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30–361

" COMMITTEE PRINT ! 109TH CONGRESS

2nd Session 

S. PRT. 

2006

109–69

SAFEGUARDING AMERICA’S SENIORS: 

WHAT WE CAN DO TO PREPARE FOR 

NATIONAL EMERGENCIES

SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON AGING 

UNITED STATES SENATE

Prepared by Senator Herb Kohl, Ranking Member 

U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging 

October 2006

This document has been printed for information purposes. It does 

not represent either findings or recommendations formally adopted by the 

Committee. 


Congress.#13
SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON AGING 

GORDON SMITH, Oregon, Chairman 

RICHARD SHELBY, Alabama 

SUSAN COLLINS, Maine 

JAMES M. TALENT, Missouri 

ELIZABETH DOLE, North Carolina 

MEL MARTINEZ, Florida 

LARRY CRAIG, Idaho 

RICK SANTORUM, Pennsylvania 

CONRAD BURNS, Montana 

LAMAR ALEXANDER, Tennessee 

JIM DEMINT, South Carolina 

HERB KOHL, Wisconsin 

JAMES M. JEFFORDS, Vermont 

RON WYDEN, Oregon 

BLANCHE L. LINCOLN, Arkansas 

EVAN BAYH, Indiana 

THOMAS R. CARPER, Delaware 

BILL NELSON, Florida 

HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON, New York 

KEN SALAZAR, Colorado 

CATHERINE FINLEY, Staff Director 

JULIE COHEN, Ranking Member Staff Director 

(II) 

C O N T E N T S 

Page 

Introduction .............................................................................................................. 1

Background .............................................................................................................. 1

Recommendations .................................................................................................... 2

Planning ................................................................................................................... 2

Training .................................................................................................................... 3

Senior Education ...................................................................................................... 3

Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 4

(III) 

(1)

SAFEGUARDING AMERICA’S SENIORS: 

WHAT WE CAN DO TO PREPARE FOR 

NATIONAL EMERGENCIES 

INTRODUCTION

Last September, our nation reeled from the tragic and shameful 

images of seniors abandoned during the aftermath of Hurricane 

Katrina. We must never again leave our parents and grandparents 

to face an emergency alone. 

This report compiles the recommendations made to the U.S. 

Senate Special Committee on Aging during and following the 

hearing, ‘‘Caring for Seniors in a National Emergency: Can We Do 

Better?,’’ held on May 18, 2006. The report does not point fingers 

for past tragedies; it looks forward. Hurricane season is an annual 

event, the threat of terrorism remains, and the potential for an 

avian flu pandemic looms. We all agree, we let our seniors down 

after Hurricane Katrina. But, as sorry as we all are, are we any 

more prepared for the next hurricane, attack, or disaster? 

We know now that one-size-fits-all emergency plans are of little 

use to seniors, especially those who depend on other for assistance 

in their daily lives. When we plan for emergencies, we must also 

plan for the unique challenges of keeping seniors safe. 

Our lack of preparation for seniors after last summer’s hurricane’s—and the terrible price we paid in lives and suffering—was 

a national tragedy. That tragedy is compounded if we ignore the 

painful lessons of the past. We need specific plans, programs, and 

information for seniors facing emergencies. 

This report is intended to inform decision makers on all levels—

Federal, State and local emergency planners, first responders, law 

enforcement, advocates, seniors, and their families and friends. We 

believe all will find information they can use to prepare to care for 

seniors when the next emergency occurs. 

BACKGROUND

The National Preparedness System (NPS), as overseen by the 

Department of Homeland Security (DHS), coordinates operations 

and priorities of homeland security officials, emergency managers, 

and first responders. NPS has developed six basic documents to 

guide emergency planning. These documents set goals and standards for Federal, State and local governments to meet in order to 

properly protect our citizens during a national emergency. 

NPS’ guidance is a good first step; however, it is important to 

note that not one single office within DHS is solely dedicated to the 

protection of seniors. DHS has issued only limited guidance to 

State and local emergency planners that specifically deals with senVerDate 0ct 09 2002 14:04 Oct 17, 2006 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 H:\DOCS\30361.TXT SAGING1 PsN: JOYCE
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iors’ needs—a questionable strategy in the face of seventy-seven 

million baby boomers on the cusp of retirement. 

The structure of and responsibility for emergency management 

varies greatly among State and local governments. That is why it 

is imperative for the federal government to provide strong leadership in protecting seniors. We must coordinate all efforts—federal, 

state and local—to ensure that our most vulnerable populations are 

protected. 

RECOMMENDATIONS

The following recommendations were culled from testimony 

provided to the Committee in preparation for its May 18, 2006 

hearing examining emergency preparedness issues for seniors. 

They do not necessarily represent the perspectives of the Committee or any of its members, but serve as a valuable starting point 

in discussing how we, as a nation, can better protect our seniors 

in the event of a national disaster. 

PLANNING

• Emergency planners should involve social service providers, 

such as Meals on Wheels programs, in the planning process. These 

providers’ transportation resources could be used to evacuate many 

seniors on voluntary registries administered by local governments. 

