Rationale and Benefits of Inclusion
- Inviting
disabled and older people to be full, active partners in all aspects of
emergency preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation benefits the
whole community.
- Disabled and older people are experts on their own needs with unique skills and knowledge to contribute.
- Including
agencies and institutions that address disability and aging issues in
all aspects of emergency preparedness and disaster relief work is an
important means of introducing universal strategies into practices that
benefit the entire community. Strategies reflecting the needs and
expertise of disabled and older people frequently integrate universal
principles that benefit the broader population.
- The
most comprehensive, inclusive and effective plans, policies, procedures
and activities are those that ensure full accessibility and inclusion
of disabled and older people. For example:
- Invite
representatives of the disability and senior communities to provide
input into all aspects of disaster planning, response and relief.
- Create
a means of ensuring that (a) opportunities for input and dialogue are
ongoing and (b) that reviews and testing of the plans, policies and
procedures are built into the process.
- Incorporate
principles of universal design into disaster plans, policies and
procedures, and take into account legal requirements relevant to
disability and aging.
- Make
disaster relief and recovery plans, programs and outreach efforts
available in formats accessible to people with disabilities and older
adults - e.g., Braille, large print, audio tapes, etc.
- Build
flexibility into policies and procedures during rescue and recovery so
that operations can be readily adapted to meet the needs of disabled
and older people.
- Make
sure that emergency supplies reflect the diverse needs of the
disability and aging communities for equipment and assistive devices or
that there are funds to meet such needs.
- Media
outlets can serve as allies in disaster relief efforts to ensure that
emergency communication systems incorporate means of reaching people
with sensory and other disabilities.
- Training curricula for rescue and relief personnel should:
- Integrate
a range of strategies to meet the needs of disabled and older people,
as well as information about the complex impact of emergencies on these
groups.
- Invite
disabled and older people with the necessary skills and background to
train emergency personnel on disability and aging needs and how to
respond to them.
