Working Document

Special-Needs/Medical Shelters/Registries/Transportation
Arizona Counties

County Contact Registry Transportation Special-Needs/Medical Shelters

Apache NO Sheriff's deputies – triage. o Large domed facility with 7,000
Apache County Public Health o Working to establish a registry and capacity - used for Rodeo-
Emergency Preparedness are predicating it on access to Chedeski fire
Office agency databases, such as Area o Very limited hotel rooms are
928-333-0212 Agency on Aging/Northern Arizona reserved under county name to
Council of Governments be commandeered and
(AAA/NACOG), Department of distributed by the Sheriff's
Economic Security Division of Department if an event looms.
Harry Cordova Developmental Disabilities (DDD),
Director Arizona Early Intervention Program
County Emergency (AzEIP), Little Colorado Behavioral
928-337-7630 Health, Senior Centers, etc. (must
hcordova@co.apache.az.us address major HIPAA issues with
these agencies). They have tried to
establish a registry with individual
registration via advertising through
newspapers, bulletin boards, and
the post office with almost no
success. Working through agencies
could provide access to 90 to 95%
of the special-needs population.
o Information on a registry could be
posted on Secure Integrated
Response Network (SIREN), and
agencies could post information and
provide automatic updates.
o Proposing to administer through
county emergency management
and public health.
o State that federal Center for
Disease Control (CDC) funding is
contingent on including special-
needs in emergency management.
o The strategies for working with and
providing for special-needs
populations will be included in the
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County Contact Registry Transportation Special-Needs/Medical Shelters
Incident Action Plans contained with
the County Emergency Plan. The
intention is to integrate Special-
Needs Communication Plans as
part of the Emergency Plan. It is
anticipated that the Communication
Plan will integrate a reverse 911
system with the “593” regional Web
site and information line. This will
then be bolstered by integrating
Special-Needs Units and Branches
into the Incident Command
organizational charts.
o Parts of these special-needs plans
will be tested in a county Mass
Evacuation of Phoenix table top
exercise to be conducted on
th
February 11 and a second one on
an unspecified date in June or July.
o Planning the following workshop:
Listen, Protect and Connect:
Meeting the Mental Health Needs of
Children in All-Hazards Events.
This workshop is put on by the
UCLA for emergency personnel,
social workers, nurses and public
health staff, and volunteers. They
are looking at dates in April or May
for this workshop. While this
workshop provides tools for a
specific population, they feel that
these issues transcend into many of
the special-needs populations. The
skills learned in this workshop can
be built on in future workshops,
conferences, and trainings.

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County Contact Registry Transportation Special-Needs/Medical Shelters
Cochise Michael Evans NO During the 4/29/08 meeting, we To date there are 20 MOUs with
County Emergency o We held our first stakeholder asked the stakeholders to give us a local school districts requesting use
Coordinator meeting on 4/29/08 and had 51 plus list of their resources including of facilities for emergency needs
520-432-9550 attendees and our second meeting vehicles, shelters, and kitchen including sheltering. There are four
mevans@cochise.az.gov on 7/17/08. The guests were from capacity. This resource list along MOUs with churches for the same
Community Health Centers, Nursing with an emergency call down list for type of facility usage. In the fall of
Homes, Catholic Social Services, all participating agencies is 2008, these and several local
Elizabeth Lueck Emergency Management, SEAGO, included in the Special Needs Risk business MOUs will be sanctioned
Bioterrorism Preparedness Local Ministries, Behavioral and Communication Plan drafted this by the Cochise County governing
Program Manager Mental Health Organizations, sister summer and delivered to ADHS as body then housed at the County
520-432-9437 counties, and many other varied part of the grant. The plan includes Attorney's office. They are five year
elueck@cochise.az.gov organizations. contact information, resource agreements.
o Preliminary work has been done listings, and information .
with Catholic Social Services, and dissemination systems.
they will partner with SouthEastern
Arizona Governments Organization
(SEAGO) and others to obtain
information and build a database to
operate from the County GIS.
o Emergency planning for special-
needs began with pandemic flu in
the summer of 2006.
o Special-Needs Populations were a
Priority Project under the 2007-2008
Cooperative Agreement Grant for
Bioterrorism Preparedness and will
be included in the coming grant
year.
o A Community Outreach Program
has been initiated to train special-
needs groups on personal
preparedness in the event of a
natural or man-made disaster.
Quarterly meetings and plan
updates will take place.
Coconino Sherrie Collins YES Depends on the evacuation needs o Red Cross has agreements for
County Emergency Director o Registry is administered and of individuals. general public shelters.
928-526-2735 housed by the County Health o Coconino County Health
scollins@coconino.az.gov Department and funded by the Department also has a plan for
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) a special-needs shelter for
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County Contact Registry Transportation Special-Needs/Medical Shelters
public health emergency individuals who have daily living
Kimbal Babcock preparedness grants. needs that cannot be met at a
928-679-7333 o Registration is by phone, online, or typical Red Cross shelter.
kbabcock@coconino.az.gov mail-in and publicized through the o The Special Needs Shelter Plan
media, Department of Economic includes information about
Security (DES), and home health organizational roles and
agencies. responsibilities, tactical and
o Registration form includes a support resources, and scope
disclaimer statement about and phases of operation.
confidentiality.
Gila YES County has several vehicles for o Depends on the incident - no
Matthew Bolinger o Currently maintain a manual registry special-needs, and they are looking lists are maintained.
Director administered and accessible by the to contracting in the future. o Red Cross will direct to shelters.
Gila County Emergency County Sheriff's Department and
Management the Community Services Division,
928-402-8764 with a database planned.
mbolinger@co.gila.az.us o Work with Pinal/Gila Long-Term
Care and the Community Services
Debra Williams Division.
County Emergency o Local agencies provide updates and
Management information on special-needs.
928-402-8763 o Health and Community Services
dwilliams@co.gila.az.us plans to expand to online capability.

