Published March 4, 2025

During an emergency, it is of utmost importance that we know how to safely assist and evacuate individuals with hearing, vision, or mobility impairment. Do not use elevators, and remember that other hazards (such as debris or loss of electricity) may affect the safety route. Furthermore, should service animals be present during an evacuation, ensure that they are not separated from their persons (University of California, San Diego, 2014; Vanderbilt University, n.d.).

If you receive personal care assistance, your assistant should remain with you during any evacuation. If your personal care assistant works with a home care agency, check if there are any special provisions for emergencies such as providing services at another location (like an emergency shelter) (West, 2012; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency, & American Red Cross, 2004). Nancy West (2012) of Muscular Dystrophy Association says that if you are unable to receive such provisions, local, state, and federally funded programs may be able to offer assistance. As an extra measure, find and contact alternative providers as backup (Sollitto, n.d.).

Furthermore, it is largely possible that phone lines may be unavailable due to power outages or surges in calls which can take normally serviced regions offline. Remember to only use your cellphone or phone line to call 9-1-1 for life-threatening emergencies. Text messages or even email may be better to use to let your loved ones know how you are doing (Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association, n.d.).