Hot Topic: Special Needs Registry
If a hurricane were headed for Coastal Georgia, many people would leave home for a safe shelter. Evacuations are almost never easy, but for people with special needs, getting to safety can be extremely difficult. That’s why the Coastal Health District wants you to be prepared.
Citizens with special needs should develop a plan with their caregiver, including when to leave, where to go, and how to get there.
A special needs registry is kept at all Coastal GA Health Departments. The registry is for people who require observation, assessment and maintenance; those with contagious health conditions requiring minimal precautions or isolation; those with chronic conditions who need more skilled nursing care but don’t require hospitalization; or those needing help with medications and monitoring of vital signs.
This registry is provided to local emergency management agencies. In an actual emergency, response agencies will try to provide assistance, but this cannot be guaranteed.
The registry is truly a last resort, but if a hurricane is threatening our area, it is important we know where some of our most vulnerable residents are so we can try to help them evacuate.
Residents must apply to be on the registry. People living in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and personal care homes aren’t eligible and must follow their facility’s emergency plan. Each resident must have one caregiver, as nurses will not be provided, and they will be taken to a special needs shelter. If someone needs to go to the hospital during a disaster, that person and his/her caregiver must make those arrangements.
For more information about the Special Needs Registry, contact your local health department, or download the Special Needs Registry Form and the Conditions and Release Statement. Mail the completed documents to:
Coastal Health District
Attn: Lou Pitts/Emergency Preparedness
150 Scranton Connector
Brunswick, GA 31525
Download the Special Needs Registry Form
→ PDF document
→ Word document
Download the Special Conditions and Release form
→ PDF document
→ Word document
For more information about preparing for a hurricane or any other disaster, visit our Emergency Preparedness Page.
WWW Address: http://www.gachd.org/hot-topic/special_needs_registry.php