Climate-related disasters disproportionately affect vulnerable groups, as seen just weeks ago during the devastating wildfires near Los Angeles. Some of the fatalities there were older adults or individuals with physical impairments who were unable to evacuate quickly enough. Despite the region’s well-known status as a wildfire hotspot, comprehensive protection plans that analyze which population groups are most at risk are still lacking.

Austria, too, has room for improvement. At the moment, vulnerable groups are not consistently integrated into disaster preparedness and planning efforts. Systematically collected data about their needs and locations is often missing, further complicated by privacy concerns and fears of stigmatization. There is also a lack of clear strategies to effectively reach people with visual or hearing impairments during crises. Additionally, there are legal gaps: while every municipality is required to have a disaster protection plan, private businesses like local suppliers are often left out, and protective projects frequently lack long-term funding.

Success Factors: Collaboration, Practical Solutions, and Targeted Communication

The VULKANO project, funded by the Austrian Climate and Energy Fund and coordinated by DCNA, analyzed these challenges between 2023 and 2024. The project’s central outcome includes profiles of 18 selected best practice examples showcasing innovative approaches at the municipal, organizational, and project levels. Additionally, the project identified success factors that were discussed and validated during workshops with representatives from vulnerable groups, local authorities, emergency organizations, and regional governments.

“Vulnerable groups need to be given greater consideration in disaster planning. The VULKANO project provides concrete ways to enhance their safety and access to support. That way, we achieve more effective and equitable disaster management”

says DCNA's Managing Director Christian Resch. 

Key Recommendations for Practical Implementation

The success factors identified in the VULKANO project can be summarized using the following recommendations:

• Inclusion and Collaboration
  To ensure disaster protection plans are successfully implemented, relevant stakeholders and interest groups must be involved from the very beginning. This participatory process ensures that the needs of affected groups are better addressed. Collaboration between municipalities, fire departments, mobile service providers, and representatives of care facilities is crucial.

• Training and Exercises
  Regular drills and training sessions that involve vulnerable groups help make disaster plans more practical and identify gaps early on. Developing realistic scenarios and corresponding checklists ensures tasks can be efficiently distributed in emergencies.

• Targeted Communication
  Utilizing diverse communication channels — from informational events and print media to social media and municipal bulletin boards — enables tailored outreach. Accessible formats like plain language, easy-to-read language, and multilingual materials promote inclusion. Multipliers, such as caregivers, can also help reach hard-to-access groups.

• Documenting Local Knowledge
  In smaller communities, long-serving municipal employees or firefighters often have extensive knowledge of the area. Recording and documenting this information ensures it is preserved for future generations. Collecting and displaying vital information on printed maps — such as the locations of people who need assistance evacuating - can also make emergency responses more effective.

• Science in Action
  In several best practice examples, scientific findings were successfully translated into practice. Collaborating with experts helps develop better scenarios and more accurately assess the consequences of disasters.

The VULKANO project sheds light on a topic that has received little attention in Austrian disaster research so far. Its findings have generated significant interest and are frequently presented at lectures and interviews. For DCNA, it’s clear that further research is necessary to ensure vulnerable groups are truly protected during disasters and emergencies.

Austrian Disability Council: Systematically Including Vulnerable Groups

The Austrian Disability Council emphasizes the importance of considering the needs of people with disabilities in all forms of disaster preparedness. Disaster and emergency plans can only protect individuals with disabilities if they are involved in creating these plans and if vulnerable groups become an integral part of the planning process.

Manuela Lanzinger from the Austrian Disability Council explains:

“The VULKANO project shows that some good approaches to inclusive disaster protection already exist, but these efforts are unfortunately limited to specific local areas. People with disabilities in Austria will only be systematically protected when all federal states include clear requirements for inclusive disaster protection in their laws. The goal must be to ensure vulnerable groups are consistently considered in disaster and emergency plans at the local level.”

About VULKANO

The VULKANO project (Vulnerable Groups in Local Disaster and Emergency Planning), funded by the Austrian Climate and Energy Fund (2023/2024), aimed to better understand the role of vulnerable groups — such as people with disabilities, the elderly, and individuals with language barriers — during climate-related stress and disruption events (e.g., floods, heatwaves, blackouts). The goal was to strengthen their inclusion in local emergency and disaster protection plans. For more information about the project and its best practice profiles, visit https://www.klimafonds.gv.at/projekt/vulkano/.

Project Partners:

• Disaster Competence Network Austria (Lead)
• GeoSphere Austria
• University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (Institute of Landscape Planning)
• Environment Agency Austria

Project website >