household prepardness for people with disability

8/7/2019 Household prepardness for people with disability

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Householdpreparednessfor people witha disability,their familiesand carers

emergencyREDiPlan



1step

be informed

Step 1:Be informed

A householdemergency planlets everyone inyour household

know what to do inan emergency.

Why you need to be informed

Emergencies can disrupt our livesby damaging our home and ourbelongings, affecting our health,altering our daily routines andcausing financial burden. Thinkof what can happen during anemergency:

• Your home may be damaged,destroyed or isolated.

• Utilities like electricity, water,gas and phone service may bedisrupted for a long time. Youmay not be able to cook, cool orheat your home, make or receivephone calls to or from your

doctor, police, ambulance or fireservices. You may not be ableto light your home, withdrawcash through an ATM, fill carswith petrol, use the internet orreceive emergency informationfrom your television or radio.

• Roads may be damagedand public transport maynot be available. Public andprivate wheelchair transportservices may not be operating.The environment inside oroutside your home may havechanged, making orientationand access difficult.

• Noisy surroundings mayinterfere with how effectiveyour hearing aid is.

• Your usual ways of gettinggroceries, medications

and medical supplies maybe disrupted. It may takeseveral days before shopsreopen, so you may not beable to readily replace itemsrelated to your disabili ty.

• Council and other localservices maybe disrupted.

• You may not be able to carryout your daily activities as youdid before the emergency.

Knowing what to do and beingready for an emergency isyour best protection and yourresponsibility. It is also a way tomaintain your independence.

What you need to beinformed about

1. Know the potential hazardsin your area and what to do

• For general information onhazards visit the Emergency

Management Australia websiteat www.ema.gov.au.

• Depending on where you live,there may be some obvioushazards, like bushfires, cyclonesor flooding. Flash floodingand windstorms can occuralmost anywhere. Transportaccidents can also causedisruption to daily lives.

• Australia has well-developedemergency management plans.Ask your local council or state orterritory emergency service (theSES) about specific hazards andthe emergency managementplans that affect your local area.These plans will tell you who willrespond to a particular hazard,how information will be passed onto you and what services mightbe available after an emergency.

• The SES will have informationon how to prepare for acyclone, severe storm,flood or earthquake.

• Your local fire service willhave information on how toprepare for a bushfire or howto prevent house fires.

• Visit the local library or talkto people who have lived inyour area for a long time tolearn about past hazards.

Think about whereyou might go if youweren’t able to go

home, or had toleave home because

of an emergency.

03



e specific things foro consider

ebris from cyclones, stormsfloods may make footpaths

angerous and impassable.

you are in a manualheelchair when an earthquakeegins, stabilise your wheelss much as possible.

you are deaf or have hearingss, install a smoke alarmystem that has flashing strobehts to get your attention.

now about warnings

Bureau of Meteorologyes warnings for extreme

her conditions, like floods,ones and tsunamis.

the website atw.bom.gov.au to learnut the difference betweentch and a warning, andd information aboutings in your area.

services will advise wheny is declared a ‘total fire which places restrictionses in open areas.

now how to get information emergency

ocal radio (for instance, localBC) is often the best sourceinformation in an emergency

bout what is happening andhat the authorities want youdo. Find your local radio

BC radio frequency at

ww.abc.net.au and include it inour household emergency plan.

uring major emergencies theandard Emergency Warninggnal (SEWS) is used to alert theommunity when an urgent safetyessage is about to be playedn radio, television, a publicddress system or a mobileren. To listen to the tone, gowww.bom.gov.au and followe links to disaster mitigation.

• If you are deaf or havehearing loss, be sure that yoursupport network gives youany information on emergencysignals and safety messages.

• If you are blind or have avision impairment, ensurethat your support networkgives you the information inthe format that you require.

4. Know your capabilitiesand limitations

• Establish what you will beable to do for yourself andwhat assistance you mayrequire before, during andafter an emergency.

