Government

Specific Needs

Every household has its own unique needs. These needs could be dietary needs, pets or children in the home, or access and functional needs. It’s important that you think about those needs as you create your plan. Here are some additional resources for some needs your household may have:

Access & Functional Needs

Living with an access and functional need during and after a disaster can be especially challenging. Planning ahead to address your specific needs will mean less stress during a disaster.

After a disaster, you may not have access to a medical facility or even a drugstore. It’s crucial to plan for your regular needs and know what you would do if they become limited or unavailable.

Some of these ideas may help you address your individual needs:

  • Create a support network. Keep a contact list in a watertight container in your disaster supply kit.
  • Wear medical alert tags or bracelets.
  • Plan how you will communicate with others if your equipment is not working, including laminated cards with phrases, pictures or pictograms.

Visit www.ready.gov/disability for some more tips and ideas that may be right for your plan.  To prepare yourself and advocate for yourself before, during and after a disaster, check out this Disaster Justice Guidebook.

 

Pets & Animals

Pets are an important part of your planning! Whether they are part of your family, important to your independence, or how you make a living, animals have an important role in society. Disasters can create big problems for animals of all sizes.

Here are some ideas for including pets, animals and service animals in your plan:

  • Have your pet microchipped and make sure that you keep the address and phone number up-to-date on the chip. Consider also adding an emergency contact from outside your immediate area.
  • Have a kit on hand for your pets and service animals. For a list of kit items, see our Build a Kit section.

Visit www.ready.gov/pets for more ideas on planning for your pets and animals.

 

Households with Infants & School-Aged Children

You are never too young to start learning about disaster preparedness! Below are some resources to engage and educate kids:

Ready.gov – www.ready.gov/kids

Sesame Street – https://sesamestreetincommunities.org/topics/emergency-preparedness/