A plan for your needs: safety planning lesson

You are sitting in your dorm room with your roommate. You both are talking about how the campus recently had a power outage and realizing you need a better emergency plan that accounts for your physical disability.

You want to make sure your emergency plan actually works for your specific access and communication needs, rather than just following a generic checklist.

What is the best way to prepare an emergency plan that fits your needs?

• Identify your specific barriers and plan how you will communicate and evacuate.
• Use the standard campus emergency plan since it is designed to work for everyone.
• Wait until an emergency happens to explain your specific assistance needs to others.

Recommended

Identify your specific barriers and plan how you will communicate and evacuate.

Everyone has different access and communication needs. When building an emergency plan, identify the specific barriers you might face. Plan how you will communicate, who can assist you, and how you will evacuate or shelter. It is also helpful to build a personal kit with essential supplies, medical items, and important documents. If an emergency happens now, call 911 immediately and tell them about your specific access needs.

Your next step

Write down your communication and evacuation needs, and share them with a trusted friend or roommate.

Words you can use

“Can we plan how you'd reach me and help me get out in an emergency?”

Sources: American Red Cross