Accessible Shelter
To ensure an evacuation shelter is accessible for everyone, consider if persons from all at-risk groups in the community, including women and girls, persons with disabilities and older persons, can:
- Reach and enter the shelter,
- Safely and freely move around inside the shelter,
- and safely use the facilities of the shelter.
When constructing or retrofitting a shelter consider:
- Build ramps when there are obstacles which cannot be removed.
- Build accessible entrances and doorways.
- Build safe and accessible washrooms and showers.
- Install guardrails.
- Install accessible door handles and locks.
- Provide seats and benches at different locations in the shelter.
- Provide accessible signage and information.
To prepare for the case people are required to shelter-in-place for an extended period of time, ensure that:
- Accessible materials and activities to provide entertainment and cognitive stimulation are available (e.g. books in Braille or audio books).
- Accessible materials for continuing basic education for children if schooling is disrupted is available.
- Spaces, activities and materials for exercise are available and accessible for all.
