What to do when disaster strikes

Coping with disaster is an extremely stressful ordeal. If you, or anyone you know, face the challenges of disability in addition to those of a fire or a flood, you must take extra steps to ensure the highest level of preparation for any misfortune that could strike at a moment’s notice. How do you plan ahead?

First, you need to establish a go-to arrangement in case the necessary services such as gas, water and electricity are no longer available. It helps to organize a support network of relatives, neighbors, friends and co-workers – the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) suggests you choose at least three people you can count on.

Once you have established your helpers’ circle, figure out what your options are before, during and after a disaster. Start by listing your needs and indicating the resources that would allow you to meet them. The Rhode Island Department of Health and the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency have developed a registry for Rhode Islanders with disabilities, chronic conditions and special needs. Designed to identify individuals who need assistance during emergencies, the registry “allows first responders to appropriately plan for, prepare for and respond to the needs of the community,” according to its website.

Contact Rhode Island Special Needs Emergency Registry at 401-222-5960 to gather all the necessary information. You can enroll online at kidsnet.health.ri.gov/emregistry/form.html or via a paper form that can be downloaded at health.ri.gov/forms/enrollment/SpecialNeedsRegistry.pdf

After you register, your information will be shared with local and state first responders and emergency management officials, who will use it to help you recover from emergencies. If you have specific questions, you can email Brittan Bates-Manni, registry coordinator, at Brittan.Bates@health.ri.gov and James Coyne, community initiatives coordinator, at James.Coyne@health.ri.gov.

How does it work, then? The Department of Health and Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency work with E-911, a system in North America that links emergency callers with the appropriate public resources, to notify first responders when they are responding to a household that includes someone enrolled in the registry, allowing them additional time to consider the best response. Strict confidentiality is maintained, and only authorized access of your information is permitted.

In addition to enrolling, what steps can you take to prepare? Learn about the possible hazards in your community, response and evaluation plans, as well as emergency shelters. How will the authorities warn you of the dangers? What is the evacuation protocol for people without private transportation, should that be necessary? Register with your local fire and police departments, as well as with the emergency management office. If you’re dependent on equipment that runs on electricity, register with your local utility company. Most important, develop a backup plan.

Figure out how you will behave if you injure yourself or if the power goes out. If you depend on medical equipment, do you know how to start a backup power supply? Decide whether investing in a medical alert system makes sense for you. If you are in a wheelchair, keep a manual one as a backup. Also, label all equipment, attaching usage instructions in case someone needs to assist you. If you are vision-impaired or hearing-impaired, arrange for someone to alert you of the emergency. Keep an extra battery on hand for your cellphone.

Since it might prove challenging to place a local call during a disaster, choose an out-of-town contact whom the family can inform about your whereabouts. Designate a meeting place in the case of an emergency. To keep everyone in-the-know, complete a communications plan, detailing your contacts, locations and services. A form recording this information can be found on ready.gov. There, you can also take advantage of downloadable blank wallet cards for quick reference.

Other crucial checklist items include an escape route and a safe place inside your home for disasters. The Special Needs Registry advises that you draw your home’s floor plan, indicating two escape routes from each room. Then, practice evacuation drills twice a year to refresh your memory and to ensure efficiency.

If you have pets, make a list of people who could house them since pets are not allowed in shelters. Other important preparation points include learning how to use your fire extinguisher and installing smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms. If you have a sensory disability, buy alarms that have strobe lights and vibrating pads.

Still feeling ill at ease? Request the preparedness materials at fema.gov or by calling FEMA at 800-480-2520.

IRINA MISSIURO is a writer and editorial consultant for The Jewish Voice.