Orientation Manual for 

First Responders on the 

Evacuation of People

with Disabilities

FA-235/August 2002

U.S. Fire Administration

Mission Statement

As an entity of the Federal Emergency 

Management Agency, the mission of 

the United States Fire Administration 

is to reduce life and economic losses 

due to fire and related emergencies, 

through leadership, advocacy, 

coordination, and support. We 

serve the Nation independently, 

in coordination with other Federal 

agencies, and in partnership with fire 

protection and emergency service 

communities. With a commitment 

to excellence, we provide public 

education, training, technology, and 

data initiatives.

Contents

Acknowledgements

Letter from the National Organization on

Disability (N.O.D.). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Perspectives on Emergency Preparedness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

People with Disabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

First Responders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Identifying Those with Special Needs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Locating People with Disabilities in Your Community

to Include in Emergency Preparedness Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Categories of Impairments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Vision Impairments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Dog Guides. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Hearing Impairments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Cognitive Impairments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Mobility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Wheelchair Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Ambulant with Aide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Comparison of Carry Techniques. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Evacuation Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Appendix A: Writing Guidelines and

Disability Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Appendix B: Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Appendix C: Disaster Mitigation 

for Persons with Disabilities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Appendix D: TTY – Commonly Used Abbreviations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Appendix E: References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

This guide was developed by the United 

States Fire Administration. Members of the 

following Review Panel met to determine the 

flow, content, and organization of the guide and 

reviewed all sections of the guide for clarity.

Special thanks to members of the Baltimore 

County Fire Department, Dundalk Station 6 and 

Eastview Station 15 for their demonstrations and 

photos. Also, thanks to the Community College 

of Baltimore County-Dundalk, (formerly the 

Dundalk Community College) 7200 Sollers 

Point Rd., Baltimore County, MD, for the use 

of their facilities during the photo shoot.

For additional copies of this publication, or to 

obtain a copy in a different format, write to, call, 

or visit:

United States Fire Administration

16825 South Seton Avenue

Emmitsburg, Maryland 21727

(1-800-561-3356)

www.usfa.fema.gov/USFAPUBS

Review Panel

Edwina Juillet

Fire & Life Safety for People with Disabilities

Brian Black

Eastern Paralyzed Veterans Association

Marianne Cashatt

Disability Awareness/Public Relations

Alan Clive

Federal Emergency Management Agency

Marsha Mazz

U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers 

Compliance Board

Sharon Davis

The Arc of the United States

Captain Elgin Browning

Orange (TX) Fire Department

Captain Glenn Blackwell

Baltimore County (MD) Fire Department

Curtis Robbins, Ph.D.

S & C Robbins Association

Lisa Codario

National Science Foundation

Acknowledgements

1

People with Disabilities

Three months after terrorist attacks redefined 

American life, most of the country’s 54 million 

citizens with disabilities said that they did not 

feel sufficiently prepared for future crises. 

According to Harris Interactive survey results 

released by The National Organization on 

Disability (N.O.D.):

• 58 percent of people with disabilities say they 

do not know who to contact about emergency 

plans for their community in the event of a 

terrorist attack or other crisis.

• 61 percent say that they have not made plans 

to evacuate their homes quickly and safely.

Among those who are employed full- or parttime, 50 percent say that no plans have been 

made to evacuate their workplace safely.

“The country as a whole has some catching up to do to 

be prepared, but these statistics show that people with 

disabilities lag behind everyone else. This is a critical 

discrepancy, because those of us with disabilities must in 

fact be better prepared so we are not at a disadvantage 

in an emergency,” said N.O.D. President Alan A. 

Reich.

“It is critical that all plans for emergency preparedness 

consider the special needs of people with disabilities. 

We strongly advocate that individuals with disabilities 

themselves be included in the planning process at all 

levels,” said Reich. 

First Responders

It is incumbent on first responders to learn how 

best to perform a rescue using equipment and 

procedures that facilitate safe evacuation for any 

person with a disability.

People with disabilities are entitled to the same 

level of protection in an emergency as everyone 

else—no more, no less. The “reasonable 

accommodation” mandated in the Americans 

with Disabilities Act (ADA) is intended to 

provide the same level of safety and utility 

for people with disabilities as is provided to 

everyone. Key points to consider are as follows:

• Remember that a person with a disability 

has unique abilities and limitations. 

Accommodations should be made that 

emphasize their abilities.

• Include the person in the decision-making 

process when selecting special equipment and 

design of procedures.

• Familiarize yourself with the building and 

occupants in your response area; identify 

coworkers, neighbors, and friends who can be 

of assistance in an emergency.

• Participate in the development of emergency 

evacuation planning for the occupancies in 

your community before the emergencies 

occur.

People with disabilities are increasingly 

moving into the mainstream of society, which 

contributes to the diversity that has been this 

country’s strength. Further, we cannot predict 

when anyone of us may need assistance, such as 

in the case of a broken leg or the development 

of heart or lung disease.

Perspectives on Emergency Preparedness

3
Perspectives on Emergency Preparedness

4

?

?

Does your Local 

Emergency Planning 

Committee (LEPC) 

include individuals with 

disabilities as active 

members?

Do your Emergency 

Operation Plans (EOP) 

take into consideration 

individuals’ capability to 

evacuate with little or no 

assistance?

