NOTE: This is an excerpt from a post from Autism Cares incorporated that was posted to help people with special needs children prepare for natural disasters, particularly in light of damage done from the 2005 Hurricane season. I have edited this to apply to most disasters, not just Hurricanes in Florida. I thought the suggestions were excellent. Hopefully those at Autism Cares will not mind my changes.
If there are organizations such as Autism Cares or other organizations affiliated with Autism or disabilities see if any have lists where you can register, so that intentions of what you plan on doing, where you may be going and such are recorded prior to such a disaster as storms, floods, etc.
1. Discuss the type of hazards that could affect your family.
2. Know your home's vulnerability to storm surge, flooding and wind.
3. Prepare your house and your yard for the approaching storm.
4. Remove things in the yard that could become projectiles in heavy winds
and secure windows as needed.
5. Locate a safe room or the safest areas in your home for each hurricane
hazard. In certain circumstances the safest areas may not be your home
but within your community at a shelter.
Is the room you select as your safest spot high enough to evade flood
waters?
Is there glass in the room that can break with winds?
If your area is prone to high flood waters, put an ax in the attic so
that you can break out if needed.
If your home is not safe, evacuate to a shelter.
6. When selecting your safe room, consider your child's special needs.
Will winds be too loud? Bring a battery operated headset with soft
music to keep your child distracted or a portable DVD player, games
or drawing materials,
7. If possible. Be sure to bring food and beverages with you to the room
so that you don't have to leave it during the height of the storm.
8. If you have to evacuate in separate modes of transportation, determine
escape routes from your home and places to meet. These should be
measured in tens of miles rather than hundreds of miles. Have
directions with alternate routes available in the event that you are
diverted to a different course than what you originally planned by
officials.
9. Have a map in the car.
10. Have an out-of-state friend as a family contact, so all your family
members have a single point of contact.
11. Register at AutismCares when you evacuate so that we will be able to
assist you more quickly and bring the toll free number with you in
your important papers. Remember that phone lines are often damaged for
weeks after the storm so having a contact that is several hundred miles
from your own area code is a good idea.
12. Make sure that your cell phone is fully charged and that you have
important phone numbers either programmed into it or a list of those
numbers with you.
13. Refill any necessary prescriptions for all members of your family.
14. Have medication and supplements that your child might take on hand with
enough for a two week supply, minimum.
15. Bring a copy of your child's doctor's names and phone numbers.
16. Remember to take cash out of the bank. Without electricity, those
credit card machines are useless!
17. Be sure to fill your car with gasoline. Without electricity for even up
to a week, many stations may not be open and you need to be able to keep
on going!
18. If you do evacuate to a shelter, put a label on the back of your child's
shirt with their name, your name, your emergency contact information and
their diagnosis in case you are separated during the evacuation.
19. Bring any important documents with you including a copy of your child's
IEP, insurance papers, medical records, school records, evaluations, etc.
20. Take pictures of your house in each room if you can and bring the film
with you.
21. Be sure to have pictures of all family members with you in the event that
any of you! are separated so that you can notify people more quickly.
22. Contact the local Red Cross, or local emergency officials, in your area
to determine if Special Needs Shelters have been set up prior to the
storm's arrival in case you need to evacuate to one. A Special Needs
Shelter is more prepared to handle your child's needs.
23. Make a plan now for what to do with your pets if you need to evacuate.
24. Post emergency telephone numbers by your phones and make sure your
children know how and when to call 911.
25. Check your insurance coverage - flood damage is not usually covered by
homeowners insurance.
26. Stock non-perishable emergency supplies and a Disaster Supply Kit. You
will need candles, flashlights, batteries, enough food and bottled water
for your whole family for five days, charcoal, lighter fluid and matches
for cooking, mosquito repellent, ice, toilet paper, body wipes, diaper
wipes, plastic bags, diapers (as needed).
27. We also recommend keeping hand cleansers like Purell handy.
28. In the most affected areas, fill your bathtubs and any other containers
with water after the storm passes in the event that water pumps fail.
This will allow you to still be able to flush your toilet by boiling
(hauling?) the water from the tub to the toilet.
Be sure to keep small children out of the bathroom to avoid them
stumbling into a full tub.
29. Use a NOAA weather radio or other battery operated transistor radio.
Remember to replace its battery every 6 months, as you do with your smoke
detectors.
30. The majority of deaths associated with Hurricanes result in the post storm
flooding. Do not venture out after the Hurricane has past if at all
possible until officials indicate that it is safe to do so.