Special Needs, Special Preparations
S. L. Crum, B.S., M.S., Ph.D.

As we begin a new year, it is good to re-consider your child’s special needs in light of any emergencies that may arise. One good step may be purchase a child GPS. Click Here To Learn About New GPS Child Location Device Next, basic disaster safety tips should be reviewed with your entire family. For example,

• Have a family meeting and discuss what types of disasters are most likely in your area (earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding, fires, terrorism).
• Prepare a “ready to go” kit for each member of the family, and keep it in your car easy to access whenever needed.
• Make certain you always have water with you no matter where you and your children are. We can live many days without food, but, not without water so impress this upon your children.
• Always keep a first aid kit and medications in your car as well as at home.
• Remember special needs children require routine and familiarity, so practice your emergency routine over and over.

These area general precautions we should all take whether or not we have a special needs child. But, those with special needs require special preparedness beyond what is typical.

Emergency Preparedness for Individuals with Special Needs

Parents of Children with Special Needs devote so much time and energy to dealing with their child’s day to day home, community and school needs that they often forget that special needs children may require additional support in the event of a crisis. So, whether you live in hurricane, tornado or fire or earthquake zones here are some important things to consider. Basically your family needs to have a shelter at home kit prepared and an evacuation kit prepared. Both of these need to be easily accessible. Make the decision ahead of time whether you will stay at home, evacuate to a safer environment or go to a Public or Special Needs Shelter. When preparing your emergency kit besides food, water, and clothing sufficient to last a two week period, you will need to bring your child’s medical and educational equipment. Here are some of the things you will want to include:

• Personal and medical identification (for children dog tags or medi-alert bracelets are a good choice (this goes for nondisabled children too, who could be rendered unconscious in a catastrophe).
• Personal, medical and school records including a list of all physicians and medications
• Special items such as wheelchairs, feeding/IV pumps and related supplies, nebulizer machines and related supplies, special foods/formulas, computers with rehab programs, portable neurofeedback equipment
• Blanket, pillow, folding chair, cot, sleeping bags for each member of the family
• Favorite books, toys, DVD players with DVD.s
• Pet and pet cage, leash , water and food bowls and their food
• Personal hygiene items such as towels, washcloths, toothbrush, toothpaste, diapers, bed pads, special care cleansers, soaps and creams
• The original or yellow copy of a “Do Not Resuscitate” (DNR) order, if you have one
• Health Care proxy stipulating who can make decisions for your child if you are incapacitated in a crisis (Also send a copy of this to the named health care proxy)
• Temporary guardianship papers indicating who will care for your child if you are injured or killed – be certain these papers include all necessary contact information, and are notarized. (Also send a copy of thee to the named emergency guardian)
• Portable oxygen tanks/oxygen concentrators
• Photos of familiar people that may be calming to your child
• An Ipod or MP3 player with music that soothes your child
• Map of area and important phone numbers
• Signal flare and flashlights
• Three gallons of water per person
• Paper cups, plates and plastic utensils
• Manual can opener
• toiletries – including 14 days supply of prescription medications and hand sanitizer
• Cell phone with batteries and charger
• Change of clothing, rain gear, sturdy shoes for each family member
• In a waterproof container: battery-powered portable radio, flashlight and extra batteries
• First aid kit and manual and prescription medications
• Credit card and cash. You might even want to put some cash or a prepaid debit card in your child’s back pack in case they were every separated from you in an emergency. A cell phone with a GPS chip is also a good idea for the same reason.
• Extra Set of car keys, house keys and office keys.
• Extra pair of eyeglasses
• Matches in a waterproof container.

In our household, we address all of this in two ways. We have our “stay at home” emergency gear all stored together in one large closet that everyone can huddle into; and our “let’s get out of here” emergency gear packed in our own individual backpacks which sit in the garage right near the car so we can just grab them and run. You might consider a similar system. Each of my children has an emergency list (typewritten for the oldest and photographic for the youngest). They are responsible to check their back pack and put it in the car each time we travel (even for day trip). This mean that we always have anything we need with us; and that their bags are always up to date and ready to go in case of an emergency. Once again, when the hurricane hits and I say: “Check your emergency backpacks”, it is a well established routine, that is automatic for everyone so panic is minimized.

It is also a good idea to plan ahead as to who will get each pet and the necessary pet supplies. In our house (we have a menagerie), the youngest puts the three cats in a carrier and grabs their food and water. The oldest grabs the rabbit and his supplies. I get the bird and the dog. The key is that everyone knows what to do ahead of time. To make this easier, we stick to the same distribution of responsibilities that we normally have as part of the household chores. This makes it simpler for the children to recall.

If your child has special needs and there are special needs shelters in your areas, you should apply for eligibility even if you think you would only use it as a last resort. Registration guidelines for such Special Needs Shelters usual vary by county, so you need to follow the specific guidelines for the county you reside in.

