Emergency Evacuation Preparedness: Taking Responsibility For Your Safety A Guide For People with Disabilities and Other Activity Limitations

Create an Emergency Plan for Your Home

Have a disaster or fire plan at your home. While high‑rise buildings have built‑in technology and safety features, houses or apartment buildings are often less safe. People are more likely to die in a fire at home than at work, and that risk is even greater for people with disabilities, said Brian Black, director of building codes and standards for Eastern Paralyzed Veterans Association. (Bondi 2001)  In addition to basic fire safety guidelines such as installing smoke alarms and changing the batteries regularly, make sure you have more than one way to exit your homes and a planned meeting place for family members during an emergency. For more information on home safety see Resources and References.