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EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS FOR SENIORS
and persons with special needs
Everyone is affected differently during an emergency, but some people are more vulnerable than others when a tornado, flood or winter storm hits a community. Vulnerable people include seniors and people with disabilities who may rely on electricity, assistive devices, accessible communications and transportation to help them in their everyday lives. An emergency situation can disrupt all or some of these services and devices, and in some cases this can result in serious consequences.
PLAN, PLAN, PLAN!
Regardless of one’s needs or abilities, the key to reducing the impact of an emergency situation is to plan accordingly. It is important to think about your needs and risks, then make an Emergency Plan and put together an Emergency Kit, including basic necessities such as food and water, as well as items that are specific to your needs.
There are several considerations when working on your Emergency Plan, including:
A Personal Support Network
This is a group of three or more people you know and trust and who would help you during an emergency.
• Tell your support people where your emergency kit is stored and
give one member a key to your home.
• Include someone in your support network who lives far enough
away that they are unlikely to be affected by the same emergency.
• Work with your support network to develop your Emergency Plan
and ensure that they know how any of your assistive devices work.
• If you rely on life-sustaining equipment, ask your support network
to check on you immediately if an emergency occurs, and have a backup plan in the event of a power outage.
An Emergency Kit
This will include some basic supplies such as food and water, but also items that are specific to you. Some of the items that seniors and people with special needs should consider include:
• Assistive devices – make sure to tag all of your special needs
equipment, including instructions on how to use and/or
move them.
• A current list of prescription medications and food/drug allergies
– for each medication, record the medical condition being treated, the generic name, dosage, frequency, and the name and contact information of the prescribing physician and pharmacy.
Provide this list to your support network and keep a copy in
your emergency kit.
• A minimum of a week’s supply of prescription medications – ask
your pharmacist to do this for you in properly labelled containers.
• Visual impairment? Include an extra cane, talking or Braille clock
and any reading/assistive device technology to access information.
• Hearing impairment? Include extra writing pads and pencils for
communications, pre-printed phrases you would use during an emergency, such as “I use American Sign Language”, and extra bat- teries for hearing aid devices.
• Non-visible disability? Conditions can include allergies, epilepsy, diabetes, pulmonary or heart disease etc. It is important that you list your specific needs, medications, and special equipment in your emergency plan and ensure that your support network is aware of this list.
A Service Animal Emergency Kit
if you have a service animal, they will also need their own emergency kit, and again, besides food and water, some items to consider include:
• Portable water and food bowls, leash and collar, blanket, toy,
waste bags
• List of medications – identify the medical condition, dosage,
frequency and contact information of the prescribing veterinarian.
• Recent photo – include a recent photo of your service animal in
case they get separated from you.
Tips on Helping a Person with Special Needs
• Ask if the person wants your help, and how you may best assist them.
• Do not touch the person, their service animal or equipment without their permission, unless it is a matter
of life or death.
• You may be asked to use latex-free gloves to reduce the spread of viral infection or to prevent an allergic reaction to latex.
• Do not try to move someone unless you are trained in proper techniques.
• If a person is unconscious or unresponsive do not administer any
liquids or food.
Additional information for Emergency Preparedness for people with disabilities/special needs is available at ontario.ca/emo, including resources for making your own Emergency Plan and building
your own Emergency Kit.
THE BEACON HERALD | 2018 PERTH COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT | PAGE 20


































































































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