Article

Emergency Prep Tips for Medically Complex Children

Published: Jul. 29, 2025Updated: Aug. 9, 2025

As much as we can prepare, sometimes life happens — emergencies, blackouts, power outages, etc. And if our kids require electric medical equipment, it can be a very scary experience. Being prepared will cut down any wasted time and reduce safety risks. Our article about supporting kids with complex medical needs has tips for obtaining and storing spare medications and supplies along with other emergency prep considerations, like making sure you have a backup power supply for medical equipment that requires electricity. Here are some tips specifically from Chief of the Office of Access and Functional Needs at the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, Vance Taylor, and Undivided Navigator Heather McCullough.

Have supplies prepared beforehand

Do you have a go-bag with extra medical supplies (at least 48 hours’ worth)? Have a go-bag stocked full of the supplies your child will need in case you can’t get help immediately.
You can find affordable bags that work well for medical parents because they have tons of pockets and zippers. For your child’s go-bag, you might consider including medical supplies and tools, along with other essentials like extra clothes and food.
If your child has medications that require refrigeration, consider buying a small cooler or travel-friendly cooling bag you can take with you during an emergency.
If your child sleeps with safety rails on their bed at home, you may want to get a travel safety bed you can grab.
Pack headphones or an iPad with a headset to block out overwhelming sounds.
It’s smart to keep a smaller kit with basic supplies in your car in case you’re stuck somewhere and can’t get home immediately.

Prepare for power outages

Find out whether your child’s device has any manual operation until you can restore power. For example, can you use a gravity feed or syringe bolus? Make sure to have these supplies on hand.
Ask your electric company whether they keep a “Priority Reconnection” list to restore power after an outage.
Also ask your electric company whether they will provide you with a backup battery. Make sure it is fully charged and ready.
Take a photo on your phone of your child’s equipment settings because losing power may cause the settings to reset.
Don’t forget to include equipment chargers on your emergency kit checklist! Vance Taylor says, “Do you know the number- one item that people who use power chairs forget to take with them? It’s their wheelchair charger.”
Have a backup power supply, if possible, to power medical equipment. For example, external power banks, a generator, etc. Remember to have oxygen tanks to back up an oxygen concentrator.
Regional Center clients “who live independently or with limited supports who rely on power for specialized medical equipment and live in high fire-threat districts” can meet with their Regional Center’s emergency coordinator to request a premade “go kit” and portable battery to help prepare for an emergency. You can find your Regional Center emergency coordinator on this list and reach out to see whether your child qualifies.

This booklet from the FDA has a checklist to help you prepare for a loss of power.

Have medical and emergency contact info handy

Have copies of emergency contact info and any vital paperwork you may need in the event that you are displaced from your home (e.g., insurance cards, provider information, and medical information such as diagnosis and medication and nutrition needs). Keep this in your go-bag.
If your child has oxygen equipment, take your new prescription with you so that you can get oxygen no matter where you are (it always requires a prescription).

Plug into emergency alerts

Check with your state for an emergency notification system for people with disabilities. You can ask your fire department, Regional Center, and nursing agency. Some states have alert systems that allow local emergency agencies to offer aid quickly to those who may need evacuation help or who may need assistance during a disaster. This website lets you find your state’s emergency management service so you can sign up for alerts.
Have a weather radio for emergency alerts.
Download apps from the NOAA and FEMA to your phone so that you’ll get alerts in the event of a natural disaster and be able to access resources like local shelter information.
The Watch Duty app provides information specific to wildfires.
You can also proactively follow your city’s local Facebook page.
You should also learn where the utility shutoffs are around your home in case you need to turn off power to prevent damage during a disaster.

Practice calling 911

If possible, have a landline phone in the child’s room so that you can call 911 in an emergency.
Practice what you will say if you need to call 911 for your child. It’s easy to get flustered in an emergency and stumble over your words.

Talk to your local fire department

Talk to your fire department and find out whether they can support your child who may be using a trach/vent at home and can’t go to the emergency room in the event of an emergency.
Also ask for a note to be added to your address in their dispatch system. The note can include your child’s medical condition so that first responders will have background information before they arrive.

You can find your local fire station on the National Fire Department Registry.

Have an evacuation plan

Where will you head in an emergency? You might want to create a chart with pictures of each step and post it in your home so that it’s easy to follow.
If your child (or their equipment) needs physical assistance to move, make sure you know who will be in charge of them in an emergency, plus a backup person such as a trusted neighbor.
If your child has hearing and/or vision loss, explore alternative ways to convey emergency situations. For example, a smoke alarm with flashing lights or a bed shaker alarm can help communicate the need to evacuate.
Prime your child and talk about what will happen and what you’ll be doing. You can prime your child with a visual story. Pull up pictures of where you’re going, such as the airport, the inside of a plane, hotel, and/or vacation rental.
Create a visual schedule for your child to help them anticipate and prepare for the next steps.

This is just the tip of the iceberg! (No pun intended.) Read our articles Emergency Preparedness at Home: Is Your Family Ready for an Emergency? and California Emergency Preparedness Resources for Families of Kids with Disabilities for more tips, resources, and information.

Contents

Overview

Have supplies prepared beforehand

Prepare for power outages

Have medical and emergency contact info handy

Plug into emergency alerts

Practice calling 911

Talk to your local fire department

Have an evacuation plan

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Author

Adelina SarkisyanUndivided Content Writer and Editor

A writer, editor, and poet with an undergraduate degree in anthropology from the University of California, Irvine, and an MSW from the University of Southern California. Her fiction, poetry, and content have appeared in various mediums, digital and in print. A former therapist for children and teens, she is passionate about the intersection of storytelling and the human psyche. Adelina was born in Armenia, once upon a time, and is a first-generation immigrant daughter. She lives and writes in Los Angeles.

Reviewed by:

Brittany Olsen, