YOYO: You're On Your Own!

DISASTER strikes with more frequency than in the past. Environment changes, population shifts, terrorism, and other factors affect how often and how many people disasters affect. This reality brings about an increased need to plan for disasters.

YOYO Always remember, at least initially, You're On Your Own!

Don't assume that neighbors, co-workers, family or friends will not be affected by the emergency and will be available to help you, or that first responders will arrive in a timely manner. YOU are in the best position to know your abilities and needs before, during, and after a disaster.

Many people with disabilities have been lead to believe that in an emergency situation, they will play little, if any, role in their own survival. But nothing can be further from the truth. BEING PREPARED can have life saving benefits - PLANNING AND PRACTICE do make a difference. 

During the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, man with a mobility disability was working on the 69th floor. With no plan or device in place, it took him over six hours to evacuate. In the 2001 attack, the same man had prepared himself to leave the building using assistance from others and an evacuation chair he had acquired and had stored under his desk. It took less than 90 minutes for him to evacuate the building the second time.

"All people, regardless of circumstances, have some obligation to be prepared to take action during an emergency and to assume responsibility for their own safety."

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
Emergency Evacuation Planning Guide for People with Disabilities

Is your disability related to your mobility, hearing, sight, mental health or a combination of several? Try to think through what would happen in an emergency and how your disability might impact your ability to evacuate. Review the steps on the next page while thinking about your disability. If you are deaf or hard of hearing, notification might be an issue. If you have a mobility disability, it might be difficult getting out of a multistory building.

Know your abilities, and also consider temporary or situational disabilities, such as allergies/asthma and Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS) which can be triggered by the emergency itself, such as a fire or a chemical spill.