Disasters can come at any time, whether it be a fire, extreme weather, or anything else that threatens our safety. While we don’t know when these disasters will strike, we can plan how to react when they do. Being prepared is the best way to protect yourself in an emergency. Often, people with disabilities face additional barriers when disasters hit, such as transportation or communication obstacles. Nobody expects a disaster to happen to them, but being prepared is vital to making sure you can get through it safely.
The first thing to do is create a personal emergency plan. This plan lays out what you will do in case of any emergency and what other people who may be helping you need to know to keep you healthy and safe. Keep a list of emergency contacts that is accessible both to you and to someone who is assisting you. Having several emergency contacts from different areas is important in case one of those contacts is unable to get to you. Plan how you will get to any public emergency shelters in your area, and find alternate routes to these shelters in case your main path is blocked. You should also plan how you will react to different disasters, like where you will go during a tornado or fire and how you will get there.
Don’t keep your emergency plan in your head, and make sure that it is available in multiple formats to ensure that you always have it in case of emergency. Having a copy of it on your phone is good until you lose power and are unable to charge the phone. A large-print paper or braille copy of your plan kept in a secure place will ensure you can access it when you need it. In addition to your plan, consider keeping copies of important documents, like birth certificates, insurance cards and a medication list, in the same place.
Another critical item is an emergency supply kit that contains everything you need to get by. Keep the kit at home in a place where you can easily get to it. You can also keep a small kit with you at work in case a disaster hits while in the office. A good emergency supply kit should include high-calorie, shelf-stable food, extra clothes, flashlights, a weather radio and anything else you need to get by for a few days. Keeping clean water for cooking, drinking, and sanitation on hand–at least one gallon per person per day–is also important. It’s best to keep enough clean water on hand in gallon jugs to last three days. If you take medication, consider setting enough aside to last you a few days in case you cannot make it to a pharmacy.
People who are blind or low vision should be sure to keep backups of any adaptive items they use on a regular basis. If you use magnifiers at home or at work, keep a backup magnifier in your kit. If you use a white cane, consider keeping a backup cane in your kit in case yours gets damaged. Make sure that everything in your kit is organized and labeled in a way that allows you to find what you’re looking for quickly.
Finally, it’s important to remember your rights as a person with disabilities. If you have a guide dog, you are allowed to bring it to an emergency shelter even if they do not allow pets. Those working at the shelter may try to tell you that dogs are not permitted, but you should be prepared to advocate for your own needs and tell them you are legally allowed to bring a guide dog with you. If you know where your public emergency shelter is, consider calling them in advance to tell them you have a guide dog and to expect you to have it with you if you need to use the shelter. You can also reach out to your local emergency services team to let them know what you need in an emergency so that emergency responders will understand your needs before they even get to you.
When it comes to disasters, your safety is your responsibility. You cannot count on other people being able to help you during a crisis, as most of them will probably be focusing on their own safety and survival. You are your own best advocate, and knowing what to do before disaster strikes is the best strategy for keeping yourself safe. If you would like to learn more about emergency preparedness as a person with disabilities, visit the CDC website or this series of workshops on emergency preparedness from Hadley.