• Make a list of your personalneeds and the resources at yourdisposal for meeting these needsin an emergency situation. Getyour support network membersto help you so they are awareof the best ways to assist you.If necessary, give them writteninstructions on how best to assistyou and any pets or serviceanimals. Review this worksheetfrom time to time, since yourneeds may alter. Complete thepersonal assessment worksheetat the back of this booklet.

• You may already have some of this information as part of otherplans, such as a lifestyle planor service plan that tells peoplehow you want and need to dothings. You could add a copy of

this plan to your emergency kit.

5. Know how to stay calmduring and after an emergency

Emergencies can be stressful– you may have to face frighteningsituations. They can also causestress and strain on familyrelationships, and you may seebehaviour changes in adults andchildren. It is important to remaincalm during and after an emergency.Red Cross has a publication,Coping with a major personal crisis,which includes tips on dealingwith stress during and after anemergency. Download it fromwww.redcross.org.au, print a copyand keep it with your emergency kit.

6. Know how to helpin an emergency

Many people with disabilities,their families and carers haveskills, experience and othercapacities that can assistothers during an emergency.The resilience that comes fromdealing with difficult situationsand limitations may be helpful toothers. People with disabilitiesand their organisations can beuseful sources of information andadvice on the location and needsof other people with disabilities.

• You could help by joining anemergency or communityservices organisation.

• Learning first aid can alsobe useful in both everydayand major emergencies.

Red Cross provides first aidtraining. For more informationon first aid and volunteeringvisit www.redcross.org.au.

Who to contact in anemergency:

• Call 000 for police, fire orambulance only in a life-threatening situation.Do not use this number toget general information as itmay clog the lines availablefor emergency calls.

• Use 106 if you are hearingimpaired and rely on TTY.

• Contact your SES on 132500 if you have urgentstorm or flood damage.

For more information on TTY,

visit www.nationalrelay.com.au.

Checklist

Do you know:

who is in your personalsupport network?

hazards that might affectyour local area?

when hazard seasons startand finish in your area(e.g. bushfire season)?

the difference betweena ‘watch’ and a ‘warning’issued by the weather bureau?

where to get information

about warnings?who to call for life-threateningsituations?

who to call for urgent floodor storm damage?

your local ABC and commercialradio frequencies?

what the Standard EmergencyWarning Signal (SEWS)sounds like?

some of the capabilitiesand limitations you mayhave in an emergency?

basic first aid?

More informationon first aid andvolunteering is

available atwww.redcross.org.au.

05

http://www.nationalrelay.com.au/

http://www.nationalrelay.com.au/



Step 2:Make a plan

Being preparedin advance can

make emergenciesless stressful and

save precioustime. Should you

or your householdbe affected byan emergency,

a household

emergency plan helps you to be moreresilient and can

reduce disruption.

Why you need a plan

An emergency plan lets everyonein your household and supportnetwork know what to do in anemergency. Planning ahead is thebest way to protect:

• yourself, your householdmembers and your petsand service animals

• possessions that areimportant to you

• your financial situation.

Think about what you would doif an emergency caused you to:

• evacuate your home quickly

• stay in your home for a periodwhile the emergency passedand services were restored

• suffer injury or ill health

• find somewhere else to live

• lose essential, sentimentaland valuable possessions

• not be able to earn an income

• disrupt your daily routines,e.g. going to work, shopping,school or sporting activities.

And while no-one likes to talk aboutit, emergencies can cause loss of life. What would you do if a closefamily member died as a result of an emergency?

Practising your plan will help youto be better prepared.

How you make a plan

Get together with everyone in yoursupport network to ensure theyunderstand the plan and know whatto do if an emergency occurs.

1. An emergency information listwill let others know who to callif they find you unconscious orunable to speak, or if they needto help you evacuate quickly.

• List your important contacts inthe back of this booklet, includinghousehold members and thenames and numbers of everyonein your support network.

• If power, phone or mobile

phone services are affected,you may not be able to contacteach other. Establish a contactperson (preferably someoneliving out of town) to be thereference for family and friendsto phone if you are separated.