?

Have members of 

your fire or emergency 

services department had 

awareness training in 

evacuating people with 

disabilities?

?

Which of these 

techniques is not 

appropriate for 

individuals with 

disorders of the 

back, spine, or 

spinal cord?
Perspectives on Emergency Preparedness

5

A Lesson Learned

Prior to the February 1993 World Trade 

Center bombing, people with disabilities 

said that in the interest of privacy or 

because they felt that they did not need 

special assistance, they had opted not to 

be identified as disabled in the emergency 

management plan. 

After the bombing, they realized that they 

did need special assistance; they had not 

realized how vulnerable they were outside 

of normal working hours when there were 

few coworkers available.

Identifying Those with 

Special Needs

First responders need to take into consideration 

that there are many individuals who are protective 

of their right to independence and privacy and 

who may be reluctant to be identified.

In the development of your plans, think of each 

individual as one who happens to have a particular 

disability. Do not make the mistake of lumping 

together all persons with disabilities into one 

group or category.

For example, there are building 

emergency evacuation plans and 

codes on which they were based, 

containing instructions for all 

persons with disabilities to go 

to an area of refuge and wait for 

members of the emergency team 

to escort them to safety.

As a general rule, there is no 

reason that a person who is blind 

or deaf cannot use the stairs to 

make an independent escape as 

long as he or she can effectively 

be notified of the need to evacuate 

and can find the stairway.

Area of Refuge

Exit
1. Contact national disability organizations 

and/or their local affiliates. (See Appendix B, 

Resources.)

2. Contact your State Vocational and 

Rehabilitation Agency. Part of their work is 

to introduce volunteer and public service 

organizations to their clients.

a) View the Federal Consumer Information 

Center’s online list of State Vocational and 

Rehabilitation Agencies.

b) Search the Internet using a phrase such as 

“[your state] Vocational Rehabilitation.”

c) Look in the Government pages of your local 

phone book for state or local listings such as 

“Rehabilitation Services Administration” or 

“Rehabilitation Information.”

3. There are several hundred Centers for 

Independent Living (CIL) across the country. 

CILs are community-based resource and 

advocacy centers managed by and for people 

with disabilities, promoting independent living 

and equal access for all persons with physical, 

mental, cognitive, and sensory disabilities. (See 

illustration below.) 

4. Contact your state or local government’s 

committee, commission, or council on 

disabilities. These are often part of the 

Governor’s office or cabinet.

5. Contact Department of Veterans Affairs 

facilities in your state, which serve people with 

disabilities.

6. Contact your local ADA coordinator, who 

usually can be located through the Mayor’s 

office or county government office.

7. Contact local church congregations, which may 

be aware of specific community members with 

disabilities.

8. Ask professionals who serve people with 

disabilities—such as special education 

teachers, or occupational, physical, or speech 

therapists—if they can suggest individuals to 

participate in emergency planning. You might 

try contacting the National Rehabilitation 

Association.

— N.O.D., February 20, 2002

Perspectives on Emergency Preparedness

6

Locating People with Disabilities in Your Community to Include in 

Emergency Preparedness Planning 

To find the CIL serving your locale, 

go to www.virtualcil.net/cils, and 

click on a state.
When you approach a person who has vision 

impairments, announce your presence. Speak 

naturally and directly to the individual not through a 

third party. Say something like, “Hi, I am Firefighter 

Jones.” Describe the action to be taken, then ask the 

person to tell you the best way to assist him or her. 

First responders should take steps to ensure that 

after exiting the building, individuals with impaired 

vision are not abandoned but are led to a place of 

safety. Someone should remain with them until the 

emergency is over. 

Categories of Impairments

7

A lesson learned from the World 

Trade Center 1993 bombing 

involved the complaints of blind 

tenants who, after being escorted 

down and out of the building, were 

unceremoniously left in unfamiliar 

environs in the midst of a winter ice 

storm, where they had to negotiate 

ice-covered sidewalks and falling 

glass from overhead.

Tips for Assisting People with Visual Impairments

• It’s okay to use words like “see,” 

“look,” or “blind.” Let the individual 

grasp your arm or shoulder lightly for 

guidance. He or she may choose to 

walk slightly behind you to gauge your 

body reactions to obstacles.

• Be sure to mention stairs, doorways, 

narrow passages, and ramps. 

• When guiding to a seat, place the 

person’s hand on the back of the chair. 

• If leading several individuals at the 

same time, ask them to hold each 

other’s arms. 

Vision Impairments

(Blind or Low Vision)
Traditionally, the term “service animal” referred to 

seeing-eye dogs©* for people with vision impairments. 

However, today there are many other types of “service 

animals.” In addition to guide dogs for the blind, there 

are:

• Hearing dogs for 

people who are deaf

• Seizure dogs for people 

who have seizure 

disorders

• Assist animals for 

people with motor 

impairments

• Companion 

animals for people 

with psychiatric 

impairments

Categories of Impairments

8

Tips for Assisting Owners 

with Service Dogs

• Do not pet or offer the dog food without the 

permission of the owner.

• When the dog is wearing its harness, he is 

on duty. In the event you are asked to take 

the dog while assisting the individual, it is 

recommended that you hold the leash and 

not the dog’s harness.

