The toolkit offers practical guidance to integrate people with disabilities into all phases of risk and disaster management, targeting civil protection, public bodies, and families. It is grounded in the CRPD and the Sendai Framework, affirming that safety and accessibility are rights and must be built “with” people, not “for” them. It underscores the urgency (greater vulnerability in disasters) and proposes a “Design for All” approach for truly inclusive plans, services, communications, and spaces. It identifies seven success factors (political commitment, coordination, participation, planning, knowledge, resources, communication) along with a self-assessment grid.
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Major hazards and people with disabilities - a toolkit for good practice
General information
ISIG
Integrating people with disabilities into risk and disaster management.
Communities are facing more frequent and complex hazards from floods and heatwaves to pandemics yet emergency plans often overlook the specific needs, capacities, and rights of people with disabilities. Gaps persist in accessible early warnings, inclusive drills, evacuation support (for assistive devices, caregivers, service animals), and continuity of essential health and social services. Fragmented governance and limited coordination between civil protection, social services, and DPOs further delay effective responses. International frameworks (CRPD; Sendai Framework) call for disability-inclusive risk reduction, but translation into practice remains uneven. Lessons from recent disasters revealed higher exposure and mortality among people with disabilities and highlighted systemic communication and accessibility failures. This solution/case was created to close those gaps with a practical, rights-based, “design for all” approach that embeds inclusion across preparedness, response, and recovery.
Needs Addressed
Emergency and risk-management systems often overlook the needs, rights, and capacities of people with disabilities, resulting in inaccessible early warnings, drills, evacuations, shelters, and continuity of care (for assistive devices, caregivers, service animals). Fragmented governance between civil protection, health/social services, and DPOs further widens the gap. Despite CRPD and the Sendai Framework, translation into practice is uneven, contributing to higher exposure and mortality in disasters. The solution addresses these gaps by embedding disability inclusion across preparedness, response, and recovery.
People with disabilities across all impairment types mobility, sensory (blind/low vision; d/Deaf/hard of hearing), intellectual/developmental (including autism), psychosocial/mental health, speech/communication, and chronic/medical conditions, including technology-dependent individuals (e.g., ventilators, dialysis). Also: older adults with disabilities, children and youth with disabilities, women and girls with disabilities (heightened GBV risk), persons in institutions (care homes, hospitals, prisons), people living alone or in rural/isolated areas, low-income/undocumented migrants and refugees with disabilities, and those relying on assistive devices, personal assistants, or service animals whose supports must be included in planning and evacuation.
Decentralized leadership with a stable coordination unit that aligns institutional actors and DPOs, with clear roles and mandates. The “7 factors” serve as the architecture (political commitment, coordination, participation, planning, knowledge, resources, communication), with phased implementation and periodic reviews. At local level: a disability function within the Municipal Operations Center, datasets/mapping, training, and accessible multichannel communication. Structured participation of DPOs and alignment with CRPD/EUR-OPA. Typical operating model: centralized alerts (e.g., heatwaves) with local activation and service delivery.
Preparedness is built by design by making plans and procedures inclusive: alerts are accessible and multichannel (e-mail/SMS/voicemail/fax) and integrate dedicated solutions such as WAP112 for Deaf users and Smart Locator to geolocate emergency calls, then linked to PSAP 112 GIS.
Risk communication uses Easy-to-Read formats, symbols (e.g., Makaton), posters and evacuation guidelines, with projects like ToxCom for scenarios involving people with hearing disabilities.
Drills explicitly include assistive devices, service animals, and continuity of supports in shelters (e.g., heatwave plans with centralized alerts and local activation).
Training targets responders and DPOs (sign languages, pictograms, data collection and advocacy). Finally, a coordination unit uses the 7-factor grid (political commitment, coordination, networking, planning, knowledge, resources, communication) for periodic self-assessment and systematic disability mainstreaming in DRR plans.
The case hinges on upgrading emergency infrastructure so it works for everyone: PSAP-112 centres run 3D-GIS and Smart Locator to pinpoint mobile callers, alongside WAP112 text access for Deaf users; some systems also enable SMS/e-mail/fax requests and plan a centralized alert manager linked to a (protected) registry of hearing-impaired users.
Beyond comms, refuges/relief centres are specified to be universally accessible, with attendant care, nursing, special diets, refrigerated medicines, and accessible transport. Readiness also includes codes/standards and procurement clauses (“Design for All”) so streets, buildings, vehicles and information systems are accessible by default—and compliance is monitored and enforced.
