In the events after a disaster, no matter the kind, there is a good need to accomplish certain goals and needs. These goals and needs would include the following: disaster management in the health system, how to receive disaster relief and assistance from FEMA, and what occurs if the victims cannot receive the relief they were promised.
Regardless of the type of natural disaster, the underlying health of the affected population has a significant impact on the disaster management. People across the world struggle on a day-to-day basis against a laundry-list of chronic health conditions (heart disease, asthma, diabetes, and cancer). With careful planning of effective public health measures, the care of the people with such conditions can be managed in a disaster situation without an increased negative effect on the health and well-being of the affected population. However, to make this a feasible reality in such events, public health must be closely tied with disaster management, on a day-to-day basis, to ensure that our medical systems are equipped to handle a large surge of patients which would accompany a major natural disaster.
Image 1 - Victims getting medical assistance after a natural disaster
Along with this, there is a need to develop a system for educating the public about how to prevent common illnesses and diseases. “Having a public that is educated about how to manage their own health issues during a disaster is a key component to mitigating the health effects of disaster on individuals and communities.” During a disaster, one of the challenges we face is that the health communities lay in both private and public sectors. Hospitals and healthcare facilities are businesses; therefore, it is not always easy for emergency and health managers to coordinate seamlessly with each other during a disaster. However, in the past few years there have been a couple successful examples. One of these examples is when corporate pharmacies worked with the federal government to provide the H1N1 flu vaccine to communities throughout the United States.
FEMA travel trailers are considered an alternate housing option and are only used when adequate housing options are not available. These trailers are available in two ways: residence who will be located in a FEMA trailer park, and people who have private property that meets certain requirements. The process for gaining a trailer begins with a toll free call to the disaster assistance helpline (1-800-621-3362). The second step would be filling out an application. However, before you can apply, the victim must provide FEMA with a social security number, a reliable phone number, all current insurance information, the annual income for the household, a bank routing number, and a description of what was lost in the disaster. After applying, either online or on the phone, FEMA will mail the victims a copy of the application.
Image 2 - FEMA trailers being delivered to disaster areas in the Southern states after Hurricane Katrina
Image 3 - FEMA contractors constructing the trailer's stairs and porch
Then, after 10 to 14 days, an inspector would contact the person if the paperwork successfully went through. At the inspection, the disaster victim would need to show proof of land ownership, have workable utilities at the site, and sign papers. In addition, the inspector would examine the land and its damage to create a report. After an average of 10 days, the person would find out if the site was approved. The next step is to have the FEMA trailer delivered. Once delivered, a FEMA contractor will set up the unit and schedule a time to hook up the utilities. If everything were to go “right” – the paperwork, insurance, and inspection – the displaced individuals would have to find alternate housing opportunities for a minimum of 4 weeks. On the other hand, if problems arise, FEMA says it could take up to 8 weeks to receive the travel trailer, from the time you call FEMA to the time the trailer’s utilities are connected.
“Under the Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, once a president declares a major disaster, the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) steps into the fray to provide disaster relief assistance.” Ernest Abbott, who becomes a lawyer in 1976, is the owner of FEMA Law Associates. His law firm deals with disputes that arise over eligibility for disaster assistance, which usually occurs between 6 months and eight years after a natural disaster. There are two different reasons why it takes so long for Abbott to get involved. The first reason is if issues with the displaced individuals’ insurance companies arise. The second reason is if an inspector general determines that contracting was not done properly; or that the work should have never deemed eligible in the first place. In addition, in major projects, structural damage is often hidden and can take a long time to detect.
Image 4 - Victims in court to try and receive the federal assistance FEMA promised to them
Collecting bids and price shopping is imperative in the contracting process. FEMA will reimburse aid applicants no more than 75 percent of the cost of eligible work (debris removal, emergency work, and sheltering). However, they will only “reimburse only the cost of what they think you would have paid had you bothered to shop around a little bit.” The length of time this can take is evident in Abbott’s ongoing work with clients affected by Hurricane Katrina, many of whom are still trying to resolve disputes over how much disaster assistance FEMA should pay, six years after the disaster. The key to working with FEMA is to describe, in writing, the decisions that have been made, the people you talked to, accounting records, and dates when each milestone happened.
Text
Dunn, C. (2011, September 6). The Legal Ins and Outs of Post-Disaster FEMA Aid.
Retrieved November 10, 2011, from http;//www.law.com/jsp/cc/PubArticleCC.
jsp?id=1202513391671
How to Get Disaster Manufactured Housing. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2001, form
http://www.fema.gov.news/newsrelease.cema?id=19865
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