Emergency Shelter Accessibility Checklist
An Assessment Tool for
Emergency Management Staff and Volunteers
Produced by Connecticut State Office of
Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities
Checklist format courtesy of Americans with Disabilities Act Coalition of
Connecticut, Inc.
For technical assistance, please contact Elanah Sherman at 860-297-4322 (V),
860-297-4380 (TTY), 800-842-7303 (V/TTY) or Elanah.Sherman@po.state.ct.us
This checklist has been developed to assist in assessing and
improving the accessibility and usability of emergency
shelters and evacuation facilities. It represents a selection of
requirements and may not always reflect the most recent
code updates. This checklist is not intended to assess
whether a facility fully complies with all building codes or
other legal requirements, or to serve as a substitute for
formal inspections conducted by duly authorized public
health and safety officials.
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Accessibility cannot be assessed simply by taking a quick look around or noting the
presence or absence of features like ramps and automatic doors. Nor is it safe to
assume that a building used as a school or for some other public purpose will
automatically meet the accessibility needs of people seeking shelter, even if it is
relatively new. The only way to be sure is to actually check.
Valid accessibility assessment involves a methodical, area-by-area examination with
lots of measuring and trying things out. Are the parking and drop-off areas level and
smooth or is the pavement cracked, cratered, or excessively sloped? How much
force is needed to open the doors? Once the doors are open, how wide are the
doorways? If there is a ramp, how steep is it? (If it is too steep, a person who uses
a wheelchair may not be able to climb it or safely descend.) And, does it have
railings that help people pull themselves up while keeping them from drifting over
the edge? If