During times of non-disasters, citizens with special needs or disabilities should contact their local fire department and emergency management agency to inform them of their emergency needs. That way, first responders can ensure that residents will be notified of threatening conditions in their area.

The American Red Cross offers checklists of items that people should include in their disaster kits. The following are suggested items for individuals with special needs. These lists are not exhaustive. Each kit should be designed to meet your family’s emergency needs.

• Emergency information lists
• Eye glasses
• Eating utensils
• Grooming, dental and dressing devices
• Hearing devices, extra batteries
• Flashlight, extra batteries
• Oxygen
• Suction equipment
• Dialysis equipment
• Sanitary supplies
• Wheelchair, repair kit and/or other mobility aids
• Long canes or sticks to gauge depth of floodwaters
• Monitors
• Bottled water
• Extra medication/prescribed medications
• Service Animal/Pet Supplies
• Pet food and water
• Leash/harness
• Collar
• ID tags
• Medications and medical records
• Vaccination tags/papers

The best defense when faced with severe weather is preparedness. Every household, school and business should have an emergency preparedness plan for natural and man-made disasters. The Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness offers the following tips on preparation for inclement weather.

• 1. Have a family meeting. Involve everyone in the household in the preparation of a disaster plan.
  • Discuss the types of disasters that can affect you and your home. Ensure that everyone knows the difference between weather watches and warnings.
  • Write down solutions for each kind of emergency.
  • Plan how to care for your pets following a disaster.

• 2. Develop a family escape and/or shelter plan. Draw an overhead floor plan view of your home. Determine two escape routes per room.
  • Teach children how to open windows and screens.
  • Pick a meeting place outside of the home (a large tree or neighbor’s yard) in case of a sudden emergency, like a fire. Determine where to shelter during a tornado (in a basement, centralized closet or bathroom).

• 3. Practice your plan. Even the best plan is ineffective unless it has been practiced.
  • Conduct fire drills.
  • Activate smoke detectors when the household is asleep.
  • Conduct tornado drills.
  • Practice how to protect yourself and others during severe storms.

• 4. Organize your disaster preparedness kit.
  No matter the incident, your kit should have enough supplies to sustain every member of your household for three days.
  • For the home:
    • NOAA weather radio,
    • flashlight
    • batteries
    • nonperishable foods
    • bottled water and juices
    • manual can opener
    • first aid kit
    • prescription drugs
    • sleeping bags
    • important family documents
    • cash/credit cards
    • important phone numbers.

  • For the car:
    • fire extinguisher
    • tools
    • first aid kit
    • sleeping bags or blankets
    • bottled water
    • high-energy snacks
    • flashlight
    • batteries
    • battery-operated radio
    • cell phone
    • cash/credit cards.

  Commercially prepared disaster kits are available at select discount, hardware and military surplus stores or can be purchased via the Internet.

The most important part of tornado safety in schools, and in similar logistical arrangements such as nursing homes, is to develop a good tornado safety plan tailored to your building design and ability to move people.
www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/school.html

Site gives bulletized points on preparing a home tornado plan; assembling a disaster supplies kit; and tells what to do during tornado watches and warnings.
www.urbansurvivaltools.com/tornado.html

National Flood Safety Awareness Week is intended to highlight some of the many ways floods can occur, the hazards associated with floods, and what you can do to save life and property.
www.floodsafety.noaa.gov/

Sponsored by the National Flood Insurance Program, this site tells the importance of community involvement and describes the types of flood insurance coverage available.
www.floodsmart.gov

The American Red Cross provides safety information for short-term power outages or “rolling blackouts.” Information is also available for people with disabilities.
www.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_133_,00.html

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s indepth guide on extreme heat, heat-related illnesses and how to protect against and/or treat extreme heat illnesses.
www.fema.gov/areyouready/heat.shtm