During emergencies it is often necessary to evacuate people to temporary shelters or reception centers. But how do you make sure that everyone can feel as comfortable and safe as possible there? Here are five basic ways to make your reception center accessible.
1.Choose the right location
If you need to evacuate, you don’t have the time to choose a location to evacuate to. It is best to pick a place in advance. That way you can make sure it is accessible and appropriate.
To make sure the place is accessible, make sure you can move around and get to all the important areas (sleeping area, bathrooms, shelter) without having to use the stairs. Make sure the floors are even and without obstacles, and not slippery. Make sure there are sleeping areas and bathrooms with enough space for a person in a wheelchair to turn around. Make sure the shelter is large enough for all the people, including people in wheelchairs who require larger floor space. Try to make sure there is a room you can use as a quiet room for people in acute distress.
It is OK if your reception center has more than one floor but remember to make all services available on the ground floor because during emergencies elevators might not be available.
2.Get the right equipment
A reception center requires a lot of equipment – blankets and first aid kits and heating or cooling equipment and more. But you also need accessibility equipment.
Accessibility equipment includes a way to transfer people from the bed to the chair or vice versa, like a hammock or transfer board. They are not large and can be safely stored until needed. A mechanical lift can be useful, but it is also very large and requires maintenance and electricity that might not be available.
Communication in a busy transfer center may be challenging – make sure you have enough writing equipment – either technological (tablets), simple (pens and notebooks) or both. Again, remember that during emergencies electricity might not be available or reliable.
You should have some high beds available for people who can’t bend low.
Don’t forget the service animals – they would require their own food.
3.Instruct the staff
People in emergencies are often less able to explain their situation and needs. Many people might have a new disability – temporary or permanent – secondary to the emergency. If your staff knew how to help people with disabilities, they would be more likely to do so effectively.
This should include a basic explanation about disabilities, difficulties and needs of people with disabilities – especially during an emergency, ways to assist people with disabilities physically – like ways to escort a blind person or push a wheelchair, ways to communicate with people with disabilities and the need for patience.
It is best for your staff to meet people with disabilities in advance, during calm times. That way they would be less likely to panic during an emergency.
4.Accessible communication
A reception center is often busy, and the people are stressed and inattentive. This makes communication difficult.
Written communication is often a good solution, but it is not useful for everyone. People with vision disabilities as well as people who can’t read due to disability or language barriers would not be able to use written communication.
Voice amplification means are very useful in those situations. You might need a general system for announcements, as well as personal systems for communication with one or two people at a time.
But another important factor of communication is what you say. Emergency communication should be simple and easy to understand. Jargon and complicated words might prevent people from understanding you. You should keep your sentences short and logical. Emphasize the actions and order of actions. Explain where people can get assistance and further explanations.
5.Accessible service
Accessible service includes everything that can help people manage their lives in the reception center.
Signs are an important part of accessible service. Finding your way in a new place isn’t easy, and it is even harder for people with disabilities. Clear signs explaining where things are and what the best way to reach those places can be very important for people.
If you have service desks, make sure they are comfortable for people with disabilities – the table should be high enough for a wheelchair to fit under it, but not so tall that you can’t use the table. You should have chairs with handles for people who need support.
If you have unique services in the reception center, for example an emotional support service, think about the barriers a person with disabilities might encounter and try to solve them.
To sum it up – emergency time makes accessibility more difficult and often less complete, but it is not impossible. If you prepare in advance and make sure to keep accessibility in mind, you can make the reception center accessible.