Assistive devices

Stockpile assistive devices as part of community preparedness to facilitate inclusive search and rescue and evacuation and to enable persons with mobility issues to move around and access emergency aid in the aftermath of disaster.

For evacuations, stockpile:

• Stretchers, to help evacuate and carry persons with severe mobility restrictions or people injured in the disaster.
• Wheelchairs, crutches and walking frames, to support self-evacuation by persons with mobility difficulties and for people who have been injured.

For use in shelters, consider that persons with disabilities and older persons may have had to leave their assistive devices behind or they might have been damaged, so having access to a temporary device whilst at the shelter can be of a great use.

Consider stockpiling the following assistive devices and items:

• Wheelchairs: For use by older persons, persons with physical impairments, those who are sick or injured, pregnant women and women who recently gave birth.
• White Canes: For blind persons and persons with partial visual impairments.
• Auxiliary crutches, elbow crutches, walking frames: For persons with physical impairments, older persons and persons with injuries.
• Portable toilet seats: For use by persons with physical impairments and older persons where accessible toilet facilities are not available. To be used private spaces with access to water and sanitary disposals.
• Bed pans: For persons with severe physical disabilities or injuries and older persons who are bed-ridden.
• Red and white spray: To highlight evacuation paths, entrances, exits and steps for persons with visual impairments.
• Repair tools and materials: Tools and materials for basic maintenance and repairs of assistive devices, e.g. rubber grips for crutches, hearing aid batteries.