FAST Slides 2024 This article and podcast explore the history, present status, and future opportunities and challenges of Functional Assessment Service Teams (FAST). A basic description of FAST is that it involves teams of government and community partners with disability-specific skills that are deployed to provide the support needed. These supports help people with disabilities participate in disaster planning, response, recovery, and mitigation to protect their health, safety, and independence. The content explains the historical motivation behind FAST, highlighting past discrimination and the need for inclusive emergency services based on a social model of disability. The article and podcast examine the original goals of these teams, stressing collaboration and the involvement of individuals with lived experience. The discussion covers the current state of FAST, noting variations and challenges like funding issues and the shift toward government-only teams. Finally, both explore future prospects, proposing ways to improve and grow FAST programs, such as expanding their focus beyond shelters, diversifying team composition, and enhancing training and evaluation methods.
