Partners in Lifelong Support Since 1966
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Project Prepare

What is a disaster?

A disaster is any event that would cause the Regional Center to close due to safety concerns for its staff and visitors.This can include:

  • a major earthquake,
  • flooding,
  • severe weather conditions,
  • hazardous material spill,
  • bomb threat,
  • riots or
  • fire.

Regional Center Contact Information

In the event of a disaster, if the main telephone number to the regional center is out of order, please call 1.800.657.3239 to receive instructions on how to communicate with staff at the regional center.

Disaster Preparedness Training

The regional center conducts voluntary training seminars on disaster preparedness for clients, families, and service providers each year.Through the Center’s Project Prepare, clients and independent living program staff receive disaster training specific to people with disabilities.

Disaster kits are also distributed to clients at each training or through their independent living staff.For more information about training or disaster kits, contact your service coordinator or check the training page for upcoming training.

Preparing for a Disaster

Here are some considerations when planning for a disaster:

  1. Add special items like:
    1. necessary medication,
    2. extra wheelchair batteries,
    3. a pay as you go fully charged cell phone,
    4. food and water for service animals or
    5. other special equipment

Things you might need to add to your standard disaster supplies.

  1. Keep a copy of important documents and a list of the serial and model numbers of medial equipment or assistive devices in a water and fireproof container.
  2. Ask your local community fire department, utility company and emergency management office about special assistance that may be available to you in an emergency.
  3. Arrange for a neighbor or support person to check on you in a disaster.
  4. Consider getting a medical alert system that will allow you to call for help in an emergency.
  5. If you use electrical or battery powered assistive technology or medical devices view our Emergency Power Planning Checklist.
  6. Join the Network of Care and obtain a free emergency card to assist you in communicating your needs in the event you are unable to during an emergency. See more information below or click Network of Care to join and request your card.

We recognize that some clients living independently in the community or families with a child dependant on specialized medical equipment may need emergency back-up equipment or additional supplies of necessary medication. Please communicate with your service coordinator if you need help to prepare and secure needed items.

Network of Care Emergency Card

When a crisis hits, it isn’t always possible to communicate your needs. For this reason, the Network of Care provides all users with a resource to create their own emergency cards.

The emergency card is a hard plastic card the size of a credit card that fits in your wallet or purse. It gives critical information to emergency medical personnel in situations when you may not be able to speak for yourself. The emergency card can:

  • communicate the presence of a pre-existing condition,
  • a life-threatening drug allergy, or
  • your wish that someone be contacted about your care prior to treatment.

The emergency card is free, and it is available to all users in the “My Folder” section of the Network of Care. This card can be printed at home, or at no additional cost, a plastic version can be mailed to you. You can make as many cards as you want at the Network of Care, simply by creating one free account for yourself.

Links to Additional Disaster Planning Resources

For more resources on disaster planning for people with disabilities:

211 LA County
Organizations that provide response and recovery assistance in the event of a disaster.
Phone: 211
Web site: www.211lacounty.org

Alert L.A. County
Register your cell phone number, voice over IP phone number, and e-mail address with the Alert LA County Emergency Mass Notification System.
Web site: http://portal.lacounty.gov/wps/portal/alertla

American Red Cross-Disaster Preparedness for People with Disabilities
Web site: www.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_603_,00.html

Caltrans
Road closures and conditions for state highways.
Phone: 213.897.0383
Web site: www.dot.ca.gov

City of Los Angeles, Emergency Management Department
Web site: www.lacity.org/emd/

Departmet of Public Works
To report trees down, inoperable county-maintained traffic signals, damage to roadways and county facilities.
Phone: 800.675.HELP (4375)
Web site: http://dpw.lacounty.gov/contact/

Disaster Supplies Kits and Other Essential Supplies
Web site: www.redcross.org/services/disaster/beprepared/apendixa.html

ENLA
ENLA (Emergency Network Los Angeles) is the Los Angeles County VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters). It is a coalition of nonprofit organizations, along with government and private-sector partners, with some disaster function.
Web site: http://enla.org/newsandinfo/

Generator Rentals
List of SCErecommender generator rental companies.
Web site: www.thomasnet.com/southern-california/generator-rental-34446005-1.html

L.A. County Chief Executive Office, OEM - Emergency Survival Program
Emergency planning and preparedness information for L.A. County.
Phone: 213.974.1166
Web site: www.espfocus.org

L.A. County Department of Mental Health
Mental health services for disaster victims.
Phone: 800.854.7771
Web site: www.dmh.lacounty.gov

L.A. County Department of Public Health
Communicable disease control, preventive health measures, contamination control and health inspections.
Phone: 800.427.8700
Web site: www.labt.org

L.A. County Department of Public Social Services
County-provided emergency social services, including CalWORKS, food stamp, Medi-Cal and general relief programs.
Phone: 866.613.3777
Web site: www.ladpss.org

L.A. County Fire Department
Fire department requirements for damaged structures.
Phone: 323.881.2481
Web site: www.fire.lacounty.gov

L.A. County Office of Education - Closures
Schools and school district closures in Los Angeles County.
Web site: www.lacoe.edu/orgs/108/index.cfm?ModuleId=21

L.A. County Office of Emergency Management
Web site: www.cert-la.com/ESP/ESP-Disabilities-Guide-2006.pdf

L.A. County Specific Needs Disaster Registry
Web site: http://snap.lacounty.gov

National Energy Assistance Referral Project
Phone: toll-free at 1.866.674.6327
Web site: www.liheap.ncat.org/profiles/California.htm

Natioanl Oceanic Atmospheric Administration
Latest weather information.
Web site: www.noaa.gov

SCE Power Outage Locator Map
SCESo Californina Power Outage Locator Map
Web site: www.sce.com/AOC_Outagemap/OutageMap.html

Southern California Edison
Questions or reports about outages.
Phone: 800.684.8123
Web site: www.sce.com

Southern California Gas Company
Questions or reports about outages.
Phone: 800.655.4555
Web site: www.socalgas.com

Southern California Gas Company Medical Baseline Allowance
Information and application for advance notification of planned or rolling gas outages.
Web site: www.socalgas.com/documents/assistance/medbaseline/Final_N1130109_App_LoRez.pdf

Specific Needs Assessment Planning (S.N.A.P.) - Emergency Survival Guide
To better prepare county residents for disasters, the Los Angeles County OEM announces the launch of the Specific Needs Awareness Planning (S.N.A.P.) voluntary disaster registry.
Web site: http://lacoa.org/PDF/EmergencySurvivalGuide-LowRes.pdf

U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Information and services for individuals, families and businesses needing disaster recovery assistance.
Web site: www.disasterhelp.gov

U.S. Geological Survey
Latest earthquake information.
Web site: www.quake.usgs.gov/recent