ABSTRACT
There are many challenges when it comes to disaster shelter planning for special needs populations. Not the least is that there is no consensus on what constitutes special needs. Depending on whom you ask, special needs populations may include people with disabilities, the elderly, people with serious mental illness, children, single working parents, pregnant women, the non-English speaking, minority groups, people with special dietary needs, prisoners, or people without vehicles. Ultimately, there is no “one size fits all” approach to disaster shelter planning for special needs. This case study focuses on the intersection of disaster shelter planning for special needs during an evacuation-level disaster and highlights individuals requiring medical assistance monitoring.
