Children are usually taught about fire safety
and disaster preparedness in school.
Experts in the field, such as firefighters, teach through
demonstrating how a family should
safely and quickly evacuate their house during a fire, or how to
seek shelter during a
natural disaster, like a tornado or hurricane. The children are then
encouraged to take the
information they have learned and share it among their family
members at home. By
practicing in-home fire and shelter drills enough times, a family
can become fairly secure
with the fact that everyone will know a way of getting out of the
house or taking shelter.
However, if you're among America's 54 million
caregivers, knowing how to evacuate
a loved one or how a loved one can take shelter during an emergency
may not be as easy
as just stepping out a door, or crawling out a window, especially if
your loved one has
mobility challenges and physical issues. Not only do you have to
consider how you
yourself will get out of the house during an emergency, but how will
you get to your loved
one to make sure they get out? How realistic is it for you to assume
that your loved one
will be able to assist themselves in order to evacuate the house or
to take shelter some
place other than their room? These are just a few of the questions
that a caregiver must sit
down and think through in order to arrive at a much-needed safety
plan for their loved
one. Once a safety plan has been created, it is wise to rehearse it,
making sure that there
are no other problems that might be incurred during an emergency.
It's also a good idea to
discuss a finalized evacuation plan with other family members who
may not live with you,
as well as with neighbors, friends, and any other personal care
attendants that may be a
part of the in-home caregiving team. Talk about the dangers of fire,
severe weather,
earthquakes and other emergencies. This way, people other than the
caregiver will know
where to locate a loved one in a timely manner and assist with
anything they may need at
that moment, should their caregiver not be able to do so.
When devising your in-home, emergency
preparedness plan, a good resource to
contact is your local chapter of the Red Cross. They can tell you
what kind of natural
disasters occur in your area, how to prepare for each, and how you
will be warned of an
emergency. Also, many communities extend special assistance to those
who have mobility
problems by registering these people with a local fire department or
emergency
management office. Professional help will then be administered
quickly and with priority in
an emergency to people with physical limitations and mobility
challenges. If you are a
caregiver who still must work outside the home, ask your supervisor
about any emergency
plans that may be in effect at your workplace. For example, some
places will not allow
employees to leave for home until an "all clear" has been given by
local authorities, so
caregivers need to take a policy like this into consideration when
creating an at-home
safety plan for a loved one. If you are the caregiver of a
special-needs child who is
mainstreamed into the public school or daycare system, ask the
teachers or directors about
emergency plans for the school, and how it will include and affect
your young loved one.
Also, if you currently utilize a personal care attendant from an
agency, find out whether
the agency has special provisions during an emergency; will they
continue to provide care
and services at another location if your loved one needs to be
evacuated from their current
environment?
It's important to determine what will be needed
for each type of emergency. For
example, most people head for their basements during a tornado
warning, however, most
basements are not wheelchair-accessible. In this case, what
modifications will you need to
make, or will you be able to utilize an alternative shelter that's
easier for your loved one to
get to? Another good idea is for you to create more than one exit
for a loved one who is
confined to a wheelchair, in case the primary exit of your home is
blocked in a disaster. In
case of a power outage, make sure you know how to connect or start a
loved one's
back-up power supply that may be needed for important medical
equipment. Make sure to
teach others who might assist your loved one in an emergency how to
operate this type of
equipment as well. It's also good to know which emergency shelters
near your home are
wheelchair-accessible.
If your loved one lives on their own in an
apartment complex, be sure to ask the
building's management to identify and mark all accessible exits.
It's also a good idea to
arrange for a relative or neighbor to check on your loved one should
they live on their
own. Not only should you have emergency phone numbers posted near
telephones and/or
kept in wallets or pocket books at all times, but it's also a good
idea to select one
out-of-state and one local friend or relative for you or your loved
one to call if you're
separated in a disaster. Select one place near your home to meet-up
together in case of a
fire, and another place to meet outside your neighborhood in case
you can't return home
after a disaster. If you are at home when a disaster strikes, know
how to quickly access
and turn off the water, gas, and electricity at main valves or
switches. If your loved one is
able to do so, it is a good idea that they also know how to turn
these things off as well,
should they be home by themselves when disaster strikes.
Preparing a disaster supply kit is a definite
must when you are caring for a loved one
whose life may depend upon certain medications and other such items.
When appropriate,
some of these things can be stored in easy-to-carry containers like
backpacks or duffel
bags. Larger items like a manual wheelchair or back-up equipment may
be stored in a
"safe-room" in your house, or at a neighbor's house, school, or
workplace. Other
important items to remember include:
- a battery-powered radio,
flashlight and plenty of extra batteries - a first-aid kit,
prescription medicines, and an extra pair of glasses - a supply of
water (one gallon per person per day); store water in sealed,
unbreakable containers and replace every six months - a supply of
non-perishable food and a non-electric can opener, plus any special
foods your loved one may require - include extra products like adult
diapers, wipes, lotion, and other hygiene items that don't need
water in order to use - have extra wheelchair batteries charged and
ready to go - have on-hand full, oxygen tanks, extra medications,
catheters, food for guide or service dogs, and any other special
equipment needed - a change of clothing and rain gear for your loved
one, and sturdy shoes for you - extra blankets or sleeping bags -
the list of family physicians, relatives or friends who should be
notified if you or your loved one are injured - a list of the style
and serial numbers of medical devices such as pacemakers or special
batteries for essential medical equipment - an extra set of car
keys.
During a disaster, anything that can move, fall,
break or cause a fire is considered to be
an added hazard. Before an emergency situation happens, it's a good
idea to go around
your home and look specifically for items that might pose a danger
to you and your loved
one during a disaster. Make sure that shelving is securely fastened
to the walls, and that
any large, heavy objects are placed on lower shelves or on the
floor. Also, hang pictures
and mirrors away from beds; larger pictures or mirrors should be
bolted to the wall.
Observe electrical wiring around your home, and repair any wires
found to be defective or
hazardous. Have a shut-off valve or switch for oxygen equipment near
your loved one's
bed or chair, so they (or you) can turn it off quickly if there is a
fire. It's a good idea to
secure your water heater by strapping it to a nearby wall in order
to keep it from falling
over during a disaster. Repair cracks found in the ceilings or
foundation and brace any
overhead light fixtures. If you have a chimney, have a professional
inspect it for any cracks
or weak spots, and have the appropriate repairs made; this will make
it more difficult for it
to come crashing through your roof during a disaster. Invest in fire
extinguishers and
smoke detectors. You may even consider installing home sprinklers
for your loved one.
There are many things that caregivers can do to
help themselves and their loved ones
prepare for any type of emergency or disaster, but it is best to be
ready well in advance,
before a dire situation arises. Remember to contact your local fire
department or your
community's emergency management office for help with your
preparations. You can also
contact the American Red Cross National Headquarters and ask them
for information
regarding a chapter near you.
American Red Cross National Headquarters
2025 E Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006
Phone: 1 800 733 2767
www.redcross.org
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