Please help us advocate for real plans to shelter medically complex kids in hurricanes.
During a Florida hurricane, a mom and her child on a ventilator arrived at a county shelter only to be turned away at the door. The shelter staff said they were unable to help children like hers with Advanced medical needs and equipment.
With the storm approaching, the mother knew that any power loss to her child's medical equipment would be fatal, so she plugged her child's ventilator into the AC adapter in her car and prayed they didn't die while waiting out the storm in the shelter's parking lot.
Emergency Managers told Channel 9 News Reporter Karla Ray that 63 of Florida’s 67 counties do not have Advanced Needs Shelters because they don't know how many kids to plan to shelter.
Completing the Shelter Survey below will inform Emergency Managers of how many kids to plan Advanced Needs shelters for so every child is safe and ready for hurricane season 2022.
Who are we and why are we doing this?
FFSC’s advocacy in 2021 led to an investigation by Orlando’s WFTV 9. Click for video.
In 2021, Focus Forward Skilled Care, a home health agency that provides nursing services for medically complex pediatric patients, identified that the medically complex community we serve did not have advanced need shelters that would open their doors and help them during storms.
This meant medically complex kids and families were unsafe during hurricanes. Focus Forward stepped up to address this dangerous reality, to work within Florida's leadership to acknowledge and assist with the problem, and to help provide the best solution, which is ShelterSurveyFL.com.
Our efforts are part of our commitment to give back to the community and advocate for the needs of medically complex kids and their families residing throughout Florida.
FFSC promises the medically complex community of Florida that we will take the following actions to give the best chance for success in Advanced Hurricane Shelter Planning:
To host ShelterSurveyFL.com using JotForm software to maintain a HIPAA safe bridge so that your private health information is protected.
To provide a HIPAA safe delivery of your completed survey data to your county's Emergency Manager so that they can contact you and plan for your emergency care needs.
To summarize the data collected weekly on our website so that everyone knows up to date head counts of everyone in need for each county.
To devote one day a week to call and distribute ShelterSurveyFL.com fliers to our local communities to help get the word out.
To be truthful and respectful of the trust placed in our hands and to be impeccable with our words.
An EMERGENCY MESSAGE for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida’s Department of Health, and county emergency managers in all 67 Florida counties
My name is Kat Sullivan. I'm a pediatric registered nurse. Last year, I committed myself to helping every county in Florida learn how many medically complex kids need help to survive power loss during hurricanes.
To collect the data all Florida counties need to be prepared and practice drills, my company, Focus Forward Skilled Care, created this website. We have 90 days to #CountFLKids before Hurricane Season 2022 to make sure every child survives the storms.
FRIGHTENING FACTS about plans for medically complex kids during hurricanes
+ How many Florida counties do not have shelter plans for Medically Special Kids?
63 of 67 Florida counties do not have any shelter plans for special needs and medically complex kids to help them stay alive in case of power failure.
+ Can EMS help Medically Special Kids during storms?
During a storm emergency, EMS will not be able to respond to every family’s 911 call in enough time to save their child’s life. Reliance on EMS is not a plan during storms.
+ Can Hospitals be relied on to house Medically Special Kids during storms?
Hospitals in Florida are also unable to house every child that will be in need. Hospitals are not a plan during storms.
Take the #CountFLKids Shelter Survey
We will use the Shelter Survey information you provide to make sure that your county’s Emergency Manager, Florida Department of Health, and your state and federal elected officials know that your kid or kids need shelter.
All information is securely collected and stored in compliance with HIPAA standards using the JotForm platform (details). Information you provide here will never be used for marketing purposes.
Please help us SPREAD THE WORD about this crucial initiative!
Even if you’re not a parent or guardian of a medically complex child, you can help raise awareness about the issue and about ShelterSurveyFL.com. Something as simple as using a hashtag or posting a flyer in the window of your business could make a lifesaving difference for these special kids: Here are some suggestions:
When you complete the survey, your county’s Emergency Manager will know to include your child when they #CountFLKids to prepare for hurricanes.
Click to download a print-ready flyer.
Share this site on your social media using the buttons throughout. (Remember it’s also available in Spanish and Haitian Creole!)
Use the hashtag #CountFLKids on social media.
Tell your pediatrician about this website and the Shelter Survey so they can make sure all kids in their care are counted.
Download, print, and post our informational flyer.
Take pride in knowing that your actions help keep Florida’s medically complex children safe during hurricanes.
Thank you for your help in keeping medically complex children of Florida safe, healthy, and prepared for Hurricane Season 2022!