LAUNCH OF WEBSITE FOR PERSONS TO REGISTER WHO HAVE SPECIFIC NEEDS DURING DISASTERS

 

 

 PRESS RELEASE

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Ken Kondo

(213) 792-5128 – Cellular

kkondo@ceooem.lacounty.gov

 

L.A. COUNTY LAUNCHES SPECIFIC NEEDS AWARENESS

PLANNING (S.N.A.P.) VOLUNTARY DISASTER REGISTRY

 

LOS ANGELES COUNTY (Mon., Nov. 1, 2010) – For millions of Los Angeles County residents who have access and functional needs including those relating to physical, medical, sensory, cognitive or age-related conditions; disasters such as earthquakes, wildfires or floods will present a real challenge. Disasters can strike at any time and without warning. To better prepare County residents for these and other types of disasters, the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) announced the launch of the Specific Needs Awareness Planning (S.N.A.P.) voluntary disaster registry.

 

The S.N.A.P. registry is an Internet-based system that will allow residents to provide information, which will be kept confidential, to public safety officials about their access or functional needs. S.N.A.P. does not guarantee priority response to registrants, it assists emergency response officials in planning and responding to the requirements of people with access and functional needs during a disaster by integrating database and mapping technology together.

 

S.N.A.P. was developed by the University of California Los Angeles School of Public Affairs in collaboration with the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management, Chief Executive Office, Office of Affirmative Action Compliance, Community and Senior Services, Fire, Health Services, Internal Services, Mental Health, Public Health, Public Social Services, Public Works and Sheriff, cities of Beverly Hills and Los Angeles, and non-profit organizations such as American Red Cross and Emergency Network Los Angeles.

 

To register for S.N.A.P., go to http://snap.lacounty.gov and click on “Register Now.” Registrations can be made on an individual basis or as a group. Those individuals who do not have access to the Internet or may require additional assistance can ask a family member, friend or caregiver to register for them.

For more information, dial 2-1-1 LA County.