Preparing Makes 

Sense For People 

With Disabilities, 

Others with Access

and Functional 

Needs and the 

Whole Community.

Get Ready 

Now.

www.ready.gov

READY-RP-0406-01. 

1

 Get a Kit Of Emergency Supplies 

 The first step is to consider how an emergency 

might affect your individual needs. Plan to make it on 

your own, for at least three days. It’s possible that you 

will 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.

Basic Supplies: Think first about the basics 

for survival - food, water, clean air and any lifesustaining items you require to maintain your 

health, safety and independence. 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. Recommended 

basic emergency supplies include: 

w Water, one gallon of water per person per day 

for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation 

w Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable 

food and a can opener if kit contains canned food

w Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a 

NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra 

batteries for both 

w Battery-powered or hand crank cell phone charger

w Flashlight and extra batteries

w First aid kit

w Whistle to signal for help

w Dust mask to help filter contaminated air and 

plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place

w Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties 

for personal sanitation

w Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities

w Local maps

w Pet food, extra water and supplies for your pet 

or service animal

Preparing Makes 

Sense. Get Ready Now.

The likelihood that you and your family will 

recover from an emergency tomorrow often 

depends on the planning and preparation 

done today. While each person’s abilities and 

needs are unique, every individual can take 

steps to prepare for all kinds of emergencies 

from fires and floods to potential terrorist 

attacks. By evaluating your own personal 

needs and making an emergency plan that 

fits those needs, you and your loved ones 

can be better prepared. This guide outlines 

commonsense measures individuals with 

disabilities, and others with access and 

functional needs, and the people who assist 

and support themcan take to start preparing 

for emergencies before they happen. 

Preparing makes sense for people with 

disabilities,others with access and functional 

needs and the whole community. 

Get Ready Now. 

 B ormed

 About What Might Happen 

 S

prepare for the une

an emergency supply kit and making an 

3 e Inf

ome of the things you can do to 

xpected, such as assembling 

emergency plan are the same regardless of the 

type of emergency. However, it’s important to stay 

informed about what might happen and know 

what types of emergencies are likely to affect your 

region. 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 the unexpected.

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.

Preparing Makes Sense for People with 

Disabilities, Others with Access and 

Functional Needs and 

the Whole Community. 

Get Ready Now.

This information was developed by the US. 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.
to use these devices so they can move you if necessary or help 

you evacuate. Practice your plan with those who have agreed to 

be part of your personal support network.

Inform your employer and co-workers about the assistance you will 

need in an emergency. This is particularly important if you need to 

be lifted or carried. Talk about communication difficulties, physical 

limitations, equipment instructions and medication procedures. If you 

are deaf or hard of hearing, discuss the best ways to alert you in an 

emergency. If you have a cognitive or intellectual disability, be sure 

to work with your employer to determine how to best notify you of 

an emergency and what instruction methods are easiest for you to 

follow. Always participate in exercises, trainings and emergency drills 

offered by your employer.

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, sends a text 

messageor e-mails the same friend or relative in the event of an 

emergency. It may be easier to make a long-distance phone call than 

to call across town, so an out-of-town contact, not in the impacted 

area, may be in a better position to communicate among separated 

family members. You may have trouble getting through, or the phone 

system may be down altogether, but be patient. For more information 

on how to develop a family communications plan, visit www.ready.gov. 

Deciding to Stay or Go: Depending on your circumstances and 

the nature of the emergency, the first important decision is whether 

you 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 or 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, make 

these arrangements in advance.

Consider Your Service Animal or Pets: Whether you 

decide to stay put in an emergency or evacuate to a safer location, 

you will need to make plans in advance or 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 

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. Plan in advance for shelter alternatives that will work for both 

you and your animals; consider loved ones or friends outside of your 

immediate area, pet-friendly shelters and veterinarians who would 

be willing to take in you and your pets in an emergency. For more 

information about pet preparedness, visit www.ready.gov.

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 shelterin-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 the access and functional 

needs of children and adults with disabilities (go to www.fema.

gov/about/odic to learn nore 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, depending on circumstances. 

Evacuation: There may be conditions in which you will decide 

to get away or there may be situations when you may be 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. 

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. Check 

hallways, stairwells, doorways, windows and other areas for 

hazards that may keep you from safely leaving a building during 

an emergency, Secure or remove furniture and objects that may 

block your path, if there are aspects of preparing your home or 

workplace that you are not able to do yourself, enlist the help of 

your personal support network. 

