05/10/06

Registrations skyrocket, but many opting to evacuate rather than seek shelter

FORT LAUDERDALE -- Two storms, two counties, same story.

Successive hurricanes in 2004 and 2005 spurred residents of Charlotte and Collier to rethink their reactions to future storms. One gauge of the change is the reaction of the region's most vulnerable residents: those with special needs.

The storms hitting Southwest Florida stirred up special-needs registries, databases of residents requiring medical or transportation assistance during emergencies. Nearly half of the residents registered with Charlotte County before Hurricane Charley in August 2004 have left the county or made alternate emergency plans. Within a year, Collier residents ramped up their preparedness, doubling the special-needs registry to 1,300.

"Charley woke them up," said Patti Clemens, special-needs coordinator for the Collier County emergency management department.

Residents woke up to a nightmare named Wilma. After the storm passed, more than 100 residents withdrew from the Collier special-needs program, which had swelled to 1,550 residents.

"A lot of the people who have special needs are planning to leave," Clemens said.

Charlotte County saw the same surge, said Emergency Management Director Wayne Sallade. Nearly 800 special-needs residents were registered prior to Charley. Today, the number is closer to 400.

"We send out letters to people to reconfirm each year's list," Sallade said. "We're getting a lot of letters returned, so that tells us they are no longer there. Our most frail have been relocated by family (members) who have said, "Enough is enough."

Special-needs shelters are a collaborative effort between state Department of Health officials and county emergency management departments. Charlotte and Collier counties each maintain one special-needs shelter. Charlotte County this year will have a new shelter at First Christian Church on Peachland Boulevard in Port Charlotte. Collier County's special-needs shelter is at Palmetto Ridge High School on Oil Well Road.

Of the registered special-needs residents, only a fraction wind up in shelters during a hurricane. Charlotte County plans for only 75 to 80 residents (plus an equal number of health-care aides) to report to First Christian Church. Although Palmetto Ridge can accommodate all of Collier County's special-needs residents, only about 200 of the 1,450 registered special-needs residents sought shelter as Hurricane Wilma bore down on Collier County last year.

While hundreds of people are making alternative plans to special-needs shelters, many who need assistance still haven't registered. Part of the problem is lack of awareness of what qualifies residents for special-needs services.

"Many of the (registered) people, their special need is they need to be picked up because they don't drive," Sallade said.

Conditions qualifying residents for services are listed on application forms available at the health and emergency management departments in both counties. Residents also can call with questions about available services. Charlotte County residents can request a special-needs registration form by calling (941) 505-4620. The form is available online at www.charlottecountyfl.com/Emergency/2006AllHazardsGuide. Collier County residents can call (239) 774-8000 or print the form from the Collier County Emergency Management Web site at www.collierem.org.

Inevitably, some unregistered special-needs people show up at shelters or even hospital emergency rooms when a storm approaches.

"People were calling at the last minute and they were tying up the phone lines for the shelter with all special-needs (requests)," Clemens said.

"People get it in their minds that a hospital is a shelter, and nothing could be further from the truth," Sallade said.

Both officials concur that planning ahead gives all residents, not just those with special-needs, options when a storm strikes.

"If you think there is any chance you'll need assistance, tell us now. Don't wait until the storm is almost here to tell us you need help," Sallade said. "If later you decide you don't need the help, tell us then. We're not going to come dragging you kicking and screaming (to a shelter)."

"They need to think of post storm, not just the storm," Clemens said. "They may not have power, they may be flooded, the streets may be closed and they are stranded. They are going to put themselves and the first responders in jeopardy.

"The whole idea is to really have a plan, whether you're a regular person or a special-needs person. If they plan ahead of time, it's one less thing they have to worry about."

By BRIAN GLEASON

Staff Writer