• Plan for the dog to be evacuated with the 

owner.

Photographs courtesy Independence Dogs, Inc. (IDI) 

http://www.independencedogs.org

Wheelchair Dog

Quad Dog

Walker Dog

*The term, “Seeing-eye dog©,” is a copyrighted term used by the 

school of that name. Dog guides for the blind are just that, dog 

guides. There are corporate names such as “seeing eye,” “leader 

dog,” and “guide dog.”

Dog Guides
Hearing impairments range from mild hearing 

loss to an extreme or profound deafness, the 

level at which an individual receives no benefit 

from aural input. Many persons who are 

hearing impaired can use their residual hearing 

effectively with assistance from hearing aids 

or other sound amplification devices, often 

augmented by lip reading. 

However, hearing aids also amplify background 

sounds. For example, the sound of emergency 

alarms interferes with or even drowns out voice 

announcements, rendering the emergency 

voice communication system useless. An 

accommodation for this problem is to provide 

individuals with a tactile/vibratory pager, which 

is tied into the building fire notification system. 

When the audible alarm is activated, they are 

simultaneously notified by the vibration of the 

pager.

Another major problem of emergency 

notification faced by persons who are deaf or 

hard of hearing is that they cannot keep up 

with storm warnings on radio and television. 

In Florida, TV stations now close-caption 

their hurricane coverage, and several deaf 

organizations have set up TDD/TTY hotlines to 

keep persons up-to-date on storm warnings and 

evacuation orders.

When approaching a person who is deaf or 

hard of hearing, and the person does not have 

visual contact with you, e.g., if you are entering 

a room, flick the lights on and off to draw 

attention to your presence. 

If you are rescuing a person who is deaf or hard 

of hearing, do not allow others to interrupt or 

joke with you while conveying the emergency 

information. Be patient; the individual may have 

difficulty comprehending the urgency of your 

message.

Categories of Impairments

9

Tips for Assisting People with Hearing Impairments

• Face the light. Do not cover or turn your face away, and never 

chew gum.

• Establish eye contact with the person, even if an interpreter is 

present.

• Use facial expressions and hand gestures as visual cues. 

• Check to see if you have been understood, and repeat, if 

necessary. 

• Offer pencil and paper. Write slowly, and let the individual 

read as you write. Written communication may be especially 

important if you are unable to understand the individual’s 

speech. 

• Provide the individual with a flashlight for signaling his or 

her location, in the event that he or she is separated from the 

rescuing team or buddy, and to facilitate lip-reading in the dark.

Hearing Impairments 

(Deaf or Hard of Hearing)
Categories of Impairments

10

A training class was held to 

give four of the students an 

opportunity to interact with 

paramedics. By working 

together, the students and 

paramedics learned from 

each other. Afterwards, the 

students and paramedics 

requested to schedule followup classes to develop stronger 

communication skills.

WPSD Students’ Book Helps EMS Workers

By David Brodbeck, Staff Writer

From the newsroom of the Woodland Hills Progress Star,

Woodland Hills, Pennsylvania, Wednesday, April 17, 2002 .....

An emergency scene is chaotic enough, but throw in not being able to 

communicate with people and the situation becomes problematic.

To aid emergency medical personnel in their dealings with people who are 

unable to hear, students attending Western Pennsylvania School for the 

Deaf in Edgewood have put together a book of helpful tips.

Gretchen Steffen, residential supervisor at WPSD, started the project two 

years ago as part of a community service project with Baldwin Borough’s 

EMS.

To help the EMS department, the students have put together a book 

that has photographs of them demonstrating sign language that may be 

encountered when responding to an emergency.

The Baldwin paramedics keep a copy of the book in each of their 

ambulances and each paramedic has a copy to study, Steffen says.

The Pleasant Hills Lions Club has expressed interest in working to get the 

guide developed by the WPSD students circulated throughout the county.

© Woodland Hills Progress Star 2002

http://www.baldwinems.com/
Categories of Impairments

11

People with developmental disabilities may 

experience limitation with cognitive abilities, 

motor abilities, and social abilities. The 

individual may have difficulty in recognizing 

rescuers or being motivated to act in an 

emergency.

These individuals may also have difficulty in 

responding to instructions which involve more 

than a small number of simple actions. Keep in 

mind that:

• Visual perception of written instructions or 

signs may be confused.

• Sense of direction may be limited, requiring 

someone to accompany them. 

• Ability to understand speech is often more 

developed than his or her own vocabulary.

• The individual should be treated as an adult 

who happens to have a cognitive or learning 

disability. 

Tips for Assisting People 

with Cognitive Impairments

• Be patient. 

• Break down information into simple steps. 

• Use simple signals or symbols. 

• Do not talk about a person to others in 

front of him or her. 

• Do not talk down to or treat the person as a 

child.

• Provide pictures, 

symbols, or 

diagrams instead of 

words.

• Read written 

information.

• Provide written information on audiotape.

• Use voice output on the computer.

• Use Reading Pen single words (get 

illustration of Reading Pen).

• Use line guide to identify or highlight one 

line of text at a time.

