As climate change increases the frequency and strength of extreme weather events, disabled individuals are uniquely vulnerable. This week, we spoke with Germán Parodi, a leader at the Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies, about methods for adapting emergency planning and response to the needs of the disabled community.
Extreme weather events are increasingly frequent and severe, yet emergency response systems often fail to protect disabled people. The Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies (PIDS) is a non-profit working to reform emergency management in the United States by centering disability rights, equity, and accessibility before, during, and after climate-induced disasters.
Disability inclusion in disasters is multi-faceted; PIDS, or The Partnership, envisions, “disability inclusive engagement throughout disaster preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery to build back better, optimize community resilience, and improve disaster outcomes for all.” The effort to increase inclusivity is critical to improving lifesaving efforts, with 16% of the world’s population and 27% of the US’s population living with a disability. People with disabilities are significantly more likely - up to four times - to be killed or injured during natural disasters. That’s largely because emergency preparedness and response have not been developed to include the disabled community.
One link that has become clearer in recent years is the overlap in the needs of those who have disabilities and those who are aging - both in everyday independent living and in the wake of disasters. Recognizing this, PIDS participates in the Disability and Aging Network, a group of organizations supporting disabled and aging individuals after disasters. PIDS especially supports disability-led organizations in their efforts to meet the needs of their communities.
Before, during, and after a disaster, PIDS can coordinate with emergency response efforts by organizations like FEMA and the Red Cross to advocate for the needs of disabled and aging individuals and to fill other gaps in the traditional humanitarian response. PIDS provides direct services to members of the disabled community and their family and friends during disasters - for instance, they operate a Disability & Disaster hotline, which anyone can call to get help. The hotline provides information and resources, and assistance finding accommodations like temporary housing and transportation.
PIDS not only does crucial work in times of disaster - they also work behind the scenes to influence advocacy, policy, and systems change. The work PIDS is doing for the disabled community may have applications for others. For instance, the UN reports that, when climate-driven extreme weather events occur, women and children are 14 times more likely to die than men. The strength and frequency of extreme weather is a global issue - though all people are susceptible to the effects of climate change, a community may be more vulnerable due to factors like its geographic situation, economic strength, and demographic makeup. Improving advance planning and emergency response policy, like PIDS advocates for, is important to other vulnerable communities that have been historically underserved during disasters.
Germán underscores the population-wide benefits of disability-inclusive strategies. One advantage of a resource like the Disability & Disaster hotline is that it lightens the load on first responders who already have a lot going on. Also, adaptations made to include people with disabilities often have unintended benefits for everyone else. Germán points to curb cuts, which are the ramps between the sidewalk and the street. Though they were initially designed to accommodate wheelchairs and other mobility aids, they also benefit strollers, carts, and children on bicycles and scooters, making the transition from the sidewalk to the street smoother for all.
One way that the disabled community is disproportionately affected by heat waves, storms, and other disasters is power outages. Many people with disabilities or medical conditions rely on energy-intensive devices that support their independence and, in some cases, their survival. Restoring power to individuals can be difficult, especially when they live far from hospitals or other critical services that utilities focus power delivery to in a disaster. Germán sees utility-run battery programs as a step forward in relieving energy anxiety, like PG&E’s Portable Battery Program.
Germán Parodi is Co-Executive Director at the Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies, a disability-led organization that addresses the needs of people with disabilities in disaster situations. He serves as the Focal Point for Persons with Disabilities in the Americas for the United Nations Disaster Risk Reduction office.
For a transcript of this episode, visit https://climatebreak.org/building-disability-inclusive-disaster-strategies-with-german-parodi/
Ethan: I’m Ethan Elkind, and you’re listening to Climate Break– climate solutions in a hurry. Today’s proposal? Building emergency response systems for extreme weather events that include and support people with disabilities. We spoke to Germán Parodi, Co-Executive Director of The Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies.
Mr. Germán Parodi: Disabled people are disproportionately impacted by climate change, so every climate disaster is ultimately an accessibility issue. Disability inclusive disaster strategies prioritize preparedness, accessible communication, community networks that bring neighborhood to neighborhood trust and support for people with disabilities.
Ethan: Parodi says disability-inclusive planning benefits everyone by relieving pressure on disaster response after extreme weather events and keeping emergency services from becoming overwhelmed.
Mr. Parodi: When we are building transportation, sheltering, support efforts that account for these needs, not only are we supporting their independent recovery, but we're also lessening the stress on first responders that already have a lot of work to do and don't need to be focused on these specific needs.
Ethan: Parodi believes that disabled people’s experiences adapting to a world that’s not built for them mean they can make substantial contributions to keeping communities safe in a warming world.
Mr. Parodi: We bring lived expertise. We are adapting daily in how to break down barriers, and in this world of ongoing frequent disasters, we are the experts on how to build a world where all survive, you know, where no one is left behind.
Ethan: To learn more about disability-inclusive disaster strategies, visit climatebreak.org.