Emergencies can happen with little warning. Wildfires, winter storms, power outages, floods, earthquakes, and other disasters can create challenges for everyone—but they can present additional challenges for people with disabilities.
The good news is that a little planning can make a significant difference.
Emergency preparedness isn’t about predicting exactly what will happen. It’s about identifying the things you may need during an emergency and making a plan before you need it.
Start With Your Individual Needs
Everyone’s preparedness plan will look different. Think about what you would need if you had to shelter at home for several days or leave your home with little notice.
Consider:
- Mobility: Do you use a wheelchair, walker, cane, or other mobility equipment?
- Communication: Do you have difficulty hearing, speaking, or communicating during an emergency?
- Vision: Would you need assistance navigating an unfamiliar location?
- Medical needs: Do you rely on medications, medical equipment, oxygen, or electricity?
- Transportation: Do you have a reliable way to evacuate if you cannot drive?
- Service animals or pets: What supplies and transportation would they need?
- Support network: Who could help you if normal services were unavailable?
Write these needs down and include them in your emergency plan.
Plan for Power Outages
A power outage can be more than an inconvenience if you depend on electricity for medical equipment, refrigeration, heating, cooling, or communication.
Consider having:
- Backup batteries or power banks
- Backup power source for essential medical equipment
- Flashlights and extra batteries
- Battery-powered or hand-crank radios
- Several days of necessary medications
- A plan for keeping temperature-sensitive medications at the proper temperature
- Alternative arrangements if your home becomes unsafe or uninhabitable
If you rely on electrically powered medical equipment, talk with your medical equipment provider or healthcare professional about appropriate backup options.
Build an Emergency Kit That Works for You
A standard emergency kit is a good starting point, but you may need additional items based on your circumstances.
Your kit might include:
- Medications and medical supplies
- Copies of important medical information (i.e. prescriptions)
- Extra eyeglasses or hearing-aid batteries
- Mobility-device supplies or repair equipment
- Backup communication devices
- Chargers and portable batteries
- Service-animal food and supplies
- Important contact information for your medical providers
Keep your supplies somewhere that is easy for you to access.
Keep Important Information Accessible
Consider keeping a written or electronic record containing important information such as:
- Medications and dosages
- Doctors and healthcare providers
- Allergies
- Medical conditions
- Insurance information
- Equipment providers
- Information about your service animal
Keep a copy with your emergency supplies and consider providing a copy to someone you trust.
Have an Evacuation Plan
If an evacuation is ordered, you may have limited time to leave.
Think through your evacuation plan before an emergency occurs.
Identify:
- Where you would go.
- How you would get there.
- Who could help you leave.
- What equipment and supplies you would take.
- What you would do if your primary transportation or route was unavailable.
If you require assistance with transportation, don’t wait until an evacuation is underway to figure out how you will leave. Talk with family, friends, neighbors, caregivers, or appropriate local service providers ahead of time.
Create a Personal Support Network
Identify several people who could check on you during an emergency.
Don’t rely on only one person. Your primary contact may be unavailable, out of town, or dealing with an emergency themselves.
Your network might include:
- Family members
- Friends
- Neighbors
- Coworkers
- Caregivers
- Personal support workers
- Community organizations
Make sure they know how to contact you and understand what assistance you may need.
Stay Informed
Emergency information may change quickly. Make sure you have multiple ways to receive information.
Consider using:
- Emergency notifications on your mobile phone through the Community Notification System
- Local government social media platforms that serve your area
- Local media outlets (television, radio, web and print)
- Official county or municipal websites
Don’t rely on a single source of information. During a major emergency, some communication systems may become unavailable.
Practice Your Plan
A plan is much more useful when you’ve practiced it.
Try asking yourself:
“If I had to leave my home in 10 minutes, what would I need?”
Then actually walk through the process.
- Can you reach your emergency supplies?
- Can you get out of your home safely?
- Do you have transportation?
- Can you communicate with your support network?
- Do you have the equipment and medications you need?
Identifying problems during a practice exercise gives you an opportunity to fix them before an actual emergency.
Preparedness Is Personal
There is no single emergency preparedness plan that works for everyone.
The most important thing is to consider your specific needs, your environment, and the emergencies most likely to affect your community.
Take a few minutes today to identify what you would need, who could help you, and how you would receive emergency information.
A little planning today can provide greater independence and peace of mind when an emergency occurs.