Jennifer L. Rowland, MPH, MS, PT¹, Glen W. White, PhD², Michael H. Fox, ScD³, Cat Rooney, MA¹, Jee Hae Lim¹, and Sandra Aldana, MPH¹. (1) Research & Training Center on Independent Living, University of Kansas, 1000 Sunnyside, Room 4089 Dole Building, Lawrence, KS 66045, (2) Research and Training Center on Independent Living, University of Kansas, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Dole 4089, Lawrence, KS 66045, (795) 864-4095, glen@ku.edu, (3) Department of Health Policy & Management and the KU Research and Training Center on Independent Living, University of Kansas Medical Center, University of Kansas, Dole Building, Room 4089, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045

Disaster planning and preparation for people with disabilities is an area that has not been well-explored to date. According to Glen W. White, PhD, Director of the Research & Training Center on Independent Living (RTC/IL) at the University of Kansas, “A common theme emerging from 9/11 is there are virtually no empirical data on the safe and efficient evacuation of persons with disabilities in disaster planning.” The media heightened our awareness of this problem from the reports of many individuals with disabilities trapped in the World Trade Center Towers during the 9/11 disasters. While such acts of terrorism are rare, other catastrophic events, such as floods, tornados, hurricanes, and fires are more frequently experienced across this nation and can lead to tragic results. This poster will present information from a study being conducted by the RTC/IL at the University of Kansas that is investigating a sample of U.S. counties that have recently experienced a disaster in order to: (a) determine if disaster plans and emergency response systems include the health, safety, and survival needs for persons with mobility impairments; (b) identify the morbidity and mortality of persons with mobility impairments in these disasters; (c) assess if there were any post-disaster changes to address the needs of persons with mobility impairments; and (d) develop best practices models for counties that meet the needs of persons with mobility impairments in hopes of preventing injuries and saving lives.

Learning Objectives: