With the hurricane approaching, here are some tips for people with chronic illness and/or disability…and the people who love us.
- Fill out this Disability Specific Disaster Preparation Form so that people understand your specific health issues and can better meet your needs. https://t.co/Wzqp48e8MW
- Check out FEMA’s information for planning and putting together your emergency kit. http://bit.ly/2wXl80a
- Ready NC provides information and checklists to help NC people with functional needs. https://readync.org/EN/Plan_Functional.html
- Check out Appendix A of this disaster planning manual. Most of the publication is for community planners, but the appendix includes terrific forms and checklists. http://www.ct.gov/ctcdd/lib/ctcdd/guide_final.pdf
- FEMA brochure on planning and emergency kits https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1440775166124-c0fadbb53eb55116746e811f258efb10/FEMA-ReadySpNeeds_web_v3.pdf
- FEMA’s Office of Disability Integration and Coordination Office of Disability Integration and Coordination
site has abundant information on emergencies. https://www.fema.gov/office-disability-integration-and-coordination - If you have to go to a shelter, here’s a list of information to take with you. https://readync.org/img/What%20to%20take%20to%20a%20shelter%20flier%20final.pdf
Questions to ask yourself
- Do you have the medicines you need? –
- Have a list of dosages, why you take them, prescription number, and contact information for the prescriber and phamacy.
- If your medicine requires refrigeration, have a cooler and ice packs available. You can make ice packs out of bags of frozen water and frozen water bottles. Freeze them now in case your power goes out.
- Do you have the equipment you need? For anything that requires power, do you have extra batteries or a manual alternative?
- Do you the health-related items you need? For example, those of us with bladder issues need to have incontinence pads.
- If you have a service animal, do you have everything your animal needs?
- Who can you contact to help you? Have multiple options so that you’re not stuck if you can’t reach someone, or they can’t reach you.
- Can people reach you? Make sure at least one contact has a key to your place.
- If you have a caregiver who doesn’t live with you, what’s your backup plan?
STAY SAFE!!!!
Check out these posts for more information:
