Safety Matters:

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• Safety Matters

How to Safely Evacuate from your Home
National Institute on Disability Rehabilitation
and Research Project Safe EV-AC http//evac.icdi.
wvu.edu
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International Center for Disability Information

• West Virginia University
• College of Human Resources Education
• Project Safe EV-AC
• http//evac.icdi.wvu.edu

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Target Population

• Individuals in the community with physical,
  mental, or medical care needs who may require
  assistance before, during, and/or after a
  disaster or emergency.
• Limitations
• Motor
• Sensory
• Cognitive
• Psychological
• Temporary

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Phases of Emergency Management
Mitigation
Preparedness
Recovery
Response
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Mitigation

• Occurs before the emergency or disaster.
• Eliminates or reduces probability of occurrence.
• Lessens the effects of the disaster
• Inspect windows, doors, and roofs.
• Secure emergency back-up records.
• Install visual alarms and Braille signage.
• Install/elevate the generator.
• Create areas of refuge.

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Mitigation

• Lowering the cost of a disaster involves
• Developing a plan for contingencies.
• Communicating the plan.
• Training people about the plan.
• Practicing the plan.
• Maintaining the plan.

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Preparedness

• External Considerations
• Plan, train, and exercise with local emergency
  response agencies
• Offer information to responders registry.
• Create an emergency health information and
  contact card for rescuers.
• Work to identify the steps that reduce their
  vulnerability to high-risk activities.
• Discuss your questions with emergency responders,
  doctors, and relevant agencies.
• Offer to be a part of training new staff.

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Preparedness

• Internal Considerations
• Plan
• Prioritize
• Establish Relationships
• Identify Resources
• Understand Your Community
• Know the emergency management structure.
• Take responsibility to be pro-active.
• Establish Sheltering in Place, Shelters for the
  General Public, and Special Needs Shelters.

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Preparedness

• Prepare an emergency kit (hearing aids, eye
  glasses, keys).
• Use emergency window stickers.
• Make a list of medications.
• Determine two usable exits.
• Pick a location to reunite.

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Preparedness

• Equipment Access
• Prepare battery/generator backups.
• Keep equipment secured and accessible when not in
  use.
• Store extra mobility aids as backups.
• Review how to operate equipment (turn off
  utilities, operate fire extinguisher).

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Preparedness

• Make a plan with personal care attendant
• Discuss the plan with the home health agency.
• Establish a buddy network - Pick one out-of-state
  and one local friend/relative to call if
  separated.

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Preparedness

• Prioritize
• Most important things you need to have.
• Other things you may need.
• Other good-to-have things.

13
Preparedness

• Review typical events at each stage and prepare
  accordingly
• Earthquake If you are in a wheelchair, stay in
  it and go into a doorway.
• Flood If you have hypertension
• and need to take medication,
• have bottled water available.
• Snowstorm If you use a C-PAP
• for sleep apnea, have a backup
• battery.

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Response

• Respiratory Impairment
• Evacuation hood
• Respirator/mask

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Response

• Speech Impairment
• Speech amplification device
• Speech enhancer
• Alpha-numeric pager
• Two way instant messaging
• Pre-written notes

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Response

• Vision Loss
• One-on-one mobility instruction training with
  emergency responders
• Tape recorded drills for practice with a buddy
• Guide dog/mobility aid considerations
• Braille signage
• Tactile maps

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Response

• Hearing Loss
• Vibrating pager
• Flashlight to read lips
• Lighted fire strobes and other visual or
  vibrating alerting devices
• Wireless communication

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Response

• Mobility Impairment
• Wheelchair evacuation
• Evacuation devices
• Area of rescue assistance
• Barrier free route of travel
• Wheelchair supplies

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Response

• Cognitive Impairment
• Use a picture book of evacuation procedures
• Encourage social interaction with emergency
  responders
• Color code exit ways
• Implement buddy system
• Use a coach for training

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Response

• Psychiatric Impairment
• Practice with a buddy or counselor
• Clarify emergency process in writing
• Implement backup exit procedures

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Recovery
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Recovery

• Goals
• Meet the disaster-related needs of disaster
  victims, including special needs populations.
• Return systems and people to normal, if possible.
• Find improvements for both short term and long
  term needs.

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Effective Process

• Goals
• Reduce loss of life.
• Reduce property damages.
• Ensure effective, efficient response.
• Lay the groundwork for improvements.

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International Center for Disability Information

• West Virginia University
• College of Human Resources Education
• Project Safe EV-AC
• http//evac.icdi.wvu.edu

Beth.Loy_at_mail.wvu.edu