Below are some guiding questions for emergency managers and public health officials to consider when planning / creating inclusive plans. 

Ask yourself / your team: 

✔ Do notification and warning systems provide equally effective communication?

✔ Do you have contracts in place for American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters and Caption Access Real-time Translation (CART) captioners for public broadcasts and in shelters?

✔ Do you have contracts in place with Personal Assistant Services (PAS) and Direct Support Provider (DSP) agencies for shelters?

✔ Do you have contracts in place with transportation providers in order to provide accessible transportation when offering transportation to the general public? 

✔ Note: when providing transportation to the general public, you MUST also provide accessible transportation accommodations to people who need it.

✔ Do you have a list of what and where shelters are ADA compliant and otherwise accessible?

✔ Do you promote this to the community during a disaster / emergency?

✔ Do you have regular stakeholder meetings with local and state decision-makers and disability community stakeholders? (i.e. Centers for Independent Living, Protection and Advocacy Agency, Developmental Disabilities Council, grassroots organizations, etc.)

✔ Do you have MOUs with local disability-led organizations to identify barriers and work on collaborative solutions?

✔ When providing any disaster-related programs or services, are they inclusive of and accessible to people with disabilities?