| This study was conducted as a result of the devastating effects of natural disasters on the lives of Special Needs Populations (SNPs) in the Texas Gulf Coast Region between 2000 and 2011. One of the issues that arose was poor shelter planning for SNPs. This study addressed the problem of temporary shelter provisions for SNPs and recommended how the sheltering process can be systematically improved for subsequent disasters.;The study utilized an exploratory case study to evaluate how emergency shelters cater to people with access and functional needs in the Greater Houston Region of the Texas Gulf Coast. The study also included an analysis of the evacuation capacity of general population emergency shelters to determine if there was a mismatch between shelter access and the target population in the study region. Data was collected from Shelter Managers, Emergency Managers and Planners through an online survey, a telephone interview, and face-to-face interviews. Additionally, geographic information system (GIS) was used to model the evacuation capacity of general population emergency shelters to accommodate populations with access and functional needs.;The findings revealed that the sheltering process for persons who required functional eeds support services (FNSS) is effective, but often improvised. Hence, there is a need to adopt and implement measures that improve shelter provisions for this population group. As a result of the findings, a set of recommendations are made in order to improve emergency sheltering for persons with access and functional needs.;Keywords: shelter provisions, shelter services, Functional Needs Support Services, special needs populations, frail and elderly. |
