People with Disabilities are Not Innately Vulnerable (Part 24)

But when they are left out of the adaptation planning process — the consequences can be disastrous

Ghenis said design must be simplified whenever possible, or people with disabilities will not be able to get back to their dwellings after a small emergency or large disaster.

He explained that elevators are extremely expensive to repair and it takes a long time to get parts.

Outdoor lifts rust easily, but a ramp usually simply needs to be cleared of debris to function again.

“Able-bodied folks do not always recognize the exact complexity of needs of people with disabilities,” he said.

“We must take advantage of the creativity and insights of people with disabilities. They can define what their specific needs are, do a run through to make sure barriers haven’t been created and take a look at the big picture when design flaws can be corrected quickly and with minimal expense.”

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