ACL/FEMA Webinar on Hurricane Preparedness, Response, and Recovery

August 23, 2024

Wednesday, August 28, 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) invite you to the third event of this year's webinar series to support individuals with disabilities and older adults - and the organizations that serve them - before, during, and after disasters. This webinar will address preparedness, response, and recovery related to hurricanes.

Hurricane season in the U.S. has undergone significant changes in recent years, influenced by a combination of natural variability and climate change. The frequency and intensity of hurricanes has increased, the season is longer, rainfall is heavier, and there have been geographic shifts in their paths in addition to causing inland impact.

Factors impacting older adults and people with disabilities before, during, and after hurricanes include insufficient evacuation plans; extended loss of power for people who rely on powered durable medical equipment; disaster shelters that lack adequate supports for residents; auxiliary aids, services, and/or information in easy-to-understand formats; and the lack of access to services and supports, such as meals and home health services.

This ACL/FEMA webinar is focused on the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities and older adults during and after a hurricane hits.

Speakers:

• Sherman Gillums, Director, ODIC, FEMA
• Amy Wiatr-Rodriguez, Director, Center for Regional Operations, ACL

Panelists:

• Mandy Halloran, Director of Public Health & Disability Integration, Able-SC
• Howard Rodgers, Executive Director, New Orleans Council on Aging
• Julian Ochoa, Community Preparedness Manager, Office of Emergency Management, City of Houston

A Q&A session will follow the panel presentation. ASL and CART will be provided. If you need other accommodations to participate, please contact [email protected].