Finally, municipal operations centres add a disability support function, keep GIS/mapping and datasets up to date, and use inclusive materials/apps for drills and risk info (e.g., Easy-to-Read, posters, smartphone guidance).
Engage, in a structured way, persons with disabilities, DPOs, civil protection, health/social services, volunteers, and public administrations to: (1) co-design truly accessible plans and procedures (early warning, evacuation, sheltering, continuity of care); (2) validate priorities and resources, clarifying roles and responsibilities; (3) build shared capacity through training and drills; (4) activate two-way communication and data/feedback channels to update plans; (5) ensure transparency, accountability, and community ownership; (6) permanently mainstream disability inclusion in DRR policies and periodic reviews.
Engagement is ongoing and structured: it starts with participatory workshops and co-design sessions with DPOs, services, and responders to define needs and solutions; coordination tables/boards and working groups are established with clear roles and mandates; public consultations and networking are activated to gather feedback and formalize partnerships; capacity is built through training, exercises, and drills co-managed with communities; surveys and community mapping are conducted to identify barriers/enablers and update plans; finally, risk communication and outreach use accessible materials (Easy-to-Read, symbols) and targeted campaigns.
Participants have substantial influence over design and implementation: they co-define needs and solutions in co-design workshops and sit on coordination tables/boards with clear mandates, where they can issue binding opinions on accessibility standards and early-warning/evacuation procedures. They hold prioritization power (sequencing measures and allocating resources), co-author guidelines and communication materials, and take part in drills with the right to request revisions. Collected feedback (surveys, reports) triggers mandatory improvement cycles with shared KPIs; periodic reports and audits ensure accountability and decision traceability.
The case builds lasting resilience by acting on people, structures, and rules: it jointly trains DPOs, civil protection, and services (sign languages, accessible communication, management of assistive devices/therapies), institutionalizes inclusive drills and peer mentoring, and adds compulsory modules to responder and volunteer curricula. It strengthens governance with a coordination unit, clear mandates, and formal agreements (MoUs), embeds “Design for All” checklists/SoPs into planning, procurement, and maintenance, and earmarks funds for adaptations and equipment. It boosts decision-making autonomy through permanent participation channels for DPOs (advisory boards with prioritization power), data systems to monitor accessibility and continuity of care, and review cycles with KPIs. Finally, it promotes communities of practice and accessible digital tools (alerts, maps, protected registries) so that skills and responsibilities endure over time and translate into continuous improvement
Hazard Type
Geographical Scope - Nuts
Geographical Scope
Population Size
Population Density
Vulnerable Groups
Governance
Emergency Preparedness
Infrastructure Readiness
Engagement Level
Empowerment Level
Implementation
- Rights-based approach and Design for All: inclusion isn’t an add-on but a design requirement at every stage (warning→evacuation→sheltering→recovery).
- 7-factor governance architecture with a phased self-assessment grid (awareness→consolidation) to guide priorities, mandates, and periodic reviews.
- Accessible warning and communication: multichannel (e-mail/SMS/voicemail/fax), Easy-to-Read and symbolic formats (e.g., Makaton), operational guidelines for buildings and public spaces.
- Ready-to-use inclusive technologies: integration of WAP112 for Deaf users and Smart Locator to geolocate 112 calls in PSAP GIS.
- Truly inclusive plans and drills: include assistive devices, service animals, caregivers, and continuity of therapies/supplies (refrigerated meds, diets, power).
- Structural involvement of DPOs: co-design, seats on boards/tables with prioritization power, feedback cycles that trigger mandatory improvements (KPIs).
- Procurement and standards: “by design” clauses for infrastructure, transport, and information; compliance monitoring and scheduled maintenance.
- Low-tech organizational innovations: procedures, checklists, drills with injects, and ICS with role identification to improve clarity and response time.
- Scalability and replicability: multi-hazard model applicable at regional/local levels and integrable into responder and volunteer curricula.
English
Council of Europe – EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement (Secretariat). Toolkit authored by Silvio Sagramola, David Alexander, Ilan Kelman for the Council of Europe/EUR-OPA, with inputs from the Working Group on Including People with Disabilities in Disaster Preparedness & Response.
