Emergency Management Services of King County
Do you have special needs or have a friend or family member that does? Find out how to prepare yourself and your loved ones for an emergency!
The first rule in any emergency situation is: stay calm. Since disasters can’t
always be predicted,
people are often caught off-guard and react without thinking, which can lead to problems!
To keep your cool in an emergency, exercise the importance of planning
ahead. Having a plan in place to practice and consider in case of disaster is an invaluable
tool for anyone. Creating a disaster plan is also especially important for special needs
groups, whose personal needs could be greatly impacted in an emergency. The following links
provide helpful tools and techniques individuals with
disabilities and their caregivers can utilize to prepare themselves for
disaster.
Assisted Living Facilities: When assisting an aging parent or relative with finding an appropriate assisted living facility, it is important to find out if that facility will be prepared in case of emergency. Will your loved one be safe? Ask these potential questions of the prospective assisted living facility to find out how emergencies are handled:
- Does the facility have an emergency plan?
- When was it last updated?
- May I review a copy of the plan?
- When was the emergency plan last exercised?
- Do you have evacuation procedures?
- How do you notify residents if an evacuation is necessary?
- How are residents with disabilities evacuated safely?
- How are disaster kits handled for residents and staff?
- How are family members contacted in case of an emergency?
- In case of emergency, how long are you prepared to take care of my family members?
- Are there on-site security personnel?
- Do you teach lessons on preparedness to residents and staff?
- What is the percentage of staff members who are trained in basic and advanced first aid?
- Do you have an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) clearly marked and readily available? What is the percentage of staff members who are trained to use it?
- In case of power failure, do you have an emergency power source or back-up generator?
- How can I help prepare my relative to handle emergencies and disasters?
Links and
Resources
- Evacuation Guide for People with Disabilities NEW
- American Red Cross Disaster Preparedness for People with Disabilities
- U.S. Department of Labor - Preparing the Workplace for Everyone: Accounting for the Needs of People with Disabilities
- Washington State 9-1-1/TTY Education Program
- Federal Emergency Management Agency Disability Program
- Disability Resources.org
- National Organization on Disability
- Prepare Now.org
- U.S. Department of Transportation Emergency Preparedness and Individuals with Disabilities
- “Individuals with Disabilities in Emergency Preparedness”
- An ADA Guide for Local Governments: Making Community Emergency Preparedness and Response Programs Accessible to People with Disabilities
- Effective Emergency Preparedness Planning: Addressing the Needs of Employees with Disabilities
- Disability Preparedness Center