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City of Vancouver Washington

Emergency preparedness for people with disabilities

It might not be pleasant to think about emergencies and disasters, but planning ahead is the best way to ensure you and all the members of your household remain safe during fires, floods, earthquakes and other events. That is even more true for people with disabilities. Emergencies and disasters can come quickly and without warning, forcing people to be confined to, or leave their homes unexpectedly. During an emergency, you might not have access to a grocery store, pharmacy, hospital, or other critical services. Emergency responders may not be able to reach everyone quickly.

Preparing for emergencies and disasters can seem overwhelming, but we encourage you to take it one step at a time. There are steps people with disabilities will want to take to be as prepared as possible before an emergency happens.

To begin preparing, consider your own individual circumstances and those of your household before, during and after a variety of emergency types. You are in the best position to plan for your own (and your household’s) safety during and after an emergency or disaster, but we can help, too!

The following resources are available to help people with disabilities to get started with emergency preparedness.