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Disaster Readiness Tips for People with Mobility Disabilities National Organization on Disabilities (page 2 of 2) Page 2 of 2

General and “Special Needs/Medical” Shelters
Unless you have other severe disabilities, you should have little difficulty as a person with a mobility disability staying in a public shelter for a short time. People with more serious needs might have to use the nearest “special needs” shelter, where medical issues can receive appropriate attention. Conditions in a shelter (usually a school building or an auditorium) are crowded, noisy, and boring. But these facilities, in most cases operated by the local American Red Cross chapters or faith-based agencies, can save your life.

Persons with mobility disabilities have a right under the Americans with Disabilities Act to use general public shelters. However, the reality is that many shelters are still inaccessible to people with mobility disabilities, so try to determine the status of the facility before you arrive. Wheelchair and scooter users may need assistance in transferring to and from a sleeping cot. People who use walkers or crutches might require aid navigating through a tightly-packed shelter. Staff in a general public shelter can assist you with these tasks, but cannot perform more complex, medically related procedures or activities of daily living.

Service Animals
Some persons with mobility disabilities use a service animal, usually a dog, to help them
with everyday activities. Federal regulations allow you to take your service animal into the shelter. Be prepared to explain this to the staff, because pets are not permitted. You have the responsibility to care for your companion animal while the two of you are in shelter.

Ready Kit and Go Bag

A Ready Kit is a comprehensive supply of items that you will need if you should have to shelter in place, or rely on your own resources for a few days. A Go Bag has fewer items, but they are most essential to take if you must evacuate quickly.

See the N.O.D. guide, “Prepare Yourself: Disaster Readiness Tips for People with Disabilities,” for a list of suggested supplies. The American Red Cross also has a comprehensive checklist of supplies. Here are a few items of particular interest to people with mobility disabilities:

  • Pair of heavy gloves to use while wheeling or making your way over glass and debris
  • Extra battery for your motorized wheelchair or scooter
  • Jumper cables or specific recharging device to be connected to an automobile’s cigarette lighter
  • Patch kit or can of "seal-in-air product" to repair flat tires
  • Spare cane or walker
  • Food, medicine, favorite toy, and other care items for your service animal
  • Plastic bags, disposable gloves, and other items for the animal’s care

Where to find more information

Many of these agencies provide materials in large font, audio or video cassette formats, and different languages.

American Red Cross
www.redcross.org • call your local chapter

Easter Seals (s.a.f.e.t.y. First program)
www.easter-seals.org • (800)221-6827 (voice) • (312)726-4258 (TTY)

Federal Emergency Management Agency
http://www.fema.gov/plan/ • (800)480-2520 (voice)

Humane Society of the U.S. (Disaster Center)
www.hsus.org/hsus_field/hsus_disaster_center/ • (202)452-1100 (voice)

National Spinal Cord Research Association Resource Center on Emergency Preparedness
www.spinalcord.org • (800) 962-9629 (voice)

NOAA Weather Radio
www.weather.gov/nwer/special_needs.htm

U.S. Department of Homeland Security
www.ready.gov • (800)BE READY (voice) • (800)464-6161 (TTY)

United Spinal Association
www.unitedspinal.org • (800) 404-2898 (voice)

The National Organization on Disability gratefully acknowledges support from Bush Clinton Katrina Fund for NOD's Emergency Preparedness Initiative and for this publication. NOD also thanks Alcoa Foundation, American International Group, JCPenney Company Fund, the UPS Foundation, and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. for making this publication possible.

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From the National Organization on Disabilities. Used with permission. www.nod.org.
 

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