[Transcript of, "A Disaster Waiting to Happen", produced by Rooted in Rights]

(A man in a power chair enters a city building through an accessible entrance.)

[PAUL]: It is easy to enter 
and exit a building

that has been adapted
for people with limited mobility.

It is not until the rubber
hits the fan that the joy of

entering a building
is compromised.

My name is Paul Tshuma.

I live in Canada, in Montreal, in the
province of Quebec.

We experience horrific incidences
just like everyone else.

From natural disasters
like the devastating 2017 flood,

to violent incidents like the
Dawson College shooting in 2006.

And because disasters happen

there needs to be
evacuation plan in place.

These emergencies occur more
often than you would think.

I was in class one day when suddenly
 the fire alarm went off.

[alarm beeping]

Everyone ran out of the building
down the stairs and I was left

stuck by the emergency exit stairways.

I was angry.

Why did the management
of this building

implement an exit plan
that includes everyone

except people with disabilities?

Fortunately, it was just a drill.

[music]

(Photo of Paul next to another man, also in a power chair.)

My brother, Gift, was also
trapped during a fire drill

two years after my incident.

Why weren't changes made
to prevent this?

Would you rather cut corners
and risk lives

or would you prefer to be prepared?

[music]

(Shot of an evacuation chair outfitted with rolling tracks. Next, a person guides the chair and passenger down a flight of stairs.)

Thankfully now there are
evacuation chairs

that allow able-bodied people to help

disabled individuals to safety.

However this tool requires
other people's assistance

rather than allowing the person

to evacuate on their own.

The best thing you can do right now

to improve safety is to
include people with disabilities

on emergency planning committees.

We need to be regularly involved

as community needs, budget, and
infrastructure change.

By consulting with individuals,
such as myself,

emergency planning committees

will ensure that plans
work for everyone.

You should do
the same.

For more resources on how to

involve people with disabilities
in emergency planning,

visit RootedinRights.org/Storytellers.

Written and directed by B. Paul Tshuma.

special thanks to Gift Samuel Tshuma,

Jean Sebastien Collin
and Gilles Collin.

[End of transcript]