*Definition of developmental disability: severe, chronic disability attributable to mental or physical impairment, 

which becomes apparent before the person is 22 years old, and is likely to continue indefinitely. The disability 

can result in substantial limitation in three or more areas: self-care, receptive and expressive language, 

learning, mobility, self-direction, capacity for independent living and economic self-sufficiency, as well as the 

continuous need for individually planned and coordinated services.

Cognitive Impairments 

Fire. Come with me. Go down the stairs.
Use of Pictures to Replace Spoken Language

Below is a sample of a product of pictographs to replace the spoken language.

Categories of Impairments

12

Care-Receiver

This communication board is to be used to 

assist you in expressing your needs in times 

of disaster or other emergency situations. If 

you are the victim of such circumstances and 

are having problems expressing your needs, 

simply point to the picture or phrase that 

represents your situation or identify an item 

you need.

Care-Giver

This communication board has been designed 

to bridge communication gaps in times of 

disaster or other emergency situations. The 

gaps may result from language barriers, 

disability, age, or the trauma and confusion 

associated with the event. As a result, critical 

information could be difficult to exchange. 

By either acknowledging or pointing to the 

appropriate picture, you can better assess 

health conditions.

Samples courtesy Servison, Inc., 

982 N.E. 126th Street, North Miami, FL 33161, Phone: 305-899-1996.
Because people who use wheelchairs have a 

wide variety of abilities and limitations, it is 

difficult to generalize their needs.

Following are some useful questions to consider 

in understanding common limitations.

• Is the person able to stand or walk without the 

aid of the wheelchair? 

• If yes, how long can the person stand or walk 

unaided? 

• Does the person have full, partial, or no use of 

the upper extremities? 

Mobility

13

Wheelchair Users

If you assist a wheelchair user, 

avoid putting pressure on 

the person’s extremities and 

chest. Such pressure might 

cause spasms, pain, and even 

restrict breathing. For example, 

carrying someone slung over 

your shoulders (like the old and 

now incorrect “fireman’s carry”) 

is like sitting on a person’s 

chest and poses grave danger 

for individuals who fall within 

categories of neurologic 

and orthopedic disabilities.

Wheelchair users are trained in special techniques to transfer from one chair to another. Depending 

on their upper body strength, they may be able to do much of the work themselves. As with 

persons with vision impairments, ask first what you can do to help them.

During rescues in which the person is transferred from his or her wheelchair into an evacuation 

chair, the first responder needs to consider that once the person has been taken to a place of 

safety, the wheelchair should be waiting for him or her, if possible. People who depend on their 

wheelchairs for mobility have expressed concern about their wheelchairs being left behind. 
Someone using a walking aide, such as a crutch 

or a cane, might be able to negotiate stairs 

independently. One 

hand is used 

to grasp the 

handrail, 

while the 

other hand 

is used for 

the crutch or 

cane. Here, 

it is best not 

to interfere 

with this person’s 

movement. You might 

be of assistance by 

offering to carry the 

extra crutch. Also, if 

the stairs are crowded, 

you can act as a buffer 

and run interference.

Mobility

14

Tips for Assisting Wheelchair Users

• When giving directions to a person in a 

wheelchair, consider distance, weather 

conditions, and physical obstacles such as 

stairs, curbs, and steep hills. 

• Relax and speak naturally. Do not be 

embarrassed if you happen to use accepted 

common expressions such as “got to be 

running along” that seem to relate to the 

person’s disability.

• When addressing a person who uses a 

wheelchair, do not lean on the wheelchair 

unless you have permission to do so. 

A wheelchair is part of an individual’s 

personal space. 

• When talking to a person who uses a 

wheelchair, look at and speak directly 

to that person, rather than through a 

companion. 

• When talking with a person in a wheelchair 

for more than a few minutes, use a chair 

whenever possible. This can facilitate 

conversation.

• Terms such as “wheelchair bound” 

or “confined to a wheelchair” are 

inappropriate. Using a wheelchair does not 

mean confinement.

• When greeting a person who uses a 

wheelchair, it is appropriate to offer to 

shake hands with that person even if he or 

she has upper extremity limitations.

Ambulant with Aide
The advantage of the Swing- or Chair-Carry is that partners can 

support, with practice and coordination, a person whose weight is 

the same or even greater than their own weight. The disadvantage 

is increased awkwardness in vertical travel (stair descent) due to the 

complexity of the two-person carry. Also, three persons abreast may 

exceed the effective width of the stairway.

The Cradle Carry method should 

be used when the person has little 

or no arm strength. It is safest if 

the person being carried weighs 

less than the carrier’s weight.

The choice of a particular carry 

has little to do with the disability 

of the person to be rescued, and 

more to do with his or her size, 

abilities, and certain problems, 

such as leg spasms. The choice 

between the carries relates then 

to the general physical attributes 

of both the rescuer and the 

rescuee.

As the size of the rescuee 

approaches the size of the 

rescuer, the difficulty of choosing a technique increases and 

becomes more and more dependent on the abilities of the rescuee.

Mobility

15

Comparison of Carry Techniques

Cradle Carry

Swing- or Chair-Carry
Mobility

16

Note that the person being carried 

has her forearms resting on the 

shoulders of the carry partners.

1

Stand on opposite sides 

of the individual being 

rescued.

Take the rescuee’s arm 

on your side and place it 

around your shoulder.

