Despite the recent attention to disaster, terrorism, and public health emergencies preparedness, little attention has been given to vulnerable populations. Current efforts have focused primarily on the needs of the average adult population. Based on the preliminary work done in the Pediatric Disaster and Terrorism Preparedness: A National Consensus Conference on both content and in establishing a format for conducting this type of evidence-based consensus process, the National Center for Disaster Preparedness proposes to conduct a conference that has the purpose to address the needs of vulnerable populations in disasters, terrorism, and public health emergencies. The two selected vulnerable populations to be addressed are children and people with disabilities. The specific goals of the conference are: (1) build a collaboration among individuals with expertise in people with disabilities, terrorism preparedness, public health, and emergency management, including disaster planning, management, and response; (2) review and summarize the existing data on the needs of people with disabilities in disasters, terrorism, and public health emergencies, including planning, preparation, and response; (3) develop consensus on the needs of people with disabilities in disasters, terrorism, and public health emergencies; (4) create a research agenda to answer knowledge gaps based on the limited data that exist on the needs of people with disabilities in disasters, terrorism, and public health emergencies; (5) review the recommendations and treatment guidelines from the Pediatric Disaster and Terrorism Preparedness National Consensus Conference for the need for revision based on new data and new governmental and nongovernmental initiatives; and (6) develop recommendations and treatment guidelines on the needs of children in disasters, terrorism, and public health emergencies in the areas identified in the prior meeting as requiring further clarification from the coalition supplemented by those with specific expertise in these areas. The areas identified are: school preparedness, child congregate facility preparedness, sheltering needs of children, pediatric needs for public health emergency preparedness, children with special healthcare needs and technologically assisted children, decontamination of children, biological terrorism prophylaxis and treatment of emerging agents, and family-centered preparedness. ? ? ?
