Emergency Preparedness

last updated: Sep 2025

---

“Everyday” emergencies occur more frequently than large-scale disasters, but it is important to think through and prepare for both. When an emergency occurs, there is a possibility that families will need to become self-sufficient and spend days without utilities, medical aid, or communications. Being a parent of a child with additional needs, also brings additional uncertainties and concerns.
​

Practical Information for Parents

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) state that “Planning is key. It is important for families to have an emergency care plan in case a public health emergency, natural disaster, or an act of terrorism, occurs. If there is a child with special healthcare needs in your family, you can prepare by developing a written Emergency Care Plan.
 
An Emergency Care Plan should include any medicines, healthcare directives or assistive devices that your child needs. Healthcare providers can work with families of children with special healthcare needs to ensure that the child’s needs are documented accordingly in the family emergency plan, and to help identify support networks within the community.
 

1. Will I need to leave my home? You may choose to stay at home, if possible, without water, phone, and/or electricity. Think about what your family would need to be self-sufficient and safe. Water, food, and food preparation, warmth, and medical supplies would need consideration. Consider creating a Disability Survival Kit for home and away.
2. If I must leave or choose to leave, where will I go and how will I get there? Wheelchairs, beds, and other medical equipment may require electricity or special accommodations. Consider that modes of transportation or usual routes of travel may be inaccessible.
3. What will I need while I am there? Necessities are usually provided within a shelter setting but consider what your child might need that may not be readily available, things like emergency medications, rescue inhalers or epi pens, or any special food items. Shelters may not offer allergy safe food items.
4. What will I do while I am there? Confinement to a shelter may necessitate things to occupy and pass time. Consider packing a deck of cards, coloring books, or small toys for distraction.

Additional Considerations

• Consider the use of a flash drive with your child’s medical information.
• Consider keeping a Care Notebook with all your child’s information accessible for others to view if you are unable to be home during an emergency.
• Provide friends or family with copies of important documents (medical records, birth certificates, contacts for durable medical equipment and supplies) in case you experience a total loss.
• Consider utilizing an ID or Medical Alert band. Temporary tattoos with phone numbers are also available for use when in crowds and/or on school field trips.
• Notify local emergency officials of your child’s needs. Local offices may offer emergency forms for families who have children with additional needs to complete so that the child and their needs can be identified immediately by the 911 system.
• Local emergency management officials should be alerted of the need for special accommodations in the event of a disaster.
• Consider contacting your utility company to make them aware of any special needs in the home that may require electricity for medical equipment. Priority may be provided in the event of a power outage.
• Think through safe meeting spots outside the home in case of a fire or an in-home emergency. Who will be responsible for your non-mobile child in the event you need to vacate immediately. Create a fire safety and evacuation plan with your family and practice drills so everyone is on the same page.
• Consider creating an Individual Emergency and Lockdown plan with your child’s school in the event of a school emergency.
• Always have Allergy, Asthma and Seizure Emergency Action plans on file with your child’s school. Update these each school year.

Emergency Preparedness Resources for Families

1. Parents and Caregivers: Helping Children Cope During and After a Disaster (CDC, 2024)
2. Disability Health Emergency Preparedness Tools and Resources (CDC, 2024)
3. Children and Youth with Special Healthcare Needs (CYSHCN) in Emergencies (CDC, 2024)
4. Emergency Medical Kit Checklist: Children (CDC, 2024)
5. Ready Kids: Disaster and Emergency Planning (FEMA, 2024)
6. Department of Homeland Security Disability Survival Kit Planning (DHS, 2024)
7. Teaching Kids About Emergency Preparedness (American Red Cross, 2024)

 
It is nearly impossible to plan for every scenario, but having prepared in advance for an emergency allows for families to act instead of panic when an emergency arises. For families who have children with additional needs, it could mean the difference between life and death.
 
Begin taking steps to complete or update your family’s Emergency plans today!

For additional information on emergency preparedness and for comprehensive plans

• Get Prepared Indiana: https://www.in.gov/dhs/get-prepared/emergencies/disabilities/
• Federal Emergency Management (FEMA): https://www.ready.gov
• American Red Cross Inclusive Preparedness: https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/inclusive-preparedness-resources.html
• Americans with Disabilities Act: Emergency Planning (ADA, 2024)

Select language

English Spanish

print

Print page

---

Programs and systems change often. It is important to ensure that you are using the most current information. Please check https://www.inf2f.org/fact-sheets.html for the most recent edition.

This fact sheet was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $96,750 with 89% percent financed with nongovernmental sources. The contents are those of INF2F and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.