Emergency Preparedness for Seniors: Disaster Planning and Safety

Know Your Risks and How You Will Learn About Threats

Emergencies come in many forms, including severe storms, floods, wildfires, extreme heat, winter weather, and power outages. Knowing what could happen where you live helps you plan the right response. Keep a NOAA Weather Radio tuned to your local emergency station, and monitor television and radio for warnings about severe weather in your area. You can also download the FEMA app to get weather alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five different locations anywhere in the United States. Sign up for local emergency alert systems in your community so warnings reach your phone.

Build an Emergency Supply Kit

After an emergency, you may need to survive on your own for several days. A disaster supplies kit is a collection of basic items your household may need. Store items in airtight plastic bags and keep the entire kit in one or two easy-to-carry containers, such as plastic bins or a duffel bag. A basic emergency supply kit should include:

• Water: one gallon per person per day for several days, for drinking and sanitation.
• Food: at least a several-day supply of non-perishable food, plus a manual can opener.
• Medicines and medical supplies, including a list of your medications and dosages.
• Batteries, chargers, and a battery-powered or hand-crank radio.
• Flashlights for every household member, plus extra batteries.
• A first aid kit, moist towelettes, garbage bags, and plastic ties for sanitation.
• Important documents such as insurance policies, identification, and bank records in a waterproof container.
• Supplies for pets or service animals, including food, water, and medications.

Consider unique needs your household might have, such as extra eyeglasses, hearing aid batteries, oxygen tubing, or items that meet your individual needs.

Make a Family Emergency Plan

Your family may not be together when a disaster strikes, so it is important to know which types of disasters could affect your area and how you will contact one another and reconnect if separated. Establish a family meeting place that is familiar and easy to find. Discuss the following questions with your family, friends, or household: How will I receive emergency alerts and warnings?

What is my shelter plan? What is my evacuation route? What is my family communication plan?

Do I need to update my emergency preparedness kit? Customize your plan and supplies to your specific daily living needs and responsibilities, and practice the plan with your support network.

Plan for Medical Needs

If you undergo routine treatments administered by a clinic or hospital, find out their emergency plans and work with them to identify back-up service providers. Make sure at least one person in your support network has an extra key to your home, knows where you keep your emergency supplies, and knows how to use lifesaving equipment or administer medicine. Include a copy of your medication list, your doctors’ contact information, and your health insurance cards in your kit.

Plan for how you will power medical devices that run on electricity and how you will keep refrigerated medicines cold during a power outage.

Plan for Transportation and Assistive Devices

Plan for your transportation if you need help evacuating. If you use a walker, cane, wheelchair, or other assistive device, plan how you will keep it with you during an evacuation and how you will manage if it is lost or damaged. Make copies of Medicaid, Medicare, and other insurance cards and keep them in your emergency kit. If you do not drive, identify neighbors, family members, or community services that can help you get to a safe location, and register with local emergency management if your community offers a registry for people who need evacuation assistance.

Stay Connected: Support Network and Benefits

Create a support network of family, friends, and others who can assist you during an emergency, and practice your plan with them. A disaster can disrupt mail service for days or weeks. If you depend on Social Security or other regular benefits, switching to electronic payments is a simple, important way to protect yourself financially before disaster strikes, and it eliminates the risk of stolen checks.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury recommends two safer ways to get federal benefits: direct deposit to a checking or savings account, or the Direct Express prepaid debit card. If you get federal benefits you can sign up by calling 800-333-1795 or online at GoDirect.org.

What to Do During an Emergency

When an emergency occurs, follow the instructions of local officials. If you are told to shelter in place, stay inside, close and lock windows and doors, and monitor alerts. If you are told to evacuate, leave as soon as possible using your planned route, and take your emergency kit, medications, and important documents with you. Do not return home until officials say it is safe. If you have neighbors who are older adults or who live alone, check on them and let your support network know you are safe.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much water should I store? Keep at least one gallon of water per person per day for several days, for drinking and sanitation.

What if I cannot evacuate on my own? Plan transportation in advance with your support network and community services, and tell local emergency management about your needs.

Do I really need a paper copy of documents? Yes. Store copies of insurance, identification, and medication lists in a waterproof container in your kit, because power and internet may be unavailable.

What should go in my kit first? Start with water, non-perishable food, medications, flashlights, batteries, a radio, and a first aid kit, then add items that meet your individual needs.