Disaster and Emergency Planning for Seniors and Persons with Disabilities
People need to plan for emergency evacuation in anticipated and unanticipated situations including chemical, biological, radiological, explosion, transportation accidents, fire, floods, earthquakes, mud slides, hurricanes, tornadoes, snow storms power outages, etc.
For the millions of people with disabilities around the world, surviving a disaster can be just the beginning of a greater struggle.
For people with disabilities, barrier free, as well as, barrier-ridden environments become a great deal more hostile and difficult to deal with during and after an emergency. For example, people with physical disabilities may have reduced ability to get to accessible exits, as well as reduced access to their personal items and emergency supplies. People with vision and hearing loss and people with speech related disabilities often encounter many more communication barriers, especially when regular communication channels are down or overloaded. These barriers appear at a time when rapid communication may be crucial to survival and safety.
Emergency, or disaster, planning includes preparing organizations and staff to deal with natural and manmade disasters; to support people with disabilities in preparing for a disaster; and to provide education and information to ensure local and statewide emergency officials are fully prepared to address the needs of people with disabilities in the event of an emergency. Often the needs of people with disabilities in emergency preparedness are unaddressed or plans are not well coordinated, leaving individuals with disabilities unnecessarily vulnerable in the event of an emergency.
The critical needs of individuals with disabilities during an emergency include the evacuation of transit systems, getting to safe shelter in the event of a natural disaster, and full access to transportation systems when there is a need to evacuate a particular location.
If you or someone close to you has a disability or a special need, you may have to take additional steps to protect yourself and your family in an emergency.
| Disability/Special Need |
Additional Steps |
|
Visually impaired |
May be extremely reluctant to leave familiar surroundings when the request for evacuation comes from a stranger. A guide dog could become confused or disoriented in a disaster. People who are blind or partially sighted may have to depend on others to lead them, as well as their dog, to safety during a disaster. |
|
Hearing impaired |
May need to make special arrangements to receive warnings. |
|
Mobility impaired |
May need special assistance to get to a shelter. |
|
Single working parent |
May need help to plan for disasters and emergencies. |
|
Non-English speaking persons |
May need assistance planning for and responding to emergencies. Community and cultural groups may be able to help keep people informed. |
|
People without vehicles |
May need to make arrangements for transportation. |
|
People with special dietary needs |
Should take special precautions to have an adequate emergency food supply. |
|
People with medical conditions |
Should know the location and availability of more than one facility if dependent on a dialysis machine or other life-sustaining equipment or treatment. |
|
People with intellectual disabilities |
May need help responding to emergencies and getting to a shelter. |
|
People with dementia |
Should be registered in the Alzheimer's Association Safe Return Program |
Remember, preparedness must begin with you. Preparation, which includes practice, is the key to success in dealing with a disaster. Preparation is an ongoing process. Keep in mind the usual means of support and assistance may not be available during an evacuation and after the disaster. Prepare a personal disaster plan with the following in mind:
- Create a network of neighbors, relatives, friends, and coworkers to aid you in an emergency. Discuss your needs and make sure everyone knows how to operate necessary equipment.
- Discuss your needs with your employer.
- If you are mobility impaired and live or work in a high-rise building, have an escape chair.
- If you live in an apartment building, ask the management to mark accessible exits clearly and to make arrangements to help you leave the building.
- Keep specialized items ready, including extra wheelchair batteries, oxygen, catheters, medication, prescriptions, food for service animals, and any other items you might need.
- Be sure to make provisions for medications that require refrigeration.
- Keep a list of the type and model numbers of the medical devices you require.
- Wear medical alert tags or bracelets to identify your disability.
- Know the location and availability of more than one facility if you are dependent on a dialysis machine or other life-sustaining equipment or treatment.
Disability organizations must join with relief and rescue organizations and the media to educate and inform their constituents of disaster contingency and self-help plans. A universal design approach to meeting the needs of people with disabilities before and after a disaster will benefit many people without disabilities, such as the very young or the aged. A look at existing agreements among relief organizations and local, state, federal, and international governments will offer guidance in developing effective strategies for universal design and implementation plans.
Articles
Emergencies Disasters Decisions and Disabilities - The Arc of Bismarck produced this 2 part video clip in an effort to encourage personal responsibility in emergency readiness planning and to showcase the importance of including all people in the systemic planning process.
- FEMA Disability Disaster Guides - Accommodating individuals with disabilities in the provision of disaster mass care, housing, and human services.
- Disability, natural disasters and emergency situations - United Nations - Information from the U.N. addressing the needs of persons with disabilities during natural disasters and emergency situations.
- Disaster Definition: A disaster is a natural or man-made hazard resulting in an event of substantial extent causing significant physical damage or destruction, loss of life, or drastic change to the environment. A disaster can be ostensively defined as any tragic event with great loss stemming from events such as earthquakes, floods, catastrophic accidents, fires, or explosions.
