Individuals within Miami-Dade County that have special needs, and may require additional assistance during evacuations, can register with the County's People with Special Needs & Emergency Evacuation Assistance Program (PSN/EEAP). The PSN/EEAP is registration driven and the locations are not published. Upon qualifying for the program, a letter of confirmation will be mailed to the special needs client and it will identify the shelter location will then be identified to the client. The Special Needs Evacuation Centers (SNECs) are staffed with medical personnel from the Department of Health and/or Jackson Memorial Hospital nursing staff.
Remember the special needs of your family members. Infants, the elderly and persons with disabilities need the same planning as everyone else, and sometimes a little more, to be prepared for
an emergency.
Miami-Dade residents who on a daily basis require skilled nursing care, assistance with daily living, or have life-saving medical equipment dependent on electricity should register with the PSN/EEAP.
When disasters occur, people need to evacuate their homes quickly to get to safety. Due to their medical or other conditions, some Miami-Dade County residents will need assistance to do this. The Department of Emergency Management & Homeland Security (DEM&HS) has developed the People with Special Needs & Emergency Evacuation Assistance Program (PSN/EEAP), which is a registry of our county residents that need help when an emergency evacuation is necessary.
The EEAP is registration driven. Anyone who is unable to evacuate and/or shelter on their own, due to a disability and/or medical condition (with the exception of those residing in a nursing home and/or assisted living facility or group home), can register with DEM&HS, to obtain assistance in the event of a disaster that requires them to evacuate. Applications are available in three languages (English, Spanish or Creole) and can be obtained by contacting 3-1-1 or 305-513-7700; or 888-311-DADE or 305-468-5402 (TDD/TTY); or they can also be downloaded from the following web-link: www.miamidade.gov/oem/EEAP.asp
Please complete the application in its entirety. Your vital medical information will help DEM&HS determine your eligibility for the program and the types of services you will need. Please have your physician sign the form and then return it to DEM&HS. If eligible, you will be assigned to an appropriate facility (usually the one closest to your place of residence), and a determination will be made on the transportation type. DEM&HS will send written notification confirming your registration to the PSN/EEAP and provide a list of items you will need to bring with you when evacuating.
People with Special Needs & Emergency Evacuation Assistance Program (PSN/EEAP) Applicant Instructions
Additional Information
What are the benefits of registering?
All of the facilities and services utilized are planned to assist those residents that have registered. If county residents call at the last minute, all attempts will be made to assist them, but those on the registry will have priority. Your early registration allows us to identify and assist you should an unforeseen incident (tornado, fire, flood, hazardous material spill, nuclear threat, etc…) occur. There is no cost associated with using any of our disaster sheltering or disaster transportation services.
Who is eligible?
Miami-Dade residents who on a daily basis require skilled nursing care, assistance with daily living, or have life-saving medical equipment dependent on electricity should register with the EEAP. This program is specifically for those individuals that live alone or with their families and not in a managed care facility such as an assisted living facility (ALF) or nursing home.
What services are provided?
Sheltering: Strengthened facilities called Special Needs Evacuation Centers, or SNECs are opened during an emergency. These SNECs will have trained county employees and healthcare staff who will provide minimal health assistance (including intermittent oxygen) not available at general population evacuation centers. Those individuals that are electrically dependent or that require continuous oxygen will be sheltered at Medically Managed Facilities (MMFs). If you require a caregiver, that person should accompany you to the SNEC or MMF and stay with you. Should you require transfer assistance, there is first responder personnel at all of our evacuation centers (general population, pet-friendly or special needs) and they can provide transfer assistance. Additionally, our SNECs have medical personnel that can also assist in this regard. Should an individual require a wheelchair battery to be charged at any of our evacuation centers the shelter staff at the evacuation centers can facilitate / accommodate these requests.
There is no cost associated with using any of our disaster sheltering or disaster transportation services. However, should your medical condition deteriorate and should you be admitted to a hospital while being evacuated or at an evacuation center, then you will be responsible for the charges incurred once you are "admitted as a patient" of a hospital.
All Miami-Dade County evacuation centers have a policy for service animals.
Transportation: Some PSN/EEAP registrants are eligible for transportation that is provided by county departments. Lift-gate buses and other specialized transportation will pick up those registered and take them to and from their homes to their assigned facility. Transportation to our SNECs (Special Needs Evacuation Centers) is provided by Miami-Dade County Public School (MDCPS) and transportation to the Medically Managed Facilities (MMFs) is provided by Fire Rescue, Special Transit Service (STS) and private ambulance services.
