People with Disabilities and Emergency Management

February 26, 2008

SCOPE AND PURPOSE:

NCD held its first 2008 Quarterly public hearing/meeting in New Orleans from January 28 to the 30th. Among the agenda items for discussion were emergency preparedness issues and the disability community. What follows is a report outlining key issues raised and discussions from invited subject matter experts in the field of disability and emergency management and public comment.

This monograph represents the proceedings of our January 2008 quarterly meeting. It is part of a one-year research project on disability issues and disasters that NCD is conducting. The information in this monograph is being released at this time for use by people with disabilities, first responders, policy makers and communities who are actively involved in using lessons learned to improve their emergency preparedness efforts.