These providers have expertise and ongoing contact with clients 

who face transportation obstacles, and are familiar with their dayto-day and non-emergency needs. • Plans should clearly articulate the responsibilies of all agencies in evacuating transportation-disadvantaged populations, and 

spell out the methods and coordination of evacuations. This plan 

should detail how local and state emergency management, and 

transit agencies should work together to evacuate transportationdisadvantaged people. Emergency management officials stated that 

this level of coordination enabled them to successfully conduct several evacuations in the past. • Federal, State and local planners should involve 

gerontologists (geriatricians, geriatric nurse practitioners, geriatric social workers, etc.) in all aspects of emergency preparedness 

and care delivery. Gerontologists should be involved in the training 

of frontline workers and other first responders about frail adults’ 

unique needs. • The federal government should develop a simple, inexpensive, 

cohesive, integrated and efficient tracking system for seniors and 

other vulnerable adults that can be employed at the state and local 

levels. • The federal government should select an existing agency, such 

as the Department of Transportation, to be the primary federal 

agency responsible for developing the capability to conduct mass 

evacuations. • DHS should require that state and local governments conduct 

evacuation planning and exercises as a condition for receiving 

Homeland Security grants. • DHS, in coordination with the states, should plan, train and 

exercise for evacuations, including exercises that incorporate those 

populations that do not have the means to evacuate. 

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• Ongoing federal funding is needed for existing programs to 

continue to plan for national emergencies. Federal funding is also 

needed to provide the infrastructure to accommodate the needs of 

the elderly in disasters. • Congress should consider restoring funding to the geriatrics 

health professions programs, which includes the Geriatrics 

Education Centers (GECs). The GECs are at the forefront of disaster preparedness and the elderly, having prepared the lead, 

national curriculum in this area. • State and local planners should designate separate shelter 

areas in advance for the elderly and other vulnerable adults. 

Seniors without family members or advocates should be grouped in 

shelter sites so that they can be attended to by medical personnel 

and volunteers to help them with their special needs. • Metropolitan areas should revisit their building codes and 

develop strategies to strengthen their infrastructures. Areas prone 

to disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires or flooding 

should review and strengthen building codes specific to the disasters most likely to occur in their particular area. Buildings known 

to specifically house seniors should be focused on during these 

reviews. 

TRAINING

• Train all first responders and law enforcement agents about 

the unique needs of the elderly in the event of a national emergency or disaster. • Conduct regular exercises of emergency response plans in 

order to test coordination between agencies involved in evacuations. • Encourage citizens who have special needs to voluntarily register with their local emergency management agency. Train all 

appropriate parties how to implement and use voluntary registries 

before, during and after an emergency. According to emergency 

management officials, in several recent evacuations, voluntary registries assisted emergency personnel in efficiently evacuating transportation-disadvantaged populations. • Involve region-specific social services, medical and public 

health resources, volunteers, and facilities in pre-event planning 

and training for elders and vulnerable adults. • Train first responders and law enforcement officers on how to 

implement senior specific triage tools. • Develop coordinated regional plans for evacuations of 

residents of long-term care facilities and for homebound seniors. 

These regional plans should be reviewed periodically and incorporated into regular training exercises, so that long-term care facilities and isolated seniors are appropriately prioritized in the 

event of an emergency. 

SENIOR EDUCATION

The following information should be made available to seniors to 

better prepare themselves for future national disasters. 

• It is always better to prepare for a disaster too early than too 

late. Take the possibility of a disaster seriously; many are sudden 

and have no warning. 

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• Become part of a network of people to check on your welfare 

in the event of a disaster. Many towns are establishing registries 

so that emergency workers can locate high risk and high needs people, and check on those who might not have anyone else to check 

on them. If you need medical assistance, teach those who will come 

to check on you any necessary equipment operations. A network of 

friends or neighbors would work as well. This is to ensure that 

when a disaster happens, everyone is accounted for and taken care 

of. • Become informed as to what kind of disasters are common in 

your community, state, or region. Physical geographic factors are 

not the only factors to take into account. Proximity to large cities, 

power plants, military bases, etc. are sources of disasters as well. • There are several steps to take that will prepare you for any

disaster: 

Make sure that you have access to communication—many emergency notification are broadcast on the television or radio. 

Assemble a disaster supply kit, complete with medical and general supplies:

- Battery-powered radio and flashlight; including extra batteries 

for each 

- Clothing, rain, gear, and sturdy comfortable shoes 

- Blanket or sleeping bag 

- Extra car and house keys 

- Whistle in case you need to attract attention 

- Cash, credit cards and loose change 

- Personal hygiene supplies 

- Emergency phone numbers as well as phone numbers of relatives, friends, your doctor, and insurance company 

- Sealed supplies of water

• Plan transportation that will accommodate any mobility needs 

you might have in the event of an evacuation. Always try to travel 

with others. 

• Plan a safe place in your home where you can wait during an 

emergency if so instructed. 

• In the event of a fire, plan two escape routes out of each room. 

If you cannot use stairways, make special arrangements for help in 

advance. Never use elevators. Test your smoke detector battery 

regularly. 

• In case of an earthquake or other disaster, you should have 

things securely anchored in your home, keeping heavy things off of 

top shelves to prevent injury. Have personal records in fireproof, 

watertight containers. 

• Even if you do have a registry or network that will check on 

you, you should still be prepared to support yourself for up to 72 

hours without outside help. 

• In the event of an evacuation:

- Travel with others if at all possible. 

- Wear appropriate clothing and sturdy shoes. 

- Take your Disaster Supplies Kit. 

- Lock your home. 

- Use the travel routes specified or special assistance provided by 

local officials. Don’t take any short cuts; they may be unsafe. 

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- Notify shelter authorities of any needs you may have. 

CONCLUSION

When the next national emergency strikes—whether it’s a hurricane, terrorist attack or a public health threat—we need to make 

sure no senior is left behind. 

It’s clear that the Federal government still has a lot of work to 

do. We need to make sure that seniors know how to prepare themselves and who to turn to for help. All levels of government need 

to plan, train and practice now so we can respond to seniors in a 

future emergency. 

We hope that you will find these recommendations helpful and 

act immediately to make sure seniors never fall through the cracks 

again.

Æ