Special needs and natural disasters
Special needs and natural disasters
Your coverage of Typhoon Haiyan and the November tornadoes has been thorough, but you and numerous media outlets miss one aspect: How are people with special needs getting through natural disasters?
I have Asperger’s syndrome and sensory processing disorder and was part of the July, 2011 storms that caused power outages to more than 850,000 people. There is no way I could have survived at a shelter. Fortunately, we stayed with my aunt.
Thinking of the future, I contacted the Red Cross of greater Chicago, and they said in order to avoid the conglomerate shelter, one must have a doctor signed letter stating why they cannot be there. Please cover the aspect of disabled and special needs people and what happens to them in the wake of a natural disaster.
Allison M. Kramer
Carpentersville