Staying safe in crisis: How people with disabilities can prepare for emergencies
By Jesse Berlin
Whether it’s a wildfire, a hurricane or an airborne virus, disasters can strike anytime and anywhere, often without much warning. People with disabilities can face challenges getting the help they need in emergencies because when it’s crucial for people to move from one place to another, seek safety and security and monitor their health and well-being, accessibility gaps in emergency planning, infrastructure and response efforts threaten to leave people behind [1].
According to an article from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about disability inclusion in emergency preparation, it’s possible for accessibility to be left out of evacuation plans and relief measures, which could make getting to safety difficult for people with disabilities [1]. An already dangerous situation could get even worse if someone affected can’t easily get out from where they are, move safely from one place to another, gain access to vital news and information and receive proper care if the threat mitigation system that’s supposed to alleviate harm overlooks the needs of everyone who could be at risk [2].
Accessibility should be incorporated in emergency planning and disaster relief because people with disabilities deserve safety and security as much as anyone else [3]. While progress is being made, it’s important for anyone, regardless of disability status, to be prepared for an emergency because it may happen when you aren’t ready and when the system isn’t properly designed to address everyone’s needs but will still require you to act fast [3].
Getting your name on a local disaster registry can help emergency responders better identify and locate you [5]. Contacting emergency response departments ahead of time also lets them know how to help you in case you or anyone in your home has mobility specifications or medical conditions or if there’s other factors they can properly prepare for, says Informing Families in an article on emergency preparedness for people with disabilities [6]. However, since emergency responders can also get overwhelmed when so many people need help at that moment, being prepared will buy you time amidst potential delays [4].
The first step is to craft a plan with steps you can follow right away when an emergency strikes. You may have to adapt your approach depending on the specific circumstances, but having a general idea of what to do when where you are isn’t safe anymore and you need to protect yourself and your loved ones will allow you to manage the situation until support arrives.
The plan should consist of knowing how to get out, where to go once you’ve left, and how to reach emergency responders during or after evacuation. You can find out about what to do and where to go by contacting emergency response departments ahead of time, says Informing Families [6]. However, don’t hesitate to draw up your own route with accessible modes of transportation to get around, such as public transit or other options offered by the government or emergency response agencies in your area [5]. Have a destination, or more than one, along the way, so you’ll know when you’ve reached safety, even if it’s temporary, such as emergency shelters, safe houses and hospitals and medical facilities that are fitted to meet your needs [5].
If you use medical equipment in your home, use assistive technology or take medication, find out from your providers how you can keep equipment running or restored quickly and how to keep medication stocked, fresh and available to still take as prescribed if there are power outages or if access to a pharmacy or a way to refill prescription medicine becomes more difficult [5]. Have medication in one place to grab quickly and keep medical information with you in writing or recorded electronically, so you can have it on you when you leave and can access it easily [5].
Next, it’s a good idea to have an emergency kit stocked with the essentials that you’ll need to live and keep going until you hopefully find safety elsewhere. You don’t have to have all the items available right now before anything’s happened, but knowing what you need and having a lot of it already at your disposal, whether it’s stored in a secure place or on you physically, will ensure you can grab them quickly and go to where you need to be.
The emergency kit should have basic survival supplies such as food, water, a flashlight or another source of light and batteries, chargers and power banks for electronic devices, says the Special Needs Alliance in an article about emergency preparedness for people with disabilities, as well as copies of important documents for identification and medical purposes, a cooler with ice packs to keep medications or perishable food refrigerated and, if possible, backups or replacement plans if you use medical equipment and assistive technology [7]. Keeping these devices powered is a top priority, which is why having batteries, chargers and power banks with you is imperative until power is restored or until you can find a hospital, medical facility, emergency shelter or other publicly accessible place with generators or working electrical outlets [7]. These will also help you stay updated on the latest news as you can keep portable radios and mobile devices running to receive alerts and crucial information [7].
Lastly, it’s important to create a support network of people you know and trust such as family, friends or neighbors and other community neighbors, that you can lean on for help when the emergency services aren’t getting there in time. You can craft a plan with them, so they’ll know and you’ll know what to expect in the emergency, and none of you have to navigate it alone.
This support network should be people you can rely on in an emergency, but even if you have their contact information, you need to prepare for ways to communicate with them and reach them if there’s power outages or cellular service doesn’t work [8]. Prior verbal or written agreements or arrangements are vital, so people in your support network know how to check on you directly or how you can get to them [8]. A rendezvous point or safe house could be an option if there’s an evacuation [8]. Perhaps most importantly, what do they need to know to make sure you’re taken care of when you’re on the move or getting to safety? For instance, if you use medical equipment or assistive technology or have mobility support, you and people in your support network can come up with ways to transport these items securely from one place to another [8].
Because emergency planning and relief may overlook people with disabilities and help may be delayed or not properly equipped to address everyone’s needs, being prepared with a plan, an emergency kit and a support network can fill in the gaps when a disaster arises. Proactive measures instead of reactive decisions will increase the chances that you and your loved ones are safer and more secure as emergency response systems hopefully and gradually improve.
[1] n.a. (2025, May 2). Emergency Preparedness and Disability Inclusion. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/disability-emergency-preparedness/about/index.html
[2] Michel, B. (2025, October 24). Why Disasters Hit People with Disabilities Harder - A Study on Inequality in Disaster Management. The Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies. https://disasterstrategies.org/blog-post/why-disasters-hit-people-with-disabilities-harder-a-study-on-inequality-in-disaster-management/
[3] n.a. (2022, October 17). Why are people with disabilities left out of disaster planning? Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/video/the-stream/2022/10/17/why-are-people-with-disabilities-left-out-of-disaster-planning
[4] n.a. (2025, May 2). Emergency Preparedness for People with Disabilities. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/disability-emergency-preparedness/people-with-disabilities/index.html
[5] n.a. (2026, September 9). People with Disabilities. U.S. Department of Homeland Security. https://www.ready.gov/people-disabilities
[6] n.a. (n.d.). Emergency Preparedness for People with Disabilities. Informing Families. https://www.informingfamilies.org/bulletins/emergency-preparedness-for-people-with-disabilities
[7] Burke, A.S. (n.d.) Emergency Preparedness for People with Disabilities. Special Needs Alliance. https://www.specialneedsalliance.org/the-voice/emergency-preparedness-for-people-with-disabilities/
[8] n.a. (2024, September 11). Making an Emergency Plan. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/disability-emergency-preparedness/people-with-disabilities/make-a-plan.html
