

NOBODY

LEFT

BEHIND

Emergency 

Preparedness

for 

Persons with

Disabilities

(PWD)

and/or

Mobility 

Impairments 

(MI)


Disasters

Sudden, calamitous events that seriously disrupt the functioning of a community or 

society and cause human, material, and economic or environmental losses that 

exceed the community's or society's ability to cope using its own resources.

PANDEMICS


The Genesis of a Revelation 

https://youtu.be/aPq0w_psbxs

America’s Emergency Preparedness Epiphany 


The Importance of Emergency Preparedness

 University of Kansas “Nobody Left Behind” Study

 Determined whether counties that experienced a disaster in the past 5 years had systems of 

emergency preparedness and response for PWD/MI.

 Evaluated surveillance systems that can identify morbidity and mortality frequency and 

prevalence for PWD/MI exposed to a disaster.

 Identified FEMA-declared disasters between 1989-2003. Selected a random sample of 30 

counties across 10 federal regions. Interviewed county emergency managers and evaluated 

their disaster plans in place at the time of occurrence and more recently for actions targeting 

persons with mobility disabilities.

 Only 27% of county emergency managers had taken FEMA Emergency Planning and 

Special Needs Course (G-197) pertaining to PWD.

 PWD either were not represented or had minimal representation in the emergency planning 

process.

 Surveillance efforts to identify PWDs and mobility impairments were weak.


The Hard Questions 

 The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has been in existence for more 

than 20 years...yet disaster-related or local services can still be deemed 

inaccessible, and disaster-related personnel uninformed of the needs of 

PWD and how to assist them. Why?

 Are there differences in disaster preparedness for persons who are 

disabled, seniors, or seriously ill?

 Are there differences within classes, races, and among states?

 When will local emergency management infrastructures be strengthened?

 Is your local government prepared?

 Have you prepared yourself?
 Lessons Learned 

 Emergency response and recovery measures did not accommodate PWD.

 Inadequate warning systems.

 People left behind when evacuating buildings.

 Non-accessible shelters.

 Lack of transportation to sites for relief services, and so on.

 There was a lack of relief workers and other service personnel, including mental 

health professionals experienced in working with PWD and the knowledge of 

benefits to help them.

 After the event, many vital services remained disrupted or disallowed, even when it 

became clear that doing so placed people with disabilities at risk.

9/11

Source: Lessons Learned from the World Trade Center Disaster: Emergency Preparedness for People 

with Disabilities in New York, September 9, 2004, The Center for Independence of the Disabled, NY


Lessons Learned  34 people died when flood 

waters from Hurricane 

Katrina (2005) inundated 

St. Rita's Nursing Home in 

Violet, LA. 

KATRINA
 “Survival Of The Fittest” Mentality

 Hurricane Rita (2005) forced an 

evacuation from Brighton Gardens 

nursing home in Bellaire, TX.

 37 residents, 6 staff

 23 elderly died

 The sheriff's deputy who arrived on 

the scene struggled to guide people 

out of the bus. "The sheriff's deputy 

trying to get people off the bus used 

his flashlight, telling passengers to 

‘follow the light' and some of them 

did but not all of them could," said 

John Wiley Price, a Dallas County 

Commissioner.

RITA


Lessons Learned  15 elderly were evacuated by helicopter 

from the La Vita Bella nursing home after 

Hurricane Harvey (2017). 

 The picture was shared on Twitter by 

Timothy McIntosh, who said his mother-

in-law owns the nursing home.

 His wife, Kimberly McIntosh, said her 

mother sent the picture at 9 a.m. 

[Sunday] morning.

 “She said it was a disaster and they were 

hoping the National Guard would come,” 

Kimberly McIntosh said. 

HARVEY


Preparing for Emergencies and Disasters

 Pack an emergency supply kit

 Establish a Family Emergency Plan

 Establish a Family Communication Plan 

 Register with local Emergency Managers

 Be familiar with Local Red Cross chapter or 

Emergency Management Agency Plan

 Tap into resources from Federal agencies and 

State Disability and Health Programs

 https://www.ready.gov/disability

 Alerting People with Disabilities and Access and 

Functional Needs | FEMA.gov

 Have your own medical and other supplies


Surviving Emergencies and Disasters

 Make yourself known..... IDENTIFY

 PREPARE, PREPARE, PREPARE

 Use common sense

 Register with your local Emergency Managers

 Be involved with the planning

 Plan in advance for accessible services

 Have your own medical and other supplies

 Have a POC to report your health/location

 Have alternate/extra sources of power

 Have adequate insurance


The Value of Emergency Preparedness

 Lessons learned from previous catastrophes (9/11, Katrina, Rita, Harvey)

 Previous mentality of “survival of the fittest”

 Having no plans or inadequate plans leads to “survival mode” 

 “Failing to plan is planning to fail.” – Benjamin Franklin


Contact Information 

Shonda Moore

Program Manager for PWDs

If you would like to have me present, train staff, or participate in any Diversity & 

Inclusion event, please email Shonda.Moore@usda.gov.

I am always available to answer any questions you may have! 


References  https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.newschannel5.com%2Fnews%2Fnewschannel-5-

investigates%2Fdoctors-worry-about-low-supply-of-covid-19-

protectivegear&psig=AOvVaw1oaUC1lmPfHjrm9G5DWHv2&ust=1587648325490000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=2ahUK

EwjM8oKFkfzoAhVJT98KHfplC4cQr4kDegUIARCPAQ

 https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.businessinsider.com%2Fcoronavirus-ventilators-somedoctors-try-reduce-use-new-york-death-rate-2020-

4&psig=AOvVaw1oaUC1lmPfHjrm9G5DWHv2&ust=1587648325490000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=2ahUKEwjM8oKFkf

zoAhVJT98KHfplC4cQr4kDegQIARA_

 http://www.foxnews.com/story/2005/09/26/sisters-survive-katrina-rita-bus-blaze.html

 https://www.snopes.com/news/2017/08/27/nursing-home-residents-rescued-harvey-floodwaters/

 http://www2.ku.edu/~rrtcpbs/powerpoint/GlenCatPoster1.pdf

 https://www.eeoc.gov/facts/evacuation.html

 https://emergency.cdc.gov/

 https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/FamEmePlan_2013.pdf

 https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1440517182204-

fd5e99bd2931f0f566d068ca844370ce/Family_Emergency_plan_wallet_2015.pdf