The tragic attacks of September 11, 2001 changed the way we live our lives. Now, in the past few months Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have awakened us to the reality of the preparation and planning needed to meet the needs of people with disabilities during emergencies. Over 700 of our own ACB members were affected by these events.
It is essential that we, as people with disabilities, step up and address key disability concerns to officials and experts responsible for emergency planning in our communities, and assist them in developing plans that will take into account the needs and insights of people who are blind and visually impaired before, during, and after emergencies. As reported by the National Organization on Disability, 58% of people with disabilities do not know who to contact about emergency plans for their community in the event of a disaster. Do you know what you would do? Who would you call? And 32% of people with disabilities say plans have not been made to evacuate them from their workplace. With somewhere between 7 million and 10 million people in the nation who are blind and visually impaired, those are pretty disturbing statistics.
Communication is the key. The American Council of the Blind is taking a two-pronged approach to the issue of emergency preparedness and people who are blind and visually impaired.
1. Personal Preparedness & Advocacy. We need to make sure that as individuals who are blind and visually impaired, we are informed, aware and prepared should a disaster or emergency occur. This part of ACB’s activities will focus on personal responsibility and awareness - things that we can do. These can be as simple as creating a personal “Emergency Kit,” helping spread awareness and preparedness messages, demanding that information and materials are available in alternative and accessible formats or assisting local emergency management agencies in their planning process.
2. Legislation and Emergency Preparedness. The second part of ACB’s approach involves the legislative remedies put forward in Congress. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) has introduced S.2124, Emergency Preparedness and Response for Individuals with Disabilities Act of 2005. The purpose of this bill is to address the needs of individuals with disabilities in emergency planning requirements and relief efforts in the event of a major disaster and to increase the accessibility of replacement housing built with federal funds following Hurricane Katrina and other major disasters. One of the highlights of this bill is the creation of a Disability Coordinator in the Department of Homeland Security. However, it is important to note that this bill is not funded.
S.2124 Emergency Preparedness and Response for Individuals with Disabilities Act of 2005.
SPONSOR
Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA)
This bill, although simply worded, would involve a lot of complex changes and coordination between various groups and organizations. However, it does offer the chance for greater participation and accessibility before, during, and after an emergency.
1. Although there has been planning and organization on emergency preparedness going on at the federal level, there has been a dearth of training materials for state and local governmental officials, first responders, and others about the importance of allowing individuals with disabilities to retain their durable medical equipment, wheelchairs, service animals, and other assistive devices.
2. Just as accessibility is critical for telephone hotlines and websites regarding emergency evacuations and disaster relief, emergency video and television information needs to be accessible to individuals with hearing and vision disabilities. Video description needs to be considered as a viable option for accessing visual information on the television screen that may not be verbalized.
3. It is critical that transportation options be available and coordinated for individuals who are blind and visually impaired in the event of an evacuation.
4. The accessibility features within the housing requirement should include the needs of visually impaired individuals, particularly in the sections containing language referring to “accessible environmental controls” and “an accessible kitchen.” Access to items such as thermostats and kitchen appliances for the visually impaired is often overlooked.
5. This legislation has no attached funding or appropriation request.
We are asking that Congress support integration of people with disabilities into all emergency planning and organization in cogent, tangible ways. This could be done through this bill which calls for the creation of a Disability Coordinator in the Office of Homeland Security, but also through individual Congress member support of specific issues such as video description of emergency information, and appliances and controls in temporary housing that are accessible to people who are blind and visually impaired.
Ask your Congressman to:
1. Support this legislation;
2. Contact colleagues about supporting the legislation;
3. Support S.900 and H.R.951 regarding video description;
4. Encourage “accessible housing” to include accessibility to appliances and controls for the blind and visually impaired;
5. Consider that without funding, the potential impact of this legislation is weakened, and lives may be at stake.