The recent experience of severe weather in the region and images of the impact of natural disasters worldwide has raised the level of concern generally afforded to "disaster preparedness". In Barbados, disaster management experts urge us to "be prepared" to cope with severe weather conditions that can affect us.

We know that individuals who live with mobility, sensory and learning challenges find themselves at a significantly greater risk in these conditions. Reports out of the U.S. suggest that over 102,000 persons with disabilities were living in Louisiana at the time of hurricane Katrina. Many of those whose lives were so abruptly altered by her devastation were further disadvantaged due to limited abilities to assist themselves. Many persons with special needs - including the elderly and temporarily incapacitated - were left to fend for themselves, while others could not be accommodated in the shelters. Individuals living with these challenges are increasingly being classified as "vulnerable persons".

As disaster management teams learn lessons from Grenada and New Orleans, they have begun the process of incorporating the specific needs of vulnerable persons, including persons with disabilities

Hurricane preparedness involves, identifying vulnerable persons, mapping where they are situated, identifying shelter facilities that best suit their needs and establishing the evacuation assistance required. There is also a need to identify support systems in the community.

The first challenge that faces disaster management teams in developing countries is, establishing a comprehensive list of vulnerable persons. In doing so we need to establish how do we define vulnerable? We know that vulnerability can be based on a number of factors, including, physical ability, and levels of support, housing condition and where you live?

Identifying a list of persons at risk because they live in low-lying areas or because the structure or position of their homes is vulnerable to water or wind damage is relatively easy. The development of a comprehensive list of all vulnerable persons is more complex. Disaster management teams are often dependent on vulnerable persons identifying themselves and ensuring that their evacuation requirements are catered for in the national and local evacuation plan.

As a caring community we should all contribute to the development of this valuable list. In doing so, we should also be aware that not all vulnerable persons are able to access resources to protect themselves.

The second major challenge for disaster management agencies is the provision of shelters that adequately accommodate persons with disabilities, or persons who have a medical condition. To address these challenges, management teams must assess the levels of access, to shelters and access to their bathroom facilities.

In addition there is an urgent need to address communication challenges, particularly communication with the deaf and hard of hearing. Most information on hurricane preparedness, even on CBC is verbal and therefore does not take into account those members of our community who have hearing loss.

The Disaster preparedness booklets advise us to prepare packages of supplies to take with us to the shelters. For those living in poverty this level of preparedness is impossible.

The Barbados Council for the Disabled encourages all vulnerable persons to make known their evacuation requirements and contribute to hurricane preparedness by adding their names to the vulnerable persons list.

The Council is presently in collaboration with CERO, and has prepared a questionnaire for vulnerable persons. Please contact Barbados Council for the Disabled for more details.

A VOICE OF OUR OWN is a monthly news article produced by the Barbados Council for the Disabled.