Preparedness Information for Seniors and People with Disabilities

DisabilityInfo.gov This user-friendly Web site contains links to information of interest to people with disabilities, their families, employers, service providers and many others. more... National Organization on Disability The N.O.D. web site provides you with the latest in disability-related news, information and resources. more... NOTE: External Links open in a New Window

Resources are now available to assist people with special needs. Along with the Red Cross, which provides many resource tools to supply emergency preparedness information to people with disabilities, the National Organization on Disability (NOD) provides numerous guides, tips, checklists and strategies for reaching people with disabilities as well.

Below is a list of Redcross.org and NOD websites that may assist people with disabilities during an emergency. Please visit www.NOD.org for more information about the National Organization on Disability.

Resources from RedCross.org

• Disaster Preparedness For Seniors By Seniors (A5059) [PDF]
• Tips for Seniors and People with Disabilities or Other Special Concerns
  Includes tips on how to assist people with visual, hearing/speech, cognitive/psychiatric and mobility disabilities and environmental illness/chemical sensitivities, information on life support systems, a checklist and information on collecting emergency documents.
• The Disability Task Force
  Introduces the purpose and members of the disability task force
• Preparing Makes Sense for Older Americans - Get Ready Now (A1723) [PDF]
• Preparing Makes Sense for People with Disabilities and Special Needs - Get Ready Now (A1724) [PDF]
• Disaster Preparedness for People with Disabilities [PDF] or [Text Version]
• Tips for Talking with the Hard of Hearing
• Sign Language for Emergency Situations [PDF]
• First Aid/CPR/AED Products Available in Braille
  The American Red Cross of Northeastern New York has translated certain products from their First Aid/CPR/AED program into Braille

Resources from NOD.org

• Emergency Evacuation Preparedness Guide
  Available in many formats, this guide focuses on developing emergency evacuation preparedness plans that take into account the needs of people with disabilities and activity limitations.
• Assisting People with Disabilities in a Disaster
  This tip-sheet from FEMA provides guidelines on how to assist people with disabilities during and after a disaster.
• Fire Safety for Wheelchair Users at Work and at Home [PDF]
  This brochure, written by the United Spinal Association, emphasizes the evacuation protocol for wheelchair users from work and home
• Fire Risks for the Deaf or Hard of Hearing [PDF] or [Text Version]
  This guide presents safety tips for the deaf or hard of hearing before and during a fire and fire prevention
• Fire Risks for the Blind or Visually Impaired [PDF] or [Text Version]
  This guide presents safety tips for the blind or visually impaired before and during a fire and fire prevention.
• Fire Risks for the Mobility Impaired [PDF] or [Text Verion]
  This guide presents safety tips for the mobility impaired before and during a fire and fire prevention
• Tips for All People With Disabilities
  The following checklists were developed by the Independent Living Resource Center of San Francisco with support from the American Red Cross Northern California Disaster Preparedness Response Network. Originally designed for earthquake preparedness, they offer useful disability preparedness information for any kind of emergency.

Tips for People...

• With Mobility Disabilities
• With Communication and Speech-Related Disabilities
• With Psychiatric Disabilities
• With Cognitive Disabilities
• Who are Hearing Impaired
• With Visual Disabilities
• With Environmental Illness or Chemical Sensitivities
• Who Use Life Support Systems
  (Dialysis, Respirator, Oxygen, Suction, Intravenous Pump or Infusion Therapy)
• With Service Animals and Pet Owners