Important!
If you or someone close to you has a disability or a special need, you may have to take additionalsteps to protect yourself and your family in an emergency.
| Disability/Special Need | Additional Steps to Consider |
|---|---|
| Hearing impaired | May need to make special arrangements to receive warnings. |
| Mobility impaired | May need to make special arrangements to get to a shelter. |
| Working parents | May need to make alternate child care arrangements. |
| Non-English speaking persons | May need assistance planning for and responding to emergencies. |
| No vehicle | May need to make arrangements for transportation. |
| Special dietary needs | Plan to have an adequate emergency food supply. |
| Daily Medication needs | Ensure you have an adequate supply. |
Planning for Special Needs
- Find out about special assistance that may be available in your community.
- Discuss your needs with your employer.
- If you are mobility impaired & live or work in a multi-storey building, have a stairway escape chair.
- If you live in a multi-unit building, ask the management to mark accessible exits clearly and to make arrangements to help you leave the building.
- Keep specialized items ready, including extra wheelchair batteries, oxygen tanks, catheters, medication, food for service animals and any other items you might need.
- Be sure to make provisions for medications that require refrigeration.
- Keep a list of the type and model numbers of the medical devices you require.
Important!
TIP: The Ontario government offers an excellent detailed emergency readiness guide for people with disabilities and special needs. See it or order it at: www.ontario.ca/emo or call Toll-Free: 1-877-314-3723