Graham Brian Douglas YES
Graham County Deputy o Registry consists of local agencies
Director for Emergency that work with people in need.
Management Plans are to call leaders of these
928-792-5351 agencies at times of emergency to
bdouglas@graham.az.gov obtain addresses, phone numbers,
and information regarding these
people and their needs (agencies
will not provide information unless in
an emergency).
o County program called "Are You
OK," operated and funded through
the local Sheriff's Department,
maintains a database of names,
o Depends on the specific
individual.
o County plans for large group
transportation (not special-
needs) and for special-needs
transportation by ambulance.
o County maintains a list of
possible shelters and plans to
keep special populations in the
same building as a regular Red
Cross shelter.
o They believe that volunteers can
be recruited from the Red Cross
shelter to help out with the
special-needs population.

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County Contact Registry Transportation Special-Needs/Medical Shelters
Terry Cooper addresses, and numbers.
Director Individuals are called daily, and if no
Graham County Emergency answer, responsible agencies, local
Management police, sheriff's office, or search and
928-792-5034 rescue check on people in their
tcooper@graham.az.gov homes.

Greenlee Steve Rutherford YES County has Two Vans for Special County Maintains a list of Shelter
County Emergency o Manual registry funded and Needs. Locations that have been inspected
Coordinator administered by the County Health by American Red Cross.
928-865-2601 Department.
srutherford@co.greenlee.az.us o Registration is through assistance
agencies and County Health.
Kay Gale o Utilize the DES Medallion Program.
Greenlee County Emergency
Management
928-865-5385
kgale@co.greenlee.az.us

La Paz Steve Biro YES o The VIPs and CERTs pick up There is the need for better
County Emergency Director o This county is very proactive - For and transport individuals to coordination with the Red Cross for
928-669-6141 7-8 years, special-needs registries county transportation vehicles. shelters for special-needs
sbiro@lapazsheriff.org have been in effect in local areas. They already know their local populations due to lack of presence
o The forms are kept locally, with no area and who needs what, and in the County.
central administration. this takes a load off the Agreements are in place through the
o The primary entities are volunteer, Sheriff's Department workload. Health Department with the
including both the Community o Sheriff’s Department vehicles Schools.
Greg Bachman Emergency Response Team contain AEDs.
928-669-9364x13 (CERT) and the Volunteers in
gbachman@co.la-paz.az.us Protection (VIP) program, a majority
of which are retired, including some
retired paramedics.
o Special-needs registration is
publicized by word of mouth and to
the local medical centers who keep
copies of the forms and make them
available.
o These volunteers are able to use

