People with disabilties

Guideline

Download our guideline to preparedness for people with disabilities.

Set up a personal support network

Designate someone to check on you in an emergency and to help with evacuation or sheltering-in-place.

Personal care assistance

If you receive assistance from a home healthcare agency or in-home support provider, find out how the provider will respond in an emergency. Designate backup or alternative providers that you can contact in an emergency.

Persons using a wheelchair

Plan for how you will evacuate in an emergency and discuss it with your care providers. If you use a motorised wheelchair, have a manual wheelchair as a backup.

Persons who are blind or visually impaired

Keep an extra collapsible cane by your bed. Attach a whistle to the cane - use it if you need to attract attention. Exercise caution when moving around after an earthquake as items may fall and block paths that are normally clear.

Persons who are hearing impaired

Keep extra batteries for your hearing aids with emergency supplies. Consider storing your hearing aids in a container attached to your nightstand or bedpost, so you can locate them quickly during an emergency.