Innovations in Care

Emergency Resources

MDA is here to help provide resources during the emergency recovery stage, once you are safe and out of harm's way in event of a severe weather emergency. Always remember to check in with your local emergency management system first.

MDA Emergency Preparedness:

Prior to an extreme weather emergency, you can refer to the following resources to learn more about emergency preparedness.

• MDA Emergency Preparedness Toolkit
  Emergencies come in many forms. Understanding the potentials of these emergencies and creating a plan can prepare you, reducing the emergency’s impact on you and your family. This guide, together with the checklist below, will help you plan and be prepared for the unexpected.
• Preparing for Emergencies Checklist
  Preparing for Emergencies: A Checklist for People with Neuromuscular Disease This checklist may help you get started. Discuss these ideas with your family, friends or a personal care attendant, and prepare an emergency plan.

Vance Taylor, the chief of the Office of Access and Functional Needs at the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, led the presentation. Taylor has a form of muscular dystrophy and uses a power wheelchair.

General Resources

• Red Cross:
  Shelter information: Find open shelters, if an emergency has forced you to evacuate your home, the Red Cross may be able to help.
• Find your local Red Cross office: Search by zip code with this easy tool.
• 211: For local information about help with food, housing, health care and more, dial 211 or visit their website. (Note: The 211 service is not available in all areas.)
• Salvation Army: For information about what the Salvation Army is doing in areas affected by a weather emergency, visit the Salvation Army website.
• DisasterAssistance.gov: To obtain the most accurate list of disaster assistance programs for which you may be eligible during or after an emergency, please complete this anonymous questionnaire.
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA):
  • Preparing for Disaster for People with Disabilities and other Special Needs:
    Ready.gov may help people with disabilities prepare and emergency plan to protect themselves, family, friends, personal care assistant and others in the support network in the event of an emergency.
  • Preparing Makes Sense for People with Disabilities and Other Access and Functional Needs 
    This is an informational video from FEMA.
  • FEMA Office of Disability Integration and Coordination
    This page is for anyone interested in learning more about the mission and role of the office within the agency and the larger emergency management community.
  • Emergency Management Agencies: This page contains contact information for emergency management agencies and offices.
• Mental health help: The SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline SAMHSA’s Disaster Distress Helpline provides 24/7, 365-day-a-year crisis counseling and support to people experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters. Call (800) 985-5990 or (800) 846-8517 (TTY for deaf/hearing impaired); or text TalkWithUs to 66746.

Related Articles

• How to Get Personal Care Assistance in Emergency Shelters
  A federal program provides personal care aides for individuals with disabilities who need to stay in emergency shelters during a declared disaster.
• In Case of Emergency
  Learn how to make sure you, your family and caregivers are prepared for the unexpected in case of an emergency.
• Going to the Emergency Room: Tips for People with Neuromuscular Diseases
  Because many emergency room doctors and nurses may not be familiar with neuromuscular disorders, a trip to the ER could result in inappropriate care for some people with muscle diseases. This article describes some common problems that can occur in the ER and provides tips for avoiding these scenarios.

If you or someone you love is impacted by severe weather and are in need of resources, you can call 1-833-ASK-MDA1 (1-833-275-6321) or email resourcecenter@mdausa.org. We recommend programming this information into your cell phone for easy access. Our Resource Center is available Monday-Friday 9am - 5pm CST to assist you.