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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Michael H. Fox, ScD¹, Glen W. White, PhD², Anthony Cahill, PhD³, Roberta Carlin, JD⁴, and Catherine Rooney, MA². (1) KU Research and Training Center on Independent Living and University of Kansas Medical Center, University of Kansas, Department of Health Policy and Management, Dole Building, Room 4089, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045, 785 864-0587, mfox@ku.edu, (2) Research and Training Center on Independent Living, University of Kansas, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Dole 4089, Lawrence, KS 66045, (3) University of New Mexico, Center for Development and Disability, 2300 Menaul Boulevard NE, Albuquerque, NM 87107, (4) American Association on Health and Disability, 110 N. Washington Street, Suite 340A, Rockville, MD 20850

Building on findings from the Nobody Left Behind project that identified county-level preparedness and response towards persons with mobility limitations in FEMA declared disaster areas, researchers surveyed and conducted focus groups with Emergency Managers, staff from Centers for Independent Living (CILs), and CIL consumers in Gulf Coast counties heavily affected by the storm.

Responses indicated widespread anger and disappointment with government agencies, Red Cross, and many first responders, whose misunderstanding of the needs of persons with disabilities throughout the evacuation, shelter and recovery stages led to impossible demands being placed upon the network of independent living centers, their staff, and consumers. The roles of private non-profits, churches, neighborhood and community networks, technology, social capital, and storm preparation are all considered through personal accounts of persons with disabilities and emergency managers.

Recommendations from our findings include improved ways in which persons with disabilities can be included in disaster planning processes, expanded roles for CILs that may include representatives receiving training as first responders, identifying improved forms of communication among and between persons with disabilities, and improved education of emergency managers in disaster training related to persons with disabilities.

Learning Objectives:

• - to identify common concerns faced by persons with disabilities in disasters;
• - to recognize the role of government, non-profits, communities and individuals with disabilities in planning for and surviving disasters such as Katrina;
• - to understand policies and practices that were used by Centers for Independent Living, local emergency managers, and persons with disabilities before, during and after the storm;
• - to translate individual experiences related to Katrina into possible future policies and practices that will prevent hardship, morbidity, and mortality among persons with disabilities.

Keywords: Disasters, Disability Policy

Related Web page: www.nobodyleftbehind2.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation