Register for an ACL and FEMA Webinar on Disasters in Island and Coastal Communities

September 19, 2024

Tuesday, September 24, 2024 | 2:00 p.m. ET
Register for the webinar

ACL and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Office of Disability Integration and Coordination (ODIC) are partnering on a webinar series to support people with disabilities and older adults - and the organizations that serve them - before, during, and after disasters.

This webinar will discuss the unique challenges that island and coastal communities face in the wake of natural and human-made disasters, from typhoons and tidal waves to wildfires and rising sea levels. Pacific islands are 30 times more likely to experience natural disasters than the mainland United States. They are highly vulnerable to natural disasters due to their geographic location, which is prone to earthquakes, tsunamis, and tropical storms, as well as rising sea levels from climate change. Their low-lying nature, limited infrastructure, and reliance on natural resources like agriculture and fisheries - as well as importation of supplies - exacerbate the impact, making recovery more difficult. Climate change intensifies these risks by increasing storm severity and degrading natural protections like coral reefs.

An estimated 1.5 million Pacific Islanders are living with some form of disability and the estimated population of adults aged 60 and older is expected to increase by 600% by 2050 - from 376,000 in 2000 to 2.2 million. Older adults and individuals with disabilities in the Pacific islands are at higher risk of experiencing poor outcomes during and after natural disasters due to limited mobility, difficulty accessing early warnings or evacuation routes, and reliance on health care services that may be disrupted.

These populations often face challenges in accessing emergency shelters, food, water, and medical care, and the islands' limited infrastructure and remote locations can delay relief efforts. Additionally, disruptions to essential services like electricity, transportation, and communication can disproportionately affect those with specific health or mobility needs.

This webinar will include opening remarks by Sherman Gillums, director of ODIC at FEMA, and Fay Gordon, ACL regional administrator for Region IX (AS, AZ, CA, CNMI, GU, HI, NV). The webinar's expert panel includes:

• Charlene San Nicolas, Senior Citizens Administrator for the Guam State Office on Aging
• Leslie Tanoue, Director, Alu Like, Inc.
• Caroline Cadirao, Director, Hawai'i Executive Office on Aging

A Q&A session will follow the panelists' presentations. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with the link to participate.

ASL and CART will be provided. If you need other accommodations to participate, please contact [email protected] by 12:00 p.m. ET on Monday, September 23, 2024.

The webinar will be recorded and posted on ACL.gov.