Create an Emergency Plan

The first step to creating an emergency plan is to sit down and talk with your family about different types of emergencies, how to prepare for them, and brainstorm ideas of how to care for your child with special needs during an emergency.

You should also discuss how to care for your child during different types of emergencies with your child's doctor or health care team. Be sure to develop a plan for how you will communicate with your child's care team during an emergency.

Learn about emergency plans at your child's school or child care center. Learn their plans for shelter-in-place emergencies and how your child will get treatment, medications etc. Be sure to get their emergency contact numbers.

Ways to plan

• Plan for back up sources of heat, refrigeration, and electricity: Your family can use an emergency shelter for storing medicine, charging equipment, help with medical needs, getting a meal and more. You do not have to be staying in a shelter to use its resources.
• If your child depends on dialysis or other life sustaining treatment, know the location of more than one facility: find out the facility’s plans for emergencies and how your child will get treatment, medications, etc. Get their emergency contact numbers (these may be out of state).
• Create and practice an escape plan for your home: be sure there are clear exit paths for a child who uses mobility devices or has vision loss and keep a pair of shoes stored under the bed of each family member in case of evacuation.
• Talk to your local police and fire departments to see if they have emergency services or plans for people with special needs.
• Plan for your child's service animal.
• Obtain a medical alert and/or identification bracelet for your child.
• Know where to tune to your local emergency radio station, in the event of a large scale disaster.
• Plan for and get supplies for natural disasters that may be in your area: Pack an emergency supply kit and store extra medicines and equipment at your child's school.

Create a support network

Once you have created an emergency plan, it is helpful to have some back-up. Your support network may include family, neighbors, or friends that can help you and your child

• Tell your support network about your child's special needs and share your emergency plan and where your emergency supplies are stored.
• Give a trusted member of your network a key to your house or apartment.
• Agree upon a system with your network to signal for help if phones and electricity are not working.
• Show others how to handle your child's wheelchair or other equipment.
• Talk to other families who have a child with the same condition as your child about ideas and tips.