WEDNESDAY, June 6, 2012 (HealthDay News) -- People with disabilities need to be prepared to quickly escape their homes in the event of emergencies such as fires, floods, tornadoes and hurricanes, a Mayo Clinic expert says.
Preparations for people with disabilities are more complicated than those for able-bodied people.
"As we learned during Hurricane Katrina and other natural disasters, persons with disabilities need to consider a number of different factors, such as identifying who is in their support system, special transportation needs and what supplies to include in their emergency-preparedness kits," clinical nurse specialist Lisa Beck said in a Mayo news release.
Beck worked with disabled patients to design patient-education materials, and she offers the following tips for people with disabilities:
More information
The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency has more about emergency planning and preparedness for people with special needs.