In a longstanding partnership, the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities (NCCDD) and the North Carolina Emergency Management (NCEM) worked together to create communication materials and resources to assist emergency responders and shelters to better help people with disabilities in emergency situations.

NCCDD and NCEM released Show Me: A Communication Tool for Emergency Shelters , a "point-and-show me" tool designed to help emergency shelter personnel effectively communicate with and assist people with cognitive disabilities, people who are deaf or hard of hearing, have limited English proficiency and other communication limitations in emergency situations. It can also be used by emergency medical technicians, first responders and other emergency service providers as the booklet covers topics like medical needs, food allergies and more.

"Emergency preparedness is very important to people with disabilities who face mobility, visual impairment and other issues," Chris Egan, executive director of NCCDD, said. "To help emergency responders better assist the disability community, the Council and NCEM have been working together to provide communication tools so people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) can better explain their needs and receive proper support."

The Show Me booklet is available for download on ReadyNC's website, and is also available as a mobile app in the iTunes or Google Play store. "Our goal is to help ensure that all North Carolinians are better prepared for disasters and emergencies," said State Emergency Management Director Mike Sprayberry.

The original Show Me booklet was produced by the Massachusetts Office of Preparedness and Emergency Management. NCEM and NCDDD requested and obtained permission for reprinting. It was co-created by public health professionals and the populations it is meant to serve.

To download the Show Me: A Communication Tool for Emergency Shelters booklet, visit https://www.nccdd.org/images/article/Forms-docs-brochures/2016/ShowMeBook_2015b.pdf

Read the rest of Summer 2015 Catalyst for Change here.