Resources for those with disabilities, functional needs ahead of a hurricane or tropical storm

MOST POWERFUL HURRICANES THAT MAKE LANDFALL IN THE US, RAPID INTENSIFICATION FACTORS INTO MAKING PLANS FOR YOUR EVACUATION. IT IS ALSO A MAJOR CONCERN FOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT LEADERS WHO ARE DEDICATED TO MAKING SURE PLANS ARE IN PLACE TO HELP YOU GET OUT OF TOWN QUICKLY AND SAFELY. WE TALK ABOUT IT A LOT. THIS RAPID INTENSIFICATION, AND WHEN YOU’VE GOT A HURRICANE THAT CAN GO FROM A TROPICAL STORM TO A CATEGORY THREE IN A MATTER OF DAYS, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU HOW DO YOU PLAN FOR THAT? WHAT WE’VE COME UP WITH IS PLANS THAT ADDRESS SOMEWHAT OF AN ABILITY TO CREATE A HYBRID SITUATION WHERE THERE IS THE POTENTIAL THAT WE WOULD EVACUATE PEOPLE AHEAD OF THE STORM ON. AND I’M TALKING ABOUT A VERY SHORT TIMELINE, BUT WE’RE ALSO DEVELOPING PLANS THAT POSSIBLY HAVE TO REFUGE FOLKS AS WELL, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT ARE MEDICALLY AT AND VULNERABLE AND ELDERLY, THAT REALLY ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUT OF THE CITY IN AN APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF TIME. THE CITY MAY HAVE TO ASSIST PEOPLE WITH EITHER LEAVING OR WITH JUST HOLDING PEOPLE IN ONE PLACE. WHILE THE STORM PASSES THROUGH, AND THEN DOING A VERY ROBUST POST STORM. EVACUATE IF NECESSARY. WHAT’S NEW WITH CONTRAFLOW? SO ESSENTIALLY YOU HAVE THREE INTERSTATES RUNNING IN ONE DIRECTION. TWO OF THOSE GO THROUGH MISSISSIPPI ON THEIR WAY OUT. AND SO THERE IS A LOT OF OF CROSS STATE, BOTH INTER AND INTRA STATE COORDINATION THAT HAVE TO OCCUR THERE. THE ISSUE IS THE ABILITY TO GET THAT COORDINATION. AND ALL OF THOSE RESOURCES IN PLACE IN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME TO ENACT IT. WHEN YOU ARE IN A IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU HAVE, UH, A VERY RAPIDLY FORMING STORM

It is important that everyone in the area stay safe ahead of a natural disaster. For those with disabilities or functional needs, they have to take preparation a step further to ensure their safety.Helpful hyperlinks: https://www.fema.gov/resources-people-disabilities-access-functional-needshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seNoCbpxFuY&feature=youtu.be Here are some tips from FEMA to help those with disabilities prepare for a hurricane:General tips Talk with friends, family or a support network about how to stay in touch. Keep phone numbers for doctors, aides and family in a sealed waterproof bag. Pack eyeglasses, contact lenses, hearing aids and dentures in an emergency kit. Ask neighbors or someone in your support circle to help keep you informed. Plan ahead for accessible transportation in case evacuation becomes necessary. Identify the closest shelter in case you need to leave your house. Identify which medical facilities are close to your house or shelter. Wear medical alert tags or bracelets with information about healthcare needs. Plan and practice for an evacuation, and remember to take your medical devices in a waterproof bag. Have at least a 10-day supply of prescription medicines along with copies of prescriptions; list of all medications and dosage; list of allergies; list of dietary restrictions. Make plans for a pet, including a note for emergency responders: I have a service animal named ____, who must evacuate with me.Tips for people who are deaf or hard of hearing: Get a weather radio with text display and a flashing alert. Stock up on extra hearing-aid batteries and protect them with a plastic bag. Carry a pen and paper to help communicate with someone who does not know sign language. Have access to TTY and/or VRS.Tips for people who are blind or have low vision: Carry a picture of your family members to help connect you with them in an emergency. Mark emergency supplies with Braille labels or large print. Keep a list of emergency supplies on a portable flash drive or make an audio file and keep it in a plastic bag and where it’s easy to find. Keep a Braille or deaf-blind communications device in an emergency supply kit. Practice your evacuation route and be comfortable getting to your family’s meeting point. Tips for people with a mobility disability Make sure all assistive devices that depend on electricity or batteries are working and keep your batteries in a waterproof bag. Keep an emergency supply kit in a backpack attached to your walker, wheelchair or scooter. Show others how to operate your motorized wheelchair, and have a lightweight manual chair available as a backup. Keep an extra cane or walker for emergencies. Keep an extra seat cushion to protect your skin or maintain your balance, and take it along if evacuation becomes necessary.Tips for children and adults with autism: Familiar items will help children adjust to new surroundings and ease the stress of the transition. Remember to pack their favorite toys, movies and computer games. Headphones or earplugs can dampen the noise in unfamiliar settings. Consider bringing duct tape to mark the perimeters of your family’s assigned space in a communal shelter. Children with autism often wander away. Work with teachers, police and community members as you develop safety plans to help protect children from dangerous situations. Tips for people with a mental health condition Make sure you keep up with the WDSU Hurricane Threat meter here. Download the WDSU news app to keep up with the latest on the hurricane’s path.

It is important that everyone in the area stay safe ahead of a natural disaster. For those with disabilities or functional needs, they have to take preparation a step further to ensure their safety.

Helpful hyperlinks:

https://www.fema.gov/resources-people-disabilities-access-functional-needs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seNoCbpxFuY&feature=youtu.be

Here are some tips from FEMA to help those with disabilities prepare for a hurricane:

General tips

Talk with friends, family or a support network about how to stay in touch.
Keep phone numbers for doctors, aides and family in a sealed waterproof bag.
Pack eyeglasses, contact lenses, hearing aids and dentures in an emergency kit.
Ask neighbors or someone in your support circle to help keep you informed.
Plan ahead for accessible transportation in case evacuation becomes necessary.
Identify the closest shelter in case you need to leave your house.
Identify which medical facilities are close to your house or shelter.
Wear medical alert tags or bracelets with information about healthcare needs.
Plan and practice for an evacuation, and remember to take your medical devices in a waterproof bag.
Have at least a 10-day supply of prescription medicines along with copies of prescriptions; list of all medications and dosage; list of allergies; list of dietary restrictions.
Make plans for a pet, including a note for emergency responders: I have a service animal named ____, who must evacuate with me.

Tips for people who are deaf or hard of hearing:

Get a weather radio with text display and a flashing alert.
Stock up on extra hearing-aid batteries and protect them with a plastic bag.
Carry a pen and paper to help communicate with someone who does not know sign language.
Have access to TTY and/or VRS.

Tips for people who are blind or have low vision:

Carry a picture of your family members to help connect you with them in an emergency.
Mark emergency supplies with Braille labels or large print. Keep a list of emergency supplies on a portable flash drive or make an audio file and keep it in a plastic bag and where it’s easy to find.
Keep a Braille or deaf-blind communications device in an emergency supply kit.
Practice your evacuation route and be comfortable getting to your family’s meeting point.
Tips for people with a mobility disability
Make sure all assistive devices that depend on electricity or batteries are working and keep your batteries in a waterproof bag.
Keep an emergency supply kit in a backpack attached to your walker, wheelchair or scooter.
Show others how to operate your motorized wheelchair, and have a lightweight manual chair available as a backup.
Keep an extra cane or walker for emergencies.
Keep an extra seat cushion to protect your skin or maintain your balance, and take it along if evacuation becomes necessary.

Tips for children and adults with autism:

Familiar items will help children adjust to new surroundings and ease the stress of the transition. Remember to pack their favorite toys, movies and computer games.
Headphones or earplugs can dampen the noise in unfamiliar settings. Consider bringing duct tape to mark the perimeters of your family’s assigned space in a communal shelter.
Children with autism often wander away. Work with teachers, police and community members as you develop safety plans to help protect children from dangerous situations.
Tips for people with a mental health condition

Make sure you keep up with the WDSU Hurricane Threat meter here. Download the WDSU news app to keep up with the latest on the hurricane’s path.

Resources for those with disabilities, functional needs ahead of a hurricane or tropical storm

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