State and Local Governments Face Challenges in Identifying and Locating Transportation- Disadvantaged Populations, Determining Their Evacuation Needs, and Providing for Their Transportation

According to experts and officials, the challenges state and local  governments face in preparing for the evacuation of transportation- disadvantaged populations include identifying and locating these  populations, determining their evacuation needs, and providing for their  transportation. Additionally, data on the location of transportation-disadvantaged  populations is not readily available because such data:    have not previously been collected;    cannot be collected because of the amount of time, staff, and other  resources required, or cannot be shared due to the preference of some  transportation-disadvantaged populations; for example, the established  registration system in one of the five major cities we visited had only  1400—or 0.3 percent—of the 462,000 people projected to need evacuation  assistance registered;   are not compiled in a central location, but reside in separate databases  across numerous agencies, companies, or organizations, including social  service agencies, departments of motor vehicles, and public and private  sector transportation providers;   are not traditionally shared with emergency management officials; for  example, a local metropolitan planning organization may collect data on  those who are transit-dependent, but may not have shared that  information with emergency management officials; or    cannot be shared with emergency officials due to privacy restrictions; for  example, social service agencies or nonprofit organizations that regularly  transport people during non-emergency times and have information on  clients’ needs, but may not be able or willing to share that data because of  privacy concerns. Although some state and local  governments have taken steps to address challenges and related barriers,  the outcomes of these actions remain uncertain. However, 2000 U.S. Census data reported  that 16.5 percent of households in that major city are car-less. Such entities can assist emergency management officials in efficiently  determining the needs of these populations. Amendments to the Stafford Act in  October 2006 have further clarified that FEMA, within DHS, is the single  federal agency responsible for leading and coordinating evacuation  assistance. V.)

		Despite Some Federal Assistance to State and Local Governments, Gaps Remain in Evacuation Preparedness for Transportation- Disadvantaged Populations

Although the federal government provides some assistance to state and  local governments for preparing to evacuate transportation-disadvantaged  populations, gaps in this assistance remain, including the following:    Requirements: Until October 2006, while federal law required that  emergency plans include an evacuation plan, there was no specific  requirement that the evacuation plan address how to transport those who  could not self-evacuate. Federal law now requires that state and local  governments with mass evacuation plans incorporate special needs  populations into their plan. However, this requirement does not  necessarily ensure the incorporation of all transportation-disadvantaged  populations. Gaps Also Remain in Federal Agencies’ Role and Responsibilities for Providing Evacuation Assistance When State and Local Governments are Overwhelmed

Although the Stafford Act gives the federal government the authority to  assist state and local governments with an evacuation, we found that the  National Response Plan—the federal government’s plan for disaster  response—does not clearly define the lead, coordinating, and supporting  agencies to provide evacuation assistance for transportation- disadvantaged and other populations or outline these agencies’  responsibilities when state and local governments are overwhelmed by a  catastrophic disaster. However, despite these improvements, DHS has not yet clarified, in the  National Response Plan, the leading, coordinating, and supporting federal  agencies to provide evacuation assistance when state and local  governments are overwhelmed, and what their responsibilities are. While state and local governments have primary  responsibility for planning, training, and conducting exercises for the  evacuation of these populations, gaps in federal assistance have hindered  the ability of many state and local governments to sufficiently prepare to  address the complex challenges and barriers of evacuating transportation- disadvantaged populations. This includes the lack of any requirement to  plan, train, and conduct exercises for the evacuation of transportation- disadvantaged populations as well as gaps in guidance and technical  assistance, such as problems with DHS’s Lessons Learned Information  Sharing online portal. In addition, information that DOT grantees and  stakeholders have could be useful in evacuation preparedness efforts. To identify challenges and barriers, we reviewed selected reports on  evacuations. Appendix II: Comments from the Department of Homeland Security

	GAO Comments

1.
Why GAO Did This Study

During the evacuation of New Orleans in response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, many of those who did not own a vehicle and could not evacuate were among the over 1,300 people who died. This raised questions about how well state and local governments, primarily responsible for disaster planning, integrate transportation-disadvantaged populations into such planning. GAO assessed the challenges and barriers state and local officials face; how prepared these governments are and steps they are taking to address challenges and barriers; and federal efforts to provide evacuation assistance. GAO reviewed evacuation plans; Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Transportation (DOT), and other studies; and interviewed officials in five major city and four state governments.

What GAO Found

State and local governments face evacuation challenges in identifying and locating transportation-disadvantaged populations, determining their needs, and providing for their transportation. These populations are diverse and constantly changing, and information on their location is often not readily available. In addition, these populations' evacuation needs vary widely; some require basic transportation while others need accessible equipment, such as buses with chair lifts. Legal and social barriers impede addressing these evacuation challenges. For example, transportation providers may be unwilling to provide evacuation assistance because of liability concerns. State and local governments are generally not well prepared--in terms of planning, training, and conducting exercises--to evacuate transportation-disadvantaged populations, but some have begun to address challenges and barriers. For example, DHS reported in June 2006 that only about 10 percent of state and about 12 percent of urban area emergency plans it reviewed adequately addressed evacuating these populations. Furthermore, in one of five major cities GAO visited, officials believed that few residents would require evacuation assistance despite the U.S. Census reporting 16.5 percent of car-less households in that major city. DHS also found that most states and urban areas significantly underestimated the advance planning and coordination required to effectively address the needs of persons with disabilities. Steps being taken by some such governments include collaboration with social service and transportation providers and transportation planning organizations--some of which are DOT grantees and stakeholders--to determine transportation needs and develop agreements for emergency use of drivers and vehicles. The federal government provides evacuation assistance to state and local governments, but gaps in this assistance have hindered many of these governments' ability to sufficiently prepare for evacuations. This includes the lack of any specific requirement to plan, train, and conduct exercises for the evacuation of transportation-disadvantaged populations as well as gaps in the usefulness of DHS's guidance. Although federal law requires that state and local governments with mass evacuation plans incorporate special needs populations into their plans, this requirement does not necessarily ensure the incorporation of all transportation-disadvantaged populations. Additionally, while DHS has made improvements to an online portal for sharing related information, this information remains difficult to access because of poor search and organizational functions. Moreover, although the federal government can provide evacuation assistance when state and local governments are overwhelmed, the federal government is not prepared to do so. Amendments to the Stafford Act in October 2006 affirmed that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) (an agency within DHS) is responsible for leading and coordinating evacuation assistance. DHS has not yet clarified, in the National Response Plan, the lead, coordinating, or supporting agencies in such cases.