2 3

4

Grasp your carry 

partner’s forearm 

behind the rescuee, 

at the small of his 

or her back.

Reach under the 

rescuee’s knees and 

grasp your carry 

partner’s other 

wrist.

Lean in close to the 

individual and lift at the 

count of three.

Continue pressing into 

the individual being 

carried to provide 

additional support.

After completion of the 

lift, shift the rescuee 

upward for a more 

comfortable carry.
One-Person Assist

• Grasp the pushing grips, if the wheelchair has 

them.

• Stand one step above and behind the 

wheelchair.

• Tilt the wheelchair backward until a balance 

(fulcrum) is achieved.

• Keep your center of gravity low.

• Descend frontward.

• Let the back wheels gradually lower to the 

next step.

• If possible, have another person assist you.

Two-Person Assist

Positioning of second rescuer:

• Stand in front of wheelchair.

• Face the wheelchair.

• Stand one, two, or three steps down 

(dependent on height of the rescuer).

• Grasp the frame of the wheelchair.

• Push into the wheelchair.

• Descend stairs backward.

Mobility

17

In-Chair Carry

The wheelchair user is anxious to be returned to his or her wheelchair after the rescue; therefore, 

the in-chair evacuation is desirable when feasible.

The person in front 

should be careful not 

to lift the wheelchair,

as this places additional 

weight on the person 

assisting behind the 

wheelchair.

Note: 

wheelchair 

user is 

grasping inside 

(chrome) 

wheel control, 

thereby 

Tilt 

backward 

until a 

balance 

(fulcrum) is 
Three-Person Assist

Position for second and third rescuers:

• Face direction of descent.

• Flank the wheelchair.

• Stay in line with the two front (smaller) 

wheels.

• Stand one step/tread lower than rescuer 

behind wheelchair.

• Grasp the frame of the wheelchair.

• Push into the wheelchair.

Mobility

18
When the first plane hit the tower on September 11, 2001, John 

Abruzzo, like others, rushed to the stairwell. However, evacuation 

for John would prove to be much more difficult than others, as 

he is a C 5-6 quadriplegic who relies on an electric wheelchair for 

mobility. With use of the emergency evacuation chair, John was 

able to make an escape to safety. “It took us an hour and a half to 

get down 69 floors.”

In the first attack on the World Trade Center in February 1993, 

John’s evacuation took six hours, during which he was carried 

in his electric chair from the 69th floor to the 44th floor, where 

he was transferred to a stretcher and taken out of the building. 

Shortly after the 1993 bombing, the Port Authority purchased a 

number of products and systems to aid in the evacuation and lifesafety of the World Trade Center occupants. The implementation 

of these products proved successful on 9/11. Lights stayed on 

while John and his friends evacuated, ventilation systems in the 

stairwells minimized smoke infiltration, and the evacuation chairs 

became a real life-saver.

Several other people with disabilities were successfully evacuated with evacuation chairs. John and 

his group exited the tower and were out of harm’s way just ten minutes before its collapse.

Mobility

19

Evacuation Devices

Some Surprised to Find Themselves Heroes

By Bruce Horovitz, USA TODAY (September 12, 2001)

On the 68th floor, they came upon a distraught woman in a wheelchair. 

They did not know her name, but the woman, who was blond and in her 

40s, told them she had been in the building during the terrorist bombing 

there in 1993.

The two men helped her out of (her) wheelchair 

into a special chair designed for emergency 

evacuations stored in the stairwell. (The chair 

had been purchased after 1993 bombing.) 

They strapped her in and began the journey 

down as the building blazed. Others pitched in 

to help carry from time to time. Along the way, 

they passed dozens of firemen running up the 

stairway. And they passed a number of aged or 

overweight people who could not keep up pace. 

They stumbled outside the building one hour 

later and placed the woman in an emergency 

van.

Conclusion

21

The issues regarding persons with disabilities are many and complex. This guide is simply a first 

step to give you, the first responder, some insight and guidance to better serve the unique needs of 

this community of people. The information found in Appendix B can take you to the next level.

To paraphrase the National Organization on Disability printed earlier in the guide, we hope you 

will incorporate this information into your arsenal of skills and experience to benefit all people 

that you serve. With awareness about the unique issues that may impact a specific segment of the 

population during an emergency, your ability to react appropriately and identify creative solutions 

increases exponentially to everyone’s benefit.

On behalf of all of us who contributed to the material, we thank you for taking the time to read this 

guide, and also for your many contributions to all communities.

When writing, it’s important to be concise, 

particularly in journalism. However, 

sometimes the effort to limit wordiness leads 

to inappropriate references to people with 

disabilities. The following guidelines explain 

preferred terminology and reflect input from 

over 100 national disability organizations. These 

guidelines have been reviewed and endorsed 

by media and disability experts throughout the 

country. Although opinions may differ on some 

terms, the guidelines represent the current 

consensus among disability organizations. 

Portions of the guidelines have been adopted 

into the Associated Press Stylebook, a basic 

reference for professional journalists.

Do not focus on disability unless it is crucial 

to a story. Avoid tear-jerking human interest 

stories about incurable diseases, congenital 

impairments, or severe injury. Focus instead 

on issues that affect the quality of life for 

those same individuals, such as accessible 

transportation, housing, affordable health care, 

employment opportunities, and discrimination.

