ADA Best Practices Tool Kit for State and Local Governments

D. Notification – Alerting the Public to an Emergency

Officials must act quickly to alert the public to an impending emergency situation. But many traditional emergency notification methods are not accessible to people with disabilities. People who are deaf will not hear radio, television, sirens, or other audible alerts. Those who are blind or who have low vision may not be aware of visual cues, such as flashing lights. State and local governments need to use warning methods that ensure all residents and visitors will have the information necessary to make sound decisions and take appropriate, responsible action.

Often, using a combination of notification methods will be more effective than relying on one method alone. For instance, combining visual and audible alerts will reach a greater audience than either method would alone. Auto-dialed text telephone (TTY) messages to pre-registered individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, text messaging, emails, and other innovative uses of technology may be incorporated into such procedures. For announcements by government officials on local television stations, providing qualified sign language interpreters and open captioning will ensure that all people tuning in are able to access the information provided. The emergency management plan should identify the steps that will be taken and the resources that will be used to ensure that emergency notifications will be accessible to all.