Food, Family and First Responders

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November 2017 Guardian of Public Health Banner

Food, Family, and First Responders

Alice Frame – Program Coordinator - Health Promotion for People with Disabilities Initiative - Disabilities Health Unit  – Michigan Department of health and Human Services

Working with people with disabilities in planning for emergencies is essential. In a perfect world, the needs of every person – regardless of disability status – would be anticipated, and emergency services would be well prepared to meet those needs.  That isn’t possible, but emergency planning professionals do their best to get as close as they can.

Emergency preparedness and response professionals dedicate themselves to helping communities be prepared and resilient. They make sure there are plans in place, shelters picked out, and distribution centers lined up. They try to anticipate needs.

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, many people will spend time with family in the coming weeks.  Do any family members have disabilities? Having a discussion with those members about emergency preparedness is great for two simple reasons:

  1. When working as a first responder or in emergency preparedness, it’s really easy to focus on the public and overlook those closest. Take this time with family to make sure everyone has a plan.
  2. If discussing preparedness with people with disabilities is a new concept, this is a good way to practice. Many people may not know what types of accommodations people with different types of limitations may need, and this is a great way to start learning about it.

So in between meals and football plays, take some time to talk with family. Learn who has unique emergency needs and how those needs can best be met. Take that information and use it going forward to help better assist individuals with disabilities in disaster situations.