Emergency Preparedness Resources for Persons with Disabilities

 HHS Resources 

• American Sign Language (ASL) Public Service Announcement Videos – To assist deaf and hard of hearing persons stay safe before, during, and after a hurricane (the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

• Community Planning Toolkit for State Emergency Preparedness Managers (the Office on Disability).

• Disaster Preparedness Resource List (the Administration for Children and Families).

• Public Health Workbook to Define, Locate & Reach Special, Vulnerable & At-Risk Populations in an Emergency. (the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) 

• Training PowerPoint: Effective Planning, Response & Recovery for Special Needs Populations, Consistent with Federal Civil Rights Laws (the Office for Civil Rights).

Other Federal Resources

• Chapter 7: Emergency Management under Title II of the ADA – ADA Best Practices Toolkit for State and Local Governments. (the Department of Justice)

• Curriculum -- Special Needs Planning Considerations for Service and Support Providers – An independent Study Program (ISP) course for people who work with the elderly and people with disabilities (the Federal Emergency Management Agency).

• DisabilityPreparedness.gov – Disability Preparedness Resource Center (the Interagency Coordinating Council on Emergency Preparedness & Individuals with Disabilities)

• Interim Emergency Management Planning Guide for Special Needs Populations (the Federal Emergency Management Agency)

• Special Needs Populations Impact Assessment Source Document White Paper – Hurricane Ike Impact Report, October 2008 (the Department of Homeland Security).

• Strategies in Emergency Preparedness for Transportation-Dependent Populations White Paper (the Department of Transportation).

• Ready.gov – Information center to assist people with disabilities and other special needs (the Federal Emergency Management Agency).

Other Organizational Resources

Please note: External links to other sites are intended to be informational only and do not have the endorsement of HHS and OCR.

• Emergency Preparedness Initiative (EPI) – To ensure disability concerns are addressed in all levels of emergency preparedness including planning, response, and recovery. (National Organization on Disability)

• Prepare.org – To assist vulnerable populations: seniors, children, persons with disabilities, and pet owners prepare for natural and human-caused disasters. Information available in multiple languages, large print, and text-only. (American Red Cross)