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Preparedness: Senate Aging Committee Preps for Impending 2025 Hurricane Season

Published in RINewsToday on May 26, 2025

Just days ago, forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, predicted above-normal hurricane activity in the Atlantic Basin for this year. NOAA’s outlook for the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30, estimates a 60% chance of an above-normal season, a 30% chance of a near-normal season, and a 10% chance of a below-normal season.

“In my 30 years at the National Weather Service, we’ve never had more advanced models and warning systems in place to monitor the weather,” said Ken Graham, Director of NOAA’s National Weather Service, in a May 22 statement. He warned that above-average Atlantic Ocean temperatures are setting the stage for increased hurricane activity. “This outlook is a call to action: be prepared. Take proactive steps now to make a plan and gather supplies to ensure you’re ready before a storm threatens,” he urged.

Over a week before NOAA released its 2025 outlook, the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging held a full committee hearing on Wednesday, May 14, at 3:30 p.m. in room SD–106. Like Graham, the hearing underscored the urgent need for disaster preparedness—particularly for older Americans, who face unique challenges during emergencies. Scheduled ahead of the June 1 start of hurricane season, the hearing emphasized the importance of having a clear, actionable emergency plan in place before disaster strikes.

There is No Alternative to Being Prepared for Disasters

Expert witnesses, at the one  hour and 31 minute hearing, shared firsthand insights and best practices for protecting older adults and people with disabilities during emergencies, aiming to raise awareness and inspire action among seniors, caregivers, and policymakers nationwide.

“I’m no stranger to disasters,” admitted Sen. Rick Scott, Chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, in his opening statement. During his eight years as Florida’s governor and six years as a U.S. Senator, he has personally witnessed the devastation hurricanes can cause. “If there’s one lesson I’ve learned, it’s that preparedness saves lives. There is no alternative to getting prepared and having a disaster plan,” he said, stressing that possessions can be replaced—but lives cannot.

“We know the risks and we know the statistics, and it’s our responsibility to plan accordingly,” urged Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Ranking Member of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, in her opening statement. While natural disasters are dangerous for everyone, they pose even greater risks to older adults and people with disabilities, noted the New York Senator.

According to Sen. Gillibrand, research shows that people with disabilities are up to four times more likely to die in a disaster than the general population, and older adults are more likely to die in a disaster than any other demographic group.

She called for the development of accessible shelters and transportation, alerts in multiple languages, and the requirement that long-term care facilities have disaster plans in place before—not after—a crisis occurs. Gillibrand also announced her intention to reintroduce legislation that would establish a nationwide grant program under the Older Americans Act. This program would incentivize and support states in creating strategic plans for aging populations, with disaster preparedness included as a core component.

“In addition to planning, we must also ensure that state and local governments are properly resourced to build accessibility into their disaster and recovery responses,” she said. Gillibrand also emphasized the need to safeguard federal resources provided through agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL).

Sheriff Chris Nocco of Pasco County, Florida—a county with 24 miles of coastline, located just north of Tampa Bay and home to roughly 750,000 residents, 22% of whom are age 65 and over—shared his insights and expertise on preparing for and recovering from natural disasters. He noted that federal and state partnerships, such as the National Guard and Coast Guard, are invaluable during rescue operations. He also urged law enforcement agencies to utilize evolving technologies such as drones for disaster preparedness and recovery.

“I witnessed individuals who had climbed onto roofs to avoid the rapidly rising storm surge. In one instance, a woman, her small child, and elderly relatives had climbed to the roof of their three-story multifamily housing unit and were awaiting rescue,” said Nocco. He stressed that this highlights the critical importance of following emergency management directives—especially evacuation orders—particularly for the most vulnerable in our communities.

With several days’ notice of an impending disaster, Nocco recommends that older adults request extra prescription medications from their pharmacies and remember to bring phone chargers, emergency contacts, credit cards or cash, and extra clothing when evacuating.

“When people are told to evacuate, they trust law enforcement and fire rescue personnel,” said Nocco. “But they also trust their churches to say, ‘Shelter here.” He suggested that churches can serve as effective emergency shelters and proposed that federal resources be used to equip them with generators and hurricane-resistant windows.

