BALTIMORE — Tornadoes, fires, hurricanes, thunderstorms, disasters can strike at any time.
It's the preparation that plays a big role in the outcome.
But for some, it takes more than just items to prepare for a natural disaster.
Hurricane Ian is hitting Florida and making its way up the state.
While many people have evacuated or are hunkered down waiting for the storm, others face a bigger challenge when preparing for such disasters.
Sage Timmons is six-years-old and has down syndrome.
When disaster hits, her family prepares by calmly addressing the situation.
"The thing about Maryland is you get all of the seasons, but in an emergency the thing with Sage is we just try to remain calm because she has a sensory issue, so the thing in our house is remain calm at all times. If there are sudden moves or loud noises she's going to get really anxious,” says Shonta Timmons, Sage's mother.
Being vocal and having a sense of touch, either by holding hands or being held, brings security to the situation.
When thunderstorms hit, Shonta Timmons says approaching the loud noise in a peaceful manner is their kit for being prepared.
"What we do is, I get up and we calmly go to her room or go to her and just grab her by the hand. I'll grab her and just say come on lets just sit together sit downstairs or if we need to leave than she knows that the plan is to just gather our things and leave softly,” said Shonta Timmons.
Disability can impact a person in a variety of ways and it's not always visible.
Considering a person's specific needs is key when preparing for emergencies or disasters.
"My son is an 18-year-old, he has autism spectrum disorder. His autism impacts him through his language, through his ability to communicate, his ability to process information, sensory processing. His anxiety which leads to behavior sometimes,” says Neal Lichter.
Lichter says his son has experienced blizzards and hurricanes while living in Maryland, their preparation every time has been to show pictures and videos of what's coming and to verbally express how they're going to prepare.
This helps address all questions before the storm.
"There's something called social stories which are visual narratives written out that explain what we're going to be going through. So, he can read it and review it and go over it and when he has all of his questions he can review them and get the answers he needs,” says Lichter.
Being informed, having a plan, building a kit and considering all medical needs are ways to eliminate stress and barriers during a disaster for you and a loved one with a disability.
For more information on how you can help a loved one with disabilities prepare for a natural disaster click here.
