Evacuation plans for oil and gas spills must be accessible to wheelchair users and other disabled people, according to new guidance from the Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies and Climate Reality Project.
The guidance makes recommendations for local governments, first responders and even chemical companies for how to make sure emergency responses to petrochemical leaks take into account the unique needs of people with disabilities. It was written by survivors of oil and chemical spills as well as people with disabilities affiliated with the two nonprofit advocacy groups.
“People with disabilities are not a monolith and we need to prepare accordingly,” said co-author Jason Hallmark, of the Climate Reality Project.
The guidance offer suggestions on how to be more inclusive at every step of disaster response. From the moment a spill or leak is detected, it recommends that government officials ensure all their communications with affected residents are available in formats compatible with screen readers and that American Sign Language interpreting and captioning are available during all press conferences.
