🔴 Truth Drop

During disasters, persons with disabilities (PwDs) face up to 3x higher risk of death or injury compared to others.
(Source: UNDRR – Global Disability Inclusion Report, 2024)

“A rescue plan that forgets even one person isn’t a plan — it’s a failure.”

Yet most Indian homes, offices, and public buildings have no evacuation protocol for people with mobility, hearing, or visual impairments.


📖 Why This Matters

In fires, earthquakes, or floods, evacuation delays for PwDs aren’t about inability — they’re about inaccessibility.

  • No ramps or tactile guidance
  • Alarms without sound or light signals
  • Panic and crowd neglect

Inclusive evacuation ensures equal right to survive, not charity.
Safety must be designed, not improvised.


🧩 Understanding Needs (The 4 Major Categories)

Disability TypeKey Requirement During Emergency
Mobility ImpairmentPhysical support, evacuation chair, ramps
Visual ImpairmentVerbal cues, tactile markings, clear routes
Hearing ImpairmentVisual alarms, hand signals, written guidance
Cognitive / Neuro-diverseCalm explanation, simple instructions

⚙️ Step-by-Step Evacuation Plan

1️⃣ Prepare in Advance

  • Identify at-risk individuals in your family, society, or office.
  • Assign “buddy pairs” — each person with disability has a trained helper.
  • Maintain emergency contact cards with health and mobility info.
  • Keep assistive devices (wheelchair, cane, hearing aid) accessible — not stored away.

2️⃣ Adapt the Environment

  • Install ramps with handrails and wide doors for wheelchair movement.
  • Use glow tape or tactile flooring to guide visually impaired persons.
  • Place flashing light alarms along with sound-based ones.
  • Label exits in Braille or embossed symbols where possible.

💡 Small design changes save large numbers of lives.


3️⃣ During the Emergency

  • Stay calm and communicate clearly:
    👉 Use short sentences, gestures, or written notes.
    👉 For hearing-impaired persons — make eye contact, use hand signals.
    👉 For visually impaired persons — offer arm support and describe surroundings aloud.
  • Move slowly but continuously; avoid dragging or lifting improperly.
  • Keep wheelchairs, canes, or braces with the person at all times.

4️⃣ In Multi-storey Buildings

  • Use fire-rated evacuation chairs on staircases.
  • Designate safe refuge areas (pressurized stair lobbies or landings).
  • Keep these areas clearly marked, well-lit, and unlocked.
  • Do not rely on lifts unless they are fire-rated evacuation lifts.

During drills, always practice real evacuation routes — not shortcuts.


5️⃣ After Evacuation

  • Check for missing mobility devices or medicines — they’re part of survival.
  • Provide quiet, stable zones for people with sensory sensitivity.
  • Allow service animals or caregivers to remain together.
  • Inform first responders of special medical needs immediately.

🧠 Community & Family Readiness

RoleKey Action
FamiliesMap exits that suit everyone; keep one backup plan.
SchoolsTrain teachers to guide children with diverse needs calmly.
Housing SocietiesMaintain list of PwDs; conduct inclusive drills quarterly.
EmployersMake workplace drills accessible & appoint “safety buddies.”

🧭 Tips for First Responders

✅ Approach calmly; never pull or push without consent.
✅ Speak directly to the person, not through the companion.
✅ Describe every action before doing it.
✅ Never separate a person from their assistive device.
✅ Use both audio + visual + tactile warnings in public spaces.


⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Using lifts during fire unless certified for evacuation.
❌ Leaving wheelchairs or aids behind.
❌ Shouting instructions at hearing-impaired persons.
❌ Treating people with disabilities as “helpless” — respect independence.
❌ Conducting drills that exclude them entirely.


📊 Visual Infographic Suggestion

Title: “Inclusive Evacuation Saves Lives”
Sections:

  • Four disability categories
  • Buddy system diagram
  • Ramp & tactile path illustration
  • Stair evacuation chair visual
    Tagline: “Accessibility is not luxury — it’s life protection.”

📢 Systemic Lessons

India must:

  • Enforce inclusive design standards (NBC 2016 – Accessibility Code) in every building.
  • Mandate accessible drills under fire & disaster safety audits.
  • Provide tax incentives for retrofitting ramps, alarms, and signage.
  • Train public servants and responders in disability sensitivity.
  • Integrate disability-inclusive emergency modules in NDMA awareness programs.

📣 Call to Action

🚨 Safety is a shared responsibility — inclusion begins at planning.
👉 Every building, school, and family must ensure that persons with disabilities have equal access to survival.
When everyone is counted, no one is left behind.


📎 References

  • NDMA “Guidelines on Disability-Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction,” 2024
  • UNDRR “Disability and Disasters Global Report,” 2024
  • Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment “Accessible India Campaign Review,” 2023
  • VFF India “Inclusive Safety and Evacuation Study,” 2025

🔚 Closing Line

A truly safe nation is one where even the slowest step finds a clear path.
This is why we built HowToSurvive.in — to make safety universal, humane, and inclusive.

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