Adds elderly persons to disaster preparedness registries and creates a state emergency assistance database

BILL NUMBER:A10520

Title of bill

An act to amend the executive law, in relation to adding elderly persons to disaster preparedness registries and creating a state emergency assistance database

Purpose or general idea of bill

Requires, rather than authorizes, county governments to maintain a registry of disabled persons to be used for disaster preparedness, and to include elderly persons in that registry. The bill directs the State Emergency Management Office (SEMO) to collect the county disaster preparedness registries for inclusion in a State Emergency Management Database.

Summary of specific provisions

Section One: Amends section 23-a of the Executive Law to direct, rather than recommend, that all county chief executives maintain county registry of disabled or elderly persons located within that county for purposes of local disaster preparedness, and expands the definition of persons who may be placed in such a registry to include anyone whose ability to care for themselves during an emergency situation is adversely affected by advanced age, or permanent or temporary medical condition. Registration would continue to remain voluntary for all individuals.

Section Two: Creates a new Section 23-b of the Executive Law, which directs SEMO to establish The state Emergency Assistance Database (SEAD). The SEAD is to be a comprehensive listing of all persons located ill New York state, who have voluntarily requested placement on any county registry of elderly or disabled persons as established by section 1 of this Bill, and in addition may SEAD may accept voluntary registrants directly as needed. The State Emergency Assistance Database may be made accessible to all such appropriate state and county emergency response personnel and organizations as appropriate.

Section Three contains the effective date.

Justification

One of the primary functions of government at all levels must be to properly care for all of its citizens during natural or man-made disasters. In the case of elderly citizens, or those who live with one or more disabilities, a disaster is particularly dangerous, and disasters which may merely tax the patience and endurance of most New Yorkers may be absolutely life threatening for these individuals. When time and resources are limited, as they are for almost any level of government during

a disaster. it is imperative that emergency responders and relief workers are able to quickly identify those whose emergency managers be able to properly plan for all phases of disaster recovery well before it happens. In time of crisis, it would be very reassuring for scared and vulnerable persons to know that the authorities are aware of their location and can monitor their condition, and it would certainly relieve much of their anxiety to hear from emergency response personnel as soon as possible. At the same time, the bill respects the privacy of those who would prefer not to be so registered by allowing this to be a voluntary program for individuals.

This bill expands upon an existing state program where counties were authorized to maintain a registry of their most vulnerable populations, and requires those counties which were not doing so to now commence. The bill goes on to establish a Statewide directory made up of all of the county registries, which could be then used for planning purposes by SEMO, shared with FEMA or agencies from other states arriving to offer assistance, or other agencies within state government.

Prior legislative history

2008: A.5806; Held for consideration in Governmental Operations 2007: A.5806; Referred to Governmental Operations 2006: A.10861; Referred to Government Operations

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately.