Project Overview and Goals

During the post-incident analysis of the flood of July 28, 1997 several unique disaster recovery problems were identified. One of the more exasperating problems was the difficulty encountered in trying to accurately identify the people who were entitled to the flood relief aid offered by the various private and governmental agencies.

The need to quickly, reliably, and permanently establish relief eligibility became problematic for the relief agencies and victims alike. Many of the flood victims lost all they had, including identification papers and other documents usually used to establish identity and place of residence. A secondary related problem was caused by a few individuals who tried to obtain benefits to which they were not entitled, by pretending to be displaced residents from the flood.

Finding a solution to this problem is one of the projects we in the OEM have been working on. We fully realize that the victims of a disaster have their lives turned upside-down, and the last thing they should have to worry about is trying to prove repeatedly that they are bona fide "victims," and are entitled to aid. This is humiliating for them, and further stigmatizes them and reinforces their status as "victims."

Design Specifications

Our solution is a straightforward one. We are creating a voluntary "Incident Recovery Identification System," or more simply, "IRIS." The system will be activated through the issuance and use of an IRIS Card (Incident Recovery Identification Card).

It will not in any way be a requirement that people participate in this project to obtain aid. But our hope is that by making IRIS Cards available we can assist in the disaster recovery process by cutting through some of the bureaucratic red tape associated with qualifying for benefits, and avoid unnecessary repetition when dealing with the variety of agencies involved in the recovery effort.

We are continuing to work on the protocol and implementation strategies for this project. The implementation phase will necessarily include in-service training for emergency response personnel and disaster relief administration personnel so that all are familiar with the system and do not question the validity of the IRIS Card.

The basic idea is to furnish an IRIS Card to those whose relief eligibility has been established. Establishment of eligibility may conceivably be done by any of the various official agencies involved in the disaster recovery, who then refer the Client to the OEM for issuance of an IRIS Card.

The card will have the photograph and signature of the cardholder, as well as their physical description and address at the time of the disaster. Finally, the card will be laminated and a clip attached, making it possible for law enforcement personnel and others to readily identify and permit access to the people who return to their homes to recover and salvage their possessions. The IRIS Cards are easily identifiable from a distance thanks to the bright pink "OEM" printed in large text on the background of the front and back of each card. The ID cards can also be used to confirm identity when applying for or receiving disaster relief.

In addition, the OEM will maintain a cardholder database to track the IRIS Cards and cardholders. The IRIS Cards will normally expire two months from the date of issuance, but may be renewed if necessary. Only one adult per family would need to apply for an IRIS Card. This would normally be the head of the household.

We hope that this system will ease the burden on the victims of disasters and their families, while at the same time reducing the opportunity for unscrupulous individuals to obtain benefits fraudulently.

Partnerships

Blue Knight Graphics
Card Design & Production

Iola M. Fleischer
OEM Associate Director
June 1999

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