Disabled people in disasters

Abstract

Disabled people are in a vulnerable position regarding disasters, also they belong to a marginalized group which is disproportionally affected by poverty. Still, disabled people have been overlooked in theoretical and public discussion on the topics of public safety and disasters. The aim of this article is twofold; First to explore how disabled people are affected by disasters and second to analyse how the needs of disabled people are met in official emergency planning and disaster prevention and mitigation guidelines. The body of academic literature on the topic of disability and disasters is non-existent within the Icelandic context. This article will hopefully engage a broad interest and discussion about disability and disasters. The findings suggest that the intersection of environmental and ableist social factors can increase the severity of the disaster consequences and aftermath for disabled people.