{"id":3045,"date":"2018-10-05T14:10:14","date_gmt":"2018-10-05T14:10:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tvndy.ca\/?p=3045"},"modified":"2018-10-23T14:17:39","modified_gmt":"2018-10-23T14:17:39","slug":"webcast-archive-people-with-disabilities-and-natural-disasters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tvndy.ca\/en\/2018\/10\/webcast-archive-people-with-disabilities-and-natural-disasters\/","title":{"rendered":"Webcast archive: People with disabilities and natural disasters"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1180\" height=\"664\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/r0qjbhDIi0A?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; encrypted-media\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>In this episode of\u00a0<em>Euthanasia &amp; Disability<\/em>, Amy Hasbrouck, Christian Debray, and Taylor Hyatt discuss:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>People with disabilities and natural disasters<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Please note that this text is only a script and that our webcast contains additional commentary.<\/p>\n<p><strong>PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND NATURAL DISASTERS<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>One week after Taylor suggested today\u2019s topic,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/ottawa\/tornadoes-ottawa-quebec-1.4838130\">six tornadoes struck the Ottawa\/Gatineau area<\/a>. This followed a summer that featured a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/canada\/article-fifty-three-deaths-in-montreal-may-be-attributable-to-recent-heat-wave\/\">heat wave which killed 89 people in Qu\u00e9bec<\/a>, and record-breaking forest fires in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ontario.ca\/page\/forest-fires\">Ontario<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/british-columbia\/state-emergency-bc-wildfires-1.4803546\">British Columbia<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Though Taylor lives in Ottawa, she was lucky to only lose power for about 45 minutes after the tornadoes. An eighteen-year-old flashlight did its job, but she has since ordered a new one!<\/li>\n<li>For others with disabilities, like<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/ottawa\/electricity-matter-of-survival-1.4835460\">\u00a0Ellen Lougheed,<\/a>\u00a0not having electricity for several days meant she could not charge her wheelchair, adjust her bed, or use her CPAP machine to help her breathe at night.<\/li>\n<li>Just as the consequences of \u201cNatural disasters\u201d are sometimes made worse by the \u201cunnatural\u201d effects of human activity on the climate, so are the impacts of such disasters made worse for people with disabilities by the very \u201cunnatural\u201d effects of discrimination and disability prejudice.\u00a0 One of the most infamous recent examples was the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/article\/the-deadly-choices-at-memorial-826\">euthanasia of patients at the Memorial Medical Center in New Orleans<\/a>\u00a0following Hurricane Katrina in 2005.\u00a0 About 2,000 staff, patients, family and pets were trapped by floodwaters when the levees broke after the storm.\u00a0 The hospital lost electricity (air conditioning, elevators, lights), running water (bathing, sanitation) medical equipment and outside communication,\u00a0 Due to miscommunication and lack of resources, evacuation was delayed and very slow.\u00a0 At first, people were airlifted via an out-of-service helipad, that was reached by a complicated route up- and down-stairs.<\/li>\n<li>Medical staff prioritized patients for evacuation by their chance of survival, whether they could move themselves, and if they had a \u201cdo not resuscitate\u201d order in their charts.\u00a0 The people who were immobile, sickest and those with a DNR were last in line for rescue. \u00a0Eventually, 23 people in this group were given a mix of morphine and a sedative that killed them, even as more helicopters were arriving to carry people to safety.\u00a0 The grand jury in the case refused to lay charges.<\/li>\n<li>In general, people with disabilities are more likely to be injured or killed in natural disasters because:\n<ul>\n<li>Early warning systems and instructions may not be accessible;<\/li>\n<li>Evacuation procedures don\u2019t accommodate people who can\u2019t walk;<\/li>\n<li>people are forced to leave adaptive equipment behind;<\/li>\n<li>Power outages affect medical devices and adaptive equipment;<\/li>\n<li>People who need personal assistance often can\u2019t get help.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Some coping strategies depend on individual planning and preparation, such as:\n<ul>\n<li>Identifying and preparing for the hazards where you live, like house fires, wildfires, chemical or nuclear accidents, extreme weather, floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanos, or mudslides;<\/li>\n<li>Making a plan:\n<ul>\n<li>For safety at home;<\/li>\n<li>For evacuating; and<\/li>\n<li>For contacting family and your support network.