Disaster Preparedness: Addressing Accessibility Gaps in Wildfire Response

Natural disasters, particularly wildfires, have become increasingly devastating, highlighting the need for stronger emergency planning. Ensuring accessibility in disaster preparedness benefits not only the disability community but also strengthens safety measures for everyone.

Before diving into the details, I want to acknowledge that city officials and emergency responders are working diligently to protect all residents. The ideas and recommendations shared here are meant to complement and enhance existing efforts, ensuring that disaster preparedness truly serves everyone. 

More than one in four Americans has a disability. This could be your mother, father, grandparent, sibling, child, or spouse. Despite the broad impact of disability, emergency planning often leaves out the access requirements of disabled individuals. 

Beyond tangible losses, the Eaton Fire affected people culturally and the generational wealth of Black families in Altadena. There are intangible losses that disasters like these erase, such as cultural histories. Natural disasters also displace families and disproportionately affect the most excluded and marginalized in our society. 

Recent California wildfires highlighted this reality when a father, patriarch Anthony Mitchell Sr., and son, both Black and disabled, perished in Altadena due to transportation barriers that prevented timely evacuation. Their tragedy reminds us that together, as a community, we must fill any gaps in disaster response efforts, so it is designed with accessibility in mind, beyond compliance. This should not be an afterthought but a fundamental component of emergency management.  Bridging these gaps is not just an option; it’s a necessity.

The Gaps in Current Disaster Preparedness Plans

Most disaster response systems assume that people can evacuate independently, access shelters, and obtain emergency resources. However, disabled individuals face significant barriers, such as:

• Limited access to emergency information - Alerts are often not screen-reader accessible, lack ASL interpretation, or fail to reach those who are blind and/or d/Deaf.
• Transportation barriers - Many individuals with mobility disabilities have barriers to accessible public transit or lack personal evacuation assistance.
• Emergency shelters that don’t provide access requirements for disabled individuals - Many lack ramps, accessible restrooms, or space for medical equipment. Some even deny service animals.
• Undertrained personnel - First responders, volunteers, and shelter workers often lack disability training, delaying or preventing appropriate assistance.

The result? Disabled individuals are forced to remain in dangerous conditions or rely on last-minute, often inadequate assistance, if help arrives at all. 

A Shepard’s Protection: Innovating Fire Safety for Disabled Individuals

I had the honor of watching a presentation by A Shepard’s Protection, a company founded by firefighter engineer and CEO Keith Holloway. While disaster response must improve, individuals with disabilities also need accessible fire protection tools. A Shepard’s Protection is pioneering a solution by retrofitting commercial-grade ABC Dry Chemical and Water Can fire extinguishers to be fully accessible for disabled individuals.

After speaking with Manuel White at A Shepard’s Protection, he stated, “As a fire captain and advocate for fair safety, I’ve witnessed firsthand how disasters like wildfires disproportionately impact disabled individuals. Through A Shephard’s Protection, we are committed to closing the accessibility gap in fire safety by ensuring that lifesaving equipment and emergency preparedness strategies are designed for everyone because true public safety leaves no one behind."

This revolutionary hardware can allow disabled individuals to independently use fire extinguishers as their first line of defense.

Fire safety should be accessible to all. By providing retrofitted extinguishers, A Shepard’s Protection is ensuring that individuals with disabilities are not left defenseless in the face of fire-related disasters.

Personal & Community Readiness Strategies

Systemic change is necessary, but individuals and communities can also take steps to enhance safety:

• Create a personal emergency preparedness kit - Include backup medications, mobility aids, power sources for assistive devices, and communication tools in case of service disruptions.
• Build a support network – Identify neighbors, friends, or caregivers who can assist in an evacuation. Local disability organizations can help coordinate emergency response efforts.
• Develop a personalized evacuation plan - Contact local emergency services in advance to register for assisted evacuation programs and identify accessible transportation options.
• Store key documents digitally - Keep medical records, emergency contacts, and identification in a secure digital format to prevent loss during evacuations.

However, individual preparedness can only go so far if barriers remain unaddressed.

