HRC Releases Competency Guide for Emergency Responders

FORIMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 18, 2012
Paul Guequierre 

HRC Releases Competency Guide for EmergencyResponders
 LGBTpeople, families in disaster situations often face higher risk of trauma
WASHINGTON –Today the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexualand transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, released aguide for local, state, federal and community organizations, as to howbest work with LGBT people and families during disasters or forcedevacuations.  In an emergency or disaster situation, vulnerablepopulations like LGBT people are at a heightened risk for trauma and may beless likely to have access to emergency services.

“Many LGBTindividuals and families fear discrimination in shelters or when seeking otheremergency services during natural disasters or other forced evacuations,” saidHRC President Chad Griffin.  “Emergency responders and volunteers need tobe aware of the needs many in our community have, and should be sympathetic tothe fact that families come in all shapes and sizes.  Our families deserveto be treated with respect and should never be separated due to a lack of legalrecognition.”

HRCLegislative Counsel Robin Maril added, “LGBT families seeking assistance mayexperience unnecessary, intrusive questions from shelter volunteers andworkers. After a disaster or evacuation, many people enter a shelter withvery little personal identification or documentation.  For LGBT families,who often rely on a number of documents to prove their relationships to eachother, or their children, this increases their vulnerability todiscrimination.”

Housing andaccess to proper medical care can be especially challenging for transgenderpeople after a disaster.  “Transgender people are often denied access togender appropriate restroom and housing facilities, continued Griffin. “This denial is not only humiliating, but can also be dangerous.”

For yearsHRC has advocated for protections for LGBT people and their families inaccessing disaster relief services.  For example, as part of the Blueprintfor Positive Change – a list of LGBT-specific non-legislative policyrecommendations made to then President-elect Obama during his transition to theWhite House – HRC urged the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to takesteps to ensure that same-sex couples and their families are eligible for, anddo not face discrimination in obtaining, federal disaster assistance.  HRCcontinues to urge FEMA and other federal agencies involved in disaster reliefto make their programs as welcoming and inclusive of LGBT people aspossible. 

Thecompetency guide comes in the middle of an already-busy Atlantic hurricaneseason, with thirteen named storms to date and experts predicting a busy secondhalf.   In the Western United States, record-setting wild fires aredisplacing thousands of residents from their homes. 

To view theguide online, visit http://www.hrc.org/files/assets/resources/EmergencyResponders_-_LGBT_Competency.pdf

TheHuman Rights Campaign is America's largest civil rights organization working toachieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring andengaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizensand realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

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