House Bill Would Advocate for Children’s Needs During Disaster

A bill introduced into the House of Representatives would advocate for the needs of those who are unable to do so for themselves — children — during and after a disaster.

The Homeland Security Act for Children (H.R. 1372) attempts to ensure a higher level of attention to the needs of children in planning, assessments and recovery frameworks, according to a report in The Hill.

The bill:
•    directs FEMA to integrate planning for children in disasters into all facets of response, and includes the appointment of a technical expert;
•    integrates feedback from organizations that represent children into the work of the undersecretary for strategy, policy and plans; and
•    integrates the House and Senate Homeland Security committees into the conversation and accountability process to ensure the needs of children are met.

The Hill report said the bill is more than just legislation and represents the philosophy that the well-being of children in disasters must be a part of all planning and “not relegated to an annex or a specialist with one seat among hundreds at an emergency operations center.”

The reports said that when disasters strike, the “lifetime trajectory” of children is disrupted, and the ability to understand and accommodate children’s needs is vital. The report acknowledged that research, much of it from the fallout from Hurricane Katrina, has shown that children are the “bellwethers of recovery,” and that the recovery of the community after disasters is largely related to how well children fare.

After Katrina, President George W. Bush and Congress created the National Commission on Children and Disasters, which issued a final report in 2010. The report listed 81 recommendations and sub-recommendations on children’s needs during and after a disaster.

A 2015 Save the Children report said that just 17 of the commission’s recommendations have been fully met, with 44 still being addressed and the remaining 20 not being addressed at all.
The Save the Children report said that for every $10 in federal preparedness emergency grants, less than a cent goes to activities targeting children’s safety.