Helping the elderly and disabled find safety

Sue Smith, 67, steadies herself as she gets in her tent at the evacuation center. Wildfires and other disasters highlight the state’s need for improved services to get the elderly and disabled to safety.

The charred remains of Winnie Pugh’s electric scooter sits outside her home that was destroyed by the Valley Fire in Middletown. The waiting time on a new wheelchair after she was evaluated at the evacuation center was six days.

Winnie Pugh cries after learning her home was destroyed. The state has urged local governments to better educate vulnerable residents in times of disaster, alert them when it’s time to go, help get them out and meet their needs while they’re homeless.