Transcript:

When hurricanes, floods, and wildfires hit, people with disabilities often face extra obstacles to staying safe.

So Germán Parodi, co-director of the nonprofit Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies, recommends planning ahead to minimize some of the risks. For example, consider …

Parodi: “How you would communicate with your support network if the power and internet went down. Would they come check on you? Would you meet somewhere? And if you had to evacuate, early on identifying accessible transportation options.”

He says when possible, identify ahead of time which shelters can handle your medical needs. And know your rights.

Parodi: “Knowing that you cannot be denied entry into a shelter because of your disability, knowing that … your service animal has the right to go in the shelter and stay by your side.”

At DisasterStrategies.org, Parodi’s group provides a disaster preparedness plan, a checklist, and other information. And for urgent help during or after a storm, people can call the partnership’s disability and disaster hotline.

Familiarizing yourself with these resources and preparing ahead of time can help you stay safe when disaster strikes.

Reporting credit: Elissa Wolfson / ChavoBart Digital Media