Prepare for 

Emergencies Now:

Information for 

People with 

Disabilities

FEMA R-6 Catalog No. 0977-4 www.ready.gov

Prepare for 

Emergencies Now: 

Information for People with Disabilities.

Your ability to recover from an 

emergency tomorrow may depend 

on the planning and preparation you 

do today. This guide provides tips 

which individuals with disabilities 

and others with access and functional 

needs, and the people who assist and 

support them, can take to prepare for 

emergencies before they happen. 

2

1

 Be Informed 

 

 It is important to know what types of 

emergencies are likely to affect your region. 

For more information about specific types of 

emergencies, visit 

www.ready.gov/be-informed.

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 the unexpected.

 Make a 

 Communications 

 Plan 

A disaster can interfere with your ability to 

communicate with your family, friends and 

coworkers. It is vital to have backup plans for 

staying in touch with your support network, 

and for your network to be aware of where 

you will shelter or evacuate.

Create a Personal Support Network

Everyone should make a list of family, friends 

and others who will be part of your plan. 

Include a relative or friend in another area 

who would not be affected by the same 

emergency, and who can help if needed. 

Make sure everyone knows how you plan to 

evacuate your home, school or workplace, 

and where you will go in case of a disaster. 

Make sure that someone in your personal 

support network has an extra key to your 

home and knows where you keep your 

emergency supplies. Teach them how to use 

any lifesaving equipment or medicine in case 

of an emergency. If you use a wheelchair, 

oxygen or other medical equipment, show 

friends how to use these devices so they can 

move you or help you evacuate. Practice your 

plan with your personal support network.

If you undergo routine treatments at a clinic 

or hospital, or if you receive regular services 

at home such as home health care, meals, 

oxygen, or door-to-door transportation, talk to 

your service provider about their emergency 

plans. Work with them to identify back-up 

service providers within your area and the 

areas you might evacuate to. If you use 

medical equipment in your home that requires 

electricity to operate, talk to your health care 

provider about a back-up plan for its use 

during a power outage.

4

 Get Involved

 In addition to your personal 

preparedness, consider getting involved in 

neighborhood and community emergency 

preparedness activities. Assist emergency 

planners and others in considering the 

preparedness needs of the whole community, 

including people with disabilities and 

others with access and functional needs. 

Communities are stronger and more resilient 

when everyone joins the team. People with 

disabilities often have experience in adapting 

and problem solving that can be very useful 

skills in emergencies. To find out more 

about potential volunteering and emergency 

response training opportunities, go to 

http://www.ready.gov/volunteer.

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 and updated 

by the FEMA Office of Disability Integration 

and Coordination..
The reality of a disaster situation is that you will likely 

not have access to everyday conveniences. To plan in 

advance, think through the details of your everyday life. 

You should include the following in your planning:

Basic Supplies

Think first about survival basics - food, water, first aid, 

and tools. Plan to make it on your own for at least three 

days. Consider two kits. In one kit put everything you 

will need to stay where you are and make it on your 

own for a period of time. The other kit should be a 

lightweight, smaller version you can take with you if you 

have to leave your home. For more information on what 

should go into a basic kit, please refer to 

www.ready.gov/basic-disaster-supplies-kit. 

The second step is to consider how an emergency 

might affect your individual needs. During emergencies, 

you may not have access to disaster assistance, a 

medical facility or even a drugstore. It is crucial that you 

and your family think about what kinds of resources 

you use on a daily basis, and what you might do if 

those resources are limited or not available.

Include Important Documents in Your Kit

Include copies of important documents in your kit, such 

as family records, medical records, wills, deeds, social 

security number, charge and bank account information, 

and tax records. Also be sure you have cash or 

travelers checks in your kits in case you need to 

purchase supplies. It is best to keep these documents 

in a waterproof container. If there is any information 

related to operating equipment or life-saving devices 

that you rely on, include those in your emergency kit 

as well. Also make sure that a trusted friend or family 

member has a copy of these documents. Include the 

names and numbers of everyone in your personal 

support network, as well as your medical and disability 

service providers. If you have a communication 

disability, make sure your emergency information 

includes instructions for the best way to communicate 

with you. Even if you do not use a computer yourself, 

consider putting important information onto a portable 

thumb drive for easy transport in an evacuation.

Finances

Signing up for direct deposit or the Direct Express 

card is a simple but important step that can help 

protect your family’s access to funds in case an 

emergency happens. If you or those close to you are 

still receiving Social Security or other federal benefits 

by check, please consider switching to one of these 

safer, easier options today.

wArrange electronic payments for your paycheck 

and federal benefits. 

wThe Direct Express® prepaid debit card is 

designed as a safe and easy alternative to 

paper checks for people who don’t have a bank 

account. Sign up is easy, call toll-free at (877) 

212-9991 (phone), (866) 569-0447 (TTY) or 

sign up online at www.USDirectExpress.com. 

