Participation of Persons with Disabilities in the Disaster Preparedness Program in Kepuharjo Village

Persons with disabilities face a higher risk during disasters. Socioeconomic and physical vulnerabilities make them more vulnerable to disasters. Unfortunately, persons with disabilities tend to be overlooked in emergency preparedness systems. This fact causes persons with disabilities lack an understanding of disasters and how to overcome them. This community service program is conducted in Kepuharjo Village, a village prone to the “Merapi” volcano disaster. The programs implemented ensure that persons with disabilities are subjects in disaster preparedness. Activities are carried out by making innovations by realizing inclusive disaster risk reduction. The result of the innovation programs is the management information systems, disability data, and village disability groups. There is the increasing knowledge of village governments, disaster resilient village teams, persons with disabilities to obtain information and about disasters; there is standard operating inclusive evacuation and rescue procedure; there is advocacy for the availability of accessible refugee barracks. The village already had a policy and allocated a budget for providing protection and fulfilling the rights of persons with disabilities. The sister village also has an inclusive disaster preparedness program.