The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 affected many people in many ways, most of which have been chronicled thoroughly the media, art, and journalism in addition to myriad more personal remembrances. However, consideration of September 11th from a disability-related perspective has been more limited. Yet, the events of September 11th had immediate effects and continue to have long-term impact on people with disabilities.
Immediate Impact
The September 11th attacks put a large system of rescue and recovery into motion. In particular, enormous focus was placed on rescue and recovery at the World Trade Center (WTC) site, due to overwhelming scope of the disaster there. However, there was little to no commensurate rescue and recovery mobilization for people with disabilities in proximity to the devastation. In Manhattan, for example, the disaster immobilized the entire disability-related service delivery system; many individuals with disabilities could not access critical services. With most accessible transportation necessarily diverted to the rescue effort, people with disabilities had a great deal of difficulty leaving the area. When people with disabilities were able to evacuate the WTC area, they found most relocation hotels and shelters, as well as the homes of friends and family inaccessible.
For people with the most severe disabilities, many found their local independent living centers short on staff and unable to provide adequate services due the lack of accessible transportation and their own personal impact. The Deaf community faced significant communication difficulties without TTY and Video Relay Services— the WTC roof had housed many communication technologies.
As September 11th unfolded and in the days and weeks immediately following, the situation for people with disabilities did not always significantly improve. Some local trauma and grief counselors had difficulty understanding the experiences of people with disabilities whose routine services and supports were unavailable. Relief workers, most from out-of-state, were unfamiliar with local and area services and were not able to offer reliable assistance. Some did not understanding why the public transportation shutdown prevented some people with disabilities from accessing assistance.
September 11th had a disproportionate negative impact on people with psychiatric disabilities, many of whom experienced an increase in symptoms. In addition, many previously healthy individuals developed stress disorders, event fatigue, and PTSD-like symptoms.
Longer Term Effects
The events of September 11th resulted in many long-term changes in transportation and building security that have also unevenly affected people with disabilities. Air carrier and air travel accessibility have been longstanding problems for people with disabilities, now made more difficult in today’s security environment. The elimination of curbside check-in and drop-offs has created significant travel barriers. Restrictions on carry-on items, medical equipment, and medications are often difficult for people with disabilities to manage. Sometimes, security officers will not clear an unticketed personal attendant accompanying a traveler with a disability to a gate, creating frustration and delay.
September 11th generated an unprecedented outpouring of compassion and generosity by individuals and from the charitable community. The September 11 Fund began days after the attacks, and has provided over 273 grants. A number of grants went to disability service providers, such as Village Care in Manhattan, Quality Services for the Autism Community, The Center for the Independence of the Disabled in New York, and Helen Keller Worldwide, an organization that sustained nearly $42 million in damages in the WTC collapse. Military and foreign affair related budgets also increased dramatically, and the government established the Department of Homeland Security. The new Department awarded Homeland Security grants in all 50 states to improve security and emergency preparations and to increase police and emergency personnel.
September 11th brought the widespread lack of disaster preparedness and safe, efficient evacuation processes for people disabilities into focus. Post-September 11th research found traditional and narrow definitions of disability are not appropriate in modern disasters. Organizations routinely overlook people with “invisible” disabilities, such as psychiatric disorders, asthma and other respiratory disorders, multiple chemical sensitivities, and some sensory and cognitive disabilities. Moreover, organizations leave almost all people with disabilities out of preparedness and planning activities. As a result, most emergency response plans involve walking, running, driving, seeing, hearing, and quickly responding to alerts and announcements—tasks that are quite difficult for people with disabilities. Despite the lessons of September 11th, emergency response first aid stations, mass feeding areas, portable phone banks and toilets, and shelters often remain inaccessible, as seen in Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Immediate Impact
The September 11th attacks put a large system of rescue and recovery into motion. In particular, enormous focus was placed on rescue and recovery at the World Trade Center (WTC) site, due to overwhelming scope of the disaster there. However, there was little to no commensurate rescue and recovery mobilization for people with disabilities in proximity to the devastation. In Manhattan, for example, the disaster immobilized the entire disability-related service delivery system; many individuals with disabilities could not access critical services. With most accessible transportation necessarily diverted to the rescue effort, people with disabilities had a great deal of difficulty leaving the area. When people with disabilities were able to evacuate the WTC area, they found most relocation hotels and shelters, as well as the homes of friends and family inaccessible.
