• People with disabilities
• People who are deaf or hard-of-hearing
• Autism
• Teaching people with intellectual disabilities
• NFPA's involvement
• Urban fire safety
• Rural fire safety
• Older adults

People with disabilities

• Read archived issues of e-ACCESS.

Emergency Evacuation Planning Guide
NFPA's Emergency Evacuation Planning Guide for People with Disabilities was developed with input from the disability community. It  provides information on the five general categories of disabilities (mobility, visual, hearing, speech, and cognitive) and the four elements of evacuation information that occupants need (notification, way finding, use of the way, and assistance).

The Guide includes a checklist that building services managers and people with disabilities can use to design a personalized evacuation plan. The annexes give government resources and text based on the relevant code requirements and ADA criteria.

• Planning guide in PDF format  (1 MB) or Word (1.9 MB)
• Planning Checklist Word (192 KB)

Safety at home
People with disabilities who live in mid-level or high-rise apartment buildings face unique challenges in ensuring their safety in an emergency. Our new tip sheet includes includes tips for working with building management, the local fire department, and other residents on safe evacuation and also provides information on evacuation aids and emergency preparation. 

• Safety at home tip sheet in English (PDF, 20 KB) or Word Doc (21 KB) 
• Safety at home tip sheet in Spanish (PDF, 233 KB), or Spanish for Latin America (PDF, 220 KB)  

Student Planning Guide
A separate guide has been developed to help teachers, administrators, parents, and others look at issues that are relevant to a student’s ability to evacuate a building in an emergency. 

• Student guide in PDF format (152 KB) or Word (392 KB)

These guides were prepared by NFPA staff. Comments and suggestions may be sent to Allan B. Fraser, afraser@nfpa.org or +1 617 984 7411.

NFPA's workplace safety for people with disabilities information sheet includes information on emergency planning, suggested evacuation aids, drills and training, and practicing and maintaining workplace escape plans.

• English  PDF (1 MB) or Word (1 MB)
• Spanish-language speakers in the U.S. PDF (2 MB) or Word (2 MB)  
• Spanish-language speakers in Latin America  PDF (2 MB) or Word (2 MB)

Teaching tips for fire safety educators
Basic fire safety information needs to be conveyed in a way that gives all children the opportunity to learn and practice fire safety skills. Keep in mind that general fire safety tips still apply to all. Children with disabilities are first and foremost children, and will benefit from the years of conventional wisdom that went into creating fire safety programs.

• English PDF (54 KB) or Word (54 KB)
• Spanish PDF (61 KB) or Word (61 KB)

Lesson plan for teachers
This scenario card lesson plan is designed to teach early elementary school children about fire escape planning and practice in the school setting and the importance of escape planning for children with disabilities.

NFPA report
"Physical Disability as a Factor in Home Fire Deaths," by Ben Evarts, May 2011.

• NFPA members: Download this report. (PDF, 510 KB)
• All visitors: Download the executive summary. (PDF, 515 KB)
• All visitors: Download a fact sheet on physical disability as a factor in home fire deaths. (PDF, 58 KB)

In this Section:

People who are deaf or hard-of-hearing Those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing cannot depend on the sound of a regular fire alarm. Teaching people with intellectual disabilities Provide fire safety education to people with intellectual disabilities.

Autism Advance preparation is critical for children with autism. NFPA's involvement NFPA has long been involved with safety for people with disabilities.