• Keep the emergency numbersof your doctor, hospital andelectricity, gas, water andphone services handy.

2. An evacuation planincludes the different waysto get out of your home.

• Plan and practise two ways toget out of your house in caseyou have to leave quickly (forexample, if there is a housefire or a flash flood). Draw aplan of your house and markat least two ways to leave, incase one is blocked. During afire it is important to leave yourhouse as quickly as possible.

• On your plan mark where youwould put things like medicationsand special equipment youwill require after you leave.

• For wheelchair or walking frameusers, make sure escape routesare accessible and items likewheelchairs and walking framesare in a designated place sothey can be found quickly.

Establish anout-of-town contactfor members of yourhousehold to phoneif you are separated

and record theirnumber in your plan.

07

step

2make a plan



e disability-related supplies andial equipment you may need:

n extra pair of glassescontact lenses.

hearing aid.

patch kit and canned airr wheelchair tyres.

n extra battery or backup powerr a battery-operated wheelchair,e-support system or otherower dependent equipmentthink of alternatives for yourower-dependent equipment.

you are blind, have at leastne extra white cane.

eep any important information,uch as ‘My service animalay legally remain withe’; ‘I do know Auslan’.

you have a speech-related orommunication disability, havepencil and paper with you, or

pare communication aids.

eep a card that indicatesat you are deaf.

you have a cognitive disability,eep a copy of any instructions

information you think youll need. Write step-by-stepformation in a way that is easyr you to understand. Thisrmat will help you rememberhat to do during the confusionan emergency. Have a pencil

nd paper to keep track of anystructions or information.

opies of specifications fordaptive equipment or medicalevices should be storedyour emergency kit.

onsider medical needs such aseart and high blood pressureedication, insulin, prescriptionugs, denture suppliers and

upplies. If you are blind orave a vision impairment,onsider accessible labels forese items to ensure you can

ccurately identify these items.

• Include items for serviceanimals or pets, such as food,additional water, bowls, aleash or harness, identificationtags, medications and medicalrecords, kitty litter and a pan.

4. Hygiene

• Water may be cut off, so it’simportant to keep good personalhygiene. The most importanttimes for washing and dryingyour hands are before preparingand eating food, and aftercoughing, sneezing, blowingyour nose, visiting the toilet orlooking after sick people.

• Include soap, deodorant,sanitary pads, a razor, handyalcohol wipes, waterless handwash gels, toilet paper, tissues,a hairbrush, a comb, and atoothbrush and toothpaste foreach person in your household.

5. Information andcommunication

• Include a battery-operated radio.Mark on the dial the frequenciesof your ABC local radio, andany other local radio services.Include spare batteries.

• Include a spare mobile phonebattery and charger. Alsoconsider keeping an older landlinephone that is not reliant on power.

6. Protective clothing andblankets

• Keep a change of clothes in

your emergency kit. Have sturdyshoes or boots handy in caseyou need to leave the house.

• Include sunscreen, insectrepellent and wide-brimmedhats. It’s also useful to haveheavy-duty gardening glovesin case you need to clear awaydebris. Include a small backpackif you need to carry items.

• Have blankets and sleeping bagshandy in case you need to leaveyour home for an extended time.

7. First aid kit

• Buy a Red Cross householdor car first aid kit. It is also agood idea to do first aid trainingso you know how to respondto a first aid emergency.

8. Valuables

• Keep copies of importantdocuments in your emergencykit – passports, wills, marriageand birth certificates, insurancepapers, prescriptions, land titlesand mortgage papers, childimmunisation books and medicalhistories. You can also scan andsave them onto a CD or memorystick. Make sure they are storedin a waterproof container.

• It’s also good to have money– notes and coins – and aphone card in your kit.

• Think about sentimental itemssuch as photos and videos.You can make copies and storethem in another location.

• Talk to children about whatis important to them. Theywill need familiar things

to help comfort them.9. Entertainment

• Include a pack of playing cardsor games, to occupy time whenwaiting to return home or foressential services to be restored.