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County Contact Registry Transportation Special-Needs/Medical Shelters
the Sheriff's Department vehicles
and patrol their area, making
rounds. Vulnerable individuals can
sign up by in-home visits and
interviews and can request in-home
checks and assistance.
o A great deal of training is provided,
including significant cross training.
The Sheriff's office has a VIP
Academy, which provides 80 hours
of training and also takes safety
programs to the local areas.
o If additional funds are needed, they
are raised through local events such
as golf tournaments. Medical
equipment, such as automatic
external defibrillators (AEDs), is
obtained through grants.
o Emergency equipment is stockpiled
and quickly available and ready.
o These provisions have been used a
great deal due to floods and
wildfires.
o The municipalities of Parker and
Quartzite utilize the fire and police
departments to handle emergency
management, and some attend the
county training.
o Emergencies are handled very
effectively, and to keep the
volunteers interested during more
tranquil times, the volunteers are
utilized extensively during local
events.
o People know each other, and there
is a high trust factor.
o Federal, state, and local emergency
response personnel participated in a
mock disaster emergency exercise
at the Lake Moovalya Keys on May
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County Contact Registry Transportation Special-Needs/Medical Shelters
7, 2008, that included the
evacuation of special-needs
populations.

Maricopa Warren Lee FOR THE PALO VERDE NUCLEAR Special-needs transportation is o Three Reception and Care
County Emergency Director PLANT ONLY arranged by the Sheriff's Centers (RCCs) are utilized for
602-273-1411 o The Palo Verde Plant does direct Department. evacuation. DES provides
warrenleek@mail.maricopa.gov mailing to residents within the ten- representatives at the RCC to
mile radius inquiring regarding assist DES clients in the Child
special-needs for assistance in Protective Services, Adult
John Padilla evacuation and provides blank Protective Services, and
Emergency Coordinator forms at the post office. Developmental Disabilities
602-273-1411 o Maricopa County Emergency programs, and other vulnerable
padillaj001@mail.maricopa.gov Management maintains both populations not in the DES
manual forms and a database with system.
information on residents within the o There is the need for better
Alisa Diggs ten-mile radius, and the GIS can coordination with the Red Cross
Program Manager search by area, needs, medications, for shelters for special-needs.
Public Health Emergency etc. This information can be
Management provided to the Sheriff's office to
Maricopa County arrange assistance with specific
Department of Public Health information on the individuals and
(MCDPH) their needs.
602-372-2650 o Information for the general
alisadiggs@mail.maricopa.gov population and special-needs
population is maintained and
updated by their Reception and
Care Center planner. There are
7,998 individuals in the system, and
688 have special-needs. It is likely
that there are more with special-
needs who may not have been
identified in the self-reporting.
o Funding is from the State General
Fund and the Nuclear Emergency
Management Fund.

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County Contact Registry Transportation Special-Needs/Medical Shelters

FOR Maricopa County Department of

Public Health ONLY
The Red Cross is responsible for
MCDPH has met with 95% of the shelter stand-up. The SN task force
coordinating agencies of those special- will be our forum for clarifying further
needs groups identified in their initial roles and responsibilities.
population assessment in 2005, which
was conducted based on guidance from
the CDC’s Public Health Workbook to
Define, Locate and Reach Special,
Vulnerable, and At-Risk Populations in
an Emergency. The long-term plan is to
arrange access to the registries of the
coordinating agencies during a disaster
instead of creating new registries for
Public Health use.

As a result, the Maricopa County

Department of Public Health Emergency
Operations Plan was modified to include
an operational plan for the homeless
and incarcerated. The continuing efforts
include inter-governmental agency
agreements currently in the process of
being developed with Salt River-Pima
and Gila River Tribal Nations, planned
meetings with the Arizona Kidney
Society, Area Agency for the Aging, and
the Red Cross and incorporation of
special-needs emergency response
activities in all drills and exercises
occurring in 2008.
The new Maricopa County Hard to
Reach Populations Task Force will be
meeting regularly for planning activities.
This task force will determine the
necessity and efficacy of registries.

