Preparedness Information for Seniors & People with Disabilities

Preparing for Disaster for People with Disabilities and other Special Needs

A4497/FEMA476 [PDF]

Emergencies can happen at a moment's notice. Know your plans ahead of time so you are safer and more prepared. The above booklet gives tips on getting informed, making a plan, assembling a kit, and maintaining these plans for people with mobility problems or who have hearing, learning, or seeing disabilities. These tips provide you and your caregivers with considerations needed to help manage communications, equipment, pets and home hazards. The booklets are co-authored by the American Red Cross and Department of Homeland Security, FEMA and are available from your local chapter of the Red Cross.

The booklet outlined below, publication A5091, is a full-size and downloadable version which gives greater detail and specific forms to record medical and emergency information, write a personal assessment of needs, and lists for supplies.

See also: Tips for Seniors and People with Disabilities

Disaster Preparedness for People With Disabilities

Table of Contents

• Preface
  
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction
• Downloadable Version (pdf)
• Understanding Disasters
• Creating a Personal Support Network
• Completing a Personal Assessment
• Personal Disaster Preparation
• Disaster Supplies
• Making Your Home or Office Safer
• Glossary

  Appendixes
  

• Appendix A: Disaster Supplies Kits and Other Essential Supplies
  
• Appendix B: Disaster Supplies Calendar
  
• Appendix C: Important Lists

Links to Partner Organizations for Additional Information

These links will launch a new window.

• American Association of the Deaf-Blind
• American Association of People with Disabilities
• American Council of the Blind
• Exceptional Parent Magazine
• National Federation of the Blind
• National Organization on Disability
• Through the Looking Glass

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Preface
Disaster Preparedness for People with Disabilities has been designed to help people who have physical, hearing, learning, or seeing disabilities to prepare for natural and human-caused disasters and their consequences. In 1984, the Los Angeles Chapter of the American Red Cross created a booklet titled Disaster Preparedness for the Disabled and Elderly. That booklet, which is no longer in print, served as the foundation for material contained here. In the last 12 years, new information has been published about disaster preparation for people with disabilities, and relevant documents, guidelines, and other materials have been reviewed and added, as appropriate, in this updated booklet. Anyone who has a disability or anyone who works with, lives with, or assists a person with a disability can use this booklet. It contains information that can help you organize a personal disaster plan and includes plans for the care of service animals and/or pets during a disaster. This booklet is designed with checklists and extra space for you or your helper to use to organize information that will help you prepare for a disaster. You may copy these pages from the booklet as needed to distribute or post somewhere handy. If you have questions about any of the content or recommendations in this booklet, please contact your Local American Red Cross Chapter.