Communicating about emergencies is often not as straightforward as a broadcast alert. In an emergency, EVERYONE needs to receive information and sometimes barriers to receiving and understanding the alert are an issue to address. To learn more about bringing down barriers, please use the Bring Down Barriers toolkit.
In an emergency situation, consider helping your family members, friends, neighbors, employees, and others who may have the following barriers to communication and travel to safety:
- Physical impairment such as deafness, dementia, or blindness
- Lack of Internet connection
- Language barriers
- Barriers to safety – no sidewalks or wheelchair ramps, long distances to safety
Additional barriers to long term emergencies with complicated remediation exist, and those affected may need assistance:
- Scheduling or registration processes that may be confusing to mentally or visually impaired individuals
- Unpredictable work hours / childcare issues
- Misinformation about the remediation
A third and often unconsidered barrier to safety may exist for your friends and neighbors that needs a sensitive remediation:
- Concern about racism at a safe location
- Cultural concerns about the remediation offered
- Discrimination in receiving the remediation / emergency aid
In emergencies it is important to work together to ensure the safety of everyone you know, and to keep these additional considerations in mind. Some members of your community may need extra support from you because they have experienced barriers to assistance.
If you have any questions about using the Bring Down Barriers toolkit, please connect with your DII representative.
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