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| Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #300 |
| Hurricane Disaster Plan |
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| Requester: |
Curtis D. Thomas, President |
Organization: |
Pinellas Association for Retarded Children (PARC) |
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| Project Title: |
Hurricane Disaster Plan |
Date Submitted |
1/11/2006 5:01:22 PM |
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| Sponsors: |
Fasano |
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| Statewide Interest: |
| Provides a special needs shelter for children and adults with mental retardation, Autism, Spina Bifida, and other disabilities. |
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| Recipient: |
PARC |
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Contact: |
Linda D. Klehammer |
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3190 Tyrone Blvd. |
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Contact Phone: |
(727) 345-9111 |
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St. Petersburg 33710 |
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Contact email: |
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| Counties: |
Pinellas |
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| Gov't Entity: |
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Private Organization (Profit/Not for Profit): |
Yes |
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| Project Description: |
| PARC (Pinellas Association for Retarded Children) has been providing services for children and adults who have developmental disabilities for over 51 years. This includes Mental Retardation, Autism, Prader Willies, behavioral programs and a multitude of other disorders.
Research has indicated that Pinellas County currently does not have any shelters for people with developmental disabilities. The special needs shelters in Pinellas County meet the needs of people with medical disabilities but not developmental disabilities. PARC serves people who have both.
After the Katrina disaster this year, PARC has even more concerns about the safety of its consumers. The consumers PARC serves are not appropriate for a community shelter, as changes in routine and environment are of major concern and ten to increase behaviorial issues.
PARC is requesting funds from the Community Budget replace the windows and install an adequate generator in a PARC shelter to accommodate over 100 adults with Mental Retardation, Autism, Prader Willies and behavioral problems. With the overcrowding shelters, the generator would make PARC self-sustaining and keep us from having to evacuate these adults to a community shelter that is not equipped to take care of people who have eating disorders, behavioral problems, autism and other social issues.
One of PARC's residential facilities, PARC Center Apartments, (PCA) is an immediate care facility serving the most severely and profoundly retarded adults in Florida. PCA has been designated by the County as a hurricane shelter for up to a category 5 hurricane. However, that is for storm surge only. The windows in the building (built in 1979) are the original windows and would not hold up in severe winds. PCA is in need of new high impact hurricane windows, and a generator, to make it fully functional in a hurricane or during other severe weather conditions resulting in the loss of power.
Before recent budget cuts PARC began the process of installing new windows and hurricane shutters on PCA. Funding restraints have delayed the process and PARC is not sure how we will find the money to finish it. This year, with all of the natural disasters, it will be even more difficult for PARC. PCA has a small generator that operates a minimal lights and one refrigerator. Currently 48 residents reside at PCA, although in a catastrophic hurricane PARC would evacuate the children and adults from our other three residential centers to PCA. The shelter would then accommodate over 100 people. This vital equipment would provide minimum disruption and allow for continued daily routines and urgent medical devices. PARC needs this to keep our facility safe for those we serve who are unable to take care of themselves.
Recent weather trends as documented in the Tampa Tribune on October 11 indicate the weather patterns have changed significantly in the past several years. From 1970 to 1994 (a 24 year span) there were 123 hurricanes and only 38 major storms. The nine years from 1995-2003 saw 69 hurricanes with 32 reaching Category 3 and higher (only six fewer than the previous 25 seasons). Not only are storms approaching Florida from the Gulf, they are beseiging us from the Atlantic and moving inland.
PARC has an excellent detailed disaster plan that has been approved by the County, two Fire Stations and has served as a model for other agencies. It was recently recognized in a CARF, The Rehabilitation Accreditation Commission), survey as being the best in the nation.
Hurricanes are devastating enough when you can fully understand the impact. For people with developmental disabilities the disruption is overwhelming to understand. The interruption of power and other services cause an increase in behavior problems. Currently, PARC wouldn't have a choice and would have to evacuate the residents to a community shelter. To compound matters, people from other areas of the State evacuate to Pinellas County causing over crowded conditions in the existing shelters. For the safety and comfort of PARC's children and adults as well as community members, PARC needs funding for this vital project.
PARC received a grant in the amount of $6,000 from Publix Super Market Charities, Inc. to assist us in funding this project. PARC is requesting a Community Budget Issue Request in the amount of $187,070 to complete this vital project. |
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| Is this a project related to a federal or state declared disaster? |
No |
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| Measurable Outcome Anticipated: |
| Provides safe shelter for over 100 people with disabilities (mental retardation,Spina Bifida, Autism) |
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| Amount requested from the State for this project this year: |
$187,070 |
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| Total cost of the project: |
$193,070 |
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| Request has been made to fund: |
Construction |
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| What type of match exists for this project? |
Private |
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Cash Amount |
$6,000 |
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| Was this project previously funded by the state? |
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No |
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| Is future-year funding likely to be requested? |
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No |
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| Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request? |
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No |
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| Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget? |
No |
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| Is there a documented need for this project? |
Yes |
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Documentation: |
Agency Needs Assessment |
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| Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)? |
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Yes |
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Hearing Body: |
Pinellas County Legislative Delegation |
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Hearing Meeting Date: |
12/01/2005 |
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| Is this a water project as described in Section 403.885, Laws of Florida? |
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No |
