In everyday life, individuals with disabilities face unique difficulties. This, of course can make it more challenging to react during natural disasters like hurricanes. Hurricane evacuation plans should be in place for everyone, including persons with disabilities. However, those with functional needs may need extra assistance in getting somewhere safe and secure.
In this article, we talk about how to develop a secure, inclusive evacuation plan takes into account the needs of disabled individuals to prevent the risk of harm, loss, or worse. Hurricanes wreak havoc, and a solid preparedness and evacuation plan will keep everyone safe.
The Importance of an Evacuation and Safety Plan For People with Disabilities
Individuals with disabilities often require some level of assistance in everyday life. That assistance will of course vary. In turn, a disability emergency preparedness and evacuation plan should take those assistance needs into account. It should include things such as personal needs, establishing supportive and reliable networks, transportation assistance in cases of evacuation (if needed), and any special supplies, like medications and equipment, for emergencies.
The best evacuation plan leads everyone to safety, avoiding the potential harm of a hurricane altogether. However, hurricane prep needs to beging long before a natural disaster makes landfall. In fact, your inclusive preparation plan should be solidified before a hurricane watch is ever announced. So why not start your hurricane prep right now? And make sure you get your loved ones in your household involved!
What to Do in Case of a Hurricane:
Here are some helpful tips for emergency planning for individuals with disabilities.
Personal Support Network
Caregivers, friends, loved ones, family, caregivers, and reliable neighbors can and should be be part of a well-established support network. For those with disabilities, sharing plans with others inside that support network is essential. Here are some specific tips related to utilizing a support network if and when a hurricane approaches:
- Ask for help and communicate where you or the individual plans to go and how they plan to get there
- Prepare a list of contact information that includes everyone in the support network, make duplicate of the contact info in case one gets lost
- Prepare and run down the list of calls to make if a hurricane is scheduled to hit so you or they know what to do or who to contact
Preparing an Emergency Kit
Those with disabilities often (but not always) have medications. If this is the case, those medications should be included in an emergency kit alongside assistive devices, medical supplies, and any documents detailing medical history and needs. The amount of medicine and supplies should be adequate to last weeks, not days. You should also include non-perishable foods (be aware of choking hazards, dietary restrictions, or allergies), bottled water, extra clothing, and any comfort item, if necessary.
Register for Transportation Assistance
In some cases, both disabilities render individuals incapable of operating a vehicle or finding transportation to a hurricane shelter.
Luckily, there’s the Lee County Transportation Assistance program. You need to register and fill out an application with the county and send it for processing. Upon approval, applicants are added to a list for transportation, and a vehicle will come to assist and transport them upon orders of evacuation.
Please note that you should file for transportation assistance as soon as possible before a hurricane makes landfall. Applications are no longer accepted within five days of a predicted trajectory.
Know and Practice Evacuation Routes
What happens if you need to evacuate with your loved ones to another state or outside the evacuation zone? Where will you go and how will you get there while staying out of harm’s way.
First, if you are the transportation ensure you have everyone’s emergency kits with medicines and assistive devices. If the individual will need transportation then make sure they are signed up for the county transportation assistance program. If such a program does not exist, make sure you have a reliable source of transportation for yourself and/or the individual before any storm hits.
It is a good idea to do a dry run, practicing evacuation routes before hurricane season arrives. Familiarizing yourself with evacuation routes for your area will help you leave quicker and get to safety faster. It will also reduce stress and panic when it is time to go.
Be Attentive and Stay Informed with Local News and Emergency Alerts
Able-bodied and disabled persons alike should remain attentive and informed both before and during a hurricane.
Sign up for emergency alert communication systems, such as AlertLee (for local, Lee County) and AlertFlorida for state wide communications. The rapid communication systems will provide updates before, during and after a storm or emergency.
During or after a hurricane hits, you can use a battery-powered radio. If you have phone battery and service you can check for weather alerts on your phone. And if you are at a shelter, you can listen for announcements over shelter intercoms.
By monitoring the progression of the hurricane, you can make plans to return home safely once the danger has passed and local authorities declare routes clear and secure.
Find Shelters Suitable for Disabled Persons
Not every shelter is medically equipped to handle those with disabilities. You or the individual you care for may need assistance and special care during a hurricane. In turn, you will need to plan for and find shelters that have the capabilities you need before the storm hits.
Shelters that cater to people with medical conditions and disabilities are safe environments to weather the storm, but some of them require registration. In turn, it is crucial to plan ahead of the storm.
You will also have to have specific materials when you go. These include your emergency contact list, medical information including your caregivers, a shelter kit, and important documents.
You can find out more about available shelters, what they provide, and register for a shelter at the Florida Health site: Shelters for Disabled Persons or on their two page brochure (opens a PDF document).
Practice Home Evacuations Before a Hurricane
You don’t want to be caught off-guard and panicking about how to evacuate your home at the last minute. In turn, it is a wise idea to practice evacuations before you need to do one. Work together to help disabled persons gather their belongings and head to the car. You can create checklists to make it easier to remember everything.
If you or the individual is planning on using transportation services then make sure to practice that too! It is probably not a great idea to call the county. But, you can call someone in your support group and role-play a hurricane preparedness scenario. Imagine that they are your transportation, designate a drop-off location as the shelter, and work on getting emergency gear together in record time with assistance.
Additional Helpful Resources
Here are some helpful resources that you can find additional information for your Disability Emergency Preparedness Plan.
Lee County Emergency Management offers information on evacuation routes, shelter locations, and how to prepare for an impending hurricane properly. Their website is updated regularly, especially during hurricane season, so you can research and plan for the worst while hoping for the best.
Florida Health Department – has a page packed with information and additional resources specifically for disability emergency preparedness.
The National Hurricane Center (NOAA) tracks hurricane development from the earliest stages. Its website is predictive, forecasting possible trajectories, categories, and where hurricanes will land before they do. It also offers safety tips for everyone.
Ready.gov is the federal website for disaster planning and relief. It includes specific guides for people with disabilities, mental and physical, and can help caregivers and disabled individuals comprise an effective evacuation plan.
Summing it Up
Developing a solid evacuation plan and preparation plan for a hurricane is crucial for anyone. But it is especially important for individuals with disabilities. It’s essential to prep ahead of time, long before hurricane season, to establish an actionable plan everyone can easily follow. Create a plan, practice evacuation with drills, work together to prepare emergency kits, and stay informed as a group about hurricane developments.
Check out our other hurricane preparedness articles for more information.