Costly Disasters Becoming “New Normal”

“Nearly 20 percent of Americans are in the 65-and-older age group, and the current growth of this population is unprecedented in U.S. history,” said Jennifer Pipa, Vice President of Disaster Programs for the American Red Cross, noting that this demographic shift comes at a time when more frequent and costly disasters are becoming the “new normal.”  Her Red Cross career began in 2004 when she joined the Disaster Action team in Raleigh, North Carolina as a volunteer

According to Pipa, The New York Times reported that following Hurricane Sandy in 2012, nearly half of those who died were age 65 or older. “Sadly, many drowned at home or died from storm-related injuries,” she said.

Pipa also cited other disasters that claimed the lives of older adults. “The 2018 Camp Fire, which burned for 18 days in Paradise, California, resulted in 85 deaths. Many victims were elderly or had disabilities—the average age was 72. In 2023, more than two-thirds of the 102 confirmed victims of the Maui fires were over the age of 60. And last year, Hurricane Helene caused at least 250 deaths in the United States, with many victims being elderly. In North Carolina alone, two out of every three deaths from Hurricane Helene were among adults aged 60 or older,” she added.

“The intersection of these trends—an aging population and significantly more disasters—should concern all of us,” Pipa told the Senators.

She emphasized that the impact of disasters on older Americans doesn’t end when the storm passes. “People over 65 make up nearly 10 percent of American Red Cross emergency shelter populations after evacuations are lifted,” she said.

“Our responders often encounter elderly disaster survivors living in severely damaged homes or in dwellings without power or water. These individuals frequently express fear of losing their homes and property if they leave. In some cases, we meet older adults who are physically or emotionally unable to get to a shelter or find safer housing,” Pipa added.

She highlighted several Red Cross programs tailored to help communities prepare for disasters:

·       Be Red Cross Ready: A free national preparedness education program for adults, taught by certified instructors.

·       Home Fire Campaign – Home Visits: Fire safety guidance tailored for older adults—such as keeping mobility aids, hearing devices, and medications near the bed, or relocating bedrooms to the ground floor. Includes installation of accessible smoke alarms.

·       Caregivers Preparedness Checklist: Developed with AARP to help caregivers ensure both they and their loved ones are prepared.

·       Building Your Support Network: Encourages older adults to develop a network of trusted individuals who can assist during emergencies.

·       Emergency App: Offers customized preparedness tips, particularly for households with older adults, focusing on hurricane and wildfire planning.

Disaster Planning with the Community  

Finally, Luis Vance Taylor, Chief of the Office of Access and Functional Needs at the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services—who is disabled and uses a wheelchair—stressed the importance of inclusive emergency planning. “Forward-leaning emergency management agencies are ending the practice of planning for the community and are choosing to plan with the community,” he said. Taylor advocated for the creation of Access and Functional Needs (AFN) Advisory Committees at the state and local levels to ensure better outcomes.

“Inclusive planning leads to press conferences with American Sign Language interpreters, critical updates posted in accessible formats, and evacuation resources and shelters that are both physically and programmatically accessible,” he explained.

Taylor also warned that cutting or eliminating agencies like FEMA, ACL, or the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response would have devastating consequences—especially for older adults and people with disabilities. “These agencies need adequate funding to deliver the full range of federal resources required to respond to and recover from large-scale disasters that overwhelm local communities,” he said.

Training programs before disasters occur and crucial when there is no time to think of everything to take with you.  “People forget their chargers. You know what charger? They forget their wheelchair charger,” notes Taylor. “So we have to engage them beforehand. And that comes through training,” he says. 

To watch Senate Aging Committee Disaster Preparedness hearing, go to https://www.aging.senate.gov/hearings/preparing-for-disasters-unique-challenges-facing-older-americans.

New resources to protect Seniors before, during and after Natural Disasters

Published in RINewsToday on July 18, 2022

Just last year alone, the Washington, DC-based AARP noted that the nation experienced more than 1,300 tornadoes, 21 named storms (with winds of 39 mph or greater), nearly 59,000 wildfires that burned more than 7.13 million acres, along with numerous ice storms and other weather events that caused major damage and fatalities. With hurricane season now approaching, AARP teamed up with the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), announcing the release of new resources specifically designed to help local and state officials and Emergency Management Agency (EMA) officials protect seniors in their communities.

“By 2034, adults ages 65 and over will outnumber those under 18 in the United States for the first time. This has profound implications during natural disasters and extreme weather events,” said Nancy LeaMond, Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy & Engagement Officer at AARP, in a statement announcing the released resources. “State and local leaders and emergency officials must be better equipped and prepared to ensure that older adults are kept safe and their needs are met when a disaster strikes,” warns LeaMond.