The Council of Europe’s EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement (est. 1987) is a long-standing intergovernmental platform for disaster risk management across member states, coordinating policy, guidance, and capacity-building on multi-hazard risks. It runs a network of specialised centres, issues recommendations and toolkits (e.g., inclusive preparedness, early warning, risk communication), funds pilot projects and exercises, and supports cross-sector coordination between civil protection, health/social services, academia, NGOs, and DPOs. EUR-OPA’s track record includes harmonising standards, promoting education/training, and mainstreaming human-rights-based, “Design for All” approaches in preparedness, response, recovery, and resilience.
- Persons with disabilities & DPOs (co-design, testing, evaluation)
- Civil Protection / Emergency services & PSAP-112 centres (planning, warning, evacuation)
- Health & Social Services (continuity of care, assistive devices, shelters)
- Municipal/Regional authorities (COC/operations centres, governance, resources)
- National disability councils / ombudspersons (rights oversight, standards)
- NGOs & community/volunteer groups (outreach, drills, peer support)
- Education & Training providers / Academia (curricula, research, evaluation)
- ICT/Telecom & Assistive-tech providers (WAP112, Smart Locator, accessible comms)
- Transport & Infrastructure operators (accessible mobility and facilities)
- Media & risk-communication partners (accessible, multichannel messaging)
- Caregivers, personal assistants, service-animal organizations (evacuation/support).
- Political mandate & alignment: anchor the “Design for All” approach to CRPD/Sendai; assign sponsors, timeline, and scope.
- Coordination unit & roles: set up a stable hub; define responsibilities, reporting lines, and links across civil protection, health/social services, and DPOs.
- Stakeholder engagement: map key actors (DPOs, volunteers, PSAP-112, transport, ICT) and formalize participation/consultation methods.
- Strategic plan & monitoring: draft a master plan (objectives, actions, resources, schedule) and use the 7-factor self-assessment to track progress.
- Capacity & resources: produce accessible guidelines/training and drills; secure budget and embed “by-design” clauses in standards/procurement.
- Tech & continuous improvement: deploy accessible comms (e-mail/SMS/voicemail/fax), WAP112/Smart Locator; run drills and revise actions/KPIs on a set cadence.
- Governance & people: coordination unit; disability focal point in Civil Protection; project manager; DPO representatives; trainers; ICT/GIS technicians; accessible communication officers; volunteers.
- Dedicated budget: development of Easy-to-Read and symbolic guidelines/materials; training and drills; accessibility audits; maintenance; funds for adaptations (ramps, signage, aids); energy/emergency (UPS/generators).
- Technologies & data: PSAP-112 with GIS, Smart Locator, WAP/SMS/e-mail/voicemail/fax channels; alert platforms; protected databases (needs, aids, caregiver contacts); tools for surveys/feedback.
- Infrastructure & logistics: accessible reception centers (toilets, showers, beds, medicine refrigerators); accessible transport; stockpiles for therapies/diets; spaces for service animals; communication kits (panels, pictograms).
- Procedures & compliance: checklists/SoP “by design”; accessibility clauses in procurement; periodic monitoring with KPIs; insurance/agreements (MoU) among entities; continuity of operations plans (COOP) and privacy by design.
- 0–3 months | Initiation & Mandate: political endorsement, establish coordination unit, stakeholder mapping, work plan, and initial KPIs.
- 3–6 months | Design & Readiness: co-design with DPOs, “by-design” guidelines, training plan, set up accessible alert channels, checklists, and SOPs.
- 6–12 months | Pilot & Testing: drills (warning/evacuation/sheltering), accessibility audits, first infrastructure adaptations, feedback collection and revision.
- 12–24 months | Scale-up & Integration: extend to more municipalities/services, embed in curricula, procurement with accessibility clauses, data systems, and regular reporting.
- 24+ months | Consolidation & Continuous Improvement: annual review, five-year master plan update, KPI monitoring, scheduled maintenance, active communities of practice.
Experience of the Implementing Organisation in DRM
Target Audience
Resources Required
Timeframe & Phases
Participation Results
- Inclusion treated as an add-on & fragmented governance → shift to a Design for All approach with a coordination hub, clear roles, and the 7-factor architecture (political commitment, coordination, networking, planning, knowledge, resources, communication) phased from awareness→consolidation.
- Inaccessible alerts and communications → deploy multiformat/multichannel systems (Easy-to-Read, symbols, large print, audio; e-mail/SMS/fax/voicemail) and standards for accessible mass alerting.
