HRM to create a voluntary vulnerable persons registry for emergency use – Halifax | 24CA News
HRM will quickly start gathering info for a voluntary weak individuals registry — a call voted on unanimously by councillors at Tuesday’s assembly.
“Year after year we’re having more scenarios where it’s needed,” councillor Becky Kent advised council earlier this week. “This is a very strong reactive approach to it and proactive approach to it.”
The registry can be used throughout emergency occasions within the area, such because the Tantallon wildfires and Hurricane Fiona.
“At the end of the day it will be a knock on the door saying, ‘Are you OK?’ And that’s the biggest thing,” mentioned HRM Director of Emergency Management Erica Fleck.
She says the target of the registry is to take the nervousness away from individuals who really feel that they haven’t any assist and no option to get out if there’s an emergency.
For accessibility advocate Gerry Post, he’s elated by the short response by HRM on the suggestion of a weak individuals registry.
“Knowing that, you know, there is a way out if something happens,” Post mentioned. “Otherwise, where do I go?”
Post has referred to as for a registry on the provincial degree for years.
“Storms, especially, don’t restrict themselves to administrative boundaries,” he mentioned. “The concern that I would have — we have 49 municipalities, do we want 49 separate, independent registries? In case we have a disaster that includes multiple municipalities, as happened during Fiona.”
Post makes use of a wheelchair himself and says there’s little question that he might be submitting his identify to this emergency administration listing.
“[Hurricane] Fiona, you know, in Pictou County there were areas that had no power for three weeks. And I have friends there in wheelchairs and, you know, especially when you’re dependent on say a power chair with no electricity, bang, what do you do? Right? You’ve got no mobility.”
When requested whether or not the province is contemplating a Nova Scotia-wide method to registries of this sort, Heather Fairbairn of Nova Scotia’s Emergency Management Office mentioned, “We are pleased that Halifax Regional Municipality has announced plans for a vulnerable person registry. Like other jurisdictions across the country, Kings County already maintains a voluntary registry for residents. In Canada, all vulnerable persons registries are administered at the municipal level.”
The municipal program might be based mostly on self-referral, focusing broadly on individuals with disabilities in addition to seniors.
Residents receiving care or help from a long-term care house or supportive housing facility aren’t eligible, alongside residents receiving 24-hour assist from a caregiver or house care aide and residents below the age of 18 that obtain dad or mum/guardian assist — though exceptions might apply.
“There’s a lot of elderly people in their nineties that live alone, you know, and they’re quite capable of living alone,” mentioned Fleck. “But during an emergency, they may not be able to get out of their hosue quickly, they might need assistance.”
For incapacity advocate Victoria Levack, the important thing phrase for this registry is ‘voluntary.’
She says she’s selecting to not be on the listing, however trusts everybody to make the choice that’s finest for them.
“As long as it’s voluntary I guess it’s fine, but I do have some concerns,” Levack mentioned. “Because, although this list could be used for good things right now as it is intended to be, any time a government puts minorities on a list my hackles go up.”
Fleck says solely three folks within the workplace would ever have entry to the registry’s info and that every one entry and privateness legal guidelines are being adopted.
Once prepared, residents wishing to affix the registry will be capable of give their info on-line or by cellphone.
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