From
Center for Independence of the Disabled, NY(CIDNY). Pictured is an inaccessible entrance to an evacuation shelter in NY City.
Time
after time, New Yorkers with disabilities affected by disasters were locked out
of shelters, couldn’t get out of high rises to get food, water, services or
medicine, couldn’t use the transportation that everyone else used to evacuate,
and couldn’t even get life-saving information. Now they can look forward
important changes as a result of a landmark victory in CIDNY’s civil rights
lawsuit.
Federal
Judge Jesse Furman agreed with plaintiffs including CIDNY, BCID, Tania Morales
and Gregory Bell, that the City had not planned adequately for the needs of
people with disabilities during disasters and emergencies, violating federal
civil rights law. The judge instructed
the plaintiffs from the disability community, represented by Disability Rights
Advocates, and the City to negotiate remedies.
On
September 30, 2014, we delivered agreements to the Judge. Once these agreements
become part of the City’s plan, New York City will be a national leader in
emergency preparedness. The next step is creating and implementing a fully
integrated plan of action in emergencies and disasters that include people with
disabilities.
Susan Dooha, CIDNY’s Executive Director, said, “Nearly 25 years after passage of the Americans with
Disabilities Act, we have achieved a landmark decision to end exclusion of
people with disabilities from the planning for emergencies and disasters.
Finally, New Yorkers with disabilities will be able to evacuate to accessible
shelters. They will get timely, appropriate information in ways they can use.
No one will be left on the side of the road because of a lack of accessible
transportation. We look forward to working with the Mayor and the City’s
agencies to take these agreements from the page to the real world.”
After
lengthy negotiations, the disability community and the City have agreed on
memos of understanding that will, in part, make sure that by 2017 the City
will:
·
create
a minimum of 60 accessible shelters throughout the five boroughs can serve
approximately 120,000 people with disabilities;
·
create
a canvassing operation that will go door-to-door to find people who need help
getting resources like food, water, electricity and care;
·
develop
plans for effective accessible transportation; and
·
create
a task force to create a plan for high rise evacuation and power outages.
At
the same time, the City will create a Disability Community Advisory Panel that
includes members of the disability community and will be consulted by the City
in developing emergency plans. The City will also hire a top-level Disability
and Access and Functional Needs Coordinator who will be the lead employee
responsible for overseeing that the City’s plans meet the needs of people with
disabilities and comply with state and federal law. If you would like more
information or would like to be involved, contact Susan Dooha, sdooha@cidny.org or call
212-674-2300.
