Page 16 - Creating a Community of Resiliency

Background: Protecting Our Children
How Prepared Are We?
A survey conducted by LACDPH found that 36% of respondents felt they were not very or not at all prepared to deal with a large-scale disaster.5 This differed by ethnicity: More Latinos (45%) and Asians/Pacific Islanders (45%) reported being unprepared than African Americans (35%) or Whites (23%). Having supplies is one small part of preparedness, and Latinos and Asians/Pacific Islanders are less likely to have emergency supplies. Findings also varied by income and education: Respondents with higher levels of education or income genera lly reported greater preparedness.
Lack of preparedness is not unique to Los Angeles. The 2009 California Health Interview Survey reveals that residents throughout California need to improve their emergency preparations, with 26.7% reporting not being prepared.6 Among the respondents, 34% of Latinos, 27.5% of Asian Americans, 22.2% of African Americans, and 18.2% of Whites reported being unprepared. A possibly more useful statistic is that preparedness varies by language spoken in the home: 19.5% of English speakers, 43.1% of Spanish speakers, 37.3% of Chinese speakers, and 40.6% of Vietnamese speakers report not being prepared for a major disaster. These results suggest the need for materials and staffing resources in a variety of languages.
Informing and Protecting Special Populations
Given the lack of preparedness of non-English speaking residents, special attention should be given to informing and protecting these groups. Research conducted by the Tomás Rivera Policy Institute and the Asian Pacific American Legal Center confirms that result.7 The research identifies a serious lack of resources (including written materials and personnel (first responders) geared toward informing and protecting non-English-speaking residents in Los Angeles County. Although this research identified some materials and staff who speak Spanish, there is still more that can be done; and this research shows there is a serious lack of resources available in Asian languages. In addition, the reports suggest a lack of personnel (first responders) who are multi-lingual. Although not a focus in the Creating a Community of Resiliency project, other populations also need special consideration, including those with a disability or chronic illness and the elderly.
Protecting Children in an Emergency
Given the vulnerability of children, particularly during an emergency, it is vital that communities ensure their safety. Many children spend part of their day away from home. In Los Angeles County, 488,000 children are served by child care (see
Table 1) and afterschool programs (for older children). Therefore, early childhood educators are
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