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 in 

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. In addition, wearing 

medical alert tags or bracelets that identify your access and 

functional needs can be a crucial aid in an emergency situation. 

When traveling, consider alerting hotel or motel workers if you will 

need help in a disaster situation, as a part of your plan.

Finances:

•Arrange electronic payments for your paycheck and federal

benefits.

•The 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. 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 the unthinkable were to happen. 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.

2

 Make a Plan 

 For What You Will Do in an Emergency

 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. If there 

are people who assist you on a daily basis, list who they are and 

how you will contact them in an emergency. Create your own 

personal support network by identifying others who will help you 

in an emergency. Think about 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 have tools or aids specific to your disability, 

plan how you would function without them. For example, if you 

use a communication device, mobility aid, or service animal, what 

will you do if these are not available? If you require life-sustaining 

equipment or treatment such as a dialysis machine, find out the 

location and availability of more than one facility. For every aspect 

of your daily routine, plan an alternative procedure. Make a plan 

and write it down. Keep a copy of your plan in your emergency 

supply kits and a list of important information and contacts in 

your wallet. Share your plan with your family, friends, service 

providers and others in your personal support network.

Create a Personal Support Network: If you anticipate 

needing 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. Share each aspect 

of your emergency plan with everyone in your group, including 

a friend or relative in another area who would not be impacted 

by the same emergency who can help if necessary. 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 

administer medicine in case of an emergency. If you use a 

wheelchair, oxygen or other medical equipment show friends how 

Include Medications and Medical Supplies: If you 

take medicine or use medical supplies on a daily basis, be 

sure you have what you need on hand to make it on your 

own for at least a week. You should also keep a copy of your 

prescriptions as well as dosage or treatment information. If 

it is not possible to have a week-long supply of medicines 

and supplies, keep as much as possible on hand and talk to 

your pharmacist or doctor about what else you should do to 

prepare. 

If you undergo routine treatments administered by 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 

what you can do to prepare for its use during a power outage. 

Depending on your needs, items for your Go Kit 

may include: 

• Extra eyeglasses, hearing aids if you have them, or have

coverage for them

• Extra batteries for hearing aids

• Battery chargers for , motorized wheelchairs or other

battery-operated medical or assistive technology devices 

• Copies of medical prescriptions, doctors orders, and the

style and serial numbers of the support devices you use 

• Medical 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 

• Supplies for your service animal

• Medical insurance cards, Medicare/Medicaid cards,

physician contact information, list of your allergies and 

health history A list of the local non-profit or communitybased organizations that know you or assist people with 

access and functional needs similar to yours. 

• A laminated personal communication board, if you might 

need assistance with being understood or understanding 

others

• If possible, extra oxygen, insulin, catheters, or other

medical supplies you use regularly 

• If 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. 

• Even if you do not use a computer yourself, consider

putting important information onto a portable thumb drive 

for easy transport in an evacuation. 

Include Emergency Documents: Include copies of 

important documents in your emergency supply kits such as 

family records, medical records, wills, deeds, social security 

number, charge and bank accounts information, and tax 

records. 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, and 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.

Also be sure you have cash or travelers checks in your kits in 

case you need to purchase supplies.

• If you have allergies or chemical sensitivities, be sure to

include items that you are able to use for personal hygiene 

and for cleanup.
Include Medications and Medical Supplies: If you 

take medicine or use medical supplies on a daily basis, be 

sure you have what you need on hand to make it on your 

own for at least a week. You should also keep a copy of your 

prescriptions as well as dosage or treatment information. If 

it is not possible to have a week-long supply of medicines 

and supplies, keep as much as possible on hand and talk to 

your pharmacist or doctor about what else you should do to 

prepare. 

If you undergo routine treatments administered by 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 

what you can do to prepare for its use during a power outage. 

Depending on your needs, items for your Go Kit 

may include: 

• Extra eyeglasses, hearing aids if you have them, or have 

coverage for them

• Extra batteries for hearing aids

• Battery chargers for , motorized wheelchairs or other 

battery-operated medical or assistive technology devices 

• Copies of medical prescriptions, doctors orders, and the 

style and serial numbers of the support devices you use 

• Medical 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 

• Supplies for your service animal 

• Medical insurance cards, Medicare/Medicaid cards, 

physician contact information, list of your allergies and 

health history A list of the local non-profit or communitybased organizations that know you or assist people with 

access and functional needs similar to yours. 

