As hurricane season again approaches, disaster preparation is very much on our minds—especially those of us who live and work near the coastal regions of our country. Disasters can take many forms—earthquakes, floods, fires, tornadoes, snowstorms, even terrorist attacks, so preparation is important no matter where we live. As time passed after the terrorist attacks of 2001, we slipped into complacency.
Until hurricanes Katrina and Rita struck with such great force, few of us had devoted nearly enough attention to disaster preparation. National leaders are now beginning to speak of creating a “culture of preparedness.” We in the IL field can ensure through our advocacy efforts that the words of officials do become more than just rhetoric. We can also play important roles in creating a culture of preparedness within the disability community—individual, organizational, and community preparation.
Since the hurricanes struck, we at ILRU have assisted over 3,000 people with disabilities affected by the storms. As we’ve provided help, we’ve also learned much about what to do and what not to do in preparing for disaster. We’ve also spoken and worked with directors and staff of affected centers. They’ve given us much good information on what worked and didn’t work for them.
Based on what we’ve learned from those who have experienced disaster, along with good information we’ve gathered from a variety of sources, we have created three newsletters to help all of us prepare for the worst. This first newsletter focuses on how centers can assist individuals. Soon we’ll publish two more newsletters: one will address organizational preparation for centers; the other will describe advocacy efforts of centers to ensure governments at all levels, as well as service organizations, meet their obligation to people with disabilities in times of disaster.
The good news is that many preparation steps are simple and they can make a big difference in how individuals and organizations survive major disruption. In these pages we trust you’ll find many good ideas that will help you help those in our community.
--Richard Petty, IL NET Director
