Disaster Preparedness for People with Disabilities.

The following is suggested for people with disabilities as well as for those individuals who might be attempting to assist an individual with a disability during an emergency, disaster or crisis.
Compiled from the Disabled People and Disaster Planning website: www.citycent.com/dp2

• First and foremost, create a "buddy-system" with a neighbor, co-worker, family member, or friend.
• Make sure that you have a "buddy" no matter where you are- you should have a "buddy" near your home in case of an emergency at home; you should have a "buddy" at work in case of an emergency at work.
• Make sure you have names and numbers of contacts on you at all times.
• If you require medication, make sure you carry the name of the medication, carry information on the dosage you take, your doctor's name, and the pharmacy you go to.

EVACUATING WHEELCHAIR USERS
For those attempting to assist, the following information may be helpful

All Wheelchair Users
Discuss with the user of the wheelchair how to lift the user and the wheelchair either together or separately. When circumstances necessitate separating the user and the wheelchair, keep the period of separation to a minimum.
Some parts of a wheelchair are safe to lift from, others will come off when lifted. Always ask the user to confirm where it is safe to lift. Also, ask the user what else about his or her wheelchair you should know in order to lift it safely.
Wheelchairs with four wheels (not three-wheeled scooters) usually have handbrakes on each side of the chair. When the wheelchair is to remain stationary set both brakes.
When more than one flight of stairs is traversed, helpers may need to switch positions since one person may be doing most of the lifting. Switch positions only on a level landing.
When the lifting is complete, follow the instructions of the chair's user and restore the manual or motorized wheelchair to full operation; then direct the user to a safe area.

Manual (non-motorized) Wheelchairs
Manual chairs weigh between 20 and 60 pounds. Two people are required to lift a manual wheelchair when occupied by the user.
Generally, the best way to lift the chair and user together is to position one helper behind the chair and the other helper in front. The helper behind the wheelchair tips it backward to a balance angle that is tolerable to the user. The other helper grasps the front of the wheelchair and guides its movement. The two helpers lower or raise the wheelchair one step at a time, making sure both rear tires hit step edges evenly.

Motorized Wheelchairs
Motorized wheelchairs can weigh up to 100 pounds (un-occupied), and may be longer and heavier to push than manual wheelchairs. Some motorized chairs have additional electrical equipment such as a respirator or a communications device.
Lifting a motorized chair and user up or down stairs requires two to four helpers. Before lifting, discuss with the user if some heavy parts of the chair can be detached temporarily, how to position the helpers, where they should grab hold, and at what if any angle to tip the chair backward. Turn the chair's power off before lifting the chair.
If the chair's power drive is temporarily detached, the chair becomes "free wheeling". Helpers must realize they are entirely responsible for the safety of the user since the user of a motorized wheelchair generally lacks the arm function to control the chair's movement.

COMMUNICATIONS AFTER A DISASTER
The jurisdiction should either [1] establish an Internet web site or [2] add web pages to an existing web site that will communicate response and recovery information of interest to disabled people after a disaster and also establish some other resources for those without access to a computer. The jurisdiction should publicize the existence of this information resource to the disability community in advance of a disaster and to the entire community immediately after a disaster. The jurisdiction's ADA coordinator should recommend information to appear on the Internet site as well as at any other resource being utilized, encourage disability service organizations to submit pertinent information, and periodically update information prepared in anticipation of a future disaster.

Television stations should

• understand that excessive broadcast of disaster damage has an adverse impact on some people with disabilities; that footage of disaster damage always needs a geographic context; and that disabled viewers (both inside and outside the disaster area) need more information about specifically what they should do.
• comply with the FCC rule requiring (since January 1996) that broadcasted disaster information include open captions.
• voice all broadcast displays of telephone numbers, the names of streets and geographical areas affected, and other displayed information.

Radio and television stations should

• provide information specifically related to people with disabilities in general, as well as information pertinent to particular disability groups.
• clarify whether warnings about not drinking contaminated water also apply to service animals used by people with disabilities.
• inquire, before broadcasting announcements about disaster services for senior citizens, if people with disabilities are also eligible for the services.
• produce some public service announcements pertinent to people with disabilities in advance of a disaster and periodically review them for continued validity.

Companies that have airborne blimps with message boards should work with the County ADA coordinator in order to publicize major disability information resources and to provide other disability-related information as feasible. (This form of communication is effective for people with hearing impairments, and is reassuring for everyone.)

The County Sheriff's Emergency Broadcast System announcements should include brief notices about major sources of disability related information, as well as TDD telephone numbers that can be passed on to hearing impaired persons.

The County Info Line (a telephone information service) should consult with County staff and increase Info Line holdings of information on disability disaster resources, and make greater efforts to publicize the availability of this information in advance of a disaster.

Telephone companies should consult with the County ADA coordinator in order to add information about disaster resources, preparedness, and response pertinent to people with disabilities to the white pages of telephone books.

Telephone companies establish an 800-number voice information system for blind and reading impaired people to hear the white pages disaster information; and the system should have an option for listening to response and recovery information following a disaster.

Agencies with information on disaster preparation and response on videos should add captioning for hearing impaired people and audio description for visually impaired people.