Preparing for unexpected natural or manmade disasters is critical for the disability community. The Emergency Preparedness Working Group members compiled information on how engage with local Offices of Emergency Management.
According to FEMA’s 2023 National Household Survey on Disaster Preparedness, only 34% of people with a disability made an emergency preparedness plan.
What is an OEM?
The Offices of Emergency Management have the following responsibilities:
- Planning – Developing and implementing policies and programs to help ensure preparedness for emergencies and disasters
- Responding – Coordinating emergency assets and implementing response plans
- Recovering – Restoring vital services and the community to its normal state, while also reducing the vulnerability to future disasters
OEMs can also be referred to as Offices of Emergency Services (OES), Emergency Management Offices (EMO), or Emergency Management Agencies (EMA), and they can be found at the local, state, federal, tribal, or international level. Below are examples for each category.
View this post on Instagram
Local (city, county, or district)
- Indiana Department of Homeland Security
- Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency
- Oregon Department of Emergency Management
- Chicago Office of Emergency Management & Communications
State
- The usa.gov website provides a way to find information on your state’s emergency management agency
- Indiana Emergency Management and Preparedness Division
- Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency
- Oregon Department of Emergency Management
Federal
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
- Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Emergency Management (OEM)
- U.S. Department of State Office of Emergency Management
- U.S. Department of Interior Office of Emergency Management
- Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services
- U.S. Department of Justice
Tribal
- Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
- FEMA Tribal Affairs Hub
- Tribal Emergency Management Association (iTEMA)
International
- FEMA International Affairs Division
- International Emergency Organization (IEMO)
- United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR)
How to Find Your Local OEM
The FEMA Office of Disability Integration and Coordination helps people in the disability community before, during, and after disasters. After a disaster, they work with local partners to help organize support.
The most helpful information can be found at the local offices. The local governments use the support of the state and federal branches. Use the FEMA Search Your Location tool to find information relevant to your area.
View this post on Instagram
Besides FEMA, there are other ways to find your state and local OEMs:
- Use the usa.gov website
- Use Google to search for your city, county, district, or state OEM
- Check your local government website and search for terms like emergency management, OEM, Office of Emergency Management, or disaster preparedness
- If you cannot find the information you need online, contact your local government office directly
Working Group member, Jules Murphy, found information and toolkits on the North Carolina Department of Public Safety (NCDPS) website by searching for “disability” on the website.
Annie Streit, Grassroots Advocacy Manager, visited the Emergency Management website for Steuben County, Indiana, by using Google.
“When I was looking around on the Steuben County Emergency Management website, I did not see any information for the disability community.” Streit further added, “I contacted the Steuben County Director of Emergency Management to inform him of the importance of having emergency preparedness resources for the disability community.”
What to Tell Your Office of Emergency Management
OEMs should be aware that one of the primary responsibilities of our state and local governments is to protect ALL residents from harm.
Reach out to your local Office of Emergency Management to highlight the need for inclusive emergency planning that addresses the specific needs of individuals with disabilities. Key points to highlight are:
- Specific needs identification – Identify the diverse needs within the disability community such as mobility aids, assistive technology, service animals, communication devices, and medical equipment.
- Accessible communication – There should be accessible emergency alerts through various channels like text messages, visual alerts, sign language, and accessible emergency management websites that include information for the disability community.
- Evacuation planning – Advocate for accessible transportation options during evacuations, including designated pick-up points, accessible vehicles, and trained personnel to assist individuals with mobility impairments.
- High-rise evacuations – Conduct planning and training with emergency responders for evacuations from high-rise buildings and deploy evacuation chairs.
- Shelter accessibility – Ensure emergency shelters are equipped with accessible features like ramps and accessible bathrooms and that accessible shelters are located throughout the jurisdiction of the OEM.
- Shelter accommodations – Ensure emergency shelters account for the needs of people with disabilities in planning for shelter space, including durable medical equipment and service animals.
- Registration process – Address the importance of a system to register individuals with disabilities, including their specific needs and preferred communication methods to facilitate targeted assistance during an emergency.
- Staff training – Request training for emergency personnel on how to interact with and support people with disabilities during an emergency.
- Communication strategies – Consider have a dedicated contact person for disability communication outreach and have clear and concise emergency information in accessible formats.
- Community engagement – Suggest collaboration with disability advocacy groups to gather input.
Become a Participant
Emergency Preparedness Working Group member Tim Vermande shares some suggestions on how to participate more in Emergency Preparedness opportunities:
FEMA offers a variety of self-study courses that anyone can take free of charge, some of which include disability concerns. FEMA also recently released updated training courses on including people with disabilities in disaster operations.
You can also participate in Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), a nationwide program that provides education about emergency preparedness. The CERT Basic Online Training is made up of nine core units.
Responsibility and the ADA
The state and local governments must comply with Title II of the ADA which requires emergency programs, services, activities, and facilities to be accessible. They must make reasonable modifications to avoid discrimination and ensure effective communication with people with disabilities
“People with disabilities need quality emergency preparedness information. Advice that is real, specific and useful, says June Kailes, a Disability Policy Consultant who specializes in emergency management. “These materials must also recognize and address the diversity of disability by customizing relevant preparedness information as one size does not fit all.”
The disability community has been disproportionately impacted during emergencies. And emergency preparedness and response efforts are not meeting their needs. Addressing these barriers, raising awareness, and educating others is key to keeping people with disabilities and the entire community safe.
Involving people with disabilities in the various aspects of emergency preparedness can help the entire community be better prepared for future emergencies or disasters.
Other Resources
United Spinal:
The Wheelchair Emergency Preparedness Compendium You Always Wanted
Inadequate Emergency Preparedness and Evacuation Plans Jeopardize People with Disabilities
United Spinal Association Ready to Roll Emergency Preparedness Program
New Mobility:
Emergency Preparedness for People with Disabilities
7 Myths About Disability and Emergency Preparation
Emergency Preparedness: Are You Ready for a Disaster?
Online:
Office of Emergency Management
Office of Emergency Management
State Emergency Management Agencies
ADA Best Practices Tool Kit for State and Local Governments
2023 National Household Survey on Disaster Preparedness
Our working group focuses on emergency preparedness and helps the disability community deal with natural or manmade disasters. Get involved: unitedspinal.org/working-groups/