Los Angeles' disaster plans discriminate against people with disabilities, judge rules

The city of Los Angeles is unprepared to meet the needs of the disabled in the case of a disaster and is discriminating against them by failing to include the disabled in its emergency preparedness plans, a federal judge ruled Friday.

Siding with disability-rights groups who sued the city on behalf of an estimated 800,000 disabled L.A. residents, U.S. District Court Judge Consuelo B. Marshall found that Los Angeles doesn't have a plan to notify and evacuate the disabled or provide them with transportation and shelter in a disaster.

"Because of the city's failure to address their unique needs, individuals with disabilities are disproportionately vulnerable to harm in the event of an emergency or disaster," the judge wrote, noting that the city's own Department on Disability reported in 2008 that disabled residents are "at-risk for suffering and death in disproportionate numbers."

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-- Victoria Kim

Comments

[glenn grab]

why do I think there is some lawyer making a bundle on this?

[IvanG]

This article puts LA's disabled at 20% of the total population.

I suspect that to devote the attention and resources required to meet the needs of the disabled would mean that there were no resources to evacuate the remaining 80% of the population. Does that make sense?

[kuruc]

so what's the solution?

[u know]

Duh! When the world is coming to an end it's everyone for himself....this is America jack! Survival of the the fittest!

[Tom Baer]

In reality, in a disaster everything will go to poop and it will be pretty much every one for themselves. The city and metro might not be able to provide transportation, power and water might be out, and the the very best plan might be to 'shelter in place.'. In a worst case scenario, Darwin's survival of the fittest might play out.

That is reality.

So, let us ignore reality and put on paper a plan that A plan that will not work or is unrealistic, and therefore sacrifice a lot more people.

I would like to see more detail in the problems of this Disaster Plan to comment more. And, a breakdown of the 800,000 disabled persons by type. Are people that wear glasses included? Or, hearing aides?

not work and sacrifice the lives of

[mike]

so that of course means each of the 800000 are entitled to $100,000, right? with the lawyers takikng 60%? [rather than the logical end game of actually coming up with a new plan]

[lol]

The courts and attorneys can say and do whatever they want, No disaster plan will beat Darwin!

[Gary]

I agree with Tom Baer, what was included in the 800,000 people that are disabled. Are they all wheel chair bound or bed ridden,deaf, blind, or what. Also how do these individuals receive news and other items. There are ways of contacting these people the Emergency Management team in the city are not using there heads or they are outdated and need to be replaced. Contact people that work with these people and start working towards a way of fixing situation instead just placing blame. I know you can't catch all of them, but just saying we can not do it is sad.