Access Statements
Notice under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504
In accordance with the requirements of title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the City of Vancouver will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of disability in its services, programs, or activities. We strive to ensure that every program, service, activity, and facility operated or funded by the City of Vancouver is accessible to people with disabilities.
Effective communication
The City of Vancouver will generally, upon request, provide appropriate aids and services leading to effective communication for qualified persons with disabilities so they can participate equally in all programs, services and activities, including qualified sign language interpreters, documents in Braille, and other ways of making information and communications accessible to people who have speech, hearing or vision impairments.
Voting accessibility
It is a priority of Clark County elections officials and the Office of the Secretary of State to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to vote independently and privately. Please visit the Clark County Elections webpage for more information on accessible voting options. You can reach out to them directly with any questions you have about how to register or vote by calling 564-397-2345 or emailing elections@clark.wa.gov.
Service animals
The Washington Law Against Discrimination (WLAD) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) and its amendments (2010) explicitly prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities who use service animals because of a disability.
Only dogs can be considered service animals. It is the training that distinguishes a service animal from another animal. Service animals are ‘working’ animals, not pets or emotional support animals. Service animals are generally permitted to accompany owners/handlers with disabilities in all areas of City owned and operated facilities where members of the public are allowed to go. Continue reading for more on rights and responsibilities of service animal handlers/owners.
Emergency preparedness for community members with disabilities
It may not be pleasant to think about emergencies and disasters but planning ahead is the best way to ensure you and all the members of your household remain safe during fires, floods, earthquakes and other events. That is even more true for people with disabilities. We encourage people who have disabilities and those who may need extra assistance during emergencies to prepare before an emergency occurs. Visit the City of Vancouver Emergency Preparedness webpage to access the resources we have gathered for you.
Evacuation assistance at City of Vancouver facilities
We want you to be prepared before you visit any City of Vancouver public buildings for any evacuations that might take place while you’re there. In spring of 2024, we installed Stryker Evacuation Chairs in four high use public buildings: City Hall, Firstenburg Community Center, Marshall Community Center and the Water Resource Education Center. These devices may be helpful for community members with disabilities and others who have difficulty safely exiting multi-level buildings during evacuations. The Stryker company provides a product that is well-respected and trusted. The device can be guided up or down the stairs, traveling along the leading edge of the stairs. This evacuation chair demonstration video shows how to use the Stryker chair in a variety of situations.
We also developed this emergency evacuation quick guide to help you plan for your next visit to a City facility.