Tropical Storms 2021: My child has a disability. How do I prepare for hurricane season?

In past years, we’ve shared some tips to help your family prepare for hurricane season. This year, we want to share our tips for emergencies like hurricanes or evacuating your house, but given the current pandemic, we also recommend you check out our 3-part Pandemic Emergency Planning Series.

Current Events

If you have a child with a disability, you know how complicated it is to make an emergency hurricane plan. But whether you’re sheltering in place or evacuating, families can manage the threat of severe weather using simple checklists and proper knowledge.

Many new tools are at our fingertips, including websites devoted to Louisiana storm readiness.
Set up an on-line messenger option before an emergency so you can keep in contact with relatives when phone lines are down.
Follow your local government’s social media pages for the most recent information as the storms progress.

All parishes now have offices for emergency preparedness to help you get ready. If you’re not in Louisiana, here’s a site to find your own local emergency preparedness office. If you or a family member has a disability, you can pre-register with the appropriate local government agency for assistance with evacuation.

Also contact your energy company to let them know you have family members who use medical devices requiring electricity, they can talk with you about what options are available. Since power outages are common before, during, and after storms, make sure you follow all safety precautions when using portable generators.

Make and Use an Emergency Plan

Being forced to leave home without notice, and without the things that make home a familiar and safe place, is scary for everyone – especially those who have autism or have other disabilities and who may rely on consistent routines. In any emergency, we must make sure all individuals with disabilities have a plan in place to address their various needs.

Easterseals and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have good lists on how to plan for emergencies. We recommend taking a look at these when time allows. For now, here are some key pointers to keep in mind if you need to evacuate or stay where you are for a period of time.