II. Planning Assumptions

Federal civil rights laws summarized in Section VI of this Guide require accessibility and prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities in all aspects of emergency mitigation, planning, response, and recovery.  To comply with these laws, people responsible for notification protocols, evacuation and emergency operation plans, shelter identification and operations, emergency medical care facilities and operations, human services, and other emergency response and recovery programs must:

  1. have sound working knowledge of the accessibility and nondiscrimination requirements applicable under Federal disability rights laws;

  2. be familiar with the demographics of the population of people with disabilities who live in their community;

  3. involve people with different types of disabilities in identifying the communication and transportation needs, accommodations, support systems, equipment, services, and supplies that residents and visitors with disabilities will need during an emergency; and

  4. identify existing and develop new resources within the community that meet the needs of residents and visitors with disabilities during emergencies.

Last Modified: Friday, 13-Jul-2007 20:15:18 EDT