(Photograph from our backyard by Katelyn Devine)
The power to my parents home in Encino, California where my wife, daughter, and I have been staying for the holidays was just turned back on after five days, allowing me to charge my computer and write this blog entry. To say we have been in a state of fight or flight, as of late, is an understatement. Los Angeles just experienced the single most destructive fire in U.S. history, having completely decimated swaths of the city and adjacent counties.
Gratefully, our property was spared, but our hearts and psyche have been shaken. The tolls a disaster of this magnitude takes resemble the massive burn scar a fire leaves behind. There is so much destruction; families, communities, small businesses, historical landmarks, and more, gone… just gone, smoldering ashes of time.
I could go on and on unpacking these last five days, but the purpose of this blog is to be a resource for future events and a quick reference for emergency preparedness.
That said, here is a list of links you may find useful:
- Disaster Strategies — (The Partnership) is the only U.S. disability-led organization with a focused mission of equity for people with disabilities and people with access and functional needs throughout all planning, programs, services and procedures before, during and after disasters and emergencies.
- Disaster Assistance —The Disaster Assistance Improvement Program’s (DAIP) mission is to provide disaster survivors with information, support, services, and a means to access and apply for disaster assistance through joint data-sharing efforts between federal, tribal, state, local, and private sector partners.
- FEMA — The office of Disability Integration and Coordination is the agency’s shared mission of helping people before, during and after disasters in ways that maximize the inclusion of, and accessibility for, people with disabilities.
- Disability Disaster Access & Resources — Assisting Individuals with Disabilities and Older Adults in Disaster Readiness and Recovery—A program of the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers.
- CFILC — The mission of the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers is to increase access and equal opportunity for people with disabilities by building the capacity of Independent Living Centers.
- AAC Disaster Relief — (Recovers) AAC Disaster Relief responds to nationally declared disasters on behalf of USSAAC members, people who use AAC, their families, and other AAC stakeholders. USSAAC works collaboratively with other organizations to replace AAC tools and devices that are lost or damaged because of a nationally declared disaster.
- Mutual Aid Hub — Town Hall Project built Mutual Aid Hub in March 2020 to highlight the incredible work of mutual aid organizers around the country, and to facilitate connections and shared strategies in this growing movement of community support.
Now that we have these resources, the next blog will be all about the 6 P’s for evacuation.
Stay safe out there,
Aaron
