My sit spot is beneath a big birch tree in my front yard. I sat outside under the tree earlier today. The birch was getting ready to rest for the winter, having lost most of its orange leaves over the past week. The grass beneath it was white with frost. The mountains in the distance were dusted with snow. It was quiet – save for the distant sounds of children on the playground at school – and still. Of course, the scene at my sit spot changes daily. Soon the ground will be blanketed in snow. Sometimes the wind is whipping and branches are falling from the tree onto my roof. But what if, one day, something more unusual happens?
Recently, British Columbia has been experiencing severe wildfire seasons, with blazes burning across the province. What happens if – one summer in the future- a fire travels up and over the gorgeous mountains in the distance, across the parched grass throughout town, and lights the birch tree at my sit spot on fire?
In all likelihood, by the time the hypothetical fire would breach the limits of town, residents would be evacuated. Some would go to friends’ and families’ houses, some would go to hotels, and others would go to evacuation centres. But how do we ensure that evacuations, in the case of climate-fueled disasters, are executed in an accessible manner?
Firstly, we need to make sure that those with mobility issues have the help they need to get to safety in a timely manner. Many disabled people are not able to respond to an evacuation order in the same time frame as an able bodied person. During Hurricane Katrina, disabled people and their families were disproportionately represented amongst those who could not evacuate (Jampel, 2018). Evacuation plans that include specific measures for disabled people need to be created by emergency planners at all levels of government.
Secondly, evacuation centres must be accessible for everyone, including disabled people. Disabled people who went to evacuation centres during Hurricane Katrina found that these spaces were sorely lacking in accessibility measures (Jampel, 2018). Lessons should be learned from this, and – again – emergency planners should have robust plans that include accessibility measures for evacuation centres.
Lastly, disabled people should have a seat at the table so that they can help craft effective emergency preparedness policies. They should be an integral part of the planning process to ensure their needs are met. Dines (2019) wrote about how disabled people need to be represented when decisions are being made about climate mitigation policies. These policies can impact disabled people in unintended ways. For example, plastic straw bans can make drinking a beverage at a restaurant much more difficult for some disabled people (Dines, 2019). I would argue that the same holds true for emergency preparedness policies. Disabled people need to be part of the decision making process so that they can shape policies that contribute to their well-being in the event of an emergency.
My town may experience a wildfire or a flood or another climate-fueled disaster in the future. Careful planning now will help ensure that all residents are able to evacuate safely during an emergency.
I wonder, what are some ways that effective communication could play a role in ensuring a safe evacuation for all?
References
Jampel, C. (2018). Intersections of disability justice, racial justice and environmental justice. Environmental Sociology, 4(1), 122-135. https://doi.org/10.1080/23251042.2018.1424497
Dines, H. (October 15, 2019). The climate revolution must be accessible – this fight belongs to disabled people too. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/oct/15/climate-revolution-disabled-people-activism
Wonderful post, Hanna! I find it appalling that our discomfort around disability and our reluctance to have these conversations could result in so many not receiving the assistance they need – in daily life and especially when it comes to disaster preparedness. But, as your blog points out, those with disabilities are often left behind due to a lack of awareness of their specific needs. I agree that mitigation strategies need to involve *everyone*, and especially those amongst us who are often underrepresented – as we know from experience, climate disasters often affect these communities the hardest.
This such a well written post. You should see if you can have this printed in your local paper so people can better understand the challenges for people with disabilities. As you point out, there are many ways that evacuation plans can be adjusted to accommodate people with disabilities and this article could spur your local government to take action.
Jen
Awesome suggestion Jen, I totally agree!
Thanks for this thoughtful piece Hanna. Taking disability justice and bringing it into the concerns of our homes and the risks we face makes the climate crisis so much more real and tangible. I can imagine a situation in which evacuation centres are not accessible for people with mobility aids, and the kind of additional trauma this could inflict on a person. Thinking through emergency preparedness when we are essentially living in a perpetual state of emergency is complex and necessary work, and your reminder that disabled folks need to be heard is really important that emergency preparedness process.