This is very important checklist to prepare seniors and persons with a disability for emergency situations … anytime. Click here to read the September Disability Connection newsletter.

1. America’s PrepareAthon! encourages individuals, organizations and communities to prepare for emergencies, especially hazards most likely encountered where one lives and works.

2. Seasonal Readiness. Emergency preparation is a year-round effort, as each season has potential hazards.

3. Check Home Safety Equipment. Every home should be equipped with smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers.

4. Make an Emergency Preparedness Kit. During an emergency, one of the most important items to have on hand is a well-stocked disaster kit.

5. Preparedness in School. Students spend the majority of their day during the school year in classrooms, so it is important for teachers and administrators to have emergency plans in place.

6. Planning an Emergency Escape Route for home and work is for the safety of families and employees

7. Text-to-911 is rolling out across the nation, letting mobile phone and device users contact 911 call centers through a text message.

8. Create a Safety Network. Setting up a network before an emergency occurs is vital to ensuring the safety and well-being of people with disabilities and seniors.

9. Fire Prevention Week Is October 5-11. It was established in 1922 to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 that blazed for two days in October. This tragic fire was the worst in U.S. history, killing more than 250 people and leaving 100,000 homeless.

10. What to Do When Your Car Goes Kaput. This article, “Stranded Driver Tips: What to Do If Your Vehicle Breaks Down,” gives nine safety tips to help you handle a situation in which your car has a mechanical failure.