What to Do in an Emergency
Disabilities
Information from the National Organization on Disability
http://www.nod.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=
Feature.showFeature&FeatureID=1539
Be Informed
- Learn about the types of hazards that may impact your community (blizzards, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, and so on). You can get information from your local Emergency Management Office.
- Find out what emergency plans are in place in your community, workplace, service agencies, etc. Look over whether those plans have considered your specific needs.
- Identify what the plan is for notifying people when a disaster may be on its way or is actually occurring.
- Consider how a disaster might impact your daily routines. Make a list of your specific needs before, during and after a disaster.
Identify your Resources
Make a list of family, friends, co-workers, personal attendants, service providers and others who can be part of your plan. Include people both in and out of your immediate neighborhood or community, like a relative in another state. Talk to these individuals and ask them to be part of your support network (at least 3 people in each important location e.g. home, workplace, etc.).
Tip: Ask yourself what resources you rely on regularly and determine how a disaster might effect your use of them?
- Do you use communication devices?
- Do you depend on accessible transportation to get to work, doctor’s appointments, or to other places in your community?
- Do you receive medical treatments (e.g. dialysis) on a regular basis?
- Do you need assistance with personal care?
- Do you rely on electrically dependent equipment or other durable equipment?
- Do you use mobility aids such as a walker, cane, or a wheelchair?
- Do you have a service animal?
Create an Emergency Plan
- Work with your support network to make a plan. You should have a plan at home, work, school, or any place you spend time regularly.
- You should make a plan that includes hazards that can impact your community. Apply contingencies you use daily to deal with power outages or transportation delays or breakdowns. This will help you as you consider larger disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, floods and terrorism.
- Create a communication plan. Make sure you and your support network have each others contact information and alternate ways to communicate if phones are not working (such as an assigned meeting place, using pagers, email or other technology not reliant on phone lines). Tip: For individuals who use telecommunications relay services, look into different options to use as back-up including: dialing 711 (nationwide), CapTel (captioned telephone), internet-based relay (through computer, text pager, PDA, etc.), and/ or video relay services (through broadband).
- Make an evacuation plan for home, work, school, etc. Identify a primary and secondary way to evacuate the house or building. Points to Consider: Your personal situation.
- If you require assistance to evacuate, create a plan with the assistance of your support network.
- If necessary, look into evacuation assistive devices, or the installation of ramps at emergency exits. Identify an area of rescue assistance (where public safety officials can assist you) in any building you visit regularly. Contact the building safety director for help.
- If you require accessible transportation to evacuate an area, identify resources both public and private.
- Plan for different ways of sheltering. Consider what you can do to safely shelter-in-place. Consider how to shelter with friends and family. Finally, consider how a shelter designated for the public would meet your demands. Tip: See information below about making a “ready kit” and “go bag”.
- If you receive regular services (home health care, transportation, dialysis), make a plan with each service provider. Learn about their disaster plans and how to contact them in an emergency. Work with them to identify back-up service providers.
Checklists and other resources
Be Ready: Create a ready kit and a go bag.
You should create a comprehensive “ready kit” with the many supplies necessary to self sustain for a period of time. Also create a “go bag”containing your most essential items to take with you if you must leave immediately.
Include in your kit: Items on this list can be included in both the ready kit and go bag. It is up to you to decide the most essential items to include for you and your family.
- 3-day supply of non-perishable food and manual can opener. Make sure the food meets your dietary requirements.
- 3-day supply of water. Plan for 1 gallon per person per day, but you may need more, consult with your doctor.
- Medical equipment and assistive devices (glasses, hearing aids, catheters, augmentative communication devices, canes, walkers). Label each with your name and contact information. Be sure to have extra batteries and chargers.
- Medications, including a list of the prescription name, dosage, frequency, doctor and pharmacist. Also consider if medications need to be refrigerated and if so, bring a cooler with an ice pack or other coolant system.
- List of emergency contact information including your support network members in and out of the region, service providers, etc.
- Copies of important documents (birth certificate, passport, licenses, insurance information, proof of address).
- Extra set of keys.
- Flashlight and radio with extra batteries.
- Cash, credit cards, checkbook, ATM card
- Sanitation and hygiene items. Including soap, denture care, absorbent pads, etc.
- Items for infants, such as formula, diapers, bottles, and pacifiers.
- Supplies for a service animal including food, identification tags, proof of up-to-date vaccinations, and veterinarian contact.
- Clothes, blanket, pillow.
- White distress flag or cloth, whistle, flashlights and/or glow sticks.
- Basic first aid kit.
Identify your disability-related or health condition need by writing it down or wearing medical alert tags or bracelets.
