Episode Overview

Title: Have a disability? Know your rights before a disaster strikes
Date: March 10, 2026
Host: Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz, Yale Center for Environmental Communication

This Climate Connections episode spotlights the unique challenges people with disabilities face during climate-related disasters like hurricanes, floods, and wildfires. Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz speaks with Herman Parotti, co-director of the Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies, to share vital advice on disaster preparedness and knowing your rights.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Disproportionate Impact of Disasters on People with Disabilities

• Dr. Leiserowitz opens the episode by emphasizing the extra obstacles people with disabilities encounter during extreme weather events.
  • [00:01]: “When hurricanes, floods and wildfires hit, people with disabilities often face extra obstacles to staying safe.”

Proactive Planning: Communication and Evacuation

• Herman Parotti’s advice: Planning ahead is critical to minimize risks.
  • [00:26]: “Consider how you would communicate with your support network if the power and Internet went down. Would they come check on you? Would you meet somewhere—and if you had to evacuate early?”
    • Key Insight: It’s important to identify in advance how and when to communicate or rendezvous with your support contacts, especially if your usual channels (power, internet) are unavailable.
• Accessible transportation:
  • Ensuring evacuation methods accommodate disabilities is vital.

Identifying Accessible Shelters and Medical Needs

• Parotti’s recommendation: Know which shelters can accommodate your medical and accessibility requirements beforehand.
  • [00:41]: “When possible, identify ahead of time which shelters can handle your medical needs and know your rights.”
    • Key Insight: Pre-selecting shelters avoids last-minute crises and ensures crucial needs aren’t overlooked.

Legal Rights in Shelters

• Awareness is empowerment: Parotti outlines essential rights for people with disabilities.
  • [00:48]: “Knowing that you cannot be denied entry into a shelter because of your disability. Knowing that your service animal has the right to go in the shelter and stay by your side.”
    • Memorable Moment: Clearly asserts both entry rights and the right to be accompanied by service animals.

Resources for Preparation and Emergency Support

• Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies: Offers tools like:
  • A disaster preparedness plan and checklist
  • Other actionable information at disasterstrategies.org
  • A Disability and Disaster Hotline for urgent assistance during or after a disaster
    • [00:58]: “At disasterstrategies.org, Parotti’s group provides a disaster preparedness plan, a checklist and other information. And for urgent help during or after a storm, people can call the Partnership's Disability and Disaster Hotline.”
    • Key Insight: Utilizing these resources and being proactive can be lifesaving.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz [00:01]: “When hurricanes, floods and wildfires hit, people with disabilities often face extra obstacles to staying safe.”
• Herman Parotti [00:26]: “Consider how you would communicate with your support network if the power and Internet went down. Would they come check on you? Would you meet somewhere—and if you had to evacuate early?”
• Herman Parotti [00:41]: “When possible, identify ahead of time which shelters can handle your medical needs and know your rights.”
• Herman Parotti [00:48]: “Knowing that you cannot be denied entry into a shelter because of your disability. Knowing that your service animal has the right to go in the shelter and stay by your side.”
• Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz [00:58]: “Familiarizing yourself with these resources and preparing ahead of time can help you stay safe when disaster strikes.”

Important Timestamps

• 00:01 – Introduction: The risks people with disabilities face during disasters
• 00:26 – Planning Communication and Support if Power/Internet Fails
• 00:41 – Selecting Accessible Shelters and Knowing Your Rights
• 00:48 – Legal Rights: Shelter Entry and Service Animals
• 00:58 – Resources: Disaster Plan, Checklist, Hotline

Tone

The episode is concise, practical, and empowering, focused on actionable advice for the disability community and their supporters to ensure safety and uphold rights during climate-driven emergencies.

Further Resources

• Visit disasterstrategies.org for detailed guides and checklists.
• Use the Partnership’s Disability and Disaster Hotline for immediate, disability-informed assistance during and after emergencies.
• Learn more at climateconnections.org about climate change and its wide-ranging impacts.