Inclusive Event Procedures for Emergencies

Applying Emergency Planning Strategies

Safety Considerations for Site Selection

Choose facilities that are protected by audible and visible fire alarms and a fire sprinkler system. The U.S. Fire Administration has a list of approved hotels and motels. It is available at http://apps.usfa.fema.gov/hotel. (The United States’ General Services Administration in setting federal lodging per diem rates is required to use only properties that are certified as being fire safe.)

When possible, request meeting rooms on the ground floor with direct accessible paths to the outside. Evacuation will be easier and safer, if needed, as this allows many people with disabilities to travel unassisted on evacuation paths to a safe area outside.

Projecting Numbers of Attendees with Disabilities

Every event includes people with disabilities. Some disabilities are visible, others are hidden. Typically, projected numbers of attendees with disabilities are under estimated as many individuals will not disclose their disability or functional need. In addition, some people will not consider or may not know they need assistance in an emergency. There are people with mobility, breathing, allergies, hearing, seeing, understanding or chronic conditions who will may have difficulty or be unable to: use stairwells, hear alarms, see or read exits, and / or understand or focus on instructions.

To roughly estimate the numbers of attendees who may need emergency assistance include the number of people who:

• attended similar previous events

• requested accessible guest rooms,

• requested sign language interpreters, assistive listening devices, or Communication Access Real-Time Translation (CART)

• requested accommodations and/or materials in alternative formats (braille, large print, digital, or audio)

• checked yes on the registration form to “please check here if you will be using a mobility device (such as cane, walker, crutches, wheelchair, scooter, etc.) or use a service animal. This information is helpful for space planning (See Meeting Room Layouts and Considerations of http://www.adahospitality.org/accessible-meetings-events-conferences-guide/book).

The focus of the event can also influence that number of people disabilities attending. A national conference that has a disability focus can have well over a thousand attendees with disabilities. Emergency planning for these events means planning for a high percentage of people with disabilities at all event activities.