| Objective This study is to determine the sense of crisis, responsive knowledge and abilities, as well as special needs of disabled persons in public emergencies. In addition, the current situation of building emergency management capability in community emergencies of Guangdong Province has also been investigated. We proposed the strategy and suggestions of the special protection of disabled persons in emergencies of emergency management. Meanwhile, in order to carry out the emergency management more effectively and efficiently, the competence of building emergency management in community should be enhanced and strengthened.Methods In order to determine the sense of crisis, responsive knowledge and abilities, as well as special needs of disabled persons, qualitative research and quantitative investigation were applied in this study. Subjects included multi-stage sampling1530persons with disability from four different cities in Guangdong Province were investigated. They were involved in face-to-face homemade questionnaire. Additionally,477primary Disabled Persons Federation were recruited by multi-stage sampling to complete the questionnaire of community’s ability to cope with the emergenciesFurthermore,286community residences were investigated to express their attitude and awareness about the protective measures for the disabled persons in emergency situations. The database was set up by Epidata3.1, and the data were analyzed by SPSS13.0. The cognitive abilities and experiences of disabled persons in emergencies were investigated by group focus interview. Student’s t test, Analysis of Variance and Rank sum test were applied to compare the different characteristics between disabled persons.Results1.The sense of crisis of disabled persons No more than30percent of respondents said they often concern about the responsive knowledge of emergencies. One fourth respondents will consciously check the security risks. Nearly half of respondents have no special sense of emergencies and believe that they have nothing to do with unexpected events.2. Responsive knowledge of emergencies There were39disabled persons who participated in qualitative interviews.33respondents said they pay little attention to emergencies or the coping knowledge. Average score of emergencies responsive knowledge of1530disabled persons from quantitative survey is6.43±1.98. The score of males were higher than those of females and score of urban disabled persons were better than those of rural. It was found that persons with mobility disabilities or visual impairments had relatively high average scores on coping knowledge. Meanwhile, persons with multiple disabilities or intellectual disabilities had lowest score. Moreover, it was shown that persons with Grade4disability got the highest score and person with Grade1disability got lowest score3. Capacity of responding emergencies of disabled persons If happens earthquake and fire disasters,39.41percent disabled persons believed that they would be difficult to escape. However,45.69percent disabled persons considered that they could turn to others with help to escape.12.74percent disabled persons deemed that they could rely on themselves to escape. Actually, we found that self-help capabilities was negatively correlated with the severity of their disability status, which means more severe disability, more difficult to escape. Furthermore, escape also depended on getting help from family and neighbors in time. If less support is from family and society, escape will be more difficult to the disabled persons.4. Special needs of emergencies management for disabled persons Demand from disabled persons in emergencies management is mainly reflect in serve aspects:spreading general knowledge of emergencies; demonstration tutorials of self-help and mutual assistance; regular emergency evacuation drills; information on emergencies at home and abroad; as well as published and explanation of pre-arranged emergency plans. Therefore, there are may suitable ways for publicity which are like brochures, community bulletin boards, lectures, television, Internet, radio, books, VCD and practical exercises. Additionally, the facilities needs to be improved included regular maintenance on accessibility and Escape routes within the community as well as road signs for shelters and so on.5. The current situation of competence of emergencies management in communityFrom our investigation in477communities, we found that40.9percent of the communities have set up the organization for emergency management. However, the situation of emergency infrastructure and related equipped facilities as well as reservation of emergency materials were not satisfied in more than half communities. Lacking of facilities and emergency materials was very common. We also found that55.5percent of the communities carried out on publicizing emergency knowledge. Most of the residents communities had emergency evacuation practical exercises (earthquake, fire disaster, air defense drills, stampede at school, and other emergencies evacuation and escape drills), but the disabled persons did not participate in these exercises. At the same time,79.1percent communities carried out on publicizing emergency knowledge only for disabled persons.6. Most residents of communities are supportive to participate in special looking after of disabled persons in emergencies.Conclusions1. Disabled persons have certain knowledge on responsive knowledge to emergencies in Guangdong Province. However, their sense of crisis is barely satisfactory and they lack of capabilities of self rescue or mutual rescue. It is necessary that the disabled persons need publicity and training as well as Guidelines. Moreover, accessibility facilities and special material are essential for disabled persons. In addition, way of rescue and timeliness are also indispensable for them.2. The competences of emergency management in community are weak, the allocation of resources associated with community emergencies of disabled persons are obviously insufficient. The competence of building emergency management need to be further and comprehensive improved and strengthened. Publics’attitude and understanding toward the rescue of disabled person in emergencies in most aspects are concerned and supportive. |
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