Evacuation Chairs Australia

The purpose of this qualitative study is to gain a better understanding of disaster preparedness for and the difficulties faced by persons with mobility impairments to guide future research and policy development. From an online Internet survey, 56 persons with mobility impairments who have experienced a catastrophic event described what was helpful for survival, what difficulties were experienced during and after the event, lessons learned, and future directions for emergency management. From a consumer perspective, it was found that both general and disability-related disaster preparedness efforts were useful for the survival, independence, health, and safety of persons with mobility impairments. It was also found that coworkers, family, friends, neighbors, and strangers often formed spontaneous networks during and after disasters that provided needed assistance. Difficulties surfaced when there was a lack of community and workplace evacuation plans, someone was left behind during an evacuation, there was no accessible sheltering or temporary housing, and infrastructure broke down (power, public transportation, and elevators). Persons with mobility impairments encouraged their peers to develop individual preparedness plans and to be active in community-based disaster planning. Emergency management was asked to address the needs of persons with disabilities and to include them in emergency management.

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Persons with mobility impairments or other disabilities are often not prepared for disasters. For example, only 47% of persons with disabilities report having a household evacuation plan in place, and only 57% report having a workplace plan (National Organization on Disability [NOD], 2005b). Community-level disaster preparedness plans designed to meet the needs of persons with mobility impairments or other disabilities often do not exist (Center for Independence of the Disabled New York [CIDNY], 2004; Fox, White, Rooney, & Rowland, 2005; Kendall-Tackett & Mona, 2005).

Local emergency management preparedness efforts rarely include input from persons with mobility impairments (Fox et al., 2005). In addition, a majority of emergency managers are not trained in the unique preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation needs of persons with mobility impairments (Fox et al.) or other disabilities (Kendall-Tackett & Mona, 2005). This lack of preparedness for persons with mobility impairments continues to occur despite evidence identifying persons with physical disabilities as at risk for death in natural disasters (Chou et al., 2004; Osaki & Minowa, 2001) and residential fires (Runyan, Bangdiwala, Linzer, Sacks, & Butts, 1992).

In privately owned businesses, disaster preparedness for persons with mobility impairments and other disabilities is also often overlooked, as was the case with the 9/11 terrorist attacks (Kendall-Tackett & Mona, 2005). This lack of preparedness is being challenged by a 2004 ruling by a Circuit Court of Maryland for Montgomery County (Comstock, 2005; Gardner & Hollman, 2005). The ruling requires shopping malls, stores, restaurants, and other private entities to follow the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by accommodating persons with disabilities in disaster evacuation plans (Gardner & Hollman, 2005). Katie Savage, a wheelchair user, filed the suit after being trapped in a shopping mall with no accessible exits during an evacuation. Store employees did not provide assistance, and she was left behind at an elevator that automatically shut down during an emergency situation (Comstock, 2005; Gardner & Hollman, 2005). This ruling also has implications for public buildings that have inaccessible wheelchair escape or egress routes (Comstock, 2005).

Accessibility problems for persons with mobility impairments persist in disaster response, recovery, and mitigation stages as well (CIDNY, 2004; National Council on Disability [NCD], 2005). For example, persons with mobility impairments continue to report difficulties during and after a disaster when shelters, shelter restrooms, and other temporary housing are not accessible, or when nonaccessible public transportation is the only means available (CIDNY, 2004; Kendall-Tackett & Mona, 2005; NCD, 2005). These problems remain despite ADA requirements for accessibility (Access Board, 2002) and repeated reporting of these incidents in the mitigation process of emergency management (CIDNY, 2004; NCD, 2005).

Evacuation plans often overlook the need to prioritize evacuation of users with mobility devices or the need to reunite users with their own devices shortly after the evacuation (California State Independent Living Council [CSILC], 2004). Any separation from a mobility device during a disaster results in the loss of self-sufficiency in postdisaster settings such as shelters (CSILC, 2004; CIDNY, 2004). Being without a wheelchair that is designed for the unique needs of the user may also lead to compromises in functioning, safety, and physical and mental health (FEMA & U.S. Fire Administration, 1996).

Saving lives and preventing injuries are the premises behind disaster and emergency plans. Past experiences illustrate the importance of these plans for persons with disabilities. For example, a customized plan and regular drills made it possible for low-vision and blind employees in a Twin Towers office to evacuate safely and efficiently down nine flights of stairs during the 9/11 terrorist attacks (NOD, 2005a). In this same event, several persons with mobility impairments were assisted by coworkers down flights of stairs to safety using evacuation chairs purchased by employers (Byzek & Gilmer, 2001). Another person's prosthetic leg and his experience acquired in fire drills allowed him to keep pace down 70 flights of stairs with workers without disabilities (NOD, 2005a.). In contrast, other persons with mobility impairments died because either workplace plans did not exist to meet their needs, or the plans called for being left behind in an area of safe refuge until fire personnel could come to assist them (Byzek & Gilmer, 2001; Kendall-Tackett & Mona, 2005).

In view of the needless loss of life of people with disabilities under disaster conditions, we sought to gain knowledge from persons with mobility impairments who had experienced a catastrophic event. Specifically, we wanted to learn from a consumer perspective whether preparedness and relief efforts were useful, what difficulties were encountered during and after the disaster and emergency, what lessons were learned to share with peers, and what new directions should be taken by emergency management to better assist persons with mobility impairments.

Method

Participants