Section 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.