They might be poor and unable to afford stockpiles of food and water, or they might rely on medication or medical equipment such as oxygen tanks. They might speak only Spanish or an indigenous language, making emergency information difficult to read or understand.

Those are some of the factors that could leave many Ventura County residents vulnerable in the event of a disaster such as a wildfire, earthquake or pandemic flu outbreak.

Vulnerable populations can include the poor, the elderly, the disabled, and those who are isolated by culture, language or geography. They might also include latchkey children who are separated from parents in a disaster, tourists, and pet owners who might refuse to be evacuated or go to a shelter if it means leaving an animal behind.

The response to Hurricane Katrina exposed a huge hole in the nation's disaster preparation efforts, showing that those who need the most help in or following a disaster often are those who have little or no means to respond to one.

"There are certain people who are closer to the edge, and when the disaster happens, they are more likely to fall off the edge," said Tom Busk, director of emergency services for the American Red Cross of Ventura County. Identifying ways to help those people, and helping them prepare themselves, can make a big difference in a community as it recovers from a disaster, Busk said.

Identifying populations

Several efforts are under way in Ventura County to put disaster supplies and information into the hands of some of the area's most vulnerable residents and improve the systems that could help them.

Over the past year or so, several local agencies have begun looking at ways to improve disaster preparedness for the vulnerable in Ventura County by identifying possible populations, providing education and supplies, and training leaders of the organizations that serve those populations.

The Ventura County Public Health Department established a Vulnerable Populations Disaster Planning Task Force for area agencies and nonprofits to learn more about disaster planning.

The city of Moorpark established a special needs registry of residents who might need assistance in the event of an emergency evacuation.

Ventura County fire officials are teaming with local cities to lead disaster training for faith-based groups during the next several months. The training will include information on identifying and assisting vulnerable populations.

The Ventura County Human Services Agency is creating a master database of clients in its network so those affected can be notified quickly in the event of an emergency; the agency also plans to connect the list to the new reverse 911 phone system for mass telephoning of emergency information.

Community Action of Ventura County received a $45,000 grant to purchase and distribute disaster kits to low-income seniors throughout the county.

The Disaster Planning Task Force began meeting nearly a year ago, with representatives from public agencies and large nonprofit organizations that serve the elderly, disabled and other vulnerable populations. Shortly after its formation, the task force teamed with the Ventura County Community Foundation to put on disaster response training for local nonprofit groups. The training emphasized personal preparedness, developing a disaster plan for the agency and helping clients become better prepared, said Dan Jordan, who heads the task force for the Public Health Department.

Disaster equipment bought

In addition to the training, the task force received a $30,000 grant from the Community Foundation to purchase disaster supplies and equipment for distribution to agencies and their clients. The purchases include thousands of safety whistle/flashlight key chains, cases of food bars, bullhorns, crowbars and radios.

Officials with the foundation, which has given out disaster relief grants following wildfires, the La Conchita landslide and even Hurricane Katrina, saw an opportunity after Katrina to help nonprofit organizations better prepare for disasters, said Tina Knight, vice president of programs and grants. The effort was also a good fit for the foundation's Resource Center for Nonprofit Management, which provides training for nonprofit leaders.

Alert to challenges

The Mixteco/Indigena Community Organizing Project, which serves Ventura County's population of Mixteco Indians from the state of Oaxaca in Mexico, is one of the groups participating in the task force. Sandra Young, president of project, said participating in the group has helped alert other agencies to the challenges that come with serving the Mixteco population in the event of a disaster.

"We have this huge population, many of whom don't speak Spanish or English and don't read or write in any language. Many of them don't have a car," said Young, so traditional methods of communication may not reach them.

With the help of the task force, Young has begun doing some disaster training at monthly Mixteco community meetings. She'll also be distributing emergency supplies provided through the Community Foundation grant, and has signed on as a partner to help provide services such as mass inoculations in the event of a pandemic flu outbreak.

The city of Moorpark has established a registry for people who might need special assistance in the event of an emergency evacuation. About 75 people, mostly seniors and the disabled, have signed up for the voluntary list, said John Brand, senior management analyst for the city.

'A safe place to go'

The registry was used when the Shekell fire threatened Moorpark last year, and city officials were able to consult the database for residents who might need special assistance. None of the registrants lived in the affected area, Brand said.

"The list became part of the disaster conversation," he said.

Identifying and assisting vulnerable populations is also a key piece of the training for faith-based organizations. The first of the trainings will be held Friday in Thousand Oaks and include information on developing a disaster plan, determining ways the organization could be of assistance and identifying people in the community or congregation who might need extra help.

"During Katrina, (churches) were an integral part of helping people through the disaster. It was a safe place to go," said county Fire Chaplain Larry Madugno, who is coordinating the training effort. "It also helps the county and the state to know who could do what to help."

The Ventura County Human Services Agency is in the process of establishing a master database that includes client information from all of its programs so the list can be easily accessed in the event of a disaster. The list will include any special needs that a client might have, along with contact information, said Melissa Livingston, deputy director for administrative services.

Difficult to acquire

Connecting the database to the county's new reverse 911 system will also allow emergency officials to call clients in a targeted area or a specific population that might be affected by a disaster, Livingston said.

Along with information, supplies are another key to disaster planning, but they can be difficult to acquire those on fixed incomes.

Community Action of Ventura County recently received a $45,000 state Department of Community Services and Development grant to purchase and distribute several hundred disaster kits to low-income seniors throughout the county. The $55 kits include boxes of water, food bars, duct tape, portable radios, first aid supplies, glow sticks, a whistle, hard hat and poncho, all packed in a bright orange backpack.

The effort, called Project Senior Safety First, includes disaster preparedness seminars by the Red Cross, along with information about applying for the kits at all area senior centers. Community Action officials hope to get another grant so they can take the training to groups that serve the disabled, said Gwen Jackson-Williams, administrative officer for the agency.