Emergency preparedness and response services are provided by Federal, State and local government and are considered public accommodation. Therefore all services provided before, during and after an emergency should not discriminate and should ensure equal access for individuals with disabilities.
In the wake of each of these disasters, the lack of assistance and the lack of equal access to individuals with disabilities has been glaringly obvious to those of us affected personally by disability and those in the community who have firsthand knowledge of disability. They died because they refused to evacuate to shelters immediately, knowing that many were inaccessible and that at a minimum, they would have no accessible cot to lay their head or a bathroom to use. In short, their needs would not be met. In some cases they were turned away by shelter staff refusing their equipment and/or service animals. Individuals with cognitive and developmental disabilities had no quiet or safe place to rest among the hundreds in mass care shelters. The “special needs” shelters only allow the individual and one family member, thereby separating a family in crisis. Center for Independent Living staff, and other service providers with years of experience (people who know and understand functional needs) were refused access to the shelters in many areas. During emergency preparedness and response, people with disabilities, their families and caregivers have been systematically and consistently discriminated against by State and local government and public accommodations in direct violation of their rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Individuals with disabilities are dying because the laws put into effect to protect them are ignored. This is a crisis that needs immediate attention!