Current emergency management protocols often fail to provide equitable access for everyone during a disaster.
(Audio version of this episode is available at the site below)
Jen McEachen, an expert in the field, joins us to discuss how to bridge these gaps through intentional accessibility. We examine why standard notification systems frequently miss the mark for deaf individuals and how integrating ASL integration into your outreach strategy is not just a policy requirement, but a safety necessity. This conversation moves beyond theory, looking at the daily realities of navigating disability and the practical steps local governments and organizations must take to ensure no one is left behind.
We also break down how to update your internal procedures to meet modern standards. By shifting how we approach crisis communication, we can build systems that work for every member of the community. Implementing these changes requires training and a commitment to inclusive design in all public safety planning.
Subscribe for regular analysis on the future of emergency management, and let us know in the comments how your organization is improving its accessibility standards.
Emergency alerts are supposed to reach everyone - but they don’t. In this episode, Tim Conrad speaks with Jen McEachen, a deafblind emergency management professional who has spent years identifying the gaps that leave millions of people behind during disasters.
Jen shares what daily navigation looks like with deafblindness, why current public notification systems fail, and how simple changes - from ASL integration to accessible document formats - can dramatically improve safety for all communities.
Together, they explore preparedness guides, evacuation challenges, nonprofit collaboration, and the intersection of disability with Indigenous and 2SLGBTQ+ needs. This conversation is a candid look at the barriers people with disabilities face in emergencies, and the practical steps local governments, First Nations, and crisis communicators can take to ensure nobody is left behind.
Resources:
Accessible Standards Canada - Federal Standards of Emergency Measures:
Federal Standards of Emergency Egress:
Accessible Canada Act:
https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/accessible-canada/act-summary.html
Visit https://www.communicationspodcast.com/nobody-left-behind-emergency-management-through-an-accessibility-lens/ for more detailed show info including photos and videos.
0:00 Defining Disability Beyond Labels
1:48 A Day in the Life of a Guide Dog User
3:38 Improving Public Notification Systems
7:41 Revamping Preparedness Guides for Everyone
13:05 Legislation and Standards for Accessibility
21:09 Nonprofit Collaboration in Disaster Planning
42:38 Essential Resources for Crisis Communicators
