How to Best Prepare for an Emergency

It is always helpful to try to plan for emergencies in advance. The Advisory Council of the  Council on Aging for Southeastern Vermont, Inc. has been meeting for quite some time to plan and implement a simple means to prepare for emergencies.

The Emergency Readiness for Older Adults and Caregivers Checklist, developed by the Administration on Aging, helps individuals to think about the risks they might face; a list of items they would need to survive in their homes until help arrives and a personal plan.. 

These checklists are available through the Council on Aging.

In addition, the Advisory Council has created an Emergency Preparedness Self Register. This one page document outlines whether the individual requires oxygen or other equipment using power, has a vehicle or not, and other information that would be helpful for the local Emergency Preparedness Coordinator in each community to have. In case of emergencies, the coordinator
would know which residents might be in need of special help. If someone completes personal information for this register, the only person to have access to this would be the Town's Emergency Preparedness Coordinator. Each town has assigned a person to be the coordinator.

The goal of the Council on Aging is to assist any individual who would like to plan ahead for some type of disaster or emergency. The information collected would not be accessible to staff at the agency but would be turned over to the particular town's Emergency Preparedness Coordinator.

The Advisory Council is made up of representatives from each town in Windham and Windsor county. Some towns recommend the checklist, and others do not. To find out if your town does recommend the checklist, call the Senior Help Line at 1-800-642-5119.  

To receive a copy of the Checklist or the name of the Emergency Preparedness coordinator in your town please call the Senior Help Line at 1-800-642-5119.

Joyce Lemire, Council on Aging
for Southeastern Vermont, Inc.