During the 3 days workshop inclusive disaster risk reduction was discussed, practical solutions for how to rescue citizens with different disabilities were highlighted and ideas were shared on what the current state of play is for Päästeamet | Estonian Rescue Services Agency and Naiskodukaitse for when people with disabilities are in need of help.
This September, disability organisations from across Estonia came together for a three-day training seminar on inclusive disaster risk reduction (DRR), organised by The Estonian Chamber of People with Disabilities (EPIKoda) within the framework of the READY Baltics project, coordinated by the European Disability Forum (EDF) and funded by DG ECHO.
The seminar brought together disability organisations to strengthen their knowledge and practical capacity around disaster preparedness, while creating space for direct dialogue with actors responsible for emergency response and civil protection.
The central question throughout the three days was straightforward: what needs to change so that people with disabilities are not left behind when a disaster or emergency occurs?
Inclusive disaster preparedness cannot be delivered by one organisation or sector alone. Rescue services need to understand the barriers people with disabilities may encounter. Disability organisations need opportunities to understand emergency systems and contribute to their design. Volunteers and community organisations need appropriate guidance. And people with disabilities themselves need to be recognised not only as people who may require assistance, but as participants and contributors to community resilience.
A key objective of READY Baltics is to strengthen the capacity of organisations of persons with disabilities to engage meaningfully in disaster risk reduction and civil protection.
Disability organisations have an important role to play. They bring knowledge of the barriers people with disabilities experience in everyday life, as well as knowledge of community networks, support systems and the practical consequences of disruption to essential services.
The September seminar in Estonia is one of three. Two more will be held, one in Latvia and Lithuania each. These workshops provide an opportunity for participants to build a shared understanding of DRR and civil protection, develop practical knowledge and strengthen their ability to engage with emergency authorities.
The discussions were highly interactive, with participants actively contributing experiences, questions and ideas throughout the three days. This exchange was particularly valuable because it brought together different forms of expertise: the lived experience and organisational knowledge of the disability movement alongside the operational experience of emergency and civil protection actors.
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Rather than treating disability inclusion as a standalone topic, the seminar considered how disability can affect different aspects of disaster preparedness and response.
Participants discuss scenarios involving different disabilities and different emergency situations, considering questions such as:
- How does a person who is deaf or hard of hearing receive an emergency warning?
- What happens when evacuation routes are inaccessible to a wheelchair user?
- How can rescue personnel communicate effectively with a person with an intellectual or psychosocial disability?
- What happens to a person who depends on personal assistance when their usual support network is disrupted?
- How can people who rely on electricity-dependent assistive or medical equipment cope during a prolonged power outage?
- How should emergency shelters accommodate people with different access and support requirements?
- How can disability organisations contribute information about their communities before and during an emergency?
These questions highlight an important principle of inclusive civil protection: preparedness cannot begin when the emergency starts.
Effective response depends on planning beforehand, understanding the needs and capacities of different communities, establishing communication channels, and involving people with disabilities and their representative organisations in preparedness planning itself.
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