Senior citizens and people with disabilities may need to take additional steps to prepare for emergencies. If you have special needs, consider these recommendations:
- Keep a 30 day supply of necessary medications on hand at all times.
- Develop a personal emergency plan for each place where you spend time — at home, work, school and in the community.
- Evaluate your capabilities, limitations, needs and surroundings to determine what type of support you may need in an emergency.
- Include your home care attendant and other people in your network in your planning process.
- If you are dependent on electricity for your wheel- chair, breathing machine or any other life-sustaining device, plan for a loss of power, and know where to go to charge devices.
- If you have impaired hearing, make arrangements with relatives or friends to assure that you will receive emergency warnings.
- If your mobility is impaired, you may need assistance to evacuate from buildings or to reach a shelter. Keep in mind that elevators may not function during a power outage.
- Keep a written record of your support needs and contact numbers. Your list should include medical conditions and dosages, allergies, special equipment, medical insurance, Medicare insurance cards, and personal and medical contact information. Keep this list with you, and supply a friend with a copy.
- If you have a service animal, make sure that it is registered for a service tag.
These recommendations were developed by the Indianapolis and Marion County Emergency Management Agency in Indiana.