Emergency Transportation & Evacuation Accessibility

One of the biggest wildfire evacuation challenges is transportation access. Disabled individuals often face:

• Lack of accessible ride-share and public transit options - Most rideshare vehicles are not wheelchair accessible, and public transit often shuts down in disaster zones.
• Limited emergency paratransit services - Few cities integrate evacuation options that include or center disabled individuals and older adults, and those that do often receive inadequate funding or staffing.
• Inaccessible emergency shelters - Many evacuation centers do not meet ADA standards, leaving disabled evacuees and older adults without a safe place to go.

During a community meeting I attended for the Eaton Fires, a first responder shared that rescuing older adults and disabled individuals was a point of pride for his team, but proactive planning is essential. One key solution we discussed was an opt-in registry where disabled individuals can voluntarily register with local emergency services. This would allow first responders to prioritize assistance before a crisis occurs.

Policy & Systemic Solutions for Preparedness

Governments, emergency planners, and community organizations must implement accessibility-based policies, such as:

• Improving emergency alert accessibility - Alerts should be available in screen-readable formats, ASL videos, and multiple languages.
• Investing in accessible transportation solutions - Rideshare companies should be required to offer accessible vehicles, and cities could fund accessible evacuation services.
• Ensuring all shelters meet ADA standards requires facilities to include wheelchair ramps, accessible restrooms, medical accommodations such as certain beds, and sensory-friendly spaces.
• Fire drills for disabled individuals and communities - Regular drills would help identify accessibility gaps and improve response times. 

It may sound ridiculous, but I suggested fire drills to a first responder, who agreed. I explained regular practice could save lives by ensuring disabled individuals know their escape options and equally preparing first responders to understand the many different access requirements.

Community-Led Solutions

Despite these barriers, one thing is clear: the disability community must be prioritized in disaster preparedness. I heard many promising ideas during my discussions with colleagues, advocates, and emergency responders. But one colleague’s words stood out:

"We have to look beyond outside sources and count on each other. We need to check on our neighbors, have neighborhood meetings, and discuss how we can help."

Another colleague and good friend, award-winning actress, writer, and producer, Eileen Grubba, emphasizes the importance of multi-member buddy teams - groups that check in on disabled individuals during emergencies and have a concrete action plan. This community-driven approach can save lives.

Impact on Health

At the State of Black Health: What Now? event (hosted by USA TODAY and BlackDoctor.org), I met Cristi Bell-Huff, PhD, Director of Partnerships and Outreach at Chemical Insights Research Institute (UL Research Institutes). Christi specializes in environmental chemical reactions, and we spoke about how wildfires release toxic chemicals and their effects on Black and disabled communities. If you would like to learn more about Chemical Insights Research Institute and the work they do regarding “The Human Health Impacts of Wildfire Smoke,” please visit their website.

This intersection of public health, environmental safety, and disability advocacy further underscores the urgency of addressing both immediate disaster response and long-term preparedness.

Mental Health

Mental health is an essential part of disaster preparedness, and emergencies can be overwhelming. Planning ahead of time for where your family will turn to can help reduce stress. 

The California Department of Public Health is a good place to find resources surrounding topics like these:

• Wildfire & Mental Health
• Protect your Emotional Well-Being
• Ways to Cope
• Helping Children Cope

Conclusion: A Call to Action

Wildfires and other natural disasters may become more frequent and intense. Without change, disabled individuals will continue to face significant barriers to emergency evacuations and life-saving resources due to inaccessibility in disaster response planning.

Key Takeaways:

• Emergency response plans must center access from the start.
• Fire safety solutions like A Shepard’s Protection’s retrofitted extinguishers empower disabled individuals to defend themselves.
• Community-driven initiatives save lives, such as buddy teams and neighborhood emergency plans.
• Government policies must mandate accessible transportation, shelters, and emergency communication.

The time to act is now. Every policy change, innovative invention, and community effort contributes to a future where everyone should feel they have access to natural disaster evacuation solutions that suit their individual needs and access requirements.