Transcript 5h. Emergency Response

ADA Trainer Network
Module 5h
Emergency Response and the ADA
Trainer’s Name
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Disclaimer
Information, materials, and/or technical assistance are intended solely as
informal guidance, and are neither a determination of your legal rights or
responsibilities under the ADA, nor binding on any agency with enforcement
responsibility under the ADA.
The Northeast ADA Center is authorized by the National Institute on
Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) to
provide information, materials, and technical assistance to individuals and
entities that are covered by the ADA. The contents of this presentation were
developed under a grant from NIDILRR, grant number 90DP0071-01-00.
NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL),
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents of this
presentation do not necessarily represent the policy of NIDILRR, ACL, HHS,
and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.
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The ADA
Applies to:
• All services, programs, and activities of state and local
governments – including those offered through a third
party.
• The goods, services, and facilities of private
businesses.
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ADA, Program Access, and
Emergency Planning
• Identify physically accessible shelter locations
• Consider the needs of those with mobility,
psychiatric, sensory, and cognitive disabilities
• Ensure access to reliable, accessible
transportation
• Prepare Knowledgeable, welcoming, staff and
volunteers
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Effective Communication
Is communication that is as effective as that
provided to people without disabilities
Covers warnings, announcements, intake
procedures, and interpersonal
communication
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Factors to Consider
• Duration and complexity of the communication
• Context of communication
• Number of people involved and/or in need of
the communication
• Importance and potential impact of the
communication
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Examples of Effective Communication
• Hearing disabilities - Qualified interpreters,
captioning of emergency alerts, transcription
services, video remote interpreting (VRI)
• Speech disabilities - Speech synthesizer,
computer/tablet, communication board
• Visual disabilities - alternate format such as large
print or braille, screen reader accessible web and
mobile applications, readers, assistance with
directions in unfamiliar surroundings
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Structural Accessibility
• All new construction and alterations to existing facilities
must be readily accessible to and usable by people with
disabilities
• Do not have to make an existing facility accessible if able to
provide program access
• If program access not possible, then must provide
structural access unless it would result in undue burden or
fundamental alteration
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Service Animals
•
•
•
•
A dog or in some cases, a miniature horse)
Used by people with a variety of disabilities
May or may not be harnessed/identifiable
Must be allowed to enter the shelter even if there is a
“No Pets” policy
• Can ask “Is this a service animal?” and “What task has
the animal been trained to perform?”
• Cannot impose additional fees, surcharges, deposits, etc.
for having/allowing a service animal
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Reasonable Modification
Must make reasonable modifications to
policies, practices and procedures, when
needed to avoid discrimination.
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Planning for People with Disabilities
• Access to information; notifications, communications,
warnings
• Evacuation including transportation
• Physical access to shelters
• Availability of medications, refrigeration, and back-up
power sources
• Plan of an individual to use their mobility device in an
emergency environment
• Need to keep service animal with the person
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Planning for Disability Specific Needs
Mobility disabilities
•
•
•
•
Accessing shelter quickly in an emergency event
Loss or damage of durable equipment or mobility aids
Returning home over a debris covered path of travel
Repairing a damaged home
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Planning for Disability Specific Needs
Sensory disabilities
• Reading materials in an inaccessible format
• Hearing warning alerts or seeing danger areas on a
weather map
• Understanding what a meteorologist is saying if no
captioning is provided
• Dealing with navigational obstacles in temporary
housing or shelter
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Planning for Disability Specific Needs
Cognitive disabilities
• Fear of unfamiliar people including first responders
• Difficulty comprehending instructions, particularly
from multiple sources
• Isolation in shelter if separated from family member,
friend, or companion
• Having an official assume that she or he does not
understand
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The Emergency Planning Process
• Include people with disabilities in planning
• Consider preparation, notification, response,
clean up, and return
• Employ a collaboration of community
supports
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Additional Resources
Guide for Local Governments
http://www.ada.gov/emergencyprepguide.htm
Best Practices Tool Kit
http://www.ada.gov/pcatoolkit/chap7emergenc
ymgmt.htm
Planning for Employees with Disabilities
http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/fact/effective.ht
m
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Additional Resources
Northeast ADA Center’s Business Community Brief
http://www.northeastada.org/docs/DBTAC_Research%20Brief_B
usiness%20Continuity%202.pdf
Free Emergency Preparedness Webinars
http://adapacific.org/emergency/webinars.php
Produced by the Pacific ADA Center and the ADA National Network
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Northeast ADA Center
K. Lisa Yang and Hock E. Tan
Institute on Employment and Disability
Cornell University
Dolgen Hall Room 201
Ithaca, New York 14853-3901
Toll-Free: 800.949.4232 (NY, NJ, PR, USVI)
Telephone
Fax
TTY
Email
Web
607.255.6686
607.255.2763
607.255.6686
[email protected]
www.northeastada.org
The contents of this presentation were developed under a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and
Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR grant number 90DP0071-01-00). NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living
(ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents of this presentation do not necessarily represent the policy of
NIDILRR, ACL, HHS, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.
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