For the 57 million Americans with disabilities, detailed planning for the possibility of disasters and emergencies can be a matter of life and death.
When preparing to protect those with special needs, Yolanda McGlinchey, Emergency Services manager for the City of Santa Barbara, advises remembering the acronym “CMIST” — communication, medication needs, independence, supervision and transportation.
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“It’s like telling anybody how to prepare, but you need a little bit more to be sustainable,” she told Noozhawk.
Communication
First and foremost, everyone needs an emergency communication plan, especially those with access and functional needs, McGlinchey said.
She suggested the communication plan created by the Homeland Security Department.
“There are many varieties of communication plans online,” McGlinchey said. “Find one that fits your situation. A communication plan is something people need to have prepared early.”
Medication Needs
Individuals who need help medication support should create a plan for obtaining the assistance, McGlinchey said.
For example, people managing intravenous therapy, tube feeding, receiving dialysis, oxygen and suction administration, or people managing wounds and operating power-dependent equipment to sustain life need to have a plan in advance.
“Individuals who are not self-sufficient or who do not have adequate support from caregivers, family or friends may need assistance with managing unstable, terminal or contagious conditions that require observation and ongoing treatment,” she said.
“A good plan will have a list of vendors that can acquire these types of needed supplies and equipment. Sharing this plan helps to assure the person gets what they need before an emergency strikes.”
Individuals also should have a plan for sheltering in place or if evacuated.
Independence
Individuals who maintain independence based on routines and receive support for daily activities may lose this assistance during an emergency or a disaster.
“Those with access and functional needs that live independent would need to develop an emergency plan that would be tailored to their needs,” McGlinchey said.
Click here for tips geared toward emergency readiness planning for people with disabilities.
Supervision
Individuals may lose the support of caregivers, family members or friends during emergency situations and may be unable to cope in a new environment, especially those with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease or psychiatric conditions, McGlinchey said.
“These individuals will need to plan ahead to check that their support systems stay in place or there is a way to get the assistance,” she said.
Transportation
During an evacuation, individuals who cannot drive or who do not have a vehicle should plan now for how they would be transported, McGlinchey said.
A transportation plan needs to be developed with family, friends or neighbors before an emergency.
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— Noozhawk staff writer Brooke Holland can be reached at bholland@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
