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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Diane L. Boyd, PhD¹, Shelia S. Newman, MS², Elizabeth Tewey, MS¹, and Ashley Ney, BS¹. (1) CESSI, 6858 Old Dominion Drive, Suite 250, McLean, VA 22101, 703 448 6155, dboyd@cessi.net, (2) New Editions Consulting, 6858 Old Dominion Drive, Suite 250, McLean, VA 22101

Following September 11, 2001, legislation such as Executive Order 13347, Individuals with Disabilities in Emergency Preparedness (2004), and S. 2124, the Emergency Preparedness and Response for Individuals with Disabilities Act of 2005, introduced by Senator Tom Harkin, has addressed the needs of persons with disabilities in emergency planning and relief efforts. In response, federal agencies, State and local governments, and disability-related organizations have initiated or amplified efforts to reach persons with disabilities with information about how to plan for, and react to, emergency situations. This presentation offers an overview of the results of twelve focus groups held in 2006 among persons with a variety of disabilities. The groups were held in six U.S. regions, each subject to risk from natural or human-caused disasters. Participants in each group discussed two topic areas: first, their use of assistive technology (AT) in everyday life; and second, their experience with AT in emergency situations. Participants talked about their experiences with actual emergency situations, their use of AT in such situations, and their plans for use of AT in future emergencies. We analyzed participants' responses to gain an initial picture of their perceived AT needs in emergency situations. We developed initial recommendations for organizations wishing to provide emergency planning information.

Learning Objectives: