Disabled students face extra challenges in emergencies. It’s even more important for them and their families to formulate and practice emergency plans that will help them evacuate buildings, or stay where they are safely for an extended period of time without power. One group of disabled students has banded together to try to address this and other issues. The University of Maryland’s Independent Daily Student Newspaper reports:
The tentatively named Disabled Students Union will serve as a venue for both disabled and able-bodied students to air their concerns on the university’s disabilities provisions. It will also serve as a social outlet, said women’s studies graduate student Angel Miles, who is spearheading the student group’s creation.
The club will also focus on raising university awareness of disability issues, advocating for student needs and helping the administration prioritize problems, she said. One pressing issue raised earlier this year was the need to create an improved emergency preparedness plan for disabled students in buildings with limited access.
All students need school emergency kits, but especially disabled and other students who cannot readily assemble the supplies they need and at the same time evacuate quickly. With a pre-made kit, they can grab it and go or have one in a vehicle ready to go.