Introduction
You may wonder why occupational therapy practitioners should be concerned about emergency preparedness. If you consider the OT Practice Framework, safety procedures and emergency responses are an IADL! This includes emergency and disaster preparedness.

Although the terms "emergency" and "disaster" are often used interchangeably, there is a distinct difference. Emergencies are unexpected situations that require immediate action and can have various causes, such as accidents, fires, or medical crises. Individuals or first responders can manage emergencies. Conversely, disasters tend to be more extensive and severe. They cause significant damage and disruption to communities. Disasters necessitate a coordinated response from multiple organizations, led by emergency managers.

As an emergency manager, I am often asked who should be prepared and why.

Who is easy! Everyone needs to be prepared. In 2011, President Barack Obama issued a National Directive that, in part, states:

“This directive is aimed at strengthening the security and resilience of the United States through systematic preparation for the threats that pose the most significant risk to the security of the Nation, including acts of terrorism, cyber-attacks, pandemics, and catastrophic natural disasters. Our national preparedness is the shared responsibility of all levels of government, the private and nonprofit sectors, and individual citizens. Everyone can contribute to safeguarding the Nation from harm. As such, while this directive is intended to galvanize action by the Federal Government, it also aims to facilitate an integrated, all-of-Nation, capabilities-based approach to preparedness.”

So, why should you (and your clients) be prepared? Perhaps you have never experienced a disaster in your community, but I bet you know someone who has. Consider the people in Western North Carolina who were affected by the life-altering floods earlier this year. They never expected such a level of flooding to occur in their communities. As a nation, we are experiencing climate change that has altered the area known as ‘tornado alley’. It is moving east and affecting towns that have never experienced tornadoes before. I could go on and on… But to give you a better perspective, here are several reasons for disaster preparedness:

• Being prepared saves lives. Knowing what to do can be the difference between life and death, for example, choosing to shelter in place or evacuate.

• Having a plan in place reduces your fear and anxiety during a disaster.

• Community preparedness means that resources are in place, possible damage from hazards can be minimized, and recovery is faster.

• Depending on your circumstances, local emergency responders may not be able to get to you right away. Everyone needs to be prepared to be on their own for at least 72 hours. This includes having enough food, water, and medical supplies on hand.

• When a community and individuals are prepared, economic losses can be diminished in the areas of relief and rehabilitation costs.

• Preparedness creates a sense of safety and security for our most vulnerable, such as children, the elderly, and people with access and functional needs.

(FEMA, n.d.)

Steps to helping our clients be better prepared:

1. Identify safety issues and create a remediation plan (i.e., installing smoke detectors, recommending purchase of a weather radio, identifying barriers to emergency preparedness)

2. Establish an evacuation plan. Identify at least two ways out. Practice the plan.

3. Develop a client-specific emergency kit. Assist with packing the kit as needed. Consider shelter-in-place vs evacuation needs. Don’t forget their essential medications and devices!

4. Create an emergency contact list and keep it in a visible place, such as the refrigerator.

5. Create a caregiver information sheet. Consider what the client would need help with during an emergency, whether it's sheltering in place or evacuating to a mass care shelter.

6. Provide information for the emergency care of pets and livestock as needed.

Every state emergency management agency has a website that provides educational materials specific to that region, as well as emergency go-kit checklists. Fema.gov and Ready.gov are also great sites for information. Please take a moment to explore these resources. You can print out guides to share with your clients.

I’ve only scratched the surface of OT’s role in emergency preparedness. Occupational therapy practitioners can play a vital, multifaceted role in emergency preparedness and disaster response. Our skills encompass personal and organizational preparedness, as well as supporting communities and clients with diverse functional needs. Our profession can take an expansive view of safety and emergency maintenance, integrating skills such as risk assessment, emergency planning, and safety protocols into daily practice. What will be your role in emergency preparedness?

FEMA. (n.d.). Why Prepare? https://www.fema.gov/pdf/areyouready/why_prepare.pdf