Emergency planning should involve ensuring that shelters are accessible to people with disabilities. Making emergency sheltering programs accessible is generally required by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). This checklist includes information about accessible shelters, health, and other basic services and accommodations.
Resources for individuals, families, caregivers and service providers, including Just in Case: Emergency Readiness for Older Adults and Caregivers and links to other federal departments and national relief agencies.
This booklet provides information on specific hazards including what to do before, during and after each hazard type. Some of the hazards covered are: floods; tornadoes; hurricanes; thunderstorms and lightning; winter storms and extreme cold and extreme heat. This links opens a PDF document.
This FEMA fact sheet provides information on advance preparations and tips if you are relocated.
Information from the Department of Health and Human Services about two interactive computer tools that allow users to input information on their specific medical care needs, and receive feedback on which facilities can become alternate care sites or which patients can appropriately be moved to those sites. These tools are very important during a public health emergency which can strain the capacity of hospitals and other traditional places that deliver medical services.
Information on preparing for earthquakes, fires and other disasters and coping with their after-effects.
Ten key things people with disabilities should consider in planning for an emergency. Includes information from the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International to help both tenants and property managers better understand how to respond to the needs of people with disabilities during emergencies.
The Northeast Texas Public Health District has prepared a series of emergency preparedness presentations in several formats including videos in American Sign Language (ASL), audio and downloadable Braille and Word documents, as well as large print documents for people with low vision. Topics addressed include planning for emergencies, basic first aid, infectious diseases, family guides to home care and sheltering in place.
Guide developed by the National Organization on Disability highlights key disability concerns for officials and experts responsible for emergency planning in their communities.
FEMA's main site that covers training for emergency preparedness.
This PowerPoint presentation from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration on Developmental Disabilities, provides information for families about preparing for emergencies. The presentation includes information on state and local resources for family readiness, developmental disabilities networks and checklists for parents of children with special needs. The presentation is also available in Word format.
Guide for employers on how to include people with disabilities in their emergency evacuation planning. Includes a checklist for developing, maintaining and implementing an evacuation plan.
Guide on basic evacuation preparedness, including an ability self-assessment, emergency health information and planning, and options on how to be evacuated from an emergency situation.
This reference guide addresses disability-related legal requirements and standards for those serving individuals with disabilities in emergency preparedness and disaster relief.
Determine your disaster risk by searching flood maps, hurricane maps, disaster maps and more.
Flyer for first responders about H1N1 influenza. This link opens a PDF document.
Resources to help hospital administrators and state and local health officials respond to the H1N1 flu pandemic. Includes a software program that simulates the spread of influenza through a model community and the impact of a variety of potential interventions.
The Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Education (ED) have announced new guidance for institutions of higher education to plan for and respond to the upcoming flu season. A Preparing for the Flu toolkit is available for these institutions, in addition to a recently released toolkit for businesses and employers to help them prepare for the 2009-2010 flu season.
Fact sheet from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) regarding steps people with special needs can take to prepare for an emergency or natural disaster.
As a service to first responders, emergency managers and people with disabilities, the National Organization on Disability (N.O.D.) offers an interactive map of federal, regional, state and local disability-related emergency management resources. Click on the map or on the corresponding links to view a list of links to disability and emergency preparedness resources in your state.
A guide for state, territorial, tribal and local emergency managers to use in the development of emergency operations plans (EOPs) that are inclusive of the entire population of a jurisdiction of any size. This guide specifically provides recommendations for planning for special needs populations. The entire document can be downloaded in text or .pdf formats.
A fact sheet from the National Family Caregiver Support Program provides step-by-step information on how older adults should prepare for a disaster/emergency. It includes helpful checklists, contact lists and medication lists.
This program helps individuals who wander or have a medical emergency. They provide 24-hour assistance no matter when or where the person is reported missing.
Ready.gov lists tips on how to prepare military families for all types of emergencies.
Site is focused on ensuring that all individuals are included in the development of and inclusion in plans for protection in emergency planning.
An online tool created by the Ready Campaign and the Ad Council to help families prepare a personal, printable and comprehensive family emergency plan.
Provides guidance to first responders on how best to perform a rescue using equipment and procedures for a safe evacuation of people with disabilities.
Presentation from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties on emergency planning and the function-based definition of special needs populations adopted in the National Response Framework. Areas addressed in this presentation include planning for and maintaining independence, communication, transportation, medical care, accessible shelter and mass care. This link opens a PDF document.
Information about the importance of reviewing emergency plans and procedures with patients and their families, including their health and medical needs; supplies that reflect changing patient needs; emergency contact information; and healthcare-related legal documents.
Brochure from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) highlights the steps older Americans, and their families and caretakers, should take to prepare for emergencies. This link opens a PDF document. The brochure is also available in this
text version.
Information from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on how to prepare for an emergency and what to consider if you or a family member has a disability. Includes a list of recommended emergency supplies, how to make a plan and the importance of staying informed about the types of emergencies that are likely to affect your area. This link opens a PDF document and is also available in Spanish.
A resource booklet designed to assist people with disabilities in preparing for natural and other disasters and their consequences. This link opens a PDF document.
Report on a meeting sponsored by SAMHSA's Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS). The meeting brought together mental health consumers, policymakers, providers, and others involved in the disaster response community to develop recommendations for improving disaster responses for people with mental illnesses. This link opens a PDF document.
This emergency shelter intake form can be be used to determine the medical and accommodations needs of individuals who have been admitted to a shelter due to an emergency or natural disaster. This link opens a PDF document.
This voluntary program provides a mechanism by which a businesses, not-for-profit corporations, hospitals, stadiums, universities and other entities may be certified using standards adopted by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that promote private sector preparedness, including disaster and emergency management and business continuity programs. Participation in the PS-Prep program is completely voluntary. However, DHS encourages all private sector entities to seriously consider seeking certification on one or more standards that will be adopted by DHS.
Bookmark and Share