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County Contact Registry
Mohave NO
Patty Mead o Have not established a special-
County Health needs registry at this time.
928-753-0743 o The County Public Health
Patty.Mead@co.mohave.az.us Department and Emergency
Management have established a
Special Needs Emergency Planning
Byron Steward Task Force, including
Emergency Coordinator representatives from first responder
928-757-0910 agencies, nursing homes, the Area
Byron.Steward@co.mohave.az.us Agency on Aging, assisted living
facilities, ADES, and groups
supporting or representing the
various special-needs communities,
to establish a planning and
communications network to reach
special-needs individuals via those
groups with existing ties to them.
The Task Force is meeting
approximately bimonthly.
o County Public Health and
Emergency Management are tied
into Az211 in case special-needs
individuals in the county make
inquiries to Az211.
o Decisions regarding establishing a
registry will depend on the
recommendations from the Special
Needs Task Force, which is
obtaining input from representatives
of the special-needs community and
researching the possibilities of
“Smart Card” or other voluntary
registration as well as networking
with agencies with existing
databases.
o
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Transportation
Plans are in progress to utilize
special-needs-accessible buses
from schools and rural transit
systems, including development of
MOUs.
Special-Needs/Medical Shelters
Emergency Management maintains
an extensive list of shelters, and
Public Health has developed MOUs
with school districts for use of their
facilities. Specific facilities are being
identified that are best equipped and
located to serve the special-needs
population. First preference will be
the co-locating of SN shelters with
American Red Cross general
population shelters, and coordinated
planning with the ARC is ongoing.
Estimates of required special-needs
evacuation or sheltering resources
will be based on research to
determine approximate numbers of
the various SN populations in
specific areas rather than individual
registry information. Outreach to
assisted living facilities, nursing
homes, and hospices will determine
whether their evacuation plans
identify alternate care facilities and
transportation assets, and whether
facility staff will be tasked to care for
clients/patients at alternate facilities
or shelters. Training in special-
needs medical care is being
planned for Medical Reserve Corps
volunteers.
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County Contact Registry Transportation Special-Needs/Medical Shelters
Navajo Tommy Price YES There are no special transportation They work closely with the Red
Emergency Manager o A database registry containing arrangements. The sheriff’s office, Cross and Salvation Army. They
928-524-4792 approximately 100 individuals is family members, and friends also work closely with families,
tommy.price@navajocountyaz.gov
located with the Sheriff's provide transportation. hospitals, and the Health
Emergency Management, which Department for special-needs.
Gary Butler can search by area, needs, and
Navajo County Emergency medications. Contacts can alert
Management authorities to check on individuals.
928-524-4776 Three CERT teams also help in the
ncso@navajocountyaz.gov community.
o Special-needs forms are provided
Don Walker through community meetings and
928-524-4750 homeowners associations.
don.walker@navajocountyaz.gov o It is funded within the Sheriff's
Office Emergency Management
budget.
o People are informed through local
meetings and the CERT teams.
o There have been no major issues.
People see that they do care.
o Navajo County Office of Emergency
Management and Navajo County
Health have developed a “Special-
Needs Population Information and
Response Card” brochure for a
mass mailing to Navajo County
residents.

Pima Pima County Health NO
Department Draft voluntary registration brochure has
Tim Siemsen been completed and is in the review
520-243-7750 process. Registry may also be available
Tim.Siemsen@pima.gov online and by phone. A GIS system has
been established with a number of
layers identifying both facilities and
shelter sites. A database will be
established for the voluntary registration
Renée Peyton program once approved and will be
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The task force (32 organizations) is
exploring buses and van
transportation, along with
accessibility issues.
. Red Cross Type 3 and 4 shelters
A shelter database has been
provided by Red Cross. That
database has been GIS mapped.
Shelter management training for
has been provided, and additional
classes will be conducted
throughout the county with
community partners such as Citizen
Corps and Arizona Voluntary
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County Contact Registry
520-243-7745 updated annually.
Renee.Peyton@pima.gov The County Health Department has
developed a database of contact
Dennis Douglas information for organizations and
Pima County Emergency agencies that represent populations with
Management special needs. A Health Department
520-243-7704 alert system was drilled to notify these
dennis.douglas@pima.gov organizations and agencies before the
tabletop exercise workshop in April of
2008.
Pinal Pete Weaver NO
County Emergency Director The county currently is not attempting to
520-866-6415 develop a registry. Based on lessons
Pete.Weaver@co.pinal.az.us learned from the experience of other
counties, Pinal County is exploring the
Rick Jones utility of using third-party agencies that
520-866-7340 have special-needs populations in their
rick.jones@pinalcountyaz.gov client pool in order to develop plans and
communicate with special needs
individuals during an emergency.
In collaboration with the Pinal County
At-Risk Populations Workgroup, the
Pinal County Health Services District is
testing the use of an electronic
communications system (SIREN) to
immediately contact public health
partners in the event of an emergency
to provide information about health
issues that may affect special- needs
Information compiled by EPOC’s Vulnerable Populations Workgroup
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Transportation
Through special-needs vans, DES,
and county contractors.
Special-Needs/Medical Shelters
Organizations Active in Disaster
(VOAD). Special-needs planning
with Red Cross and the Pima
County Health Department is
ongoing.
In April 2008, the Pima County
Health Department sponsored a
special-population workshop using a
Situation Manual (SitMan)
developed with the advice and
assistance of an exercise planning
team. The workshop emphasized
the roles, responsibilities, and
abilities of special-needs agencies
in response to an unannounced
emergency. Workshop participants
engaged in pre-event preparedness
and initial response activities.
Red Cross has approximately 30
written shelter agreements;
however, these do not provide
medical or special-needs sheltering.
Current plan uses the Pinal-Gila
Long-Term Care network of facilities
for providing shelter for individuals
with special needs. An MOU is
under development with the
Coolidge Department of
Developmentally Disabled Training
Center to serve as a site to shelter
those with non-medical special
needs.
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County Contact Registry Transportation Special-Needs/Medical Shelters
populations.
Santa Kevin Irvine Individuals who are receiving services Transportation services are Shelter lists are maintained for all
Cruz County Emergency Director provided by DES are on file with local available through private buses, Red Cross shelters in the county.
520-375-9202 agencies who provide for those in case ride share, and agencies that The county is working with churches
kirvine@co.santa-cruz.az.us of an emergency. Southeastern Arizona receive 5310 ADOT vehicles. and group homes in the community
Governments Organization, Area to determine what is available.
Agency on Aging provides a Directory of
Elder Resources for Santa Cruz County.
Local utilities keep a list of special-
needs individuals that sign up for the
program that is offered to them in case
of an emergency.

