Emergency Evacuation Preparedness for Seniors & the Disabled



The harsh truth regarding disaster evacuations is that there are no guarantees that local government or other relief agencies will be able to provide the necessary assistance for you or your loved ones. This uncertainty is compounded even further when dealing with particularly vulnerable populations such as seniors or the disabled.

The City and County of Honolulu's Elderly Affairs Division emphasizes the reality of disaster aftermath by frankly stating in their Hurricane and Storm Preparation for Seniors: "DO NOT COUNT ON ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY MAKING SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR YOU in the midst of the disaster". www.elderlyaffairs.com/storm.pdf.

In September 2005, a bus explosion and fire took the lives of 24 seniors who were being evacuated from Houston in anticipation of the arrival of Hurricane Rita. The horrific situations that occurred that same month in some New Orleans hospitals and nursing homes during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina provide additional stark reminders that evacuation preparation is essential by seniors, the disabled, and by those that love them.

EVACUATION PREPAREDNESS CHECKLIST FOR SENIORS OR THE DISABLED

  • Perform an honest self-assessment that identifies your limitations and needs, as well as your capabilities.


  • Compile your own personal emergency kit and make sure it's kept within reach in a familiar location. In addition to general emergency supplies, such as food, water, clothing, etc., ensure that your kit contains any applicable items from the following list:
    • 7+ day supply of essential medications.
    • Copies of prescriptions and insurance policies.
    • 7+ day supply of disability related supplies (i.e. syringes, colostomy, respiratory, catheter, incontinence, etc).
    • An "emergency health information card" with your personal medical information, instructions for personal assistance, and family & doctor contact information. In addition to the kit, also keep a copy of the information card in your wallet, purse, and/or car.
    • Items such as wheelchair batteries, back-up prescription glasses, spare hearing aid batteries, extra dentures and denture cleaner.
    • Written instructions for any equipment which may be needed in an emergency.
  • If you use a service animal:
    • Make certain the animal's ID tags and license are current.
    • Make an emergency supply kit for your animal and store it alongside your own kit.
    • Try and identify alternate mobility options in case your animal becomes frightened, confused and/or disoriented.
  • Learn all recommended evacuation routes, transportation options, and the location of the nearest shelter.


  • Know your neighbors, and have their contact information handy, in case you need to assist each other.


  • Determine at least two usable exits from each room and from your building in case evacuation occurs during a disaster such as an earthquake, fire, etc.


  • Prepare a large printed sign ahead of time that can be placed in the window of your residence to indicate if you need assistance in an evacuation or other emergency.


    • EVACUATION PREPAREDNESS CHECKLIST FOR LOVED ONES OR CAREGIVERS

    • Be sure your loved one has completed all appropriate steps in the above checklist.


    • If your loved one lives in a nursing home:
      • Ask the Administrator if the nursing home has an agreement with an ambulance or bus company in case of an evacuation. If so:
        • Determine where the evacuees would be taken in a disaster.
        • Make an independent investigation of the safety record of the bus or ambulance company.
      • Ask to see a copy of the nursing home's written emergency plan, as well as copies of any state inspections with regard to the home's emergency procedures and training.
      • Ask what provisions have been made for supplies needed en route for evacuees such as medications, food, water, sanitation supplies, medical devices, etc. Hurricane evacuations in recent years have demonstrated that evacuees may be stranded on highways for extended periods of time..
    • Make adequate plans as to how to communicate with each other during an evacuation. Do not assume that your cell phone will work. Have an out-of-state friend or family contact for both of you, as phone service in distant locations may be more reliable in an emergency.

    Evacuation during a disaster is among the the most stressful events that can occur in anyone's life. That anxiety will be even more exacerbated in vulnerable populations such as the elderly and disabled. The more planning that takes place before a disaster, the safer and less stressful any necessary evacuations will be for both the evacuees and their loved ones.

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    M. J. Fox, Publisher
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