Where to keep your kit andwhen to do a check-up

• Keep your kit somewhere easilyaccessible – close to an escaperoute in your house, or in a shed.Mark your emergency kit clearlyand put some reflective tapeon it so it can be seen easily indarkness. Make sure its positionis marked on your emergencyplan, and that everyone knowswhere it is. Download a ‘Myemergency kit’ sticker fromwww.redcross.org.au.

• Check your emergency kit– including the first aid kit

– once every six monthsor whenever your situationchanges. Make a note of ‘useby’ dates, replace perishableitems and rotate them throughyour bathroom and pantry.

Checklist

Do you have:

a torch with spare batteriesand globe?

a battery-operated radiowith spare batteries?

a mobile phone chargerand battery?

food, snacks, water andcooking materials?

a first aid kit?

valuables, includingdocuments, mementoesand keepsakes?

medications and toiletries?clothing, sunscreen, hatsand blankets?

money and a phone card?

a plan for your pet or serviceanimal?

Keep youremergency kit

somewhere easilyaccessible – close

to an escape routein your house, or

in a shed. Mark your emergency kit

clearly, and put somereflective tape on

it so it can be seeneasily in darkness.

Talk to yourchildren about what

is important tothem. This is likely

to be different towhat you think is

important to them.

13



Step 4:Know yourneighbours

Getting to knowyour neighbours isan important partof preparing your

household. Peoplewho know each other

in their communityare more likely to

turn to each other

for help, and in thelong term cope

better with crisesand emergencies.

The best part is thattaking time to get to

know your neighbourshas a range of other

benefits too.

Why you should get to knowyour neighbours

Getting to know your neighbours isan important part of preparing yourhousehold. Neighbours can helpeach other in many ways:

• providing information aboutwhat is happening

• helping secure a property priorto a cyclone or windstormand clearing a propertyprior to bushfire season

• helping to evaluate and preparethe home for an emergency

• assisting in identifying andobtaining the resources

needed to cope effectivelywith an emergency

• moving furniture and valuablesout of the way of floods

• providing a place to shelterwhile the emergency occurs

• helping to clean up afteran emergency

• simply sitting down, havinga cup of tea and chattingabout what has happened.

They can check on you immediatelyif local officials give an evacuationorder or if an emergency occurs.Your neighbours may be able tocheck to see if you need assistance,so it is important to talk to thembefore an emergency happens sothat they are prepared to help youwhen you need them.

Neighbours can include people inyour street or community. Try toinclude a minimum of three people.Complete the ‘Neighbours contactdetails’ information at the back of this booklet.

Information you might like toshare with your neighbours

• Your neighbours need to beaware of your capabilities andneeds to be able to offer help atshort notice. Talk to them aboutyour abilities and limitations andshow them how to assist you.

• Ask your neighbours to doublecheck your awareness of anemergency. If you are deaf or have hearing loss, youmight not hear a siren or loudspeaker emergency warning.

• Label any equipment that youuse for your disability and attachinstruction cards on how touse and move each item.

• Show your neighbours how tooperate and safely move yourequipment and ask them topractise with it. This will helpthem to feel more comfortableif they have to use or move yourequipment during an emergency.

Consider splittingyour emergency kit in

two – one part withthe things to take if

you need to leave,and the other with the

things that you needto stay in your home.

15

4step

know yourneighbours



How to build strongcommunities

Getting to know your neighboursis easy. Start small – knock on thedoors of your neighbours, introduceyourself and leave your contactdetails with them. Once you’vemet some of your neighbours,there are many things you cando together to build and improveyour community. For more ideasor information about communitygroups, visit your local council.

Who might needmore help

Some people in the community may

need more help than others in anemergency – help that can often beprovided by neighbours. Think aboutpeople in your neighbourhood whomight need your help:

• older people living athome by themselves

• other people with physicalor sensory disabilities

• people with a mental illness

• single parents with young children

• large families

• people newly arrived to thearea, the state or even thecountry, including refugees ornewly arrived immigrants.