What happens when a disaster occurs?
Trained staff, using the contact information you provide on the application will notify you that an evacuation order has been issued. They will request that you be ready for transportation at a certain time. If a hurricane or other disaster is threatening, you should monitor the local media and stay alert. The Miami-Dade County Mayor will issue a Local State of Emergency prior to a hurricane, which is your signal that you MIGHT be evacuated shortly after that.
What to take to a Special Needs Evacuation Center
Special Needs Evacuation Centers (SNECs) and Medical Management Facilities (MMFs) are refuges of last resort intended to house people out of harms way; they may be crowded and uncomfortable. All of our SNECs have back-up generators that power only emergency lighting, cafeteria refrigeration, public announcement system and the administrative offices. There is no privacy and amenities are limited to basic nursing assistance, first-aid care, accessible bathroom facilities, food and water. You should prepare an evacuation kit with items to help make your stay more comfortable.
When Evacuating Bring The Following Items:
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All required medications (3 day supply) and medical support equipment - Wheelchair/walker, oxygen, dressings, feeding equipment, diapers, etc.
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Any specific medication or instructions. Although most medications do not need to be refrigerated (insulin can be without refrigeration for 12-14 hours), should your medication require refrigeration, this can be accommodated at the various evacuation centers.
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Name, phone number of physician/home health agency/hospital where you receive care.
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Neighbor's phone number (to verify electricity is back on before returning home)
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Special dietary needs - Only regular meals will be provided. (bring snacks/food for whatever special medical condition you may have)
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Sleeping gear - Pillows, blankets, portable cot or air mattress, folding chairs. Evacuation centers tend to be cold so bring a blanket or a sweater to keep warm.
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Important papers - i.e.: insurance papers, doctor's orders.
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Identification - With photo and current address.
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Cash - Check cashing/credit card services may not be available for several days after the storm. But, don't bring too much! There will be no place to secure money or valuables at the center.
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Comfort items - Personal hygiene Items, snacks, small games, cards, diapers, etc.
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Extra clothing - An extra set of comfortable clothing and few extra sets of underwear and socks.
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Something to eat/drink - Though there is a food supply at the Special Needs Evacuation Centers it may take us several hours to prepare meals. You should eat a meal or prepare a snack to take with you before you leave your house. Bring some bottled water with you in case the water supply becomes contaminated.
**Please note that pets are not permitted at our Hurricane Evacuation Centers (HECs), People with Special Needs-Special Needs Evacuation Centers (PSN-SNECs), or People with Special Needs-Medically Managed Facilities (PSN-MMFs). However, in order to accommodate those evacuees with pets, Miami-Dade County has established Pet-Friendly Hurricane Evacuation Centers (PHECs). People who are interested in registering their pets should call Miami-Dade County Animal Services, or they can call 3-1-1 for an application. The PHEC application can be downloaded by visiting the Pet Disaster Preparedness webpage. It is required that at least one evacuee stay in the PHEC with their pet.
PSN/EEAP Contact Information
For more information, please call 305-513-7700 or email eeap@miamidade.gov.
Additional Resources for People with Disabilities
The following links will take you outside the www.miamidade.gov website.
American Red Cross Disaster Preparedness for Seniors by Seniors
For six months we have researched and to avoid getting caught unprepared, we urge you to immediately review the enclosed information and fill in the appropriate local emergency numbers. Be sure to keep this helpful reference tool in a handy place for quick reference.
FEMA Disaster Preparedness For People With Disabilities
Being prepared for emergencies can reduce the fear, panic, and inconvenience that surrounds a disaster.
Additional Resources
The Miami-Dade County Department of Emergency Management & Homeland Security (DEM&HS) partners with Miami-Dade County Public Schools and the American Red Cross (ARC), to operate Hurricane Evacuation Centers (HEC). These HECs provide refuges of last resort for those individuals who need to evacuate and are unable to make their own evacuation/sheltering arrangements, such as with friends, family, or in hotels outside of the evacuation zones.
For those individuals who do not have their own transportation to the HECs, this is provided by Miami-Dade Transit via "emergency evacuation bus pick-up sites" throughout the County's evacuation zones. Information regarding the various pick-up sites is available by contacting 3-1-1 or can be found here.
For more information, please visit the Red Cross Hurricane Evacuation Centers link.
For more information, please visit our Related Links section.
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