For people with the most severe disabilities, many found their local independent living centers short on staff and unable to provide adequate services due the lack of accessible transportation and their own personal impact. The Deaf community faced significant communication difficulties without TTY and Video Relay Services— the WTC roof had housed many communication technologies.
As September 11th unfolded and in the days and weeks immediately following, the situation for people with disabilities did not always significantly improve. Some local trauma and grief counselors had difficulty understanding the experiences of people with disabilities whose routine services and supports were unavailable. Relief workers, most from out-of-state, were unfamiliar with local and area services and were not able to offer reliable assistance. Some did not understanding why the public transportation shutdown prevented some people with disabilities from accessing assistance.
September 11th had a disproportionate negative impact on people with psychiatric disabilities, many of whom experienced an increase in symptoms. In addition, many previously healthy individuals developed stress disorders, event fatigue, and PTSD-like symptoms.
Longer Term Effects
The events of September 11th resulted in many long-term changes in transportation and building security that have also unevenly affected people with disabilities. Air carrier and air travel accessibility have been longstanding problems for people with disabilities, now made more difficult in today’s security environment. The elimination of curbside check-in and drop-offs has created significant travel barriers. Restrictions on carry-on items, medical equipment, and medications are often difficult for people with disabilities to manage. Sometimes, security officers will not clear an unticketed personal attendant accompanying a traveler with a disability to a gate, creating frustration and delay.
September 11th generated an unprecedented outpouring of compassion and generosity by individuals and from the charitable community. The September 11 Fund began days after the attacks, and has provided over 273 grants. A number of grants went to disability service providers, such as Village Care in Manhattan, Quality Services for the Autism Community, The Center for the Independence of the Disabled in New York, and Helen Keller Worldwide, an organization that sustained nearly $42 million in damages in the WTC collapse. Military and foreign affair related budgets also increased dramatically, and the government established the Department of Homeland Security. The new Department awarded Homeland Security grants in all 50 states to improve security and emergency preparations and to increase police and emergency personnel.
September 11th brought the widespread lack of disaster preparedness and safe, efficient evacuation processes for people disabilities into focus. Post-September 11th research found traditional and narrow definitions of disability are not appropriate in modern disasters. Organizations routinely overlook people with “invisible” disabilities, such as psychiatric disorders, asthma and other respiratory disorders, multiple chemical sensitivities, and some sensory and cognitive disabilities. Moreover, organizations leave almost all people with disabilities out of preparedness and planning activities. As a result, most emergency response plans involve walking, running, driving, seeing, hearing, and quickly responding to alerts and announcements—tasks that are quite difficult for people with disabilities. Despite the lessons of September 11th, emergency response first aid stations, mass feeding areas, portable phone banks and toilets, and shelters often remain inaccessible, as seen in Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
33 comments:
It was a terrible Impact for everyone bc of the horrible attack NY suffered on Sep. 11th 2001 by terrorists. I can imagine how people with disabilities were impacted. This has been very painful for all of us, and since then we've been in war where many people have died to protect our country. it is hard to afront this type of problems in life. from one way to another this type of problems affect a lot any person's mind. People with disabilities are more affected bc its not only the trauma, its also the technology stops, and resources paralized bc of the tragedy, but the good thing is that little by little things have been better, and will be better if we are all positive and united.
Claudia P.
Lack of preparedness can create chaos and confusion in any disastrous situation. Sept. 11, 2001 and Hurricane Katrina are primary examples. As advanced as we are in technology and information, there is really no excuse for not having a plan ready for people with disabilities. There are plans of evacuation intact for hospitals and nursing homes so why isn’t something similar already established for people with disabilities? There should have already been established centers in each major city around the country to move those with disabilities in case of emergencies. In fact, those with disabilities should be the first to be evacuated along with those in hospitals and nursing homes. Just as businesses and schools have plans for evacuations in case of a fire, individuals with disabilities need to have a plan established (i.e. who to call, transportation, and where to meet) in case of emergencies.