The 9-page, Guide to Expanding Mitigation: Making the Connection to Older Adults, released by FEMA, highlights how natural hazards uniquely affect seniors and provides specific remedies as to how local mitigation and emergency planners can include seniors in community efforts to lower their risks.

Throughout its 44 pages, the AARP Disaster Resilience Took Kit features strategies to help local, state and community leaders and aging advocates reduce the risk and impact of disasters on older persons. 

The guide and tool kit are the result of a multi-year collaboration between AARP and FEMA to identify and provide resources, spark ideas and encourage organizations to better engage older Americans in disaster mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery operations. This long-term, strategic alliance aims to advance accessible, safe and livable communities for people of all ages, says AARP.

“Adults aged 65 and older are a growing demographic who are often disproportionately impacted by severe weather. These disparities can be compounded by other factors, such as low-income or chronic illness, producing inequitable results for this vulnerable population when it comes to disaster preparedness,” said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell in a statement. 

“Effective mitigation planning requires that we consider the needs of all populations, and FEMA’s partnership with AARP on these guides will help community planners ensure our older communities are more resilient in the face of hurricanes and other natural disaster,” she said.

According to AARP, a growing body of evidence compiled shows that seniors are disproportionately impacted by the types of weather-related emergencies and natural disasters that are becoming increasingly frequent and severe. Individuals who have chronic illnesses, functional limitations or disabilities are especially vulnerable, as evidenced by the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic on seniors.  Not only are older people at a higher risk of death from infectious diseases and disasters, but the long-term effects on those who survive often undermine their physical and mental health, economic security and overall well-being.

Although many communities support older adults in preparation for disasters, expanded mitigation planning can help reduce the loss of life and property by minimizing the impact of disasters before they happen, says AARP, noting that mitigation actions and strategies that make cities, towns and neighborhoods safer for older adults can benefit all residents and increase community resilience overall.

Protecting Seniors from Natural Disasters in the Ocean State

“One standout recommendation from the AARP/FEMA report was the adoption of more resilient and efficient building and land use standards, including the consideration of hazards in siting senior living facilities,” says RI Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos, who oversees the Emergency Management Advisory Council that reviews information and programs regarding emergency management and makes recommendations to the Governor on these issues.

“One of my highest priorities is the creation of more affordable housing of every kind, and we have to walk the line of growing not only quickly, but thoughtfully. As we consider how to use this budget’s $250 million investment in housing, we want to ensure that new developments meet FEMA standards and will keep Rhode Islanders safe. We’re already working with local communities’ EMA departments to review their community disaster preparedness plans, as well as their applications for FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grants — funding to help implement exactly the strategies outlined in this report,” she says.

“One omission that stands out to me is resources for unhoused seniors. According to the Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness’s 2021 State of Homelessness report, over 500 Rhode Islanders aged 55 or older experienced homelessness over the course of a year. We need to strongly consider what kinds of hazard mitigation strategies could help this uniquely vulnerable population. Additionally, Rhode Island must especially focus on preparing sustainable mitigation and response systems that account for the effect of climate change on our coastal communities, which we know have large senior populations and will become increasingly vulnerable to flooding,” says Matos.

”FEMA has provided a very valuable tool with the Guide to Expanding Mitigation – Making the Connection to Older Adults guide. At the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency,  we work with our local emergency managers, non-profits (Rhode Island Community Food Bank, Red Cross of Rhode Island, United Way and more) and other state agencies including the Department of Health and the Office of Healthy Aging to ensure older Rhode Islanders have the resources they need when disaster strikes. These reports will help us in our efforts to continue to support individuals in this vulnerable group,” says Director Marc Pappas, of the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency.

“Preparedness is a core function of public health. This is especially true when it comes to climate change and older adults. As these resources highlight, it is critical that the unique needs of older adults are considered when planning for weather-related emergencies and natural disasters. This is already a priority for us at the Rhode Island Department of Health when it comes to emergency preparedness, and it will continue to be a focus,” says Joseph Wendelken, Public Relation Officer for the Rhode Island Department of Health.

“Before, during and after a natural disaster, the safety and wellbeing of older Rhode Islanders must always be a top concern,” said AARP Rhode Island State Director Catherine Taylor. 

