communicATor

CIDE’s very own Emergency Preparedness Program Coordinator, Julia Beems, provides information and training on emergency preparedness for people with disabilities to help them be self-reliant and act during an emergency!

If the power goes out, do you have a response plan? The answer is “no” for many people with functional and access needs, some of whom need Durable Medical Equipment or Assistive Technologies requiring electricity. Additionally, many first responders or disaster response teams are not properly trained or equipped to accommodate people with disabilities. In response, CIDE Emergency Preparedness Program Coordinator, Julia Beems, has made it her mission to provide information and trainings on emergency preparedness for people with disabilities, their families, and caregivers on how to be prepared, take personal responsibility, and be self-reliant during an emergency. She is also training and sharing information with emergency planners, managers, and first responders on best practices for interacting with people with disabilities during a disaster. As Julia explains, “I feel it is important for everyone to understand their role during an emergency response to reduce the amount of suffering and number of fatalities by persons with access and functional needs. Individuals with disabilities and their families need to know what they can do to take responsibility for their own safety to ensure a more positive outcome. Additionally, emergency planners and first responders need to know the best way to interact with people with disabilities during a disaster for a more effective and efficient response. Our program provides information and trainings on these and other topics to provide a whole community response to increase safety, independence, and resilience.”  

Julia is currently focused on working with the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) to provide emergency preparedness trainings. Previously offered trainings for consumers, family members and caregivers will be offered along with new trainings for service providers, backup power supplies, and train-the-trainer for HCPF staff. HCPF members (Colorado Medicaid beneficiaries) using life-sustaining medical equipment will also be eligible to apply for a backup power supply and/or an emergency go kit. 
 
The Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management recently recognized Julia for her numerous contributions to the community. She has helped develop nationally recognized trainings, written resources, and emergency response teams specifically for responding to people with disabilities. Julia has presented her work at several national conferences and has positioned Colorado as a leader in the area of inclusion for people with disabilities during an emergency response. When  the COVID-19 pandemic began, she developed resources related to the virus including how to protect individuals with intellectual and mental disabilities, communicate via simple language, make see-through masks, and create picture communication boards. Additionally, Julia has collaborated with the Disaster Management Institute on inclusion of people with functional and access needs during their military training exercises, and she serves on the FEMA Region 8 Council. Congratulations Julia!
 
To learn more about CIDE Emergency Preparedness, visit our emergency prep page.