If there are people who might needmore help in your area, talk to themabout emergency planning. Withtheir agreement, write their names,

addresses and contact numbersin your household emergency plan.If they are happy to talk to you –and remember that many peoplevalue their privacy – you mightwant to ask them if they wouldlike assistance preparing their ownemergency plan.

Checklist

Have you:

exchanged numbers withyour neighbours and includedthem in your householdemergency plan?

found out who might need

extra help in an emergency,and if they have someoneto help them prepare for anemergency?

started some communitybuilding activities?

Make sure yourhousehold insurancepolicy covers you for

all the hazards youhave identified.

17



Step 1. Be informed

Personal assessment worksheet

Know your needs and capabilities

Yes No

Daily living Do you need assistance with personal care, such as

bathing and grooming?

Do you use adaptive equipment to help you get dressed?

Do you use special utensils that help you prepare or eat

food independently?

Do you need to use equipment that runs on electricity,

such as dialysis, electrical lifts etc?

Communications Do you need assistance to communicate with others?

Does your ability to communicate with others diminish

when you are under stress?

Will your ability to communicate be affected by loss of

power or phone lines?

Do you speak another language, e.g. Auslan?

Getting around Do you need assistance or adaptive equipment (eg. cane

or walking frame) to walk?

Do you use a specially equipped vehicle or accessible

transportation?

Do you need assistance to get groceries, medications

and medical supplies?

Evacuating Do you need help to leave your home or office?

Do you need assistance to speak or call for help?

If yes, what is the best way to communicate with you?(writing notes, pointing to letters, words or pictures)

__________________________________________

Do you need assistance in hearing?

Are you able to hear a siren?

Do you need assistance in seeing?

If yes, do you have a service animal?

Write here other

information you

think could be useful

19

householdemergency

plan



p 2. Make a plan

ergency information list

onal contacts

me of

usehold

mber

Medicare

number

Passport

number

Tax file

number

Driver

licence

number

Car

registration

ortant contacts

Name Phone Mobile Address

t emergency

tact

pport network

arer

pport network or

er

t out-of-town

tact

cond out-of-town

tact

uncil

Radio

My local ABC Radio frequency

Other local frequencies in my area

Services

Company Phone Account number

Electricity

Gas

Water

Phone

Roadside assistance

Medical information list

Name Phone Mobile Address

Doctor

Local hospital with

24-hour emergency

Chemist

Dentist

21



you suffer from any of the following?

Yes No Yes No

y heart disorders Epilepsy

betes High blood pressure

hma Thyroid problems

raines Dizziness

nting spells

you take any medication of any kind? Yes / No

dication Dosage Times taken Doctor who

prescribed

Doctor’s

mobile

Details of disability type (intellectual, learning, speech-related, sensory, physical,

neurological, psychiatric):

Yes No Details

Do you use any adaptive

equipment?

Do you have any allergies or

sensitivities (food, drugs etc)?

If you have a communication

disability, what is the best way to

communicate with you?

Blood type

23



ncial information list

rance

Insurer Phone Policy number

me and contents

alth

ome protection

Solicitor(s) Address Phone

cation of my will

king details

count name Bank BSB Account number

27

Step 3. Get an emergency kit

Basic emergency kit

Use this checklist to prepare your kit. If you need to keep an item elsewhere in your house.Make sure it’s somewhere handy and mark its location on your plan.

Stay kit Go kit

Tick Tick

Sturdy container Backpack

Reflective tape or stickers Two torches

Globes Batteries

Old landline phone First aid kit

Mobile phone battery Medication

Cutlery and pocket knife Toiletries

Candles and matches/glow sticks Battery-operated radio

Sturdy boots Phone charger or a phone card

Wide-brimmed hat Money

Gardening gloves Pack of cards/game

Three litres of water per person, per day Change of clothes

14 days’ food to stay in your home Sunscreen

Camping stove or BBQ Pocket knife and cutlery

Alcohol wipes Three days’ food ready-to-go

Antibacterial gel Pet food, water, collars and carrier

Toilet paper Blankets/sleeping bag

Pencils and paper

Important documents

Items of value

Household emergency plan

(this booklet)