“Emergency planners and managers at the state and especially local levels, along with first responders and many others, play a critical role in reducing anxiety and any subsequent harm when disaster strikes. Whether it’s a hurricane, flooding, extreme heat or infectious disease, ongoing planning and the coordination of all available resources is necessary to minimize consequences,” says Taylor.

“The AARP/FEMA guide and toolkit can go a long way towards mitigating deaths and long-term impacts among Rhode Island’s most vulnerable citizens. We encourage all leaders involved in Rhode Island public safety and public health to take advantage of this new resource. There are many aspects of age-friendly, livable communities – resilience in the face of disaster is chief among them,” Taylor adds.

AARP Rhode Island Volunteer State President Marcus Mitchell has firsthand disaster management experience. “As a former Division Commander with the US Coast Guard Auxiliary and Community Emergency Response Team Instructor for Providence Emergency Management Agency, I am actively involved with emergency & disaster mitigation, response and recovery efforts that dramatically and profoundly impact our older population physically, emotionally and financially,” he said. 

“Not only are seniors often hit first and hardest but their families are deeply affected as well,” Mitchell added. “We hope to save lives throughout the community, mitigate damages and reduce injury by vigorously distributing the new guide and toolkit to our members and the community at large.”

West Warwick resident Vincent Marzullo gives a thumbs up to AARP/FEMA’s released resources, saying that their information will be extremely valuable to the State and local EMA officials charged with protecting the state’s aging and vulnerable population during natural disasters. “Several barriers prevent older adults from evacuating when needed. Many older adults cannot drive and do not have access to reliable, accessible public transportation, depend on home-based medical equipment, require specialized accessibility supports, or cannot bring pets when evacuating. Some older adults are caregivers to spouses or partners with one or more vulnerabilities that may also hinder their ability to take timely action and remain safe, says Marzullo, who served for 31 years as a federal civil rights & social justice director for the Corporation for National & Community Service and a Federal Disaster Cadre Coordinator for the National Service Agency.

“State and local EMA officials must regularly outreach to the older Rhode Islander on the Rhode Island Department of Health’s “Special Needs Emergency Registry” to check their status/needs, especially individuals who are isolated and immobile.  There are approximately 15,000 individuals with chronic illnesses that have opted-in to the registry in order to be checked in times of emergency/disasters.  These older adults are vulnerable and need periodic support,” says Marzullo.

Marzullo calls for on-going disaster resilience webinars to be available to better prepare State and local EMA officials and organizations to respond to sudden natural disasters.  Targeted organizations might include the Red Cross, AARP RI, Senior Agenda Coalition of RI, Senior Center Directors Association, AARP members, RIElder Info, 211/The Point, and the Emergency Management Advisory Council (EMAC).

Melissa Carden, RIEMA’s Chief Public Affairs Officer says while winter storms, hurricanes and flooding are most common in the Ocean State, expect climate change to have a profound effect on the weather, including more storms and greater precipitation. “This fuels other extreme weather events like flooding (coastal and inland – remember the flooding in RI in 2010). Although scientists are uncertain whether climate change will lead to an increase in the number of hurricanes, there is more confidence that warmer ocean temperatures and higher sea levels are expected to increase their intensity and impacts.”

 To view and download the Guide to Expanding Mitigation: Making the Connection to Older Adults, visit  https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_mitigation-guide_older-

adults.pdf

To download a PDF of the AARP Disaster Resilience Tool Kit, featuring strategies to help local, state and community leaders and advocates reduce the risk and impacts of disasters on older adults, go to  https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/livable-communities/tool-kits-resources/2022/AARP%20Disaster%20Resilience%20Tool%20Kit-singles-060122-.pdf

The following (free) Livable Publication booklets and guides, go to https://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/tool-kits-resources/livable-publications-order-form/https://www.homecareassistancerhodeisland.com/

GAO Report, Congress, Urge Better Disaster Response to Seniors and Disabled

Published in the Woonsocket Call on June 23, 2019

Following a newly released 75-page report on the nation’s disaster response from the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office (GAO), and after an outbreak of destructive tornadoes in the Midwest and the start of the 2019 hurricane season, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Susan Collins (R-ME), Ranking Member and Chairman of the Special Committee on Aging, throw a bill into the legislative hopper to assist seniors and disabled persons before, during and after natural disasters strike.

