The Family Preparedness Guide for People with Disabilities was created by two Florida agencies to assist families in preparing for a variety of emergencies. The guide provides general instructions for creating segments of a family emergency plan, including guidelines for communicating, keeping pets safe, and building a disaster supply kit. After providing a general basis for family preparedness, the guide focuses on specific planning needs for people with disabilities. It describes several possible emergency situations for which people with disabilities should prepare (e.g., terrorism, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, and nuclear emergencies) and describes evacuation procedures. The guide also provides limited information on helping children cope with disasters and encourages readers to build relationships with the services available in their communities. Tools included in the guide include an emergency supply checklist, a form to list important phone numbers, a form to record special needs and other information about family members, a communications plan, and a chart to track plan maintenance. The guide also includes a list of resources and contact information that is relevant to Florida, yet the materials could be adapted to any jurisdiction. One reviewer noted that the guide does not provide a specific place in which to list detailed health information, so individuals with chronic health conditions, medication needs, or severe allergies may need to supplement the guide with another resource.
