LTC 235-2019 Emergency and Evacuation Assistance Program Update N
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OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC # LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO: Mayor Dan Gelber and Members of the City Co missi•
FROM: Jimmy L. Morales, City Manager IP'I
DATE: April 19, 2019
SUBJECT: Emergency and Evacuation Assistance Program Update
The purpose of this Letter To Commission is to provide you with an update on the City's
efforts to register elder and disabled residents in the Emergency and Evacuation Assistance
Program (EEAP).
The EEAP, operated by the Miami-Dade County Office of Emergency Management (OEM),
is designed for individuals living at home that need assistance with evacuation and
sheltering. The program provides evacuation support to residents who need specialized
transportation assistance or whose medical needs prevent them from evacuating on their
own. Residents with disabilities or who need skilled nursing care, assistance with daily living
or who have life-saving medical equipment dependent on electricity should register with the
EEAP to ensure that proper supports are provided in the event of an evacuation emergency.
Hurricane Irma, though not a direct hit on our City, impacted many residents. As soon as the
storm passed, the City was quick to step in and help those residents who did not evacuate
despite the evacuation order. The City conducted welfare checks to elder-serving residential
buildings as well as to individual residents identified through calls to the City's hotline,
elected officials, the Office of Emergency Management and the Office of Housing and
Community Services.
On September 13, 2017, the day when City employees reported to work after the storm, City
staffers went door to door at 20 elder-serving buildings to conduct welfare checks. Once
welfare checks were completed, City staff delivered 650 meals to elder and disabled
residents without power. The next day, September 14, 2017, staff resumed welfare checks
and delivered 516 meals to residents to 53 unique addresses (including multi-family
residential buildings). By September 15th, staff conducted welfare checks, and delivered
water, ice and meals to 179 residents.
Immediately before Hurricane Irma, only 16 residents were enrolled in EEAP. As of April
2019, 241 residents are now enrolled in the program. This is in large measure to outreach
efforts through the City's Business Tax Receipt (BTR) process and community outreach by
the Offices of Emergency Management and Housing and Community Services.
Housing and Community Services staff will be conducting EEAP registration and hurricane
preparedness outreach to elder-serving and City-owned residential buildings beginning late
April and continuing into May. If you have any questions, please see me or Maria Ruiz,
Director, Office of Housing and Community Services.
JLM/KGB/MLR