The Casey-Collins legislation, S. 1755, titled the “Real Emergency Access for Aging and Disability Inclusion (REAADI) for Disasters Act” would support the development of preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation plans that are inclusive of seniors and people with disabilities. The legislation would also ensure that these individuals would have a voice in creating emergency plans that directly affect them. Senators cosponsoring the bill include Doug Jones (D-AL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).

Another bill, S.1754, titled the “Disaster Relief Medicaid Act” (DRMA), sponsored by Cassey, would ensure Medicaid services are consistently available for individuals forced to relocate to another state due to disaster or emergency. It would protect those residing in an area covered under a presidential disaster declaration as a “Relief-Eligible Survivor,” and grant them the support needed to easily access or apply for Medicaid services in their host state. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) are cosponsoring this bill.

Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) and Chris Smith (R-NJ) plan to introduce the House companion measure of REAADI Act. Congresswoman Donna Shalala (D-FL) will introduce DRMA in the House chamber.

Inadequate Disaster Planning Can Result in Death

“Inadequate planning for disasters can mean life or death, so it is critically important that every
community is prepared to meet the needs of all citizens—including older adults and people with disabilities—before, during and after a disaster strikes,” says Casey in a June 11 statement announcing the introduction of REAADI, calling for seniors and people with disabilities to be actively involved in developing emergency preparedness plans that will keep them safe.

In this statement, Collins adds, “As we have learned from natural disasters such as Hurricanes Irma and Harvey, some of our neighbors – especially seniors and individuals with disabilities – face many obstacles during a crisis. We must focus on the attention they may need. The bipartisan legislation improves training and coordination to help ensure that local, state, and federal officials are adequately equipped to care for the most vulnerable in their communities during a natural disaster.”

“As someone who lives with a disability, I take this issue to heart. The REAADI for Disasters Act will help eliminate barriers faced by people with disabilities and older adults during disasters by providing them a greater role in the policymaking process,” says Langevin, co-chair of the Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus, stressing the importance of passing the DRMA to continue Medicaid support services to America’s disabled and seniors.

GAO Report Gives Roadmap to Integrating Assistance During Natural Disasters

Released June 5, GAO’s Report, titled FEMA Action Needed to Better Support Individuals to Better Support Individuals Who Are Older or Have Disabilities, examines the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) disaster response to three sequential hurricanes – Harvey, Irma and Maria – that affected more than 28 million people in 2017. According to FEMA, seniors and persons with disabilities faced challenges in these natural disasters when evacuated to safe shelter, accessing medicine and obtaining recovery assistance. In June 2018, FEMA began implementing a new approach to assist individuals with disabilities.

GAO’s report addressed the challenges FEMA partners reported in providing assistance to seniors and the disabled and took a look at the challenges such individuals faced accessing assistance from the federal agency and the actions FEMA took to address these challenges. The federal study also examined the FAMA’s new strategy to assist persons with disability.

Here are GAO’s seven recommendations to FEMA:

The federal agency, charged with providing auditing, evaluation and investigated services to Congress, called on the FEMA Administrator to develop and publicize guidance for partners, during the data sharing process, who are requesting individual assistance data from seniors and persons with disabilities during natural disasters.

The GAO report also called on the FEMA Administrator to implement new registration-intake questions to improve FEMA’s ability to identify and address survivors’ disability-related needs, by directly soliciting survivors’ accommodation requests.

GAO also suggested that the FEMA Administrator improve communication of registrants’ disability-related information across FEMA programs, by developing an alert within survivor files that indicates an accommodation request.

As to the federal agency’s new strategy to specifically assist persons with disability, GAO urged the FEMA Administrator to establish and disseminate a set of objectives for the federal agency’s new disability integration approach.

The GAO report also recommended that the FEMA Administrator provide a written plan for implementing its new disability integration staffing approach to Regional Administrators and Regional Disability Integration Specialists. The plan would be consistent with the new objectives established for disability integration. It would also include an implementation timeline and details on staff responsibilities, which regions could use to evaluate staff performance.

Additionally, the GAO report recommends that the FEMA Administrator should develop a plan for delivering training to FEMA staff that promotes their competency in disability awareness. The plan should include milestones and performance measures, and outline how performance will be monitored.

Finally, the GAO report suggests that the FEMA Administrator develop a timeline for completing the development of new disability-related training that the federal agency can offer to its partners that incorporates the needs of individuals with disabilities into disaster preparedness, response and recovery operations.

For a copy of the GAO report, go to http://www.aging.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/GAO%2019-318%206-3-19.pdf.