Emergency Evacuation Planning Guide For People with Disabilities

Blind or Low Vision

This category includes people with partial or total vision loss. Some people with a visual disability can distinguish light and dark, sharply contrasting colors, or large print but cannot read small print, negotiate dimly lit spaces, or tolerate high glare. Many people who are blind depend on their sense of touch and hearing to perceive their environment. For assistance while in transit, walking, or riding, many people with visual impairments use a white cane or have a service animal. There is a risk that a person with a visual impairment would miss a visual cue, such as a new obstruction that occurred during the emergency event, that could affect egress.

Generally speaking, if a person cannot use or operate some part or element of a standard building egress system or access displayed information, like signage, because that element or information requires vision in order to be used or understood, then that person has a visual impairment that could affect his or her ability to evacuate in an emergency unless alternatives are provided.