D. Fraser
I think it is a crime that it took disastrous events, such as September 11th and Hurricane Katrina, to show the lack of safety drills, rescue, and insufficient services for people with disabilities, and even then, were they rarely talked about. There is no excuse for the fact that huge events had to occur to get people thinking about ways for people with disabilities to also evacuate safely. Like it said in the story, many drills for evacuation have to do with running and walking, and they are not designed for people with disabilities. September 11th and Hurricane Katrina have been events that will not leave the minds of people, so hopefully issues dealing with safety for people with disabilities will prove to be the same and major action will be taken. Hopefully, major steps will be taken to insure accessible exits and shelter in emergencies, safety drills designed for people with disabilities, and given priority in hospitals and counseling.
Laura E.
September 11 was a horrible disaster for all of us. I cant even begin to imagine the panic and how terrified these victims felt. After reading this blog i began to think about how people with disibilites escaped this trajedy if they couldt use elavators or hear what was going on. I may not be aware but our nation should find better ways to help people with disibilities evacuate a situation like this. not everyone may be able to run down a flight of stairs, so something should be done to help benefit people with disibilities.
Holly M.
I agree with all of you. We can only imagine the impact persons with disabilities went through during such turmoils. In spite of being such a strong and united country, there are some of us that still choose to be ignorant.
For instance, yesterday, there was a fire drill/evacuation at the HSHW building. I asked the building supervisor a "what-if" question regarding the evacuation process and much to my dishearten, there is no plan in place to evacuate a person with a disability from this building! However, this matter will get addressed soon and hopefully, there will be a plan in place before something tragic does happen.
Norfy G.
I believe that every city should have a plan to get all the people with disabilities out of the city in a timely and orderly manner. Not only should this plan have and evacuation route but different locations that all these people will be able to seek shelter once they evacuate the city or even if they do not evacuate, that they may have somewhere safe to go.
Arturo D
This article points out the difficulties that people with disabilities had in accessing services or just trying to to get from point A to point B. I never considered the impact it had on people with diabilities. Most of the world was watching the rescue efforts and the building crashing down. We can all agree that it was chaotic and scary for anyone in the area on September 11, 2001. But now we have this disaster that has allowed the country to re-access emergancy evacuation plans for everyone.
We usually hear of the elderly and hosptital patients evacauted first and anyone else that does not have access to leave a certain area.
We all learned a valuable lesson with the past tragedies and now we have to act on them.
We need to ensure that we contact people that we know with disabilities and be aware of their emergancy evacuation plan. We are all students of the Rehab program and thus are advocates for the disabled. If we have to we need to contact local city officials and question their plans. Local schools and anyone else that works with the public and provide services for all.
And let's hope if we should ever have to go through another hurricane or any other disaster that we have everybody's safety in check and ready to go.
MarilynC
I really believe that there is still much work to be done in spite of what is already happening. We still have a long way not only in planning but in educating people about disabilities and the impact it has on not only the individual with the disability but there family members and friends. I honestly think that we need to continue with the planning with and assist with whatever is needed.
If you look back during the time that these events were happen, "What was President Bush doing?" When he was told about the attack he continued with his daily business and did not respond a quickly as he should in my opinion. Did President Bush know of the attack before hand? Ummm
I think that were are coming a long way in planning for evacuation and other plans needed to help/assist individuals with disabilities. But we still have a long way to go.
Jenny G.
I left a comment earlier on this article and realized I used the word, disabled as a noun instead of an adjective. I apologize for this.
Marilync
I know how people without disabilities suffered during these hard times, and I can now imagined how much more people with disabilites suffered. I mean, they really needed the most help, but I guess, no one was really ready for this. It gave them no time to do anything.
Alma D.
Disasters reflect about our preparation for them. Even though people with disability are a minority, we can not ignore them as far as the disaster management is concerned. When we are moving forward to accept the people with disability in all walks of life and specially toward their financial independence, then we need to make sure that provisions made for safe and efficient evacuation of people with disabilities.
Lack of preparation was evident in the September 11th disaster. Although everyone was affected by chaos, its impact on people with disability was very high. We need to work towards that goal by having an elaborate plan for evacuation for the people with disability. We are in process of building a new tower, but there is no mention of disaster management for people with disability. We are changing our attitude toward people with disability, but we need to do better.
The general attitude toward people with disability needs to be changed. Every house should have accommodations for people with disability. This is a gesture that provides a critical step toward acceptance and normalcy in the lives of people with disabilities.
