Medical Preparedness · Disability & Access Needs
Medical preparedness for people with disabilities and access and functional needs: equipment planning, evacuation considerations, communication supports, and how to connect with local emergency management before any event.
Planning guidance, not medical advice. This content helps you organize, document, and prepare. It does not replace guidance from your physicians, pharmacists, or licensed healthcare providers. All medical decisions should be made with your care team.
What this section covers
The term "access and functional needs" describes the range of ways that disabilities, chronic conditions, and temporary limitations affect what someone needs to be safe during an emergency. The planning here is not about categorizing people. It is about identifying specific needs and making specific plans for each of them.
List every piece of medical or mobility equipment in the household. For each item, document: the power requirement (watts and daily hours of use), the minimum backup power hours needed, and the charging method. Power-dependent equipment (oxygen concentrators, power wheelchairs, home dialysis machines, feeding pumps) requires specific backup power planning. The Medical Devices section covers this in detail.
Medical devices and power planning →Evacuation planning for someone who cannot self-evacuate requires identifying specific assistance in advance. This means: naming at least two people who know the evacuation plan and can assist if needed, knowing the location of the nearest accessible shelter, confirming what accessibility features that shelter provides, and pre-registering with your local emergency management office if a registry exists in your county.
FEMA's Ready.gov provides a worksheet specifically for people with disabilities and access needs: ready.gov/disability
For people who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices, hearing aids, or other communication supports: document backup communication methods, charge communication devices before a storm or event, and carry printed communication boards or cards if digital devices may lose power. Emergency personnel may not be familiar with the specific device or method used.
Include a note in the household medical documents explaining the communication method and any key phrases or symbols, so an unfamiliar responder can communicate effectively.
Service animals should be included in the emergency plan as an integral component, not an afterthought. Document the animal's name, breed, service function, vaccination records, and veterinary contact. Pack a go-kit that includes food, water, medications, and a familiar comfort item. Most public emergency shelters are required to accept service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Verify your specific shelter's policies with your local emergency management office before any event. Note that household pets require separate shelter arrangements at most public emergency facilities.
Many counties maintain voluntary special needs registries for residents with disabilities and access needs. Registering allows emergency managers to know in advance who may need assistance during a disaster and to plan resources accordingly. Registration does not guarantee individual assistance but contributes to better community-level planning. Contact your county emergency management office to ask whether a registry exists and how to enroll.