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Emergency Preparedness

July 2007

People with limb loss have particular information needs. Topic of the Month is a resource guide of information relevant to amputees. Click on the links below to access articles and Web sites directly. Many of the books and videos can be borrowed through Interlibrary Loan.

Many more resources can be found by searching our online library. Please feel free to share this resource with those who may find this useful. We also welcome your comments and topic suggestions! Contact us via e-mail at library@amputee-coalition.org.

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Books and Printed Material

Guide on the Special Needs of People With Disabilities: For Emergency Managers, Planners & Responders. Washington, DC: National Organization on Disability, 2002. This guide highlights key disability concerns to those officials and experts responsible for emergency planning in their communities and assists them in developing plans that take into account the needs and insights of people with disabilities before, during and after emergencies. It also is designed to help emergency managers, planners, and responders make the best use of resources to include all citizens of the community in emergency preparedness plans. Available online: http://www.nod.org

Disaster Preparedness for People With Disabilities. Washington, D.C.: The American Red Cross, 200-. This comprehensive 48-page booklet on disaster preparedness educates people on different types of disasters and the potential impact of disasters on their lives. This resource guides you through different steps to take to ensure that a plan is in place and helps you determine what you might need to survive during the aftermath of a disaster. Available through your local Red Cross Chapter or online: http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/beprepared/disability.pdf

Evacuation Preparedness: Taking Responsibility for Your Safety: A Guide for People With Disabilities and Other Activity Limitations / June Isaacson Kailes. Pomona, CA: Center for Disability Issues and the Health Professions, 2002. This guide will help you create a safe evacuation plan in the case of an emergency. Available in print and online: http://www.cdihp.org/evacuation/toc.html

Preparing for Disaster for People With Disabilities and Other Special Needs. Washington, D.C.: The American Red Cross and Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2004. This 20 page booklet will help you create a plan for evacuation and daily living after a disaster. Includes an action checklist with special considerations for people with disabilities. Available through your local Red Cross Chapter or online: http://www.redcross.org/images/pdfs/preparedness/A4497.pdf

Preparing for Emergencies: A Checklist for People With Mobility Problems. Washington, D.C.: The American Red Cross, 200-. This 4-page brochure is designed to provide guidance on disaster preparedness for people who have mobility problems. Available through your local Red Cross Chapter or online: http://www.redcross.org/disaster/safety/mobility.pdf

Tips for First Responders. 2nd Ed. Washington, D.C.: Center for Development and Disability, 2005. This concise field guide offers emergency responders information on how to assist persons with a wide range of disabilities, including people with mobility impairments. A PDF is available online: http://cdd.unm.edu/products/tips_web020205.pdf

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Amputee Coalition Articles:

What's Your Motto? Be Prepared / Terrance P. Sheehan, M.D. Knoxville, TN: Amputee Coalition, 2006. Take action and be prepared! It's not enough to react in times of emergency. Advance preparation is needed to prevent, or at least minimize, damage and causalities.
http://www.amputee-coalition.org/inmotion/sep_oct_06/be_prepared.html
http://www.amputee-coalition.org/inmotion/sep_oct_06/be_prepared.pdf
Easy Read: http://www.amputee-coalition.org/easyread/inmotion/sep_oct_06/be_prepared-ez.html

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Videos and Online Media

Be Red Cross Ready. Washington, D.C.: The American Red Cross, 200-. A multimedia presentation on the three steps of planning that the Red Cross suggests to ensure safety in a disaster: get a kit, make a plan and stay informed. http://www.redcross.org/services/prepare/0,1082,0_239_,00.html

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Online Resources and Organizations

Disaster Preparedness for Pets. Washington, D.C.: The Humane Society of the United States, 199-. The tools and checklists on this site will help you ensure the safety of pets, livestock and service animals in the event of a disaster.
http://www.hsus.org/hsus_field/hsus_disaster_center/resources/disaster_preparedness_for_pets.html

Emergency Preparedness and Individuals With Disabilities. (Evacuation and Transportation) Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Transportation, 200-. Learn about DOT’s policies and guidelines for safe and appropriate care of people with disabilities in the event of evacuation and using certain modes of public transportation to get to safety.
http://www.dotcr.ost.dot.gov/asp/emergencyprep.asp

Emergency Preparedness and Response. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control, 199-. This site is intended for public health workers as well as consumers. Information is available on specific types of emergencies and disasters from hurricanes to bioterrorism. Many additional emergency preparedness resources are listed as well as information for mental health in the wake of disasters and traumatic events.
http://www.bt.cdc.gov/

Financial Planning: A Guide for Disaster Preparedness. Greenwood Village, CO: National Endowment for Financial Education, 2004. This site was developed with the American Red Cross. Part of disaster planning should include financial planning. With this guide learn about disaster planning, financial plans, protecting your property, safeguarding important records, and preparing loved ones for an emergency.
http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/beprepared/FinRecovery/FinPlan/index.html

Get Prepared. Washington, D.C.: The American Red Cross, 200-. Being prepared for emergencies is crucial at home, school, work and in your community. Find out how to be prepared with these three steps: get a kit, make a plan, and be informed.
http://www.redcross.org/services/prepare/0,1082,0_239_,00.html

National Consortium on Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Response
for People With Disabilities. University of Kansas Research and Training Center
on Independent Living, American Association on Health and Disability and University of New Mexico Center for Development and Disability, 2005. The purpose of this consortium is “to develop a coordinated education plan that incorporates disaster preparedness and emergency response for people with disabilities at the local, state, and federal levels for first responders, emergency managers, health care professionals, and others (and) to increase the awareness among people with disabilities and disability advocacy organizations about emergency preparedness and disaster planning.” The Executive Summary of the Second Working Meeting on Disaster Preparation and Emergency Response for People With Disabilities can be found here:
http://www2.ku.edu/~rrtcpbs/resources/Executive_summary.pdf

Emergency Preparedness Initiative (EPI). Washington, D.C.: National Organization on Disability, 200-. EPI ensures that emergency managers address disability concerns and that people with disabilities are included in all levels of emergency preparedness: planning, response, and recovery. This site is a disability-specific news source for safety issues.
http://www.nod.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Page.ViewPage&PageID=11&

Nobody Left Behind: Disaster Preparedness for Persons With Mobility Impairments. Lawrence, KS: Research and Training Center on Independent Living at the University of Kansas, 200-. This research initiative aims to collect data from counties that have experienced disasters and identify emerging best practices for counties to assist in disaster plans and emergency responses to meet the needs of persons with mobility impairments in hopes of preventing injuries and saving lives. Resources on this site include current data, posters for disaster preparedness, and links to current proposals and reports on emergency preparedness.
http://www.nobodyleftbehind2.org

Prepare.org: Disaster Preparedness for People With Disabilities. Washington, D.C.: The American Red Cross, 200-.  This site can help people who have physical, visual, auditory, or cognitive disabilities to prepare for natural disasters and their consequences. Anyone who has a disability or anyone who works with, lives with, or assists a person with a disability can also use this information.
http://www.prepare.org/disabilities/disabilitiesprep.htm

Ready America. Washington, D.C.: The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 200-. Ready.gov provides information on being prepared in the event of an emergency, and includes information on preparing at home, school and work. This site includes specific information for people with disabilities and other special needs with the option of a downloadable pamphlet.
http://www.ready.gov

What’s Your RQ? Washington, D.C.: The Council for Excellence in Government, 200-. Test your Readiness Quotient (RQ) with this quick and simple online survey for individuals and families to gauge their own preparedness for an emergency. Tips and tools are also available to raise your RQ.
http://www.whatsyourrq.org