The news has been dominated by the flooding along the Mississippi. Our television screens are filled with images of flooded homes and levees on the verge of breaking.
We are fortunate in this area to not be threatened by flooding on the scale that Iowa is, but as anybody who lived through the ice storm a few years back can tell you, we get our share of events.
When there is an emergency, the difficulty you face is often related to how well prepared you are. For the basics of emergency and disaster planning, the government has set up Web sites like www.ready.gov.
This site has helpful information. However people with disabilities can face special challenges that general references like that don't cover. People with disabilities need to do special planning.
Don't be intimidated. This is all achievable.
The first step is to prepare an emergency kit. Then start with an inventory of your needs.
Do you have medications or treatments that you require? If so, your emergency plan should address this.
Your preparations should include several days worth of medicine. Don't forget to include assistive or medical devices you require such as hearing aids and glasses. If, for example, you are on a ventilator or do home dialysis, then your emergency plan should include a generator so that you maintain the electricity you need.
If you utilize a service animal, your preparations should include documentation that it is indeed a service animal. The law protects your right to take your service animal to a shelter with you, but misunderstandings happen. It is important that you take responsibility for protecting your rights through documentation.
If you utilize a personal assistant, steps need to be taken to ensure your continued ability to function independently. It is recommended that the standard communications plan be supplemented with a circle of at least three people who are able to come to your assistance if you are in need. They can be friends, neighbors or relatives. The key is that they need to be people you trust and are able to perform the activities you require.
It is also advisable that you keep copies of information about your disability and medical needs in your emergency kit. In an emergency, it may be impossible to communicate your needs. These papers can be vital to having first-responders recognize your situation and follow the correct course of action. Photocopies of this information should be kept in a waterproof container.
Most importantly, remember that if you take responsibility for your own preparation for an emergency you will weather the storm more easily.
These are just some quick tips. More in depth information will be provided at the Options for Independence annual Conference (July 23 at the Holiday Inn), where one of the 12 workshops offered will be “Disaster Training for People with Disabilities.” The session will be presented by Lon Fricano of TLC Emergency Transport.
For more information about the annual conference, contact Felicia Thompson at 255-3447.
Collin M. Sullivan is the ADA/access advocate at Options for Independence.
When there is an emergency, the difficulty you face is often related to how well prepared you are. For the basics of emergency and disaster planning, the government has set up Web sites like www.ready.gov.
This site has helpful information. However people with disabilities can face special challenges that general references like that don't cover. People with disabilities need to do special planning.
Don't be intimidated. This is all achievable.
The first step is to prepare an emergency kit. Then start with an inventory of your needs.
Do you have medications or treatments that you require? If so, your emergency plan should address this.
Your preparations should include several days worth of medicine. Don't forget to include assistive or medical devices you require such as hearing aids and glasses. If, for example, you are on a ventilator or do home dialysis, then your emergency plan should include a generator so that you maintain the electricity you need.
If you utilize a service animal, your preparations should include documentation that it is indeed a service animal. The law protects your right to take your service animal to a shelter with you, but misunderstandings happen. It is important that you take responsibility for protecting your rights through documentation.
If you utilize a personal assistant, steps need to be taken to ensure your continued ability to function independently. It is recommended that the standard communications plan be supplemented with a circle of at least three people who are able to come to your assistance if you are in need. They can be friends, neighbors or relatives. The key is that they need to be people you trust and are able to perform the activities you require.
It is also advisable that you keep copies of information about your disability and medical needs in your emergency kit. In an emergency, it may be impossible to communicate your needs. These papers can be vital to having first-responders recognize your situation and follow the correct course of action. Photocopies of this information should be kept in a waterproof container.
Most importantly, remember that if you take responsibility for your own preparation for an emergency you will weather the storm more easily.
These are just some quick tips. More in depth information will be provided at the Options for Independence annual Conference (July 23 at the Holiday Inn), where one of the 12 workshops offered will be “Disaster Training for People with Disabilities.” The session will be presented by Lon Fricano of TLC Emergency Transport.
For more information about the annual conference, contact Felicia Thompson at 255-3447.
Collin M. Sullivan is the ADA/access advocate at Options for Independence.
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