We need more funding for the research in the field.
-Vinod P.
It is no question that September 11, 2001 has had and will have an ever lasting effect on the United States. And it is even more apparent on how unprepared we as a nation can be when disaster strikes so unexpectedly. This sentiment was also evident during the devastating hurricane that struck in Louisiana. In situations like these our local and state governments need to be prepared and be able to provide guidance for all of its citizens. Some disasters can’t be avoided but our level of preparedness on how to deal with them can be improved significantly. It is unfortunate that individuals with disabilities were not cared for adequately during these times of crises. And it is clear that we as a nation lack an understanding of what it is to live with a disability in a world filled with handicaps. We as a nation have not been properly educated on how to care for and assist people with disabilities in a more adequate fashion. Juan N. 4 of 12
Prior to reading this blog, I did not consider the impact 9/11 had on individuals with disabilities. My lack of awareness and concerm makes it abundantly clear to me that most Americans share a similar sentiment. Considering I have a disability and have worked with people with disabilities, one would assume I would be better informed. However,this is not the case. I think that many of us become aware/concerned/informed when it has a direct impact on our individual lives. It's not a good attitude to have, but I think that it's a common attitude. We have a hindsight bias. These events have served to better inform society of the need to improve evacuaion plans. Forutnately, these events have alerted emergency personell of the neeed to consider the evacuation of individuals with disabilities. This does not mean that everyone is adequately preparing or considering the specific challenges individuals with disabilities may face. As Norfy mentioned, our own campus lacks a comprehensive plan to evacuate people with disabilities. I have brought this issue up before and was assured such a plan existed. Apparently it's not a sound plan. It's unfortunate that it takes a tragedy to get most of us to act. It would behoove our sociey to be more proactive in addressing the inadequacies in cases of emergencies.
Rosie G
While much was improved in response to 9/11, Katrina, and Rita, not everyone got the memo. I found this video on KHOU.com this morning about an assisted living facility that did not evacuate its residents:
http://www.khou.com/video/news-index.html?nvid=286239
Margaret T.
I agree with marilyn about the fact that we are advocates for people with disabilities so therefore we need to make sure that the knowledge we have we share with others. While reading this article I felt like many times as a society we are inconsiderate in the sense that we assume that everyone has the same opportunities or accesibilities yet it isn't so. I include myself in this because it wasnt until i read this article that i realized the difficult situations that people with disabilities might face. But i am glad that I had the opportunity to read about it because now I will change my way of thinking. Eventhough 9/11 was a very difficult time and there was so much support from many people. I think that most of us somehow left people with disabilities out of the picture. i am hopeful that plans will be changed in order to provide people with disabilites the services they need even in situations like September 11th.
Hopefully the disastorous events that have occurred has helped both the government and society realize that there is a problem that we all have to work on. Each one of us can do their part by helping people that we know to learn about this issue. Because if each of us were to do their part we would be able to reach all of the people who are in need of assistance even and especially in the time of need. This article along with my intro to rehab class has taught me so many new things about PWD and disabilities in general. I honestly had not thought about the effects that this tragedy had had on people with disabilities and this is sad but the important thing is to keep educating ourselves and others. The government should also make drastic changes to ensure the safety of all people on an equal scale.
Diana m.b.
September 11, 2001 will forever be a painful memory for all of us, more so for the individuals that managed to survive the horror, but for the people with disabilities whom had to struggle to get out and seek help it must have being worse. We seem to take so much for granted, and unfortunately it takes disasters such as September eleven or hurricane Katrina to open our eyes.
Yes, our securities measures were bumped up, but in the midst of doing that, people with disabilities were still left in the cold. The elimination of curbside check-ins and drop-offs, the restrictions on carry on items, and such others, were still not considerate of needs of individuals with disabilities...there is still a lot of work that needs to be done where people with disabilities are concerned, and I totally agree with D. Fraser with there being no excuse for not being prepared for situations such as these, especially with all our advanced technology and information available and people with disabilities should be first on the list to evacuate.
