Assessing Virginia cooling centers as a heat mitigation strategy.

In the United States, heat kills more people on average than any other weather-related hazard, thus the mitigation of heat-related impacts remains a significant issue within emergency management and public health communities. Research indicates the use of community cooling centers as an effective way to reduce vulnerability and adverse heat impacts. Using the Commonwealth of Virginia as a study location, this research evaluates the placement of cooling centers and assesses emergency managers' understanding of heat-related issues. Surveying local emergency managers and aggregating media reports, a total of 256 cooling centers were identified across 39 localities. Vulnerable populations differed in their proximity to the identified cooling centers. While over 65 percent of Virginians live within a 15-minute drive of a cooling center, this favors wealthier community members; less than 7 percent of Virginia's population below poverty lives within this same 15-minute driveshed. Spatial variability exists with many communities not opening any cooling centers. Within city and county hazard plans, the inclusion of comprehensive heat-related hazard information remains low. The research suggests further cooperation across government and nongovernment agencies is needed to improve the resilience to heat-health concerns across Virginia.

Challenges for the disaster workforce during a compound hurricane-pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created new workforce considerations for emergency management community in addressing cumulative and cascading disasters. This research identifies how emergency management planning for both the changing dynamics of COVID-19 and the upcoming hurricane season may change under a compound threat. Many jurisdictions have faced challenges in providing adequate staffing of shelters before the pandemic. Now, fatigue among staff further exacerbates these challenges as resources are stretched thin. Six workshops, involving 265 national, state, and local leaders, staff, experts, and advocates from 22 states, and a range of disciplines (disaster planning, public health, social services, academia, and healthcare), were convened to identify concerns and potential strategies to address staffing, training, logistics, and support. Strategies proposed to increase the number and skill set of staff available involve increased reliance upon volunteers and nonprofit organizations. Mental health resources, personal protective equipment, sanitation supplies, and defining roles within emergency shelters were recommended to reduce fatigue and redistribute responsibilities. Findings illuminate additional research avenues regarding assessing the underlying stressors contributing to the planning process and effective means of implementing these interventions to bolster emergency management shelter operations during a prolonged pandemic and in the future.

Changing vulnerability for hurricane evacuation during a pandemic: Issues and anticipated responses in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hurricane evacuations during a pandemic require a revised understanding of vulnerabilities within communities and the development of different strategies and policies to accommodate the needs of populations vulnerable to the combined hurricane-pandemic threat. The prolonged COVID-19 pandemic has added economic, psychological, social, health, and workforce stressors to communities across the United States. Using original research data from workshops held in May 2020 involving emergency management, public health, and related experts to support planning efforts for hurricane evacuation and sheltering, we analyze two key issues: (1) shifting sources of vulnerability in a COVID-19 environment and (2) solutions proposed during the post-lockdown/pre-vaccine time frame. We discuss findings in the context of policy integration options to solidify and expand protections for populations in need of evacuation and sheltering assistance. Findings show that vulnerabilities associated with underlying health conditions and socio-economic disparities were of increased concern to evacuation and shelter planners. Non-congregate options were of interest but were not expected to accommodate all populations in need of public assistance. Registries used in some states offer means with which to evaluate vulnerabilities and align individuals and families with appropriate resources and facilities. There remains a need to expand and standardize existing policies based on COVID-19 operating protocols to ensure inclusivity of socio-economically disadvantaged and disabled individuals in hurricane preparation efforts.

Regional planning efforts encourage coordination between senior care facilities and emergency managers in New Jersey.

Senior care facilities house populations that are highly vulnerable to impacts from natural hazard events. Recent events in Florida and Texas highlight the need for senior care facilities to prepare to shelter-in-place during and immediately after a natural hazard event occurs and be self-sufficient for extended periods afterward. Interviews with emergency managers and senior facility administrators in New Jersey emphasize how regional planning efforts can be used successfully to improve preparedness at senior facilities and coordination with the emergency response community. While preparedness efforts vary across New Jersey, the southern region has shown success through focused connections between facilities and emergency managers that have led to successful coordination of emergency evacuation of facilities.