Emergency Preparedness

Emergency preparedness is one of the major focus of activity for DCAB’s Planning and ADA Coordination Unit. Recent events with Hurricanes and Kilauea volcanic eruptions have shown that government response systems and plans inadequately address the needs of persons with disabilities. Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, formally the Hawaii State Civil Defense, the DCAB, and the State Department of Health convened a workgroup to develop a plan to address emergency preparedness for people with disabilities in the State of Hawaii. The workgroup, comprised of State, county and private agencies, developed the “2009 Interagency Action Plan for Emergency Preparedness of Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs.” This plan is a starting point and addresses the defined targeted population with a focus on sheltering. Emergency preparedness information for persons with disabilities is available at the links below.

Hawaii Resources

 

National Resources

FEMA Accessible: FEMA Registration Process
Home Inspections/Follow Up with FEMA (Part Two)

 

Accessible Emergency Information
The video below provides an overview of efforts to improve the accessibility of emergency information distributed to the community in Hawaii. Please view the sign language video- Which is also captioned and has voiceover- to learn more about these efforts and how you can share your experiences during emergencies.