Do not portray successful people with 

disabilities as superhuman. Many people 

with disabilities do not want to be “hero-ized.” 

Like many people without disabilities, they 

simply wish to live lives of full inclusion in our 

communities and do not want to be judged 

based on unreasonable expectations. 

Do not sensationalize a disability by writing 

“afflicted with,” “crippled with,” “suffers from,” 

“victim of,” and so on. Instead, write “person who 

has multiple sclerosis” or “man who had polio.” 

Do not use generic labels for disability groups, 

such as “the retarded,” “the deaf.” Emphasize 

people, not labels. Say, “people with mental 

retardation” or “people who are deaf.”

Put people first, not their disability. Say, 

“woman with arthritis,” “children who are deaf,” 

“people with disabilities.” This puts the focus 

on the individual, not the particular functional 

limitation. Despite editorial pressures to be 

succinct, it is never acceptable to use “crippled,” 

“deformed,” “suffers from,” “victim of,” “the 

retarded,” “the deaf and dumb,” etc. 

Emphasize abilities, not limitations. For 

example: 

• Correct: “uses a wheelchair,” “uses

braces,” or “walks with crutches.” 

• Incorrect: “confined to a wheelchair,” 

“wheelchair-bound,” or “crippled.” 

Similarly, do not use emotional descriptors such 

as “unfortunate,” “pitiful,” and similar phrases.

Disability groups also strongly object to using 

euphemisms to describe disabilities. Terms 

such as “handi-capable,” “mentally different,” 

“physically inconvenienced,” and “physically 

challenged” are considered condescending. They 

reinforce the idea that disabilities cannot be dealt 

with directly and candidly.

Do not imply disease when discussing 

disabilities that result from a prior disease 

episode. People who had polio and experienced 

after-effects have a post-polio disability; they 

are not currently experiencing the disease. Do 

not imply disease with people whose disability 

has resulted from anatomical or physiological 

damage (e.g., person with spina bifida or 

cerebral palsy). Reference to disease associated 

with a disability is acceptable only with chronic 

diseases, such as arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, 

or multiple sclerosis. People with disabilities 

should never be referred to as “patients” or 

“cases” unless the relationship with their 

doctor(s) is under discussion.

Show people with disabilities as active 

participants of society. Portraying persons with 

disabilities interacting with people without 

disabilities in social and work environments 

helps break down barriers and open lines of 

communication.

The Research Training Center/Independent Living 

(RTC/IL) NIDRR acknowledges the National 

Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research 

(NIDRR) for providing funds to develop the first 

edition of these guidelines.

Appendix A

Writing Guidelines and Disability Terminology

23

Appendix B

Resources

National Organization 

on Disability (N.O.D.)

Actions taken as a result 

of the events of 9/11

910 Sixteenth Street, N.W., Suite 600

Washington, DC 20006

Voice: 202-293-5960 

e-mail: ability@nod.org

Web: www.nod.org

National Organization on Disabilities promotes 

the full and equal participation and contribution of 

America’s 54 million men, women, and children 

with disabilities in all aspects of life. 

The Access Board

Technical assistance 

in matters of ADA and 

ADAAG

1331 F Street, NW, Suite 1000

Washington, DC 20004-1111

Voice: 202-272-0080; 800-872-2253

TTY: 202-272-0082; 800-993-2822

e-mail: Info@access-board.gov

Web: www.access-board.gov

An independent federal agency devoted to 

accessibility for people with disabilities. Click on 

Evacuation Planning. For information about disability 

groups, go to: www.access-board.gov/links/disability.

ABLEDATA

Assistive technology, 

emergency evacuation 

equipment

8630 Fenton Street, Suite 930

Silver Spring, MD 20910

Voice: 800-227-0216

TTY: 301-608-8912

e-mail: abledata@macroint.com

Web: www.abledata.com

Provides information on assistive technology and 

rehabilitation equipment available from domestic and 

international sources to consumers, organizations, 

professionals, and caregivers within the United States.

National Council on 

Independent Living

(NCIL)

Not just responding to 

change, but leading it

1916 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 209

Arlington, VA 22201

Voice: 703-525-3406

TTY: 703-525-4153

e-mail: ncil@ncil.org

Web: www.ncil.org

There are several hundred Centers for Independent 

Living (CIL) across the country. CILs are communitybased resource and advocacy centers managed by 

and for people with disabilities, promoting independent 

living and equal access for all persons with physical, 

mental, cognitive, and sensory disabilities.

The Arc of the United 

States

Supports issues of 

cognitive disabilities

1010 Wayne Ave., Suite 650

Silver Spring, MD 20910

Voice: 301-565-3842

e-mail: info@thearc.org

Web: www.thearc.org

The Arc of the United States works to include all 

children and adults with cognitive, intellectual, and 

developmental disabilities in every community.

Office of Disability 

Employment Policy 

(ODEP)

Directory for (50) States’ 

assistance

1331 F Street, NW, Suite 300

Washington D.C. 20004

Voice: 202-376-6200

TTY: 202-376-6205

Web: www.dol.gov/dol/odep

State liaisons are the contacts on disability issues 

in each of the respective states. For the resources 

provided by the liaison in your state, go to 

www.dol.gov/dol/odep/public/directory, and then state 

abbreviation. Click on the abbrevation for your state.

