Climate Preparedness for Special Populations

Extreme climate events can occur at any place and any time, so it is important to keep yourself and your family prepared for any climate scenario. Some of us have family members who are babies, older adults, or disabled persons. In emergency preparedness, these are considered special populations, because they require unique considerations compared to other adults and children. Be sure to speak with your family, housemates, and healthcare providers about ways to prepare for emergency climate situations. Situations you should prepare for are sheltering in place and evacuating your home. 

Sheltering in place typically means you should stay inside your home and not leave unless advised to or it is necessary to avoid exposure to harmful substances, like airborne chemicals or wildfire smoke. Evacuating means that you should flee to a safe location to avoid an extreme event, such as a wildfire or flooding. You should be prepared to have everything you need to stay in your home for at least 3 days or to grab what you need and leave quickly. 

Below are some checklists of items to think about when preparing for yourself and members of your family who may need special considerations. Seniors or people with disabilities may have health conditions that need special attention. Be sure to prepare emergency plans with and for all members of your household. A printable emergency planning list can be found here.  

For Babies: 

• Formula
• Diapers
• Bottles
• Powdered milk
• Medications
• Baby wipes
• Diaper rash ointment
• Vaccination records
• List of allergies to food and medications

For Seniors: 

• Make an evacuation plan or decide how to signal for help.
• Plan emergency procedures with caregivers like healthcare agencies or private nurses.
• Tell others where you keep your emergency supplies.
• Teach others how to operate any special equipment that you need day-to-day.
• Label any equipment (wheelchairs, canes, and walkers) with your name and contact information.
• Make a list of prescription medications (with your dosage) for your supply kit.
• Have a list of your allergies in your supply kit.
• Pack an extra pair of eyeglasses and hearing aid batteries.
• Have extra special equipment (like wheelchair batteries, etc.) in your kit.
• Make a list of serial numbers for any medical devices for your kit.
• Make copies of all medical insurance and Medicare cards.
• Keep a list of doctors and emergency contacts.

For Persons with Disabilities: 

• Create a support network to help in case of an emergency.
• Tell your support network where you keep your emergency supplies.
• Give one member of your support network a key to your house or apartment.
• Wear any medical alert tags or bracelets to help identify your disability.
• Dialysis patients should know the location and availability of multiple facilities.
• Teach others how to work your wheelchair.
• Know the size and weight of your wheelchair and if/how it collapses for travel.
• Label any equipment (wheelchairs, canes, and walkers) with your name and contact information.
• Make a list of prescription medications including your dosage for your supply kit.
• Have a list of your allergies in your supply kit.
• Pack an extra pair of eyeglasses and additional hearing aid batteries.
• Have extra special equipment (like wheelchair batteries, etc.) in your kit.
• Make a list of serial numbers for any medical devices for your kit.
• Keep a list of doctors and emergency contacts.
• Register with your city or county emergency information management office so they may quickly locate you in an emergency situation.

To see a brief infographic of emergency preparedness for older populations and people with disabilities, click here (Spanish link). To see a complete list of emergency considerations for people with disabilities, check out the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommendations linked here (Spanish link). FEMA also provides a template for emergency plans (Spanish link), that you can fill out online and receive a PDF of your plan to your email.

If you want to learn about free and low-cost emergency preparedness options, click here (Spanish link). 

Sign yourself up for emergency alerts to stay informed of any climate emergencies occurring near you. A complete list of these emergency alert systems can be found here (Spanish link).