When Natural Disasters Hit, People With Disabilities Often Feel Them ‘First and Worst'

New York Times

21-04-2025

As 75-mile-an-hour winds whipped black smoke across the sky, I stood in my kitchen, worrying about what it would take to evacuate. My husband had packed up the medications, arm and knee braces and heating pads I needed to manage my debilitating, chronic pain.
But now what?
It was Jan. 8 in Los Angeles. There were 100,000 people under evacuation orders, and every hotel and Airbnb was booked. I had nowhere to go, no refills remaining on one of my medications and no idea how bad my pain would become if I missed a scheduled medical procedure.
Fires, floods, hurricanes and other natural disasters are hitting harder than ever. And when they do, people with disabilities often feel the impact 'first and worst,' said June Isaacson Kailes, a disability policy consultant in Los Angeles. An estimated 1.3 billion people, or 16 percent of the world's population, has experienced significant disability.
Despite facing a higher risk of injury or death than those without disabilities, however, 84 percent of people with disabilities worldwide report feeling unprepared.
'Your survival depends on having a plan and knowing how to carry out that plan,' said Mike Diehl, an amputee and former firefighter in Middletown, Ohio.
Here is how to make one.
Ask for help ahead of time.
Start by knocking on your neighbor's door and talking about what you can do together in an emergency, suggested Germán Parodi, an executive director of the Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies, a nonprofit organization. In many cases, it is neighbors, not emergency workers, who carry out rescues, explained Mr. Parodi, who is quadriplegic and worked in Puerto Rico to assist people with disabilities who were affected by Hurricane Maria in 2017.
Alison Freeman, a clinical psychologist who is deaf, learned after the L.A. wildfires that her apartment building issued announcements about emergencies only via loudspeaker and that building staff members would not be permitted to leave the first floor and alert her in person during an evacuation. After that, she said, 'I took it upon myself to connect with other residents to see who'd be willing to check in on me.'
Be proactive with your doctors, experts said. Ask for extra medication refills so that you have an emergency supply on hand, and discuss how to manage possible treatment disruptions.
If you depend on electricity — whether for a powered scooter, oxygen or refrigerated medications — contact your power company before disaster strikes. They may be able to put you on a priority restoration list.
Plan where you'll go.
Tyler Lima-Roope, who is 27 and lives in Los Angeles, relies on his power wheelchair and other medical devices to live and function. As wildfires threatened nearby neighborhoods earlier this year, he worried about finding a place that could support his extensive needs, including specialized equipment to help him move from his bed to a wheelchair or shower chair.
'Having to go somewhere at the drop of a dime is really hard for someone in my situation,' Mr. Lima-Roope said.
Experts suggested creating a list of possible places to evacuate that you know can accommodate your needs, and keeping the necessary contact information on hand.
If you need accessible transportation, arrange this ahead of time with someone you know or with a disability resource agency in your area. This is essential, experts said, because emergency rescue teams are stretched thin during disasters.
And know when you'll leave.
Search online for your city or county emergency alert system, and sign up for it. Opt in to receive Wireless Emergency Alerts, and consider downloading apps from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the American Red Cross, which work with screen readers and flash notifications for those with vision or hearing impairments. Weather radios from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration can also send alerts using tone, lights, vibrations or text displays.
If your disability affects how quickly or safely you can evacuate, consider leaving before an order is issued.
Because Mr. Diehl knows that gathering and loading his supplies into the car could take precious time in an emergency, he keeps them ready to go.
'I'm prepared to get myself out of a bad situation before it becomes so dire that I need a rescue,' Mr. Diehl said.
Evacuating early may also be a good idea if you depend on medical devices that require electricity and power outages seem likely, said Elizabeth Bubel, a program manager at the American Red Cross.
Do not wait until disaster is at your door to test your exit route. For tornado preparations, for example, practice how quickly you can reach your home's lowest, innermost room. If you have mobility limitations and work or live in a multistory building, rehearse using evacuation chairs with those who would help you in an emergency.
Prepare a 'go bag.'
Experts recommended using disability-specific checklists to build emergency kits for your home, work and car.
If some of your daily essentials cannot be stowed in a bag ahead of time, pack what you can and make a list of what you'll need to grab in the moment, said Ms. Kailes, the disability policy consultant. And set yourself a semiannual reminder to make sure your backup medications are not expired.
Experts also suggested creating a photo album or log on your smartphone listing any prescriptions or medical equipment, in case they have to be left behind when you evacuate and later replaced.
After evacuating, I was lucky to return to a home that was still standing. I began unpacking the bag I had scrambled to fill, and then stopped. I left a few days' worth of clothes, medications and instant cold packs inside, for the next time I might need them.