Depending on your needs, additional items for your 

Go Kit might include: 

wCopies of medical prescriptions, doctors’ 

orders, and the style and serial numbers of the 

assistive devices you use 

wAt least a week’s supply of any medication or 

medical supplies you use regularly, or as much 

as you can keep on hand

wMedical alert tags or bracelets or written 

descriptions of your disability and support 

needs, in case you are unable to describe the 

situation in an emergency 

wMedical insurance cards, Medicare/Medicaid 

cards, physician contact information, list of your 

allergies and health history. 

wA list of the local non-profit or communitybased organizations that know you or assist 

people with access and functional needs similar 

to yours. 

wExtra eyeglasses; backup supplies for any 

visual aids you use

wExtra batteries for hearing aids; extra hearing 

aids if you have them (or if you have insurance 

coverage for them)

wBattery chargers for motorized wheelchairs, 

or other battery-operated medical/assistive 

technology devices 

wSupplies for your service animal. You can find 

more tips at http://www.ready.gov/animals 

wA laminated personal communication board, 

if you might need assistance with being 

understood or understanding others

wIf you use a motorized wheelchair, have a light 

weight manual chair available for emergencies. 

Know the size and weight of your wheelchair, 

in addition to whether or not it is collapsible, in 

case it has to be transported. 

wIf you have allergies or chemical sensitivities, 

be sure to include items that you are able to use 

for personal hygiene and for cleanup.

3

 Build an

 Emergency Kit

Create a Personal Support Network (con’t)

Talk to your employer and co-workers about the 

assistance you might need in an emergency. This 

is particularly important if you need to be lifted or 

carried. Talk about any communication difficulties, 

physical limitations, equipment instructions and 

medication procedures that might arise during an 

emergency. Always participate in exercises, trainings 

and emergency drills offered by your employer or in 

your community.

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. 

For more information on how to develop a family 

communications plan, visit http://www.ready.gov/

family-communications.

Deciding to Stay or Evacuate

Depending on your circumstances and the nature 

of the emergency, the first important decision is 

whether to stay or go. You should understand and 

plan for both possibilities. Use common sense 

and available information to determine if there 

is immediate danger. In any emergency, local 

authorities may not immediately be able to provide 

information on what is happening and what you 

should do. However, you should monitor television, 

radio, Internet, or social media news reports for 

information or official instructions as they become 

available. If you’re specifically told to evacuate or 

seek medical treatment, do so immediately. If you 

require additional travel time or need transportation 

assistance, consider ways you might make these 

arrangements in advance.

Staying Put

Whether you are at home or elsewhere, there may 

be situations when it’s simply best to stay where 

you are and avoid any uncertainty outside. Consider 

what you can do to safely shelter-in-place alone 

or with friends, family or neighbors. Also consider 

how a shelter designated for the public would meet 

your needs. Work with local emergency managers 

and others in your community on preparing shelters 

in advance to meet access and functional needs 

(go to www.fema.gov/about/odic to learn more 

about functional needs support services in general 

population shelters). If you have options and decide 

to stay put and shelter in place, consider that 

you may be without electricity, phone service and 

accessible roads for days or longer.

Evacuation

There may be situations in which you decide to 

leave, or are ordered to leave. Plan how you will 

get away and anticipate where you will go. Choose 

several destinations in different directions so you 

have options in an emergency. Ask about evacuation 

plans at the places where you spend time including 

work, school, community organizations, and other 

places you frequent. If you typically rely on elevators, 

work with others to develop back-up plans for 

evacuation in case they are not working. When 

traveling, consider alerting hotel or motel workers 

if you will need help in a disaster situation. Keep 

your equipment with you in an evacuation, if at all 

possible. If you must leave your wheelchair, bring 

your cushion.

Consider Your Service Animal and Pets

Whether you decide to stay put or evacuate, you 

will need to make plans in advance for your service 

animal and pets. 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 you can. 

However, if you go to a public shelter, it is important 

to remember that by law only service animals must 

be allowed inside. Plan in advance for shelter 

alternatives that will work for both you and your 

animals. For more information about service animal/

pet preparedness, visit http://www.ready.gov/

animals.

Fire Safety

Plan two ways out of every room in case of fire. 

Check for items such as bookcases, hanging 

pictures, or overhead lights that could fall and block 

an escape path. For more fire safety tips, go to 

http://www.usfa.fema.gov/citizens/disability/.

Contact Your Local Emergency Information 

Management Office

Some local emergency management offices 

maintain registries for people with disabilities. 

Some registries are only used to collect planning 

information; others may be used to offer assistance 

in emergencies. If you add your name and 

information to a registry, be sure you understand 

what you can expect. Be aware that a registry is 

NEVER a substitute for personal preparedness. 

Even if the registry may be linked to first responders, 

assistance may not be available for hours or days 

after a disaster. Contact your local emergency 

management agency to see if these services exist 

where you live, or visit www.ready.gov/ to find links to 

government offices in your area.