Lt. Gen. Russel Honoré to speak on emergency preparedness in Connecticut on June 10 in Groton

5/27/2010

(Bristol, CT) --- On Thursday, June 10 from 8 am to 4 pm, the emergency preparedness conference – “On the Path of Emergency Preparedness” – will be held at the Mystic Marriott Hotel & Spa in Groton, Conn. The conference’s main focus will be on how to mobilize the elderly and individuals with functional limitations if a disaster occurs in the state.

Connecticut Community Care, Inc. (CCCI) is hosting the full-day event for professionals in the eldercare, healthcare and disabilities communities, first responders and family caregivers. The topic will focus on elders and individuals with disabilities and their needs when faced with the realities of a disaster: what to expect; how to prepare; and how to manage the necessary transitions during time of disaster.

Lt. Gen. Russel Honoré, who was called into command Joint Task Force–Katrina and to coordinate the military relief efforts after hurricanes Katrina and Rita, will be the morning keynote speaker at the conference. Gen. Honoré learned a lot in New Orleans---not just about the devastation of hurricanes, but the lack of government and civil preparation for a predictable event. He will give strong and well-tested advice for leadership in bad situations--how to set priorities, talk with the media, communicate within the organization, and keep a crisis from turning into a disaster.

Cynthia Hellyar, a gerontologist with The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., the event’s presenting sponsor, will will discuss The Hartford’s original research and guidebooks on emergency preparedness for older adults and caregivers. Hellyar recently directed a multi-year qualitative research project with MIT AgeLab and will share the findings and information to help inform important decisions about safety, mobility and independence in the event of an emergency including natural disasters.   

Marcie Roth, director of the Office of Disability Integration and Coordination for FEMA, is frequently consulted as an expert on strategic approaches that fully integrate preparedness, response and recovery solutions. She led private sector response to the needs of survivors with disabilities during and after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and was commended by the White House for her efforts on behalf of New Yorkers with disabilities in the aftermath of the September 2001 terrorist attacks. Roth will share her experiences and strategies for mobilizing people with functional limitations in times of disaster.

A local panel of emergency preparedness will interact with Gen. Honoré, Hellyar and Roth sharing what steps Connecticut has taken on the path of emergency preparedness to-date and how each of them have contributed. In this interaction, the group will begin to explore how gaps might be filled so if disaster strikes, Connecticut is prepared to assist those most in need.

Panelists include representatives from: the American Red Cross Emergency Services; the Dept. of Public Health; the Dept. of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (DEMHS); Dept. of Mental Health and Addiction Services; Community Emergency Response Team (CERT); Emergency Management and Operational Support, American Ambulance Service, Inc.; nurses; and first responders.

For more information on this conference and to register, please visit www.ctcommunitycare.org/events, call Connecticut Community Care, Inc. at 860-314-2247 or email joleneg@ctcommunitycare.org. The fee is $50 per person, with registration remaining open until June 3, 2010.

Connecticut Community Care, Inc. (CCCI), in its 30th year of incorporation, identifies choices and provides services to help people of all ages, abilities and incomes to live at home. The organization is an access agency to the CT Home Care Programs in 124 towns located in the north central, northwest and eastern regions of the state. CCCI’s private division, Care Management Associates, serves those who do not qualify for the home care programs. Each year, more that 12,000 elders and younger individuals with disabilities and their families are served through CCCI’s regional offices located in Wethersfield, Watertown, Franklin and its corporate office in Bristol. 

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