Disability advocates say emergency response plan needs improvement

In the wake of Tuesday's tsunami warning, advocates want to improve plans to prepare people with disabilities for natural disaster emergencies.

From communication to evacuation plans, more work needs to be done to include the disabled community in the conversation about preparedness, said Karen Martin, project and training coordinator for Disability Alliance B.C.

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"I think we have a long way to go to be prepared We see it in every disaster. In Japan, seniors got left behind, so we really need to be more prepared, we're not generally prepared for the earthquake," Martin told All Points West host Jason D'Souza.

Many people who can hear missed the alarms that sounded along the coast, so for people who are deaf or rely on hearing aids, the use of warning sirens is ineffective.

Martin said there are many kinds of communication challenges within the disabled community that need to be considered when planning how to reach everyone with an alert.

Online tools

"If we're only using one method of making sure that message is getting across then we're missing a lot of people and they're not getting the information they need to be able to respond," she said.

Online resources can be a useful tool for figuring out what to pack in emergency kits, but Martin points out that many members of the disabled community live below the poverty line, making it difficult toafford the cost of stocking up with seven days worth of supplies.

Those with diabetes or other conditions that require medication and supplies also have to be aware of stocking items they rely on daily, as well as preparing a list of medications and information about their specific needs for medical response teams.

Community outreach

After 12 years of advocacy, the organization received provincial funding in 2016 to do outreach work in communities around B.C., where they reviewed response plans and offered training to local leaders.

"It's beginning to happen but it's still in the very beginning stages and there's a lot of communities still where no work has been done in that area."

To properly support the people who are disabled, Martin called for a collective response from family members, caregivers, neighbours, coworkers, and community groups.

With files from All Points West