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Preparing an emergency survival kit, including:\n<ul>\n<li>Basic survival supplies, like food, water, flashlights, batteries, etc.; and<\/li>\n<li>Disability-related items, like medical equipment, prescriptions, medication, adaptive equipment for mobility, hearing, vision and communication, personal assistance services, assistance animals, etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>We looked at several guides that focus on emergency preparedness for people with disabilities.\u00a0 Each plan has its strengths and weaknesses.\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.getprepared.gc.ca\/cnt\/rsrcs\/pblctns\/pplwthdsblts\/pplwthdsblts-eng.pdf\">The (Federal) Emergency Preparedness Guide for People with Disabilities<\/a>\u00a0is laid out simply; it\u2019s easy to follow and understand.\u00a0 (Though the PDF version does not play well with screen readers it\u2019s also available in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.getprepared.gc.ca\/cnt\/rsrcs\/pblctns\/pplwthdsblts\/index-en.aspx\">HTML<\/a>).\u00a0 The plan assumes that pay phones are still common, so make sure to bring pocket change!\u00a0 It suggests that users of powered mobility devices have spare batteries on hand (as if wheelchair batteries were a dime a dozen).<\/li>\n<li>Ontario\u2019s\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.emergencymanagementontario.ca\/sites\/default\/files\/content\/emo\/docs\/Disability%20Guide%20-%20english_PDFUA.pdf\">Emergency Preparedness Guide for people with disabilities<\/a>\u00a0(also available in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.emergencymanagementontario.ca\/english\/beprepared\/diversegroups\/peoplewithdisabilities\/disability_guide_english.html\">HTML<\/a>) includes a list of disability-related organizations that were consulted in creating the guide.\u00a0 As well, the Qu\u00e9bec website on\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.formation.ophq.gouv.qc.ca\/comment\/favorisezlacces\/environnements\/mesures-de-securite-en-cas-durgence.html\">\u201csecurity measures in case of emergency\u201d<\/a>\u00a0refers visitors to the Ontario guide.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www2.gov.bc.ca\/assets\/gov\/public-safety-and-emergency-services\/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery\/embc\/preparedbc\/preparedbc-guides\/preparedbc_emergency_preparedness_for_people_w_disability_2018.pdf\">The PreparedBC Resources for People with Disabilities<\/a>\u00a0includes a thorough (but scary) list of possible dangers to prepare for.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>None of these guides\u00a0<\/strong>seems to take poverty into account. Many people with disabilities can\u2019t afford generators, spare wheelchair batteries, or vehicles.<\/li>\n<li>Disability rights advocate\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.disasterstrategies.org\/index.php\/blog\/anita-cameron\/emergency-preparedness-common-sense-measure-disability-community\">Anita Cameron<\/a>\u00a0has a better approach.\u00a0 In her detailed post on common sense emergency planning for people with disabilities, she suggests building up a supply of food and water a little at a time. It could be as simple as buying an extra can of soup when you can afford it, and adding it to a box of emergency supplies. As well, keep extra copies of important documents (like prescriptions, insurance card and your birth certificate) in a bag you can easily grab if you need to leave your home quickly.<\/li>\n<li>The success of a personal plan depends on how well public officials prepare for and manage disasters.\u00a0 So, for example, even if you have your \u201cgo-bag\u201d ready, with medications documents and equipment, it won\u2019t do you any good if the evacuation shelter isn\u2019t accessible. \u00a0In 2015, a California woman\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.sandiegouniontribune.com\/sdut-woman-who-died-in-california-fire-had-no-way-to-2015sep14-story.html\">lost her life in a wildfire<\/a>\u00a0because emergency responders didn&#8217;t get to her in time.<\/li>\n<li>Finding information about whether emergency management plans include accessibility is not easy.\u00a0 Local emergency plans are not generally available on the internet.\u00a0 Qu\u00e9bec\u2019s emergency measures plan focuses on the duties of public officials and building owners.<\/li>\n<li>On the other hand, the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.emergencymanagementontario.ca\/english\/emcommunity\/ProvincialPrograms\/IMS\/Resources\/ims_doctrine.html\">Incident Management System<\/a>\u00a0in Ontario only uses the word \u201cdisability\u201d once, in relation to public advisories; the word \u201cwheelchair\u201d does not appear. In British Columbia, emergency plans are made at a local level, according to provincial regulations.\u00a0 The\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.bclaws.ca\/EPLibraries\/bclaws_new\/document\/ID\/freeside\/477_94\">Program Management Regulation<\/a>, does not mention accessibility, only that the minister of Health must \u201cprovide support and supervision services for physically challenged or medically disabled persons affected by an emergency.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>In the United States,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.portlight.org\/\">Portlight Strategies<\/a>\u00a0(headed by Paul Timmons) and the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.disasterstrategies.org\/index.php\">Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies<\/a>\u00a0(led by Marcie Roth) have been working for 20 years with governments and non-profits to make disaster relief accessible on a larger scale. The foundation has negotiated with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.fema.gov\/news-release\/2015\/07\/30\/portlight-strategies-and-fema-partner-address-disability-accessibility-and\">FEMA<\/a>) and\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.newmobility.com\/2014\/03\/portlight-strategies-red-cross-reach-agreement\/\">the Red Cross<\/a>\u00a0in the United States. \u00a0Here are a few examples of their work:\n<ul>\n<li>They have provided\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.aging.senate.gov\/imo\/media\/doc\/SCA_Timmons_09_20_17.pdf\">relief and recovery assistance<\/a>\u00a0to people with disabilities affected by the 9\/11 terrorist attacks, Hurricanes\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.portlight.org\/katrina-press-release.html\">Katrina<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/psmag.com\/social-justice\/saving-disabled-people-during-hurricane-harvey\">Harvey<\/a>, (and many more);\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nj.com\/politics\/index.ssf\/2014\/01\/group_a_beacon_for_disabled_people_still_stranded_by_hurricane_sandy.html\">Superstorm Sandy<\/a>; numerous tornados, the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wunderground.com\/blog\/Portlight\/haiti-earthquake-relief.html\">2010 Haiti earthquake<\/a>\u00a0and the Butte and Valley wildfires in California.<\/li>\n<li>They\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.portlight.org\/getting-it-right.html\">offer conferences<\/a>\u00a0to provide training and information sharing to government officials and agency leaders on how to ensure accessibility during emergencies. As well, Portlight works with emergency shelters to make sure they are accessible.<\/li>\n<li>They advocate for the inclusion of the disability advocates in disaster planning, to ensure that the values of accessibility and equity feature prominently in disaster management and recovery.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>In the end, each person should take responsibility for their own safety in case of emergency.\u00a0 That means making a plan, assembling a survival kit, learning about the local disaster management policy, and informing police and fire\/rescue officials about their needs in the event of an emergency.\u00a0 At the same time, disabled people must work together to reduce the impact of discrimination in the management of these life-or-death situations, and help each other when the going gets tough.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n   ","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-summary\">\n<div class=\"entry-summary\">\nA webcast on: natural disasters and disability. We look at Hurricane Katrina, emergency preparedness guides from Ontario, Quebec, &amp; BC, plus accessible disaster relief.\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/tvndy.ca\/en\/2018\/10\/webcast-archive-people-with-disabilities-and-natural-disasters\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &ldquo;Webcast archive: People with disabilities and natural disasters&rdquo;<\/span>&hellip;<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/tvndy.ca\/en\/2018\/10\/webcast-archive-people-with-disabilities-and-natural-disasters\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &ldquo;Webcast archive: People with disabilities and natural disasters&rdquo;<\/span>&hellip;<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[92],"tags":[172,121,171,158,155,118],"class_list":["post-3045","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-webcast-archive","tag-emergency","tag-euthanasia-disability","tag-evacuation","tag-hurricane-katrina","tag-natural-disasters","tag-webcast","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tvndy.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3045","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tvndy.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tvndy.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvndy.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvndy.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3045"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/tvndy.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3045\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3354,"href":"https:\/\/tvndy.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3045\/revisions\/3354"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tvndy.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3045"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvndy.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3045"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvndy.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3045"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}