NYS Independent Living Council, Inc.
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EMERGENCY RESPONSE/PREPAREDNESS1. Red Cross/Crescent Engaging People with Disabilities in Planning In its 2007 World Disasters Report, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies focused on the types of discrimination that occur during and after disaster has struck. One of the areas discussed was the treatment of persons with disabilities before, during, and after a disaster. The report framed the issue by stating: "[People with disabilities] are particularly at risk of marginalization and discrimination in such situations due to exclusionary policies and practices by communities and the agencies involved in providing humanitarian aid and intervention." Recommendations in the report include:
Full Report: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, World Disasters Report 2007 (December 13, 2007), available at http://www.ifrc.org/Docs/pubs/disasters/wdr2007/WDR2007-English.pdf 2. Disaster Preparedness in High Rise Apartment Buildings In a recent newsletter for the co-op and condo community, the author recommends that managers and staff of high rise apartments are trained in evacuating the building, and know which tenants will need assistance in the event of an evacuation. Matthew Sapolin, executive director of the New York City Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities, suggests managers solicit every resident for information regarding their ability to evacuate the building, keeping in mind some disabilities are not apparent. It is also suggested that managers get to know the residents as some might have a mental disability they are unwilling to divulge such as the onset of Alzheimer's. Full Story: Lisa Lannucci, How to Care for at Risk Residents, Cooperator (December 2007), available at http://cooperator.com/articles/1542/1/How-to-Care-for-at-Risk-Residents/Page1.html |