• A laminated personal communication board, if you might 

need assistance with being understood or understanding 

others

• If possible, extra oxygen, insulin, catheters, or other 

medical supplies you use regularly 

• If 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. 

• Even if you do not use a computer yourself, consider 

putting important information onto a portable thumb drive 

for easy transport in an evacuation. 

Include Emergency Documents: Include copies of 

important documents in your emergency supply kits such as 

family records, medical records, wills, deeds, social security 

number, charge and bank accounts information, and tax 

records. 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, and 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.

Also be sure you have cash or travelers checks in your kits in 

case you need to purchase supplies.

• If you have allergies or chemical sensitivities, be sure to 

2

include items that you are able to use for personal hygiene 

and for cleanup.

 Make a Plan 

 For What You Will Do in an Emergency

 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. If there 

are people who assist you on a daily basis, list who they are and 

how you will contact them in an emergency. Create your own 

personal support network by identifying others who will help you 

in an emergency. Think about 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 have tools or aids specific to your disability, 

plan how you would function without them. For example, if you 

use a communication device, mobility aid, or service animal, what 

will you do if these are not available? If you require life-sustaining 

equipment or treatment such as a dialysis machine, find out the 

location and availability of more than one facility. For every aspect 

of your daily routine, plan an alternative procedure. Make a plan 

and write it down. Keep a copy of your plan in your emergency 

supply kits and a list of important information and contacts in 

your wallet. Share your plan with your family, friends, service 

providers and others in your personal support network.

Create a Personal Support Network: If you anticipate 

needing 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. Share each aspect 

of your emergency plan with everyone in your group, including 

a friend or relative in another area who would not be impacted 

by the same emergency who can help if necessary. 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 

administer 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 if necessary or help 

you evacuate. Practice your plan with those who have agreed to 

be part of your personal support network.

Inform your employer and co-workers about the assistance you will 

need in an emergency. This is particularly important if you need to 

be lifted or carried. Talk about communication difficulties, physical 

limitations, equipment instructions and medication procedures. If you 

are deaf or hard of hearing, discuss the best ways to alert you in an 

emergency. If you have a cognitive or intellectual disability, be sure 

to work with your employer to determine how to best notify you of 

an emergency and what instruction methods are easiest for you to 

follow. Always participate in exercises, trainings and emergency drills 

offered by your employer.

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, sends a text 

messageor e-mails the same friend or relative in the event of an 

emergency. It may be easier to make a long-distance phone call than 

to call across town, so an out-of-town contact, not in the impacted 

area, may be in a better position to communicate among separated 

family members. You may have trouble getting through, or the phone 

system may be down altogether, but be patient. For more information 

on how to develop a family communications plan, visit www.ready.gov. 

Deciding to Stay or Go: Depending on your circumstances and 

the nature of the emergency, the first important decision is whether 

you 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 or 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, make 

these arrangements in advance.

Consider Your Service Animal or Pets: Whether you 

decide to stay put in an emergency or evacuate to a safer location, 

you will need to make plans in advance or 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 

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. Plan in advance for shelter alternatives that will work for both 

you and your animals; consider loved ones or friends outside of your 

immediate area, pet-friendly shelters and veterinarians who would 

be willing to take in you and your pets in an emergency. For more 

information about pet preparedness, visit www.ready.gov.

 

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 shelterin-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 the access and functional 

needs of children and adults with disabilities (go to www.fema.

gov/about/odic to learn nore 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, depending on circumstances. 

Evacuation: There may be conditions in which you will decide 

to get away or there may be situations when you may be 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. 

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. Check 

hallways, stairwells, doorways, windows and other areas for 

hazards that may keep you from safely leaving a building during 

an emergency, Secure or remove furniture and objects that may 

block your path, if there are aspects of preparing your home or 

workplace that you are not able to do yourself, enlist the help of 

your personal support network. 

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 in 

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. In addition, wearing 

medical alert tags or bracelets that identify your access and 

functional needs can be a crucial aid in an emergency situation. 

When traveling, consider alerting hotel or motel workers if you will 

need help in a disaster situation, as a part of your plan.

Finances:

•Arrange electronic payments for your paycheck and federal 

benefits. 

•The 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. 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 the unthinkable were to happen. 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.