Winter Preparedness for Oregonians with Disabilities
People with disabilities may want to take extra care during Oregon's winter weather season.
Some disabling conditions may limit sensory abilities and the ability to maintain body heat.
Be particularly careful about staying warm when you are out in low temperatures, whether you're facing coastal rain, valley ice storms, or mountain snow.
Tips for Being Prepared for Oregon’s Winter Weather
Dress in layers for Oregon's variable weather. Wear multiple layers of clothing, including a scarf around your neck, a winter hat, lined boots and two pairs of socks. If possible, wear thermal gloves underneath your mittens to keep your hands warm. Wear waterproof, insulated boots to keep your feet warm and dry and to maintain your footing in ice and snow. This is especially important during Oregon's frequent freezing rain and ice storms.
Sign up for local alerts and warnings. Register for emergency notifications through your county's alert system. You can search by zip code at oralert.gov.
Create and test an emergency communication plan. If you receive home-based care (e.g., homecare attendant, home health aide, visiting nurse service), include caregivers in developing your plan and familiarize yourself with your homecare agency's emergency plan.
Store a talking or Braille clock or large-print timepiece with extra batteries if you are blind or have a visual disability.
Stock emergency supplies for extended outages. Oregon's winter storms can cause power outages lasting several days, particularly in rural and coastal areas. Install battery-powered or battery backed-up carbon monoxide detectors and smoke detectors. Keep extra supplies on hand, as road closures may prevent timely deliveries.
Plan ahead for accessible transportation. Work with TriMet (Portland metro), Lane Transit District (Eugene), Cherriots (Salem), Cascade East Transit (Bend), or your local transit agency to identify accessible transportation options. Many Oregon transit agencies offer paratransit services. Confirm their winter weather policies and backup plans for evacuation or getting to medical clinics.
Be ready to explain to first responders that you need to evacuate and choose to go to a shelter with your family, service animal, caregiver, personal assistant, and your assistive technology devices and supplies.
Know the location and availability of more than one facility, if you are dependent on dialysis or other life-sustaining treatment. Winter weather may make your usual facility inaccessible.
Inform your support network where you keep your emergency supplies. You may want to consider giving one member a key to your house or apartment.
Prepare for power outages. If you use medical equipment in your home that requires electricity, talk to your doctor or health care provider about how you can prepare for its use during a power outage. Consider registering with your utility provider for their medical priority programs.
Make sure your emergency information notes the best way to communicate with you, if you have a communication disability,
Plan how you will evacuate with the devices or how you will replace equipment if lost or destroyed. If you use an augmentative communications device or other assistive technologies:
Keep model information and note where the equipment came from (Oregon Health Plan/Medicaid, Medicare, private insurance, etc.). If you use assistive technology devices, such as white canes, CCTV, text-to-speech software, keep information about model numbers and where you purchased the equipment.
Keep Braille/text communication cards, if used, for 2-way communication.
Plan how you will communicate with others if your equipment is not working, including laminated cards with phrases, pictures or pictograms.
Wear medical alert tags or bracelets.
Plan for children with disabilities and people who may have difficulty in unfamiliar or chaotic environments.
Emergency Supply Checklist – Winter Preparedness
It is important to be prepared for cold weather, especially if you have conditions that limit sensory abilities or your ability to stay warm. Use this checklist to create an emergency supply kit for winter weather.
Water: at least a 3-day supply. One gallon per person per day.
Food: at least a 3-day supply of nonperishable, easy-to-prepare food.
Battery-powered or hand-crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio, if possible)
Extra batteries
First aid kit
Medications (7-day supply) and medical items (hearing aids with extra batteries, glasses, contact lenses, syringes, cane).
Sanitation and personal hygiene items.
Copies of personal documents (medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies)
Family and emergency contact information
Extra cash
Baby supplies (bottles, formula, baby food, diapers)
Pet supplies (collar, leash, ID, food, carrier, bowl)
Sand, rock salt or non-clumping kitty litter to make walkways and steps less slippery
If you have diabetes, you may want to also view this Disaster Preparedness Plan from the Diabetes Disaster Response Coalition.
