Emergency Preparedness for NDIS Participants

Since the year 2020, Australia has experienced multiple disastrous events including long droughts, bushfires and the global Covid-19 pandemic. These emergencies highlighted the shortcomings of many NDIS providers to plan for emergencies, and while disasters do not discriminate, the effects are often more severe for individuals with disabilities. For those with unique needs, personal emergency management plans are vital in ensuring safety and independence during a crisis. These plans are more than just a set of instructions—they are a lifeline, crafted to address each participant's specific circumstances, ensuring that they are prepared for whatever comes their way.

Why Are Disaster and Emergency Management Plans Important?

If you are a registered NDIS provider, you must comply with the NDIS Practice Standards, including its Emergency and Disaster management requirements as part of the conditions of your registration.

To achieve compliance with these standards, providers must demonstrate evidence of:

‘Emergency and disaster management planning that ensures that the risks to the health, safety and wellbeing of participants that may arise in an emergency or disaster are considered and mitigated, and ensures the continuity of supports critical to the health, safety and wellbeing of participants in an emergency or disaster.’

Participant emergency management detail the specific supports a participant might need during an emergency, considering any risks unique to them. Unlike organisational or provider emergency plans, personal plans are customised to the participant's living situation, support needs, and personal preferences.

Conducting the Risk Assessment

In evaluating the ‘risks to the health, safety and wellbeing of participants that may arise during an emergency or disaster’  providers should carry out an individual risk assessment and consider the degree to which participants rely on your services to meet their daily living needs. There are many factors that influence a participant's dependence on your services, for example, where participants live alone and:

• receive supports delivered by a sole support worker for an extended period of time
• do not regularly receive face-to-face supports from other NDIS providers.
• have limited regular contact with relatives, friends, or a support network.
• depend on equipment or another person to assist with their physical mobility.
• depend on another person to assist with communication.  
• depend on equipment to facilitate communication or the use of communication devices.

You must also consider ‘the extent to which the health and safety of participants would be affected if those services were disrupted.’

For example, a Participant who lives alone and is unable to drive may not be able to evacuate independently in case of a bushfire warning.

So it may be necessary to include a plan to leave early if a potential bushfire is expected, and/or arranging for other local providers or neighbours to assist.

Certain situations can put people with disabilities at greater risk during emergencies, such as living alone, having few informal supports, needing assistance to evacuate or shelter safely, or experiencing difficulties with communication and understanding.

Consider what is the level of risk for the participant?

When assessing the level of risk for a participant, it is crucial to consider their specific needs, capabilities, and the support they require to stay safe during an emergency. The NDIS suggests categorising participants based on the degree of support they need. Here’s how risk levels can be classified:

• Low: Generally independent and capable of managing most aspects of an emergency with little to no assistance.
• Moderate Require some assistance or supervision.
• High: Require constant supervision due to significant limitations in mobility, communication, or cognitive functioning.
• Extreme: Require immediate supervision and a well-defined action plan because they are unable to act independently in an emergency.

Developing the Plan

After conducting the risk assessment and understanding the participant’s unique needs, it is time to develop the emergency and disaster plan. 

Participants must actively collaborate in documenting the plan, ensuring an understanding of how employees will assist in emergencies or disasters.

The emergency and disaster plan must incorporate evacuation procedures tailored to the participant's location, disability, and personal circumstances, considering the absence of emergency management procedures in relevant buildings.

What is the plan?

Consider:

• what is the immediate action plan?
• what is the ongoing support strategy?
• who are the emergency contacts?
• does the participant require any critical equipment?

Who will be involved? 

Other than support workers, this may include:

• other service providers
• family members and friends
• neighbours and community members

What are the back-up plans?

For example:

• Identify other trained individuals or service providers who can step in if the primary support staff are unavailable. 
• In the event that the primary exit route is blocked or unsafe, the plan should identify alternative routes. 
• Ensure there are multiple ways to communicate during an emergency, especially for participants who may rely on specific devices or aids.
• If a participant relies on medical or mobility equipment, there should be a plan in place for what to do if this equipment fails.

What is the required training?

Staff supporting participants must receive specialised training tailored to the specific needs of the participant where necessary, such as individualised emergency plans for those with conditions like epilepsy in consideration with the participant's mobility, physical and mental condition. This ensures that staff know what the plan is and can activate it as required.   

Testing and Review

The NDIS practice standards place a strong emphasis on the regular testing and review of emergency and disaster management plans to ensure their effectiveness. This involves:

• Routine drills and other exercises to ensure participants are able to safely evacuate in an emergency (practicing evacuation routes and testing communication tools)
• Annual consultations with participants to gather valuable input and address any specific needs or concerns.
• Annual reviews consider changes in residences, staff, or participants, allowing for timely adjustments to the emergency plans.
• Ensure that key elements, including staff contacts, engagement with local emergency services, alert mechanisms, and evacuation procedures are consistently up-to-date and aligned with the evolving needs of the community and organisation.
• Information, training, and instructions are aligned with participant support plans.

The emergency plan must be accessible to staff, displayed in participant residences, and collaboratively developed with participants.

Plans are to be implemented during emergencies, with compliance to emergency services' directions.

By developing comprehensive, person-centred emergency plans, providers can address the unique needs of participants and ensure their safety during crises. Through detailed risk assessments, effective communication, and specialised training, providers can enhance their capacity to respond effectively and protect the well-being of NDIS participants