T. Estrada
September 11, 2001 was such a tragedy and what an impact it made on our country. It is so sad that it took a tragedy like 9/11 to realize that the disabled have been forgotten. The tragedy and the many lives that were affected by the inadequate emergency evacuation plan needs to be a lesson to other businesses and individuals. For instance, this university needs to address the issue, what to do when there is an individual in a wheelchair and electricity goes out or there is a fire and the indivdual works or is simply on the 3rd floor at the time of the event. How will that individual get down. Due to 9/11 many individuals today have come to realize that there is a problem that is not being thought of correctly, but will there ever be a solution since most tragedies are unplanned situations.imelda G
I remember seeing something once on TV about Police Officers and Fire Fighters who were taking part in the rescue efforts of 9/11 developing severe respiratory problems. Most of these men and women had to retire early on in their careers. I'm glad to see though that something is being done to increase the awareness of these so called, "invisible disabilities"
-Carlo G.
I think that the terrorist attack on the September 11th was absolutely horrible for everybody including for people with disabilities. I think no one was prepare for the attack so the chaos created by the attack was completely disastrous. I could try to image how frightening the situation turn to be, and how horrifying for people with disabilities and their impotence to move out the buildings. This is one of the many reasons of why emergency properness plans are absolutely necessary in every place. It is absolutely crucial that every person knows what their responsibilities are in case of an emergency. For instance, if there is a person with a disability someone needs to be responsible to check on him or her and offer assistance if needed. I guess this situation shows the need for back up plans and the right to be safe no matter who you are or if you have a disability or not.
Mariana GG
Although what happened on 9/11 is tragic, the events that took place during, after word, and proceeding for the next generation who will read of the events in school is the matter at hand now. It is up for policy makers, and local advocacy groups to mold, and model what is to be done with security, transportation, and services needed for people directly and indirectly affected during the next event. Whether that event is another attack on the Century, or a Natural disaster in which requires mass evacuation? It is important that the lessons learned, and what would be needed not only in security, but what affect such an event would do to local outreach centers, and people with disabilities needed direct help during such an event.
Christopher W.
6/12
I am giving this article a “Thumbs up” because the author has given us the opportunity to think back and see how the disabled population was affected during the 9/11 attack. I can only imagine how many people were killed while many others were injured, increasing the disabled community. The author mentions how people with disabilities had a hard time evacuating because the most accessible transportation was being used by the rescue effort. What is worse is that when they did leave, they left to inaccessible means of shelter. This article alerts us to increase the number of accessible homes, shelters, and hotels in case a disaster strikes. IT IS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY! It is sad to hear of lack of services such as routine services, supports, ILC staff, TTY and video relay there was at the time. This must have been a horrific situation for persons with disabilities. It is a no wonder why many peoply had PTSD-like symptoms.
-Elizabeth H.
10. The terrorist attacks on Sept 11, 2001 were horrific. Few Americans would dispute that. However, I'm not sure that our government or Americans are necessarily better prepared. Plenty of changes have been implemented to try to avoid similar mass casualties, but people also need to not be so complacent. I say this because when we had a fire alarm go off during class few of us jumped up and started walking out the door. We assumed it was a false alarm. Thankfully it was, but the frightening thing to consider was our reaction to the alarm. We slowly gathered all of our belongings and then left the classroom. Our actions went against everything most of us were taught as children. I think this speaks volumes in regards to our preparedness of emergencies. Not only that, but I don’t remember if any of us worried about whether a person with a disability may have needed assistance. We all walked to where we were instructed to go to, sat and waited to be let back in the classroom, got annoyed when we did go back in the classroom only to be told we were still not in the clear and had to go back outside and displayed little concern about whether there was an actual emergency.
Cameron L
This article shows us how the attack to the twin towers affected not only fully capable people, but if not it also affected people who already struggled with their daily living. And not only did this attack affect people physically if not also mentally. Now people try to recuperate from stress and other disorders caused by this incident.
Diana Bernal
As a society I think we have a false sense of security. We see acts of crime, terrorist attacks, and natural disasters happen in some part of the country and often say that won’t or can’t happen where I live. Society often waits until the last minute to prepare for an approaching hurricane or take for granted that our public transportation systems are safe. It is hard to imagine how the lives of any of the individuals that survived September 11 or the many devastating natural disasters can ever be the same. I do feel that now would be the time for various communities to learn from these incidents and pull together to come up with an emergency plan that would include all individuals in those communities. The attitudes of “invisible” disabilities will not change until the public is educated about them. As many of these individuals are left out of preparedness and planning activities, they and advocates should take measures to ensure that these individuals are included.