29

bility-related emergency kit

Tick

ou use a

eelchair

Patch kit and can of seal-in-air product to repair flat tyres

Extra supply of inner tubes

Pair of heavy gloves to use while wheeling or making your way over glass

and debris

ou use a

torised

eelchair or

oter

Extra (charged) battery or a car battery

Lightweight manual wheelchair for backup

people

o are blindhave a visual

ability

Talking or Braille clock or l arge-print timepiece with extra batteries

At least one extra white cane

Fluorescent tape to mark your emergency kit

Medications clearly labelled

Extra magnifiers

An extra pair of glasses

ou are deaf

ave hearing

s

Spare batteries for your hearing aid (make sure you rotate them regularly)

An alternative hearing/listening device

Small portable battery-operated television set (emergency broadcasts

may give information in Auslan or open captioning)

Pads and pencils for communication

Torch, whistle or other noisemaker, and pad and pencil by your bed

Card that indicates that you are deaf

ou have

peech-

ted or

mmunication

ability

Power converter if you use a laptop computer to communicate. A power

converter allows most laptops (12 volts or less) to be operated from the

cigarette lighter on the dashboard of a vehicle.

Copies of a word or letter board and pre-printed key phrases you would

use in case of an emergency

ou have

ognitive

ability

Laminated copy of any instructions or information you think you will need

Pencil and paper to keep track of any new instructions or information you

may receive

Other medical

needs

Heart and high blood pressure medication

Insulin, glucometer and lancet device

Denture supplies

Contact lenses and supplies

Check and update your emergency kit regularly, and record the dates you do it below.

Checklist Date checked Date checked Date checked Date checked

Emergency kit updated

Emergency contact cards

updated

Smoke alarm batteries

changed

Torch and radio batteries

checked

Water supply replaced

Food supply replaced

Insurance policies updated

Medications checked



p 4. Know your neighbours

hbours’ contact details

ord details of people in your street or area who might be able to assist yought need help in an emergency.

me Phone Mobile Address

er important things to remember

de any information you think might help in an emergency

_______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________



Name:

Address:

Phone:

Blood type:

Disability:

Allegies:

Emergency contact name: Phone:

Meeting place outside my home:

Meeting place outside my araea:

Doctor: Dentist:

ABC Local Radio:

Local council:

Bank: Insurer:

Roadside Assistance:

Name:

Address:

Phone:

Blood type:

Disability:

Allegies:

Emergency contact name: Phone:

Meeting place outside my home:

Meeting place outside my araea:

Doctor: Dentist:

ABC Local Radio:

Local council:

Bank: Insurer:

Roadside Assistance:



National Office

155 Pelham Street,

Carlton VIC 3053

Tel +61 3 9345 1800

Fax +61 3 9348 2513

ACT

Cnr Hindmarsh Drive

and Palmer Street,

Garran ACT 2605

Tel 02 6206 6000

Fax 02 6206 6050

NSW

159 Clarence Street,

Sydney NSW 2000

Tel 02 9229 4111

Fax 02 9229 4244

TAS

40 Melville Street,

Hobart TAS 7000

Tel 03 6235 6077

Fax 03 6231 1250

VIC

23-47 Villiers Street,

North Melbourne

VIC 3051

Tel 03 8327 7700

Fax 03 8327 7711

WA

110 Goderich Street,

East Perth WA 6004

Tel 08 9225 8888

Fax 08 9325 5112

NT

Cnr Lambell Terrace

and Schultze Street,

Larrakeyah NT 0820

Tel 08 8924 3900

Fax 08 8924 3909

QLD

49 Park Road,

Milton QLD 4064

Tel 1300 55 44 19

Fax 07 3367 7444

SA

207-217

Wakefield Street,

Adelaide SA

Tel 08 8100 4500

Fax 08 8100 4501

Emergency REDiPlan is made

possible by the generous support of

www.redcross.org.au

household prepardness for people with disability

Documents