FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 17, 2025
CONTACT:
Edie Surtees
512-407-2739
esurtees@DRTx.org
MAJOR ACHIEVEMENT FOR INCLUSIVE DISASTER/EMERGENCY PLANNING
San Antonio residents with disabilities and the City of San Antonio agree on significant improvements to City’s emergency operation plan
SAN ANTONIO, TX—Following Winter Storm Uri in 2021, Disability Rights Texas (DRTx), on behalf of eight residents of San Antonio with disabilities, sued the City of San Antonio, alleging that its emergency response and operations violated their rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act. After two years of collaborative efforts between Plaintiffs and the City, the Plaintiffs have dismissed their lawsuit now that the City has significantly revised its Emergency Operation Plan to consider the needs of residents with disabilities.
“This is a significant victory not only for the residents of San Antonio with disabilities, but it is also a bellwether for how cities should ensure that its emergency planning involves persons with disabilities, who make up 25% of all Texans, and consider their particular needs,” said Stephanie Duke, Supervising Attorney for the DRTx Disaster Resilience Team. “This is even more important as all types of disasters increase in severity and frequency.”
Highlights of the revised, inclusive plan include:
- Accessible emergency communications, transportation, and sheltering in all future emergencies;
- Involvement and engagement with people with disabilities and disability-led organizations in planning and mitigation efforts for disasters and emergencies;
- Identified staff to focus on disability and access functional needs within Emergency Management; and
- Provision of inclusive outreach and education on disability related needs in a disaster.
“Extreme weather events like Winter Storm Uri show that disability inclusion is essential to public safety and welfare,” said Sean Jackson, DRTx Executive Director. “Inclusive planning saves lives.”
“This is a huge first step. Knowing that San Antonio is actually recognizing my needs, and that they are different and including those considerations in the planning process hopefully will make for better outcomes,” said Heather Albright, a plaintiff and individual with a visual impairment.
“As a mother with multiple children with disabilities, some of whom rely on electrical necessary equipment for their health needs, seeing the City take these concrete first steps to advance disaster planning provides me with relief that the process is headed in the right direction,” said Sherry M., a plaintiff and mother of four minor plaintiffs in the case.
Disasters can strike anyone, anywhere, and every life, person, and ability matters. Disasters are inevitable, but inequity is not. Inclusive preparedness ensures that no one is left behind, every life has equal worth, and every person has the right to safety and resilience. DRTx continues to engage with public partners and community members alike to educate and empower about inclusive practices, whole community efforts and affording equitable opportunities for disaster survivors with disabilities.
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Disability Rights Texas is the federally designated legal protection and advocacy agency (P&A) for people with disabilities in Texas established in 1977. Its mission is to help people with disabilities understand and exercise their rights under the law, ensuring their full and equal participation in society.