Disasters of all kinds can have devastating and disproportionate impact on people with disabilities.
Disaster preparedness and an understanding of the system of health and emergency services in advance of a disaster is critical.
Personal Preparedness Tips
Disaster Preparedness can feel like a huge challenge for people with disabilities.
Preparedness is not a large one time commitment. Rather it is a way of thinking. Common misconceptions are a lack of time, lack of money, lack of resources and lack of ability. Some of these concerns are even more significant for people with disabilities.
Here is a list of tips to help you start to think about preparedness:
Plans
- Think about what you do every day to take care of, or get help with your needs
- Think about the places you go on a regular basis, how you can be prepared throughout the day. By understanding your needs and making a plan that matches your needs, preparedness becomes less overwhelming and more about what you do every day.
- Identify which neighbors, friends, family, and caregivers you will want to connect with if a disaster happens. Connect with them before a disaster to make a communication plan.
Supplies
Gather emergency supplies to shelter in-place or take with you if you need to evacuate. These include basic emergency supplies like:
- Water
- Non-perishable food
- Flashlights
- Items for your specific needs
More to include:
- Battery replacements
- Extra glasses
- Medication and medication lists
- Important phone numbers and passwords
- Consumable medical supplies
- Durable medical equipment and extra parts
- Emotional support items
- Things that are important to you
Evacuation
Make an evacuation plan. Think about:
- Your routes
- Your pathway
- Options to stairs or elevators
- Communications to people you need to talk to
- How to carry your supplies with you
- Transportation
- Possible destinations
Planning for these can keep you safe!
Shelter
Identify where you might go to shelter after a disaster. You may need to leave your home for days, weeks or more.
You may shelter with friends and family close by or out of town. You may be sheltering in a disaster shelter.
There are many types of shelters, and having an accessible, inclusive place to stay is a must. Make sure to ask questions about:
- The facilities
- Services
- Transportation
- Space
- Room for your equipment
- Any other needs that are specific to you
Communication
- Sign up for local emergency notifications. Your city, county or state may reach out over radio and TV or through email, phone calls and text messages.
- Enroll in emergency lists to know when you may need to evacuate!
- If your community provides registries or lists that you can sign up for, be sure you know what they are going to do for you in a disaster. Knowing expectations helps you plan.
It's Your Plan
- It is very important to think about your needs, your resources, your preferences, your networks of support, your supplies, and your plan. Nobody else knows what works best for you!
- Many community initiatives have developed preparedness planning tools and training. Be selective and chose the one that is right for you.
Preparedness and Resilience Projects
We are grateful to the generous support of our partners and funders that have the vision, insight and shared commitment to disability-inclusive disaster health equity. With their support, we have created the following resources:
Health Plan Member-Focused Emergency Practices Roadmap, thanks to the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation
Looking for more ways to prepare your organization, company, or community for disasters?
We can support you with our Emergency, Disaster, and Climate Resilience Services!