Communication is Key
During times of emergency or disaster, typical means of communication can become disrupted and unreliable. When communication and access to resources becomes altered, having a support system becomes very important, especially for wheelchair users.
In times of emergency, begin to build your support network by identifying who may be able to assist you. Consider: Who will help you? Who will you need to reach? What is your plan?
Your support network can consist of local and out of area contacts, including family, friends, caregivers, co-workers and more.
Make sure to go over your plan with each of your chosen contacts. Share how you plan to communicate, information about your needs as an individual living with a disability and specific mobility equipment and assistance that you require, in addition to identifying roles for each person and ensuring they are aware of how they will need to support you.
Consider adding first responders (police and fire departments) to your contact list. Inform first responders of where you’re located and share your disability-specific needs ahead of time so that they can reach you in times of emergencies.
Learn more about what to consider in your plan under “Develop A Plan and Share It” found within our Ready to Roll webpage.
Pick Five: Quick Tip for Building Support
Learn about how a chapter president is building support in Texas and how you can do the same in your community.
The need for support and communications during times of need became increasingly apparent to Chris Salas, United Spinal San Antonio Chapter President, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Within his chapter, he began an idea he called “Pick Five.” Pick Five was something he began during the pandemic to increase connectedness and support among his chapter’s members. He encouraged each of his members to pick up to five other members, people who they knew or didn’t know, with whom to exchange contact information. The chosen five people became individuals the members could reach out to for help or contact during times of need or uncertainty. It was a way to make the large community feel small and more personal, Chris said.
His idea that began during the COVID shutdown became unexpectedly important during the abnormal ice storms that hit San Antonio, Texas in February 2021. Ice and snow inflicted power and water outages on millions of Texans over multiple days. With Pick Five, Chris was readily able to reach out to his chosen people during the scary time. It made an overwhelming situation seem more personal. Chris noted that in emergencies you may feel overwhelmed and helpless, but when you are just responsible for checking in on five people instead of the whole community, it becomes more manageable and ensures no one is left behind.
During our 2022 #StrongWheeled Together campaign, we encourage all to build connectedness in your own chapters and communities. When members join forces and come together, we can empower each other to become equipped for greater independence during times of disaster. See below for tips on how you can build connectedness and implement Pick Five within your own chapter.
- Each member should pick a maximum of five individuals to have in their “circle.”
- Take note of the individuals preferred contact information and store the information in a safe and accessible location.
- Thought the year, stay in contact with your five people. Reach out to check-in with them on occasion, see if they need anything, or just say, “Hi.”
- If/when an emergency or disaster situation occurs, reach out to your five to ensure they are okay to see if they need help or assistance.
- If one of your five needs help, you can then relay the information to other people in the community or chapter to gain further assistance.
These five people will become the select group of individuals who you will reach out to during times of need. Having small circles within the chapter can help scale down the intense feelings during emergency situations, and it will ensure that everyone stays connected and no one is forgotten during times of stress and uncertainty. Pick Five ensures each person has some sort of network that they can rely on for support.
Use this worksheet as a place to store contact information.
Check out the Ready to Roll page for more.
Use this infographic to encourage “Pick 5” in your own chapter:
