“Change alone is unchanging.” – Heraclitus, Greek philosopher, 2500 years ago

Change seems to come more and more quickly now. One change has affected all of us: the world we live in is more dangerous than it was even ten years ago. And more frequent, more devastating emergencies and disasters have even harsher effects on people with disabilities than on many other groups.

In the last decade, “emergency planning” probably brought to mind leaving a building as quickly as possible in a fire or taking shelter from a tornado.

Now we face events of broader and more devastating impact: the attacks of 9/11, the California wildfires, Hurricanes Rita and Katrina, flooding, hazardous materials spills, sudden shootings on campuses.

This topic is emotional and raises diverse, unpleasant, and complex issues. ADA One presents an approach to organizing our thinking and working with all parties who have a role or stake in the outcome of emergencies – in other words, all of us.

Reports of experiences of individuals with disabilities have included the following:

  • Evacuation to safety from threatened areas: During Hurricane Katrina, a high proportion of those who lost their lives — or were rescued after not leaving their homes — were people who
    • Could not leave their homes because of disabilities or lack of accessible transportation or
    • Had stayed in their homes because their family members with disabilities couldn’t leave.
  • Information about emergencies: Deaf individuals missed broadcast information about wildfires approaching their homes in California.
  • Emergency shelters: People with service animals, mobility aids such as wheelchairs, or developmental disabilities have been turned away from shelters.
  • Safe exit from buildings: Of the individuals who used wheelchairs at the World Trade Center on 9/11 and were in the buildings that day, only one managed to escape. That’s because he refused to follow instructions to stay in place and wait for help while others left; co-workers carried him down many flights of stairs to safety.
  • Post-disaster housing: Housing provided for those who were displaced from their homes after several events was not accessible for people with disabilities.

Irene Bowen’s presentations cover these topics:

  • Understanding legal responsibilities of public, private, and non-profit entities
  • Considering people with a variety of disabilities in preparation and response
  • Preparing for all types of hazards
  • Stages of preparedness and response:
    • Planning
    • Notification
    • Evacuation from buildings and areas
    • Transportation
    • Sheltering in place or at shelters
    • Returning and recovery
  • Individual preparedness
  • Pandemic preparedness
  • Resources for learning more

Ms. Bowen’s presentations are based on her extensive experience with this topic while at the Department of Justice, her own research, and what she has learned from others at her interactive sessions.