Plan for Needed Evacuations

• Discuss your child’s disabling condition with your pediatrician to determine what you need to have on hand for an evacuation
• Pre-determine where you will evacuate to and how you will get there. Bear in mind that roads may be blocked so you may need several alternate routes. Additionally, public transportation may not be functioning, so if you don’t have a vehicle have standing arrangements with someone who does.
• Remember if you will be relying on a car, you may need to store some extra gasoline in a safe location as gas stations may be without electric and unable to pump gas. Also, be certain to try and keep the tanks on all your vehicles topped off.
• Even if you were planning to remain at home, if the local police order an emergency evacuation of all homes, leave right away. Make certain that everyone is wearing protective clothing and shoes appropriate for the weather and that they have a first aid kit, ID, and some money with them. Leave a note in your house indicating when you left, and where you are going in case anyone comes looking for you. Call your family members and let them know where you are going and your anticipated route. Take your emergency supplies with you (these should be pre packed in your vehicle)

Plan to Shelter at home

Your child may use special equipment that requires power. For this reason purchase a generator, and stock up on batteries. Don’t forget to have food that can be eaten right out of the jar or the can; so that you don’t have to waste precious power on cooking. For the same reason, a charcoal or propane grill could be a valuable asset for the days following the actual storm.

If you are in an area likely to suffer from wind damage, contact your State to determine if they have any assistance program to help increase the structural safety of your home and to install wind resistant windows.

If you live in an area likely to suffer from flooding, remember to purchase flood insurance. Store all your emergency supplies on an upper floor or in the attic, and to purchase a raft or small boat that can be kept on your property. When you think this is going overboard, remember the Katrina victims.

Important Papers

Non driver’s ID’s, Passports, School ID’s should all be in a waterproof plastic bag.
You also need copies of your HO, FLOOD and Auto policies in a waterproof plastic bag.
Also in plastic water proof bags: wills, contracts, deeds and investments, bank account , credit card account numbers, birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce papers, custody papers, adoption records.

Finally, you need photos of everything in your home, along with a written inventory indicating the purchase price of all major (expensive items) in case you need to file an insurance claim. This should also be in a plastic bag.

This plastic record bag should be placed a large backpack that you can just grab and run with if necessary.
A second copy of all these records should also be kept in a fireproof safe – just in case you lose the carry along set. Being compulsive about safety, I also recommend sending an extra set of all these documents to a close friend or relative who lives in another State or town. That way, if you lose everything, they have backups for you.

Right Now

Right now before there are any warnings or advisories, get prepared by making certain you have adequate levels of insurance, that your wills, guardianship and heath care proxies are current. Also make certain that you take a Red Cross First aid and CPR class.

Plan two escape routes from each room in your home. Draw these and post them in each room. Next, make a game of practicing these routes and seeing if the children can increase their speed of exit. In case exit is not possible or appropriate, identify which room is the safe place in your home, and have everyone getting there as quickly as possible with their own person emergency kit (with dried food/snacks, water, first aid kit, bandana, bug spray, suntan lotion, some utensils, can opener, emergency ID phone numbers and bracelet).

It’s a good idea to purchase a wind up radio that doesn’t require batteries, as well as a National Weather alarm radio. The National Weather Service usually provides 12-24 hours advanced warning of known storms.

Every month

Go around the house with your children in tow to check the smoke detectors and carbon monoxide protectors, and your hurricane shutters, and how to turn off the utilities.

Practice escaping from a fire and meeting at a predetermined location.
Practice meeting in the safe room with your personal safety kits in tow.
Practice quickly loading the car with your emergency kit and driving at least part of your evacuation route. This is particularly important because special needs children have more difficult with transitions than other children. They need all of these activities to be part of their normal routine so they don’t freeze or act out when an emergency does arise.

Advisories, Watches and Warnings

A watch means something could happen in 36 hours. This is the time to make certain you have emergency phone numbers by each pone and to show everyone how and when to turn off the utilities. It is time to do a home haszard hunt for items that can move, fall, break or cause a fire and rectify the situation.

A warning means it is expected to happen within 24 hours.

Once a warning is posted, complete any last minute packing and preparation, review your evacuation plans, and while you are doing all this verbally mediate what you are doing and why so that your special needs child knows that you are taking all the necessary precautions to prepare and protect everyone in the family. This is also a good time to review with your child: how to call for help. Where the emergency numbers are listed, and what personal emergency information they should have in their pocket (or in a bracelet) at all times. Make certain that each family member and babysitter knows the address and phone number of where you will be staying during the crisis. Give each child their emergency information card which should include the phone numbers for family members, along with their health insurance policy and policy number, diagnosis and notation of any essential medications and dosages.

To help your special needs child understand the types of emergencies that might arise in your geographic region, it is a good idea to get a selection of books whether children their age successfully made it through similar storms. You might also be able to find some good videos with a similar theme. Making the “crisis” more familiar the preparation routine, will increase the likelihood of your child adapting to the situation when needed.

Presented as a community service by,

Susan L. Crum, B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
Special Needs Coach
Able2Learn
Email: Able2learn@live.com
Voice and Fax: 863-471-0281
Website: specialeducationsupport.org