~Marlene H. 5 of 12
This attack was something that greatly impacted the U.S. But I can honestly say it was never brought to my attention how much it also affected PWD. I never realized how many ways these kind of natural disasters can affect PWD's. This just proves that we lacked lots of things for preparation in case this was to happen. Evacuation plans and backup was not focused on, and that caused so much chaos during this time. It was truly a hard time for all of us, and we continue to look back. I can recall exactly where I was and what I was doing at that moment, and I was just someone sitting at home watching it on the news. However it can never compare to people who were truly affected first hand.
Sabrina D.
All major even that brings with it destruction, is impacting to everyone. It is interesting how our country is not always prepared for those types of things. September 11 was a day that will be highly remembered and be part of the textbooks. I can imagine that people with disabilities were not the first ones out of the buildings when they collapsed. As I have been noticing, not every building is equipped for wheelchair accessibility. However, even if they are, the elevators stop working in the case of an emergency. What other option does a person in a wheelchair have? It is interesting to see the lack of attention. I have also noticed on campus that not every building is properly equipped either. It is improving slowly, however, what happens in the case of an emergency? Are we well trained to handle these situations and assist properly? Hopefully, in the near future we see a change, and that it doesn’t have to take such awful events to take action.
janneth a
September 11, 2001 is a day that will never be forgotten. It had a great impact on everyone here in the states and all over the world. I had not given much thought to people with disabilities prior to reading this article. When I thought of September 11, I thought of the rescue workers and their families and how hard it must have been for them to lose someone they love. Now that I think about it, it must have been extremely traumatic for people with disabilities (any type of disability) to have to go through a tragedy such as 9/11. No one was prepared for such devastation and those who thought they were prepared realized they were extremely under-prepared. Since September 11, 2001 we have had several hurricanes hit our coasts and it seems we were not prepared for those either. I hope that the national government is taking steps to prepare itself for any future disasters.
Nancy C.
7 of 12
I agree with Claudia and others that it is terrible people with disabilities are thought of last when it comes to disasters.
Davidw reaction blog
It is unbelievable that in 2001, so many years after the ADA was passes, there were still so many problems. It is a travesty that there were not better policies and procedures set in place for a major catastrophe like September 11. Then again, the United States had never had a catastrophe like September 11, so really no one was expecting it. Many people came out of this disaster with some sort of shock and may PTSD. I can only imagine how it must have affected the people with and without disability who were at ground zero. I am just hoping that something good has come out of it and that as a whole we are all better prepared. Hopefully, better policies and procedures have been put into place for all people with and without disabilities in case a travesty like this were to happen again. Celena M
When Hearing September 11th many different things come to your mind; for instance, terrorist, death, and injuries. However, I agree with this article many may not remember or recall individual with disabilities on this particular day. This day in my opinion must have been very hard for individuals with disabilities; how could they access stairs if they were in wheel chairs, how could they run if they were paralyzed, how could they hear if they were deaf. This in general makes great sense. I feel that many places should have emergency access routes, transportation, and emergency care for not only people with disabilities but they should make these routes accessible to all individuals. These emergency preparations should be established before disaster events occur. I feel if this action is taken many lives could be saved. As stated in the article upon September 11th many individuals with disabilities were forced to live with family and friends in a place where they felt uncomfortable and unable to access. Since September 11th many different actions have been taken to help prevent future attacks to our nation some are rewarding to all while others may hinder people with disabilities.
Caleb B.
On September 11, 2001 the whole nation was in chaos and horror. Those with disabilities must have felt confused. The technology that was unavailable or lost can cause one to feel in less control of the situation at hand. There should have been a plan to aid those with the higher need of assistance. The example of not having the proper technology and could not access services. There was no ways for the Deaf community to contact a family member in need. It is horrible to think of one trapped in a house with no access of communication, how does one make it? For the nursing home not having enough staff members, was there a back up plan. Do nursing homes require a plan of action since them?
M.munoz
I agree with Holly M. most access where closed off and those who need to use an elevator could and those who are in a wheelchar had no access to leave a building without being lifted. "not everyone may be able to run down a flight of stairs"
M. Munoz
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