Helping those often at most risk after a natural disaster has always been a challenge, as the elderly and disabled often require special assistance or considerations. According to an article in NPR, with hurricane season arriving on the east coast and wildfires showing up elsewhere, many disaster assistance groups are being forced to adjust their plans to ensure these individuals will be protected not only from natural disasters, but also the potential spread of COVID-19.
Historically, the elderly and disabled have been a group affected disproportionally by disaster, with reasons including the need for assistance when leaving their homes, or a lack of access to ready transportation. Similarly, emergency shelters often lack easy access for wheelchairs, or sufficient resources for those with disabilities.
“COVID really puts a wrench in things. How are they going to do social distancing? What are they going to do if there is a ‘positive’ in a shelter?” says Sandy Hanebrink, who assists with evacuations in South Carolina. Hanebrink also noted the challenges of getting sufficient staff to help with evacuations and shelter, as “a lot of the shelter volunteers are seniors. So they’re an at-risk population.”
Says Germán Parodi, who runs a disability group that coordinates with emergency preparedness agencies at multiple levels of government, “The increase in COVID spread will be deadly… and people with disabilities once again will be the least prioritized.”
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