Emergency Preparedness - Special Needs

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Special Medical Needs

The Duval County Emergency Preparedness Division maintains a registry of clients identified as persons with Special Medical Needs. These individuals require assistance during evacuations and sheltering. The Special Medical Needs Plan outlines the program and allocates the resources to meet those needs.

What is the definition of a special needs client?

A person qualifying for special needs is primarily someone medically dependent on electricity (i.e. electricity needed for life-support equipment). Special needs clients may also include persons with regular need for assistance with medications and/or observation, dementia, chronic conditions that require assistance and persons with contagious health conditions that require minimal precautions or isolation (rare in shelter).

Registration Process

Watch a 30-second video on Special Needs Registration.
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Any person who meets the above criteria and plans to use a public shelter during an evacuation should register by filling out the form provided, by contacting the Emergency Preparedness Office by phone (630-2472), by e-mail or by accessing the Emergency Preparedness website.

* A new registry is created each year starting in January. Each client must re-register every year to remain in the system.

Each individual's registration form is triaged by a health care professional and categorized by the assistance required. They are then assigned to a special needs shelter and to the appropriate transportation agency, if applicable.

Individuals will be notified by mail with information regarding what to bring to their assigned shelter.