Williamson County Health, TX

Williamson County and Cities Health District (WCCHD) is devoted to ensuring you and your family are safe before, during and after an emergency or disaster. By taking a stance on inclusion, WCCHD strives to strengthen emergency preparedness planning to provide information for all individuals within Williamson County, especially those with a disability. 

It is important that individuals with a disability (seen or unseen) are included in planning efforts so we, WCCHD, can ensure that everyone is being reached if or when an emergency or disaster strikes. 

For people with disabilities and their families, it is important to consider individual circumstances and needs to effectively prepare for emergencies and disasters. 

A way that you can be sure you and your family are safe before, during, and after an emergency or disaster is to be informed, make a plan, and take action. For more information, please visit www.ready.gov/disability  

People with disabilities, and their caregivers, may benefit from the tips below about managing communications, equipment, service animals and pets:

• Meet with Your Family/Personal Care Attendants/Building Manager: Review any community hazards that you are aware of (there may be some that are unknown to you) and discuss your family's emergency plans.
• Plan ahead for accessible transportation that you may need for evacuation or getting around during or after disaster.
• If you have a communication disability make sure your emergency information says the best way to communicate with you. If you use an augmentative communications device or other assistive technologies, plan how you will evacuate with the devices or how you will replace equipment if lost or destroyed. Keep model numbers and note where the equipment came from (Medicaid, Medicare, private insurance, etc.).
• 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.
• Be prepared with food, extra water, ID tags, veterinarian records, and other supplies for your pet or service animal.