Support Network

If a disaster occurs, you'll want to contact relatives or friends to let them know you are safe or to ask for help. Decide who will be your support network (you can also include your physician and attorney) and keep a list of their names, addresses, and phone numbers. Remember that people who provide services to consumers may be impacted by the crisis, too. For example, a personal assistant may be injured, stranded, cut off from communication or otherwise affected by the disaster just like everybody else. Take this into account when developing your support network.

Once you have decided who you want as your support network, contact them and discuss it with them. Explain what you would want them to do. Write out instructions for things you will need help with in an emergency. Once they agree, agree on and practice a communications system regarding how to contact each other in an emergency. Share copies of your relevant emergency documents, evacuation plans, and emergency health information card.