The active hurricane seasons present challenges for people with disabilities that most people don’t think about. People with disabilities are more likely to experience negative health and safety outcomes due to disasters. As an organization dedicated to helping people with disabilities maintain their independence before, during, and after disasters, the Center for Independent Living of North Central Florida (CILNCF) is faced with the challenge of diverting people with disabilities from moving out of community living and into institutionalized facilities.

The Coalition awarded CILNCF $3,019 in grant funds for their Emergency Preparedness Expo for People with Disabilities. The Expo provides an inclusive, interactive, and collaborative forum between people with disabilities, emergency management professionals, health care agencies, and other community based organizations serving the needs of people with disabilities.

“Meeting access and functional needs of people with disabilities during disasters and leveraging resources to aid them in long term recovery is a challenge that facilities like ours deal with regularly,” says Tony Delisle, PhD, Executive Director. “CILNCF can best be supported by the Coalition by providing opportunities for people with disabilities to participate as victims in live drills and exercises for emergency management professionals.”