Prepared4ALL: Increasing Disability Inclusion and Equity in Local Emergency Planning

In local emergency preparedness planning, there is a lack of disability inclusion and equity. We conceptualize this problem as an adaptive challenge, an issue that is hard to define, hard to solve and must be solved by people most impacted. This conceptualization led us to utilize action research to describe how disability inclusion and equity may be built in this area. Building on previously develop models of increasing inclusion through capacity-building, we describe results of virtually convened Action Learning groups to add to the understanding of the facilitators of disability inclusion and equity in local emergency planning. We found that participants utilized four main themes in their capacity-building work: partnership, interests and values, forward motion, and organizational development. These themes were strengthened by elements of adaptive thinking that connected the main themes to each other. These included: network exchange, envision what’s next, systematic reflection, and valuing partnership. We discuss our findings’ implications and suggest further research to conceptualize and enact disability inclusion and equity.