People with Disabilities

Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so some thinking and planning now will go a long way when an emergency strikes.

Think about your family members and the type of support and services they will need if you are not at home when an event starts.

Family members with disabilities may need special assistance. Caregivers may not be available during regular or extended times. Adult day care may not be operational, or may be forced to close early. What are your alternatives? Who will become part of you plan?

During a pandemic, adult day care, certain schools, and other related services for the disabled may not be open, or may be forced to close early, or not be able to provide return transportation.

You will need an alternative for each of the potential situations that may occur.

This site gives you the basics to prepare your basic plan, but you may wish to refer to other sources provided on your Links page. 

Keeping in Contact: An important part of your plan is how you will contact one another and review what you will do in different situations.

• Create a support network to help in an emergency.
• Tell your support people where you keep your emergency supplies.
• Give one member of your support network a key to your house or apartment.
• Contact your city or county government's emergency information management office, for example dialing 311 in Maryland can obtain up to date information. Many local offices keep lists of people with disabilities so they can be located quickly in a sudden emergency.
• Wear medical alert tags or bracelets to help identify your disability.
• If you are dependent on dialysis or other life sustaining treatment, know the location and availability of more than one facility.
• Show others how to operate your wheelchair.
• Know the size and weight of your wheelchair, in addition to whether or not it is collapsible, in case it has to be transported.

Additional Supplies for People with Disabilities:

• Prescription medicines, list of medications including dosage, list of any allergies.
• Extra eyeglasses and hearing-aid batteries.
• Extra wheelchair batteries, oxygen.
• Keep a list of the style and serial number of medical devices.
• Medical insurance and Medicare cards.