§ 23-a. County registry of disabled persons; notice. 1. In each
county having a local disaster preparedness plan pursuant to section
twenty-three of this article, in order to meet the special needs of
persons who would need assistance during evacuations and sheltering
because of physical or mental handicaps, it is recommended that each
chief executive maintain a registry of disabled persons located within
the county. The registration shall identify those persons in need of
assistance and plan for resource allocation to meet those identified
needs. To assist the chief executive in identifying such persons, the
county department of health, or such other county department or agency
as designated by the chief executive, shall provide voluntary
registration information to all of its special needs clients and to all
incoming clients as part of the intake process. The registry shall be
updated annually. The registration program shall give disabled persons
the option of pre-authorizing emergency response personnel to enter
their homes during search and rescue operations if necessary to assure
their safety and welfare during disasters.

2. Upon the establishment of a voluntary registry of disabled persons
as provided in subdivision one of this section, the chief executive
shall make such registry available to the appropriate county, state and
federal agencies for their use in delivering services in the event of a
local or state disaster. The chief executive shall, upon the request of
the state emergency management office, provide such registry information
to such office. The chief executive may, at his discretion, use the
registry information for local disaster preparedness only in
coordination with other political subdivisions of the state.

3. Upon the establishment of a voluntary registry of disabled persons
as provided in subdivision one of this section, at least semi-annually,
each chief executive shall cause to be published in a newspaper of
general circulation within the county a notice of the availability of
the voluntary registration program.

4. All records, data, information, correspondence and communications
relating to the registration of disabled persons as provided in
subdivision one of this section are confidential, except that such
information shall be available to other county chief executives for
local disaster preparedness only as the chief executive of the county
maintaining such registry deems necessary. Provided, however, the
individual file of a person having registered with the registry of
disabled persons shall be made available to that person upon request.

5. All community-based services providers, including home health care
providers, shall assist the chief executive by collecting registration
information for people with special needs as part of program intake
processes, establishing programs to increase the awareness of the
registration process, and educating clients about the procedures that
may be necessary for their safety during disasters.

6. A county shall not be liable for any claim based upon the good
faith exercise or performance or the good faith failure to exercise or
perform a function or duty on the part of any officer or employee in
carrying out a local disaster preparedness plan.