Intro…
- Write out a care plan for your loved one listing relatives or other people who know how to feed and care for them. Keep a copy in a safe place in your home, your car and place a copy in your “Go Bag.”
- Decide on a place away from your home for family members to gather in the event that you are separated without phone service.
- Act out a “Shelter in Place” situation and see how quickly you can move to a safe area and assess if your equipment fits. During a tornado emergency, the safest place to shelter is often in a basement but this is often not realistic for a person who uses a power wheelchair or someone who has difficulty navigating stairs. Make sure you know how long it takes you to move to the safest place in your home or in the community and have a backup plan.
- Find out where accessible community weather shelters are located. Research community resources that provide transportation or assistance to people with disabilities during inclement weather and keep those numbers saved on paper and in your phone.
- Within your home, map out the safest route in your walker or wheelchair.
- If you have a service pet, make sure you train them for inclement weather scenarios specific to your area.
- Consider purchasing an inverter so that you can plug any necessary electric device into your car if the power is off for several days.