Family Connection of South Carolina wants you to be prepared. Follow these steps to prepare for an emergency or disaster, with your child’s special health care needs or disability in mind.
Pack an Emergency Supply Kit. If you have a child with special needs, there are probably items that need to be included in addition to the supplies needed for a general disaster kit.
General Information and Supplies:
- A current copy of your child’s Care Plan, including the In Case of Emergency Form.
- Current medical information and records stored on a flash drive or phone app (keep one paper copy in a waterproof bag).
- Batteries for hearing aids and communication devices.
- Special dietary foods and supplies.
- Items that calm or entertain your child.
- Identification to be carried by each child in case your family gets separated.
Power Supplies:
- An AC adaptor for your car to charge small electrical equipment such as a nebulizer.
- Battery powered versions of medical equipment your child uses.
- Manual wheelchair or other non-electric equipment.
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Medical Supplies and Medications:
- Talk with your child’s doctor about how to get an emergency supply of medicines. If your child takes medicine given by a clinic or hospital, talk with them about how to plan for a stoppage due to a disaster.
- Ask your pharmacist how long the medicine can last and storage needs of the medicines.
- Keep a two-week supply of medical care items such as needles, nasal cannulas, bandages, etc.
- Keep a cooler and chemical ice packs for storing medications that must be kept cold.
- Keep prescription information in your wallet, survival kit and car that includes the name, location and phone number of an out of town pharmacy.
Finding Emergency Shelter
Medical Needs Shelters (MSN) are emergency shelters with limited support for individuals with medical needs and their adult caregivers. MSNs are for those who are currently medically stable at home and not requiring hospitalization, inducing anyone who:
Has a medical conditions that require electricity support and/or
Uses a hospital bed/ specialized medical bed at home
During an emergency, call SC Department of Public Health’s Care Line at 1-855-472-3432 for MNS eligibility and shelter locations. Eligible individuals will be expected to bring items needed for daily living to a designated MNS. https://dph.sc.gov/public/stormhurricane-preparedness/shelter-during-disasters
Be Your Family’s Emergency Manager
SC Emergency Manager is the official app of SC Emergency Management Division (SCEMD). It is designed for users to build their own emergency plans, to keep track of supplies and to stay connected to loved ones. In addition, coastal residents can now “Know Your Zone” instantly using the maps feature as well as locate the nearest emergency shelters when they are open. The tools section features a flashlight, locator whistle and the ability to report damage to emergency officials. The SC Emergency Manager can function without the need of a data connection, which is useful when basic utilities are offline.For more information about the app, visit: https://www.scemd.org/stay-informed/mobile-applications/
Emergency Preparedness Resource List
Special Needs Information
- For children with special nutritional needs: Disaster Preparedness Checklist
- Keeping Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs Safe During Emergencies and Disastersfrom Family Voices.
- Emergency Preparedness for Individuals with Disabilities or Access and Functional Needs from Ready.gov
- For public health professional and health providers—training courses on Emergency Preparedness and Response for Vulnerable Populations from PERLC/Northwest Center for Public Health Practice.
General Emergency Preparedness Information
- American Red Cross
- Updates from the South Carolina Emergency Management Division.
- FEMA for Kids Basic hurricane education for kids, including what to do before, during and after the storm, key words, and more.
- South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control lists actions before during and after a hurricane, hurricane materials and publications, and other useful websites.
- Disaster Safety for People with Disabilities from the American Red Cross.
- South Carolina Hurricane Guide from South Carolina’s Emergency Management Division.
Have other questions?
Call our Support and Information Line at 1-800-578-8750.
Para Español: 1-888-808-7462
Aftermath Resources
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