Preparedness for People with Disabilities and Others with Access and Functional Needs

This year marks the 26th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Signed into law in 1990 by President George HW Bush, the ADA prohibits discrimination and mandates equal opportunities for people with disabilities in employment, state, and local government services, public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation, and telecommunication.

If you or someone you know has a disability or access or functional needs, be sure to take additional steps to stay safe, healthy, mobile, and independent during a disaster.

Find out about assistance programs that may be available in your community and register in advance with your local office of emergency services, non-profit groups, and health departments.

Stay mobile and independent by including items in your disaster supply kit that meet your needs such as:

• Extra eyeglasses and hearing aids;
• Medical prescriptions;
• Batteries and chargers for assistance devices; and
• Written descriptions of service needs.

Looking for more ways to plan for people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs? Check out this video from the ReadyCampaign and the Ad Council. The video is for all communities and shows people with disabilities taking charge to prepare themselves and their families for emergencies. The video provides equal access and includes open captioning, a certified deaf interpreter, and audio description for viewers who are blind or have low vision.