Persons with disabilities and others with access & functional needs
The Niagara County Department of Health, Division of Planning and Public Health Emergency Preparedness must address the needs of persons with disabilities and access and functional needs in preparedness planning, response, mitigation, and recovery.
Overview
What is a disability?
An individual with a disability is defined by the ADA as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment. Various types of disabilities include physical mobility, sensory, intellectual, developmental, cognitive, or mental disabilities.
What are access and functional needs?
Individuals with or without disabilities, who may need additional assistance because of any condition (temporary or permanent) that may limit their ability to access or receive medical care before, during, or after a disaster or public health emergency.
Examples of at-risk populations may include but are not limited to children, pregnant women, older adults, people with disabilities, people from diverse cultures, people with limited English proficiency, people with limited access to transportation, people with limited access to financial resources, people experiencing homelessness, people who have chronic health conditions, and people who have pharmacological dependency.
At-Risk Populations
Challenges
During time of a disaster, persons with disabilities and/or access and functional needs may also be faced with a number of other challenges; such as, warning and notification issues, how will I be notified and where can I find information?, evacuation and transportation issues, when instructed to leave their home, what do I take with me and how much?
Each person's needs and abilities are unique, but every individual can take important steps to prepare for all kinds of emergencies and put plans in place. By evaluating your own personal needs and making an emergency plan, you can be better prepared for any situation.
Follow the basic steps for emergency preparedness:
- Get Informed: Know what disasters could affect your area, which ones could call for an evacuation and when to shelter in place. Monitor local weather and download the Niagara County Emergency Services app Prepare Niagara. Prepare Niagara is available for download for free in the App Store and Google Play by searching “Niagara County Emergency, NY, or going to https://apps.myocv.com/share/a58414094.
- Make a Plan: In the event of a disaster could you make it on your own for several days? After a disaster you may not have access to a medical facility or even a drugstore. It’s crucial to plan for your daily needs and know what you would do if they become limited or unavailable
- Build a Kit: In addition to having your basic survival supplies, an emergency kit should have items to meet your individual needs in various emergencies. Consider the items you use every day and which ones you may need to add to your kit.
Resources
- Preparing for Disaster for People with Disabilities and other Special Needs is a booklet from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the American Red Cross that helps people with disabilities prepare for all kinds of emergencies.
- Ready.gov Disasters and Emergencies – People with Disabilities
- American Red Cross Disaster Safety for People with Disabilities
- American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA) Guidance and Resource Materials
Hidden Disability Sunflower
What is the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower?
The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower is a simple tool for you to voluntarily share that you have a disability or condition that may not be immediately apparent – and that you may need a helping hand, understanding, or more time in shops, at work, on transport, or in public spaces.
Just because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean it is not there
Globally 1 in 7 of us live with a disability. That is approximately 1.3 billion people.
But while some of us experience a visible disability, many have a non-visible condition or experience a combination of both visible and non-visible conditions. These disabilities can be temporary, situational, or permanent. They can be neurological, cognitive, and neurodevelopmental as well as physical, visual, and auditory, and include sensory and processing difficulties. They can also be respiratory as well as chronic health conditions such as arthritis and diabetes, chronic pain, and sleep disorders.
Making the invisible visible
As diverse as these conditions are, so are your individual access needs and the barriers you face in your daily life. So you can opt to wear the Sunflower to discreetly be seen in shops, at work, on transport, or in public spaces.
NCDOH is proud to join the Hidden Disability Sunflower Campaign. The goal of this campaign is to spread awareness of hidden disabilities, ensuring all guests and citizens of Niagara County feel welcomed and accommodated. By joining this network, the Niagara County Department of Health will continue to prioritize meeting the needs of individuals with disabilities or access/functional needs (AFN) in all of our public-facing programs and services.
NCDOH will have FREE Hidden Disability Sunflower products (lanyards, wristbands, ID Cards, etc.) available at our office locations and at the many community-based events we attend. Individuals with hidden disabilities are invited to take a Hidden Disability Sunflower product from us to indicate that they may need additional support. This could include time to complete tasks, ambulatory support, clearer instructions, or other accommodations. If you see someone with a hidden sunflower lanyard, pin, nametag, or other indication, know that they are an individual with a hidden disability and may require support. We also have products available for people who choose to be Hidden Disability Sunflower Supporters.
This network is growing quickly across North America, including in major airports, colleges and universities, hospitals, hotel chains, restaurants, and more. We are proud to be one of the first local health departments in the United States and one of the first agencies in Western New York to join the network! To learn more about hidden disabilities, or the Hidden Disability Sunflower Campaign, visit https://hdsunflower.com/us/
Core Advisory Group
The Departments of Health and Emergency Services coordinate the Niagara County Access and Functional Needs Core Advisory Group (AFN CAG). The purpose of the CAG is to advise Niagara County in our emergency response planning to ensure that the needs of people with access and functional needs are included in a whole-community approach.
The Niagara County CAG is comprised of people with access and functional needs, advocacy groups, and organizations that work directly with people with access and functional needs. For more information on the CAG please contact the Niagara County Department of Health, Division of Planning and Emergency Preparedness (tracy.fricanochalmers@niagaracounty.com)
The following agencies participate in the CAG:
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