Emergency Preparedness Publications & Resources
Accessibility is key to successful emergency preparedness for individuals with disabilities and inclusive jurisdictional emergency management. Listed below are national, regional, and local resources and publications that provide guidance on accessible emergency management for governmental agencies and first responders, along with summaries of litigation providing court opinions on accessible emergency management. For personal emergency preparedness information, go here.
Preparedness Publications and Resources for Governmental Agencies and First Responders
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) National Network
- Emergency Management and Preparedness- Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities Webinar Series: Upcoming Webinars Archived Webinars
- Maintaining Site Accessibility During Emergencies Checklist
- Press Conference Checklist
- Inclusive Event Procedures for Emergencies
- Gershon, R.R, Muska, M.A., Zhi, Q., and Kraus, L.E. (2021) Are local offices of emergency management prepared for people with disabilities? Results from the FEMA Region 9 Survey, Journal of Emergency Management, Vol. 19, No. 1.
- White Paper: Local offices of emergency management (OEM) and preparedness for people with disabilities: Preliminary Results from OEM in Federal Region 9
Department of Justice (DOJ)
- ADA Best Practices Tool Kit for State and Local Governments. Chapter 7, Emergency Management under Title II of the ADA
- ADA Best Practices Tool Kit for State and Local Governments. Chapter 7, Addendum 1: Title II Checklist (Emergency Management)
- Accommodating Individuals with Disabilities in the Provision of Disaster Mass Care, Housing and Human Services
- ADA Best Practices Tool Kit for State and Local Governments. Chapter 3, General Effective Communication Requirements Under Title II of the ADA
- ADA Checklist for Emergency Shelters
- ADA Guidance on Effective Communication
- ADA Guide for Local Governments: Making Community Emergency Preparedness and Response Programs Accessible to People with Disabilities
- Guidance to State and Local Governments and Other Federally Assisted Recipients Engaged in Emergency Preparedness, Response, Mitigation, and Recovery Activities on Compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
- Office of Disability Integration and Coordination - Helping people with disabilities before, during and after disasters - Website
- Delivering Personal Assistance Services in Congregate and Non-Congregate Sheltering
- Emergency Planning for People with Access and Functional Needs- Video
- Furthering FEMA’s Commitment to People With Disabilities and Older Adults- Podcast
- Guidance on Planning for Integration of Functional Needs Support Services In General Population Shelters
- Including People with Disabilities and Others with Access and Functional Needs in Disaster Operations Course
- National Incident Management System- provides stakeholders across the whole community with the shared vocabulary, systems, and processes to successfully deliver the capabilities described in the National Preparedness System.
- National Preparedness System- outlines an organized process for everyone in the whole community to move forward with their preparedness activities and achieve the National Preparedness Goal.
- Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) Basic Training Participant Manual- The manual is also available in low vision, Braille, and Spanish. Call the FEMA Distribution Center at 1-800-480-2520 or email FEMA-Publications-Warehouse@dhs.gov.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
- Accommodating Individuals with Disabilities in the Provision of Disaster Mass Care, Housing, and Human Services
- DHS Civil Rights Evaluation Tool
- Guidance on Emergency Preparedness (in Spanish)
- Guide to Interacting with People Who Have Disabilities
- Listening Sessions with Disability Stakeholders in Disaster Impacted Areas
- Management Directive on Nondiscrimination for Individuals with Disabilities in DHS-Conducted Programs and Activities
- Notice for Recipients on Nondiscrimination During Disasters
- Tips for Effectively Communicating with the Whole Community in Disasters
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
- Ensuring Language Access and Effective Communication During Response and Recovery: A Checklist for Emergency Responders
- Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Technical Resources Assistance Center and Information Exchange Website- Information for entities and others working in disaster medicine, healthcare system preparedness, and public health emergency preparedness.
- Medicare Electricity-Dependent Populations by Geography- Interactive Map
- Mental Health All-Hazards Disaster Planning Guidance for state and local mental health professionals
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Disability and Health Emergency Preparedness: Resources from State Disability and Health Programs and Federal Agencies - CDC Website
Department of Labor (DOL)
- Employers' Guide to Including Employees with Disabilities in Emergency Evacuation Planning
- A Framework of Emergency Preparedness Guidelines for Federal Agencies. Preparing the Workplace for Everyone: Accounting for the Needs of People with Disabilities
- Office of Disability Employment Policy: Emergency Preparedness – Website
Department of Transportation (DOT)
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
- Access to Emergency Information on Television- Certain information must be provided in both audio and visual formats.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
General Services Administration (GSA)
National Council on Disability (NCD)
- Effective Emergency Management: Making Improvements for Communities and People with Disabilities
- Emergency Management- The latest findings and recommendations from analyses of applicable laws, regulations, policy guidance, barriers, promising practices, and emergency management models that include active involvement of knowledgeable people with disabilities during each phase.
- Preserving Our Freedom: Ending Institutionalization of People with Disabilities During and After Disasters
- Savings Lives: Including People with Disabilities in Emergency Planning
- Effective Communications for People with Disabilities: Before, During, and After Emergencies
- The Impact of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on People with Disabilities: A Look Back and Remaining Challenges
National Organization on Disability (NOD)
U.S. Access Board
Additional Resources
- Apps for Enhancing Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) Access – Georgia Tech, Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Wireless Inclusive Technologies
- Autism and First Responders: Seeing Beyond the Smoke Video- Temple University Institute on Disabilities
- Checklist for Integrating People with Disabilities and Others with Access and Functional Needs into Emergency Preparedness, Planning, Response & Recovery- Center for Disability and Health Policy, Western University of Health Sciences.
- Disaster Resources for People with Disabilities and Others with Access and Functional Needs, Emergency Managers & Planners & Disability-focused Organizations- Website
- Emergency Evacuation Planning Guide for People with Disabilities- National Fire Protection Association
- Emergency Management Materials from the Pass it On Center- creates national and state resources to foster the safe, effective, and appropriate reuse of assistive technology (AT)
- Emergency Preparedness: Tools for Emergency Planners, Managers and First Responders- Temple University Institute on Disabilities
- Fire Safety for Wheelchair Users at Work and at Home- United Spinal Association
- Helping People with Mental Health Conditions Prepare for Disasters: The Role of Peer Specialists Before Disasters Strike- Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion
- Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies Website- disability-led organization with mission on equal access, disability rights and full inclusion of people with disabilities, older adults, and people with access and functional needs before, during, and after disasters and emergencies
- Prepared4ALL The series is suitable for local disability-led, advocacy, support, provider and other organizations; local emergency and public health preparedness planners; VOADs/COADs; CERT, MRC, Citizen Corps, Red Cross and other disaster volunteers; and other interested community members. A certificate is awarded after the completion of eight one-hour online training modules. Topics covered in the training include COVID-19 planning, communication and accessibility, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and more. A description of the online training and instructions to register can be found here.
Emergency Preparedness Litigation
- The Development of Emergency Planning for People with Disabilities Though ADA Litigation- Work doc
- The Development of Emergency Planning for People with Disabilities Though ADA Litigation- rtf
- The Development of Emergency Planning for People with Disabilities Though ADA Litigation- pdf
- Brooklyn Center for Independence of the Disabled (BCID), et al. v. Mayor Bloomberg, et al. (2013)- Federal class action lawsuit of class of 900,000 New York residents with disabilities included people with vision, hearing, mobility, and mental disabilities. Ruling that New York City discriminated against people with disabilities in its failure to plan for their needs in large scale disasters such as Hurricane Sandy.
- Communities Actively Living Independent and Free (CALIF), et al. v. City of Los Angeles, et al. (2011).- Ruling that the City of Los Angeles violated the ADA by failing to meet the needs of its residents with mobility, vision, hearing, mental, and cognitive disabilities in planning for disasters.
- The Right to Be Rescued: Disability Justice in an Age of Disaster: Argues that people with disabilities have a “right to be rescued”, a legal right to have their unique needs accounted for and addressed in emergency planning- Yale Law Journal
State Preparedness Publications and Resources
California
- CalEPA Emergency Response Management Committee- supports local emergency management and incident command- Website
- California Department of Developmental Services- Emergency Preparedness: Feeling Safe, Being Safe Workbook and Videos
- California Emergency Preparedness Office (EPO) coordinates overall emergency planning and preparedness efforts for the California Department of Public Health- Website
- Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES): Emergency Management authority for the State of California- Website
- Shakeout 2014: Five Videos for People with Access and Functional Needs – Cal OES
Connecticut
- A Guide for Including People with Disabilities in Disaster Preparedness Planning- Connecticut Developmental Disabilities Network
Illinois
- Emergency Preparedness Tips for those with Functional Needs- Illinois Terrorism Task Force
- American Sign Language Videos: Together We Prepare, Emergency Preparedness- Illinois.gov
Massachusetts
- Make a Family Emergency Plan- Mass.gov
Minnesota
- Functional Needs Planning Toolkit for Emergency Planners- Minnesota Department of Public Safety
Texas
- Effective Communications Toolkit: Emergency Communications with People Who Have Disabilities- Texas Disability Task Force on Emergency Management
- Emergency Preparedness Videos formatted for deaf, blind, and limited sight populations- Northeast Texas Public Health District
- Technical Guidance: Medical Shelter Toolkit- Texas Department of State Health Services
- Texas Accessibility Checklist for Emergency Shelters- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
- The Texas Division of Emergency Management- Manages the State’s all-hazards emergency management plan
- Texas Disability Task Force on Emergency Management
- Functional Needs Support Services Toolkit: Guidance to assist local emergency management and shelter planners in providing disaster related services to persons with and without disabilities who have access and functional needs - Texas Disability Task Force on Emergency Management
Vermont
- Just in case...Be Ready for an Emergency: An Emergency Readiness Planning Guide for People Who May Need Extra Assistance- Vermont Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living
Virginia
- Winter Weather/Extreme Cold Preparedness Tips- Fairfax County Community Emergency Response Guide
- Clima Invernal/ Frío Extremo
Washington
- Preparedness Safety Videos- Washington Emergency Management Division
- Washington Emergency Management Division- Website
International Preparedness Publications and Resources
- ASB Arbeitet Samariter Bund- German website focused on inclusive emergency preparedness in the international community
- Christian Blind Mission International- Nonprofit that implements disability-inclusive humanitarian responses to support those affected by humanitarian crises and to positively influence the work of the wider humanitarian community
- Centre for Disability in Development- Nonprofit created to ensure that persons with disabilities are included in mainstream development activities in Bangladesh
- Disability and Disasters: Explorations and Exchanges- Writings by international scholars and first-hand narratives from individuals with disabilities, or knowing people with disabilities, affected by disaster
- Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction Network- Website for upcoming international disaster risk reduction conferences and additional resources. Learn more.
- Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Management: Voices from the Field and Good Practices- Christian Blind Mission International and Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction Network
- Guidance Note on Disability and Emergency Risk Management for Health- World Health Organization
- Handicap International- International organization that intervenes in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict and disasters and works alongside people with disabilities and vulnerable populations to meet their basic needs, improve their living conditions and promote respect for their fundamental rights
- Major Hazards and People with Disabilities: Their Involvement in Disaster Preparedness and Response- Council of Europe, Eur-Opa Major Hazards Agreement
- Pacific Disability Forum- Regional body that works in partnership with Disabled Persons Organizations in the Pacific region