Disaster Planning for the Disability Community

Calamity can strike at any time, but families who attended the Disaster Planning for the Disability Community event earlier this month are breathing a little easier now that they know how to put an emergency preparedness plan together. 

The Northshore School District Special Education Department and the Northshore Special Education Community PTSA partnered to present valuable information on Nov. 6  about how families of disabled students can prepare for an emergency. 

Bothell Fire Department’s Erin Gowenlock stressed how keeping bedroom doors closed at night can prevent a fire from spreading into the room and can also lower the level of carbon monoxide in the air.

Also, families can call the fire department at their business number to register a disability, so if there is an emergency at your home, that information will be available to first responders. The fire department staff can help you create a personalized evacuation plan tailored to your situation.

Once you craft an emergency plan, practice with your children twice a year, so they will be familiar with the steps, said Robin McKenzie, a volunteer from the Northshore Emergency Management Coalition (NEMCo). McKenzie is also the Emergency Preparedness Chair for Northshore Council PTSA. 

Tom Peterson, the NSD Teacher on Special Assignment for Emergency Preparedness, shared how the district handles reunification in the event that a disaster takes place during the school day. He cautioned that students may spend long periods away from classrooms, nurse’s office and restrooms; there may be long distances between evacuation zones and transportation; and many people not known to the student may be called on to assist. He advised that families keep their emergency contacts, along with physician and medication information, current in Parentvue. He also suggested making a blunt list of dos and don’ts and/or operating instructions on a weatherproof card to attach to medical equipment, wheelchair or backpack.

The key is to know the unique needs of your student and make sure you have a plan that meets those needs, said Laura Staneff, the co-president of NSEC PTSA. 

Special thanks to NSD's Special Education Department, Bothell Fire Department, NEMCo, Tom Peterson, Westhill Elementary School and Northshore Schools Foundation.