caregivers

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Operation Orange County

• Purpose One-Stop Multi-Service Center for
  Katrina/Rita victims
• Partners Office on Aging/Homeless Prevention,
  Orange County Housing Authorities, Social
  Services Agency, Health Care Agency, American Red
  Cross, Orange County Rescue Mission, 2-1-1 Orange
  County, Orange County Transportation Authority,
  and many other stakeholders
• Services One-stop triage assistance with
  housing/shelter, food, clothing, transportation,
  benefits assistance, health care, mental health
  care, and many other services
• Results Provided comprehensive services to 700
  disaster victims that either temporarily or
  permanently relocated to Orange County

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Questions?