05/07/2026
As National Hurricane Preparedness Week continues, now is the time for people with disabilities to think about personal disaster preparedness.
FEMA's Ready.gov campaign suggests four steps you can take: Stay Informed, Make a Plan, Build a Kit, Get Involved.
When building a kit, people with disabilities should consider the items used daily, as well as life-sustaining items.
• Personal disaster preparedness for those who use a wheelchair: Add spare tires and an air compressor to your emergency kit to make sure you can stay mobile in the event of an emergency.
• If you have a disability and use an electronic device to communicate, charge and keep back-up batteries in your emergency kit so you can converse with emergency responders and stay mobile.
• Personal disaster preparedness for those with vision loss: Make sure your plan includes the location of the nearest accessible public transportation, a hospital and emergency services.
• Preparedness for people who are hard of hearing: Put a fully charged portable cell phone charger in your kit so you can communicate in case of an emergency.
• If you depend on Social Security or other regular benefits, switching to electronic payments is an easy way to protect yourself financially before disaster strikes.
• Create a support network of people who can help you in a disaster. Keep a contact list in a watertight container in your emergency kit or on your electronic devices.
• Plan ahead for accessible transportation that you may need for evacuation or getting around during or after disaster.
For more tips, videos, resources, and other helpful information geared towards helping people with disabilities prepare for hurricane season, please visit:
www.ready.gov/disability
Get Informed Make a Plan Build a Kit People Experiencing Extreme Heat Associated Content
