Emergency Preparedness

The Center for Disability and Community Inclusion is working with Vermont self-advocacy and family support organizations to help Vermonters prepare for weather and other emergencies.

Emergency preparedness is important for everyone, but having a disability makes individual and family planning even more important.

Local storms and other state or regional emergencies can shut down power and communication systems, make travel difficult, stop health and disability services, and create uncertainty about when it is best to stay home, and when moving to designated help centers makes sense.

The Need in Vermont

When weather disasters or other local emergencies happen, people with disabilities and families often turn to family, friends, peer support networks and other organizations for help. All of these organizations have important resources to offer, but they cannot take the place of personal planning. The first and best step is to develop an individual or family emergency preparedness plan. Your plan will help you know what to do during weather and other regional emergencies.

Our Project's First Step: A Vermont Toolkit

• Toolkit is now available.

Our project worked with individuals with disabilities and family members to design a self-help Emergency Preparedness Toolkit that will work for individuals and families throughout Vermont. We are now distributing the Toolkit. To receive a printed copy of the toolkit email Deborah Lisi-Baker or call 802-656-1334. (Postage and handling charges only.)

Or you can download a pdf of the toolkit, print it, and put it in a three-ring binder. (28 pages) download pdf file.

Ongoing Partnership

• A Vermont Partnership

Partners are working together to build an ongoing partnership between Vermont's self-advocacy and family organizations. The goal is to make sure that information and support continues to be available beyond the grant period.

Our Sponsors

The Emergency Preparedness Workgroup and other partnership activities are funded by a Family Support 360 Special Initiatives Grant from the Administration on Developmental Disabilities. Our thanks to ADD for their support.

A Project of the Center on Disability and Community Inclusion at UVM.