Increasing involvement of people with disability

People with disability rely on different levels and types of function-based support. Access to this support can be compromised during and after a disaster.

People with disability are disproportionately affected and experience higher rates of injury and death as well as face increased challenges during disaster response and recovery. The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 calls for ‘a more people-centred preventative approach to disaster risk’. Australia, as a signatory to the framework must find ways to assist people to prepare for emergency events triggered by natural hazards. This includes people with disability and their support networks.

The Person-Centred Emergency Preparedness (PCEP) is a strengths-based process tool for people with disability and their service providers to develop emergency preparedness through self-assessment, targeted actions and advocacy relevant to the support needs they will have in an emergency. The PCEP was co-designed with 115 stakeholders from the disability, community and emergency services sectors. It was field-tested with people with disability in New South Wales and their community health and support providers. The project included a technical advisory committee that informed and guided the co-design process.