Yavapai Nick Angiolillo YES Transportation is provided for Shelter lists are maintained for all
Emergency Coordinator o A registry, both manual and individuals. Facilities must have Red Cross and other shelters within
928-771-3321 database containing both individuals their own transportation, but if it the county.
Nick.Angiolillo@co.yavapai.az.us and facilities, is administered by were a critical situation, the county
County Emergency Management would furnish transportation. Yavapai County Health Department
and Public Health. Emergency is developing a resource listing for
Brian Supalla Management houses the registry the disaster needs of special-needs
Public Health Emergency and distributes the appropriate part persons, including shelter
Preparedness of the list as needed. The registry is equipment and shelter supplies.
928-442-5485 included within the County
brian.supalla@co.yavapai.az.us Emergency Management budget.
o Individuals can register online, by
phone, through assistance
agencies, or with forms available
through Emergency Management
and volunteer organizations.
o It is estimated that there are only
25-33% of the individuals and/or
facilities that should be in the
database. Also, Privacy Act issues
seem to always loom.
o The registry has been tested in
exercises (simulated information),
and the real-world information has
been used during evacuations in the
Indian, La Barranca, and Brin's
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County Contact Registry Transportation Special-Needs/Medical Shelters
Fires.
Yuma Luis Miranda YES The Metropolitan Planning o Work with the national shelter
County Emergency Director o The registry is coordinated with Organization, including ADOT and system through the Red Cross.
928-782-2355 Yuma County and the City of Yuma the city, coordinates with the city Potential regular or special-
Luis.Miranda@co.yuma.az.us and is administered by the city in a bus service for evacuation needs shelters are in a
spreadsheet database. The city is resources and is exploring use of database and mapped out.
Michelle Smith the lead for the metropolitan area, school district buses. o The county is planning for
928-317-4622 and Yuma County Health shelters through County Health.
michelle.smith@co.yuma.az.us Department is the lead for the o The database was used for
outlying areas. location of potential shelters
o Mapping is available for evacuation during the California fires.
utilizing the database through the o The county developed general
GIS. guidelines for special-needs
o Meetings are being held with shelter operations. The
community stakeholders regarding guidelines include information
special-needs and with County about admission, triage,
Health regarding facilities. discharge, and transfer, and set-
o Funding is being done in-house. up and staffing for designated
o Registration is done through areas.
meetings with local organizations,
hospitals, nursing homes, and other
population centers. Approximately
16,000 forms have been sent out.
o Current registration includes
approximately 52 for the city and 52
for the county. One hundred
facilities have been identified in the
database.
o The system was activated during
the Labor Day storm, and they
contacted facilities for damage,
power outage, etc.
i

i
How this information was compiled: A survey was submitted to the appropriate contact person(s) in each county, and responses were received from the 15 counties by either e-
mail or telephone. County information was summarized and e-mailed to the responding person for confirmation of accuracy. Any necessary changes and additions received from
the counties were incorporated in the document.

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