JAN, The Job 

Accommodation 

Network

Comprehensive 

resource 

PO Box 6080

West Virginia University

Morgantown, WV 26506-6080 

Voice & TTY: 1-800-526-7234

e-mail: jan@jan.icdi.wva.edu

Web: www.jan

Provides information and consulting on 

accommodating people with disabilities in the 

workplace. JAN Accommodation Toolbox offers free 

publications. For example, evacuation procedures, 

effective communication for individuals who are deaf or 

hard of hearing, ergonomics, and disability etiquette.

Eastern Paralyzed 

Veterans Association 

(EPDA)

Technical assistance 

on accessibility and 

building codes

111 West Huron Street

Buffalo, New York 14202

Voice: 800-795-3619

e-mail: bblack@epva.org

Web: www.epva.org

Provides information on accessibility and life safety 

for persons who use wheelchairs, with an emphasis 

on the requirement of model building codes and 

standards. Provides free publications and a monthly 

newsletter on issues affecting paralyzed veterans.

25

For the 54 million Americans with disabilities, 

and millions of others around the world, 

surviving a disaster can be the beginning of a 

greater struggle. Whether an individual with 

a disability requires electricity to power a 

respirator, life-sustaining medication, mobility 

assistance, or post-disaster recovery services, 

relief organizations and rescue personnel 

must be prepared to address the needs of that 

individual in the hours and days following a 

disaster. 

Similarly, efforts to accommodate disabled 

Americans frequently ignore disaster 

preparedness and response. As a result, too few 

disaster response officials are trained to deal 

effectively with people with disabilities, and too 

few disabled Americans have the knowledge that 

could help them save their own lives. 

Seven key principles should guide disaster relief: 

1. Accessible Disaster Facilities and Services

Communications technology is vital for people 

with disabilities during a disaster to help 

assess damage, collect information, and deploy 

supplies. Access to appropriate facilities—

housing, beds, toilets, and other necessities—

must be monitored and made available to 

individuals with disabilities before, during, and 

after a disaster. This access also must be ensured 

for those who incur a disability as a result of a 

disaster. Appropriate planning and management 

of information related to architectural 

accessibility improves the provision of disaster 

services for persons with disabilities. 

2. Accessible Communications and Assistance

As communications technology and policy 

become more integral to disaster relief and 

mitigation, providing accessibility to the 

technology for people with disabilities becomes 

more essential. For example, people with 

hearing impairments require interpreters, TDD 

communications, and signaling devices. In 

addition, written materials must be produced 

on cassette tape, on CD-ROM, or in large print 

for people with visual impairments. People 

with cognitive impairments, such as those with 

developmental disabilities, Alzheimer’s disease, 

or brain injury, require assistance to cope with 

new surroundings and to minimize confusion 

factors. It is crucial that people with disabilities 

help develop accessible communications and 

reliable assistance technologies. 

3. Accessible and Reliable Rescue 

Communications

Accessible and reliable communications 

technology is critical to ensuring fast, effective, 

and competent field treatment of people 

with disabilities. Current satellite and cellular 

technology as well as personal communication 

networks permit communication in areas 

with a damaged or destroyed communication 

infrastructure. Communications technologies 

can assist field personnel in rescue coordination 

and tracking and can be combined with 

databases that house information on optimal 

treatment for particular disabilities or that track 

the allocation of post-disaster resources. 

Appendix C

Disaster Mitigation for Persons with Disabilities 

27
4. Partnerships with the Disability 

Community

Disability organizations must join with relief 

and rescue organizations and the media to 

educate and inform their constituents of 

disaster contingency and self-help plans. A 

nationwide awareness effort should be devised 

and implemented to inform people with 

disabilities about necessary precautions for 

imminent disaster. In the event of a sudden 

natural disaster, such a program would minimize 

injury and facilitate rescue efforts. In addition, 

more young people with disabilities should 

be encouraged to study technology, medicine, 

science, and engineering as a way of gaining 

power over future technological advances in 

disaster relief and mitigation. 

5. Disaster Preparation, Education, and 

Training

Communications technologies are crucial for 

educating the public about disaster preparedness 

and warning the people most likely to be 

affected. Relief and rescue operations must have 

the appropriate medical equipment, supplies, 

and training to address the immediate needs 

of people with disabilities. Affected individuals 

may require bladder bags, insulin pumps, 

walkers, or wheelchairs. Relief personnel must 

be equipped and trained in the use of such 

equipment. In addition, relief personnel should 

provide training, particularly for personnel 

and volunteers in the field, on how to support 

the independence and dignity of persons with 

disabilities in the aftermath of a disaster. 

6. Partnerships with the Media

Many natural disasters can be predicted in 

advance. Disaster preparedness for people with 

disabilities is critical in minimizing the impact 

of a disaster. The media—in partnership with 

disability and governmental organizations—

should incorporate advisories into emergency 

broadcasts in formats accessible to people with 

disabilities. Such advisories alert the public, 

provide a mechanism for informing rescue 

personnel of individual medical conditions 

and impairments, and identify accessible 

emergency shelters. The creation and repetition 

of accessible media messages is critical for 

empowering people with disabilities to protect 

themselves from disasters. 

7. Universal Design and Implementation 

Strategies

Designing universal access into disaster relief 

plans, far from being a costly proposition, 

can pay off handsomely. As accessible 

communications tools become more widely 

available, their price will decrease. In addition, 

a universal design approach to meeting the 

needs of people with disabilities before and 

after a disaster will benefit many people without 

disabilities, such as the very young or the aged. 

A look at existing agreements among relief 

organizations and local, state, federal, and 

international governments will offer guidance 

in developing effective strategies for universal 

design and implementation plans. The federal 

government’s role has yet to be defined, but 

it could encourage or even mandate universal 

design and set standards. For example, the 

federal government could provide guidelines for 

evacuation plans or pre-disaster warning periods. 

From a report by The Annenberg Washington Program 

written in collaboration with the President’s Committee 

on the Employment of People with Disabilities by 

Annenberg Senior Fellow.

Appendix C

28
A

ABT About 

ADA Americans with 

Disabilities Act 

AM Morning 

AMBL, AMBU 

Ambulance 

ANS Answer

ANS MACH 

Answering Machine 

ASAP As soon as 

possible 

B

BEC, CUZ Because

C

CA Communication 

Asst. (Relay Operator) 

CC (Closed) 

Captioning

CD, CLD Could 

CI Cochlear Implant 

CLR Clear

CU See you! 

CN Can 

D

DOB Date of Birth 

DOC, DR Doctor 

E, F, G

*GA Go Ahead 

*GA SK, GA to SK 

Anything else? 

GOVT Government 

H

HAND Have a nice 

day! 

*HD, HLD Hold 

HOSP Hospital

I

IMPT Important

INFO Information 

INT, TERP

Interpreter 

ILY I love you

J, K

KIT Keep in touch! 

L

LD Long-distance 

LTR Letter 

LV Leave M

MIN Minute

MSG, MSSG Message 

MTG Meeting 

MYOB Mind your 

own business!

N

N and NBR Number

NITE Night

NP, NO PBLM No 

problem! 

O

OK Okay

OIC Oh, I see

OPR Operator

OXOX Hugs and 

kisses 

P

PH Phone

PLS Please

Q

*Q, QQ, QM

Question mark 

Appendix D

It is common for TTY callers to use many abbreviations in their TTY conversations. This is used 

to minimize keystrokes and long distance charges on the TTY. These abbreviations are also used 

to supplement modern abbreviations, postal codes, and “emotions” such as “:-)” on 2-way wireless 

text messaging as well as Internet instant messaging applications. (*) are the basics in all TTY 

conversations and italics are more applicable to weather or emergency situations. Be sure to find out 

any abbreviations common to your locale, which may not be known nationwide.

Resource for This List

TDI - Telecommunications for the Deaf, Inc.

8630 Fenton Street, Suite 604, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3803

301-589-3006 (TTY); 301-589-3797 (fax); 301-589-3786 (v)

Web: www.tdi-online.org/quicklists1.html

TTY – Commonly Used Abbreviations

29

Photographs and Drawings:

The following organizations have generously 

provided permission to reprint photos and 

drawings for publication:

• Emergency Education Network (EENET) 

Federal Emergency Management Agency 

(FEMA) video: Meeting the Special Needs of the 

Disabled in Evacuation and Sheltering Systems; 

March 22, 1989.

• National Research Council of Canada, 

Evacuation Techniques for Disabled Person; March 

1983

• Independence Dogs, Inc. (IDI)

Service Dogs for the Mobility Impaired

146 State Line Rd.

Chadds Ford, PA 19317

Voice: 610-358-2723

Web: www.independencedogs.org

• Garaventa Canada, Ltd.

Web: www.evacutrac.com/index.html

• EVAC+CHAIR® Corporation

PO Box 2396

Voice: 212-369-4094

e-mail: sales@evac-chair.com

Web: www.evac-chair.com/

• Servison, Inc.

982 N.E. 126th Street

North Miami, FL 33161

Voice: 305-899-1996

• Baldwin Emergency Medical Service, Inc.

One Readshaw Way

Pittsburgh PA 15236 

Voice: 412-884-0666

Web: www.baldwinems.com/

• Western PA School for the Deaf 

300 East Swissvale Avenue 

Pittsburgh, PA 15218 

Voice: 412-371-7000 

Web: www.wpsd.org/home.htm

Equipment and Product Information:

• Telecommunications for the Deaf, Inc. (TDI)

8630 Fenton Street, Suite 604

Silver Spring, MD 20910-3803 

Voice: 301-589-3006 

TTY: 301-589-3797

Web: www.tdi-online.org/

• Delta Society®

580 Naches Avenue, SW, Suite 101

Renton, WA 98055-2297

Voice: 425-226-7357 

Web: www.deltasociety.org

• EVAC+CHAIR® Corporation

PO Box 2396

Voice: 212-369-4094 

e-mail: sales@evac-chair.com

Web: www.evac-chair.com/

• Contra Costa County Fire Protection District

Station 6, Battalion 2

Pleasant Hill, California

• National Organization on Disability (N.O.D.)

910 Sixteenth Street, N.W., Suite 600

Washington, DC, 20006

e-mail: ability@nod.org

Web: www.nod.org

Appendix E

References

31