November 2010Vol. 11, No. 9Children and Disasters Report and Resources
On October 6, the National Commission on Children and Disasters (NCCD) delivered to the President and Congress its comprehensive report on the nation’s state of readiness for helping children in times of disaster. The 2010 Report to Congress cites a number of persistent gaps in the nation’s response systems, and the report calls for the development of a national strategy for children in disasters to ensure that children are protected before, during, and after an emergency. The report makes a series of recommendations to Federal, State, and local governments and nongovernmental organizations to close the gaps in the response systems and improve preparedness to better protect children.
The NCCD was established by Congress and the President in 2007 as an independent, bipartisan body to identify gaps in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery for children and make recommendations to close the gaps.
Find the report on the NCCD website:
www.childrenanddisasters.acf.hhs.gov
Children and Disasters Resource Webpage
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has compiled a webpage of resources on children and disasters. The Children and Disasters webpage is part of DHS’s Lessons Learned Information Sharing (LLIS) website and is the result of a partnership among LLIS, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and NCCD. The resource page provides links to guidance documents, training programs, and lessons learned from emergency exercises and real-world incidents involving children.
The webpage is available to those who deal with emergencies and disasters, and potential viewers must register to view the webpage. Visit the LLIS website to find information about registering to view the Children and Disasters webpage:
https://www.llis.dhs.gov/index.do