Pets, Children and Family with Special Needs
Evacuating with Pets, Children and Family with Special Needs
If You Have Pets
Your meeting points and evacuation plans must include your pets:
Near-home: Can you grab your pet carrier in seconds?
Neighborhood: Is your meeting point pet-friendly?
Evacuation: Which hotels accept pets? Which friends will take you with pets?
Critical pet preparations:
Microchip and ID tags with current contact info
Pet go-bag with food, medications, medical records
Photos of you with your pets (proves ownership)
List of pet-friendly hotels along evacuation routes
Never leave pets behind. If it's not safe for you, it's not safe for them.
If You Have Young Children
Meeting points need to work for little legs:
Near-home: Can toddlers get there quickly?
Neighborhood: Is it within stroller distance?
Evacuation: Do you have car seats/boosters?
Practice with kids:
Walk them to meeting points
Let them point out landmarks
Make it a game: "Can you show me where we'd meet?"
Teach them to stay put if lost
If You Have Elderly Family or Family with Disabilities
Consider mobility and accessibility:
Near-home: Is it wheelchair accessible?
Neighborhood: Are there facilities for medical needs?
Evacuation: Can you transport wheelchairs, walkers, medical equipment?
Special planning:
Medications and medical equipment
Backup power for medical devices
List of medical providers in evacuation destination area
Mobility assistance plans
Extra time for evacuation
If Someone is Often Away
What if a family member travels for work or school?
They need their own meeting point plans for their location
They need to know your plans so they can coordinate
They should have emergency contact information with them
Discuss how you'll reunite if disaster strikes while they're away
Long-distance students:
Know their school's emergency procedures
Have meeting points identified in their college town
Maintain contact information for their friends/roommates
Plan how they'd get home in a major emergency