2.  Make A Plan For What You Will Do In An Emergency

Think about the details of your daily life.  In a disaster situation you will likely not have access to everyday conveniences.  Therefore, for every aspect of your daily routine plan an alternative procedure and write it down.

• What modes of transportation you use and what alternative modes could serve as back-ups.  If you require accessible transportation be sure your alternatives are also accessible.
• If you require aids specific to your disability, plan how you would cope without them.  For example, if you use a communication device, mobility aid, or rely on a service animal, what will you do if these are not available?  If you are dependent on life-sustaining equipment or treatment such s a dialysis machine, find out the location and availability of more than one facility.
• Create a personal support network.  If you need assistance during a disaster, make a list of family, friends and others who will be part of your plan.  Talk to these people and ask them to be part of your support network and share each aspect of your emergency plan with everyone in your support network.
• Develop a family communications plan.  Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so plan how you will contact one another and review what you will do in different situations.  Consider a plan where each family member calls or e-mails the same friend or relative in the event of an emergency.  If your immediate family is within the disaster area, it may be easier to make a long-distance phone call than to call across town, so an out of town contact may be better position to communicate among separated family members.
• Deciding to Stay or Go.  Depending on the circumstances and the nature of the emergency, the decision to stay or go depends on the use of common sense and available information of the situation.  Monitor television or radio news reports for information or official instructions as they become available.  If you’re told to evacuate or seek medical treatment, do so immediately.
• Consider your service animal or pet.  Whether you decide to stay put or evacuate, you will need to make plans for your animal.  Keep in mind that what’s best for you is typically what’s best for your animals.  If you must evacuate, take your pets with you, if possible.  However, if you are going to a public shelter, it is important to understand that by law only service animals must be allowed inside, not pets.

3.    Be Informed About What Might Happen in Certain Types of Emergencies

It’s important to stay informed about what might happen and know what types of emergencies are likely to affect your area.  For more information about specific types of emergencies, visit www.ready.gov.

Be prepared to adapt this information to your personal circumstances and make every effort to follow instructions received from authorities on the scene.  Above all stay calm, be patient and think before you act.  With these simple preparations, you can be ready for any emergency, big or small.

This information was developed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in consultation with AARP, the American Red Cross and the National Organization on Disability.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

NJCDD Disaster Preparation Seminars Kit and Guidebook Disaster Preparedness for People With Disabilities, Contact Jane Dunhamn or Frank Latham, (609) 292-3745 and visit the website, http://www.njcdd.org

• New Jersey Office of Emergency Management (NJ OEM)
• Disability Preparedness
• Inclusive Preparedness Center
• Emergency Preparedness and Individuals with Disabilities U.S. Department of Transportation