Carol A. Cocuzzi, Assoc. AIA, and
Joan W. Stein, Accessibility Development Associates Inc., Pittsburgh

      Since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, emergency evacuation is on everyone’s mind. Safe evacuation requires preparation, and emergency preparedness begins with the built environment. Knowing how and where to include key elements in the built environment is the foundation to building a thorough plan for the safe and effective evacuation from a building, disabled or not. We’ll help you discover critical information and tools as you plan, alter, or newly construct, so that all of the pieces will be in place.

Learning objectives:

• Identify the types and degrees of mobility, sensory, cognitive and hidden disabilities, and basic procedures for emergency preparedness and safe evacuation for people with disabilities
• Discuss the characteristics of a building for using the Americans with Disabilities Act standards for accessible design that affect means of egress, as it relates to employees and visitors with disabilities
• Evaluate the accessible, functional, and innovative products that can assist people with disabilities to safely shelter-in-place or evacuate a building during an emergency.