- Caller location & response times → adopt Smart Locator integrated into PSAP-112 GIS and WAP112 for Deaf users; progressively extend to all centers.
- Low DPO participation & limited awareness → structured co-design, public consultations, inclusive training and drills; use surveys for feedback and continuous improvement.
- Infrastructure barriers & continuity of care → accessibility requirements for shelters/centers (attendant care, diets, refrigerated meds, transport) and “by design” procurement clauses with periodic audits.
- Uneven capacity across territories → guidelines, toolkits, and networks of specialized centers to standardize practices and scale multi-hazard solutions.
- Inaccessible alerts/communication → apply Design-for-All standards; multichannel/multiformat messaging; periodic tests with DPOs; built-in redundancy.
- Caller location & slow response → PSAP-112 GIS + advanced location; priority protocols; realistic drills and time audits.
- Evacuation/sheltering barriers → plans include assistive devices, caregivers, service animals; universally accessible shelters; contracted accessible transport.
- Institutional fragmentation → stable coordination hub with clear mandates; MoUs; scheduled meetings and KPI-based reporting.
- Uneven skills/turnover → mandatory recurrent training (incl. sign languages, accessible comms), SOPs, peer mentoring, communities of practice.
- Tech/power failures → channel redundancy; UPS/generators; degraded-mode procedures; continuity tests and scheduled maintenance.
- Sensitive data/privacy → opt-in protected registries, clear legal basis, access controls/auditing, retention policies, data-protection drills. • Tokenistic participation → binding co-design with DPOs, post-drill revision rights, public consultations with feedback loops and inclusion KPIs.
Risk & Mitigation Plan
Scalability and Sustainability
- Stable governance & coordination anchored in political commitment and the 7-factor architecture, with a phased self-assessment grid from awareness → consolidation to guide reviews and improvements over time.
- Operational sustainability by mainstreaming inclusion into DRR plans, training and drills (accessible warning, evacuation, sheltering), ensuring continuity of supports and assistive devices.
- Structured participation of DPOs and networking with services and public authorities to secure regular updates and consistent application at regional/local levels.
- Knowledge management (guidelines, tools, collection/sharing of good practices) and a “living document” approach to keep content current.
- Dedicated resources & Design-for-All standards/procurement to keep infrastructures, services, and communications accessible over time.
- Multi-hazard, modular design: components (governance “7 factors,” accessible warning/communication, drills, shelters, data/priorities) can be adopted piecemeal or as a full package.
- Works across admin levels: applicable at regional and municipal levels; start with a pilot municipality/sector, then scale to neighbouring areas and services.
- Resource-tiered implementation: low-cost “organizational” measures (procedures, checklists, roles, Easy-to-Read materials) first; add tech (PSAP GIS, Smart Locator, WAP112) as capacity and budget grow.
- Context-sensitive: adaptable to urban/rural settings, different disability profiles, and existing legal/DRR frameworks (aligns with CRPD/Sendai).
- Repeatable cycle: co-design → pilot & drills → feedback & KPI review → standardization (procurement/SoPs) → scale-out and periodic updates.
- PSAP-112 integrated with 3D GIS and Smart Locator to geolocate callers without an app; text/multichannel access for Deaf users (WAP112, SMS/e-mail/fax/voicemail) and, in some cases, a centralized alert manager with a protected registry.
- Accessible risk communication: standards for mass alerts “in multiple forms and formats,” Easy-to-Read materials and pictograms/Makaton, dedicated apps (e.g., Safety at Hand), and tools like ToxCom.
- Organizational innovation & compliance: procedures/checklists, drills with injects, clear roles (ICS), and “by design” procurement to embed and enforce accessibility over time.
Information not available
Information not available
- Inclusion must be designed from the start—retrofits cost more and work worse.
- Multichannel/multiformat alerts and communication (text, audio, Easy-to-Read, symbols) drastically cut blind spots.
- Structured involvement of DPOs (co-design, formal roles) improves both quality and legitimacy of plans.
- Realistic drills expose true bottlenecks (evacuation, assistive devices, continuity of care) and drive improvements.
- A stable coordination hub clarifies mandates, synchronizes civil protection–health–social services, and speeds decisions.
- “By design” procurement and accessible standards deliver lasting benefits for infrastructure, transport, and information systems.
- Low-tech/organizational solutions (procedures, checklists, clear roles) are often more decisive than advanced tech.
- Recurrent training and communities of practice preserve skills despite turnover; measure with KPIs and review periodically.