Chapter 17. Preparing for Disabilities, Medical Needs, and Access Requirements
A wildfire, earthquake, extended power outage, severe storm, evacuation, or other emergency can disrupt transportation, caregiving, medical services, electrical power, and communication systems. These disruptions may create additional barriers for people with physical, sensory, intellectual, developmental, cognitive, or mental-health disabilities, as well as people with chronic medical conditions or temporary injuries.
Residents of Pleasanton, Dublin, Livermore, San Ramon, Danville, Sunol, and surrounding Tri-Valley communities should create individualized emergency plans based on the person’s actual needs, preferences, abilities, and daily routines. Include the person directly in planning whenever possible. A disability diagnosis alone does not explain what assistance someone may need.
Plan for Mobility Equipment
Identify every mobility device or assistive technology needed at home, during transportation, and at a temporary destination. These may include:
- Wheelchairs or powered scooters
- Walkers, canes, crutches, or braces
- Transfer boards or lifting equipment
- Prosthetic devices
- Portable ramps
- Specialized seating
- Accessible beds or bathroom equipment
Keep essential equipment in an accessible location. Attach identification and contact information to mobility devices without displaying unnecessary medical details. Record each device’s make, model, serial number, supplier, and repair contact.
If possible, maintain backup items such as an additional cane, manual wheelchair, tire-repair kit, charger, or replacement batteries. Ask the equipment provider how devices should be transported and whether exposure to heat, water, smoke, or extreme temperatures could damage them.
Prepare for Communication Needs
Emergency warnings and instructions may be difficult to receive or understand when they are delivered in only one format. A person may need American Sign Language interpretation, large-print materials, captions, plain-language instructions, pictures, written communication, an augmentative communication device, or additional time to process information.
Enroll in local emergency-alert systems and select every useful notification method available, such as telephone calls, text messages, emails, or mobile alerts. Keep communication boards, writing materials, hearing-aid batteries, chargers, glasses, magnifiers, and other aids in the emergency kit.
Prepare a brief card explaining how the person communicates and how others can assist. For example: “I understand spoken instructions but need additional time to respond,” or “Please face me so I can read your lips.” Do not assume that an unfamiliar responder or shelter worker will immediately understand the person’s communication needs.
Include Service Animals
A service animal should be incorporated into the emergency plan as essential assistance—not treated simply as a household pet. Pack food, water, medication, a leash or harness, waste-disposal supplies, identification, veterinary information, and any equipment the animal uses while working.
Practice evacuating with the service animal and identify accessible destinations in different directions. The animal may become stressed or disoriented by alarms, smoke, debris, crowds, or unfamiliar surroundings. Keep it controlled and near its handler.
Emergency shelters subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act must generally permit service animals, although pets and emotional-support animals may be handled under different rules. The CDC provides helpful information about leaving during an emergency with a disability or service animal.
Plan for Medical Devices and Backup Power
Some people depend on oxygen equipment, ventilators, suction devices, powered wheelchairs, CPAP machines, feeding pumps, home dialysis systems, medication refrigerators, or other electrically powered medical equipment.
Create a written list showing each device’s:
- Name, model, and serial number
- Power requirements and battery duration
- Equipment supplier and emergency number
- Approved backup-power options
- Operating and transportation instructions
Ask the healthcare professional, equipment supplier, utility provider, and qualified electrician about safe backup-power arrangements before an outage. Do not connect medical equipment to a generator or battery system unless an appropriate professional or manufacturer confirms compatibility. Generators must never be operated inside a home, garage, or near doors, windows, or vents.
A medical-baseline or utility notification program may provide useful benefits, but enrollment does not guarantee uninterrupted power or priority restoration. Maintain a separate plan for relocating if backup power is running low.
Arrange Caregiver and Personal Assistance
A regular caregiver, home-health worker, relative, or neighbor may be unable to reach the person during a widespread emergency. Roads may be closed, telephone service may fail, or the caregiver may face an emergency at home.
Create a support network containing at least two or three dependable people. Explain what kind of assistance may be needed, such as transferring, dressing, communicating, operating medical equipment, collecting medication, or accompanying the person during evacuation.
If another person will provide physical assistance, make sure that person understands how to help safely. Improper lifting or transferring can injure both individuals. The CDC recommends creating a contact list of people who support the individual’s physical, mental, or emotional health and arranging for contacts to check directly when communication systems fail. Review CDC disability emergency-planning guidance.
Identify Accessible Transportation
Standard vehicles may not accommodate a wheelchair, scooter, oxygen system, service animal, caregiver, or other necessary equipment. Identify multiple accessible transportation options before an emergency. These may include relatives, neighbors, accessible transportation providers, residential programs, or resources identified by local emergency agencies.
Ask whether the vehicle can secure the mobility device safely and whether the driver can assist with boarding. Do not assume that public transit, taxis, rideshare services, or paratransit will operate normally during a regional evacuation.
When an evacuation warning is issued, begin making transportation arrangements early if additional time is required. If there is an immediate threat and safe transportation is unavailable, call 911 and clearly describe the person’s location, disability, medical needs, and required assistance.
Carry Written Medical and Access Information
Maintain a concise, current medical information sheet containing:
- Medical conditions and allergies
- Medications, dosages, and schedules
- Healthcare professionals and pharmacies
- Health-insurance information
- Medical devices and suppliers
- Emergency contacts and caregivers
- Communication and mobility requirements
- Service-animal information
- Instructions needed to provide safe assistance
Keep protected copies in the emergency kit, go-bag, and secure digital records. Wear medical-alert identification when appropriate. Review the information whenever medication, equipment, health, transportation, or caregiver arrangements change.
Helpful Hint
Create more than one assistance arrangement. A regular caregiver, relative, or neighbor may be unavailable during a widespread emergency. Build a small support network, discuss responsibilities in advance, and make sure each person understands the assistance that may be required.
Important Safety Reminder
Do not depend entirely on a voluntary assistance registry, one caregiver, one vehicle, or a single powered device. Emergency responders may be delayed during a major incident. Leave promptly when ordered, and call 911 if a person faces an immediate threat and cannot evacuate safely.
Important Preparedness and Safety Notice
This chapter provides general preparedness education, not real-time emergency instructions. Conditions, evacuation zones, routes, shelters, road closures, and public-safety directions can change rapidly. During an emergency, consult current information from authorized public agencies and follow all instructions issued by emergency officials. Call 911 for an immediate threat to life, active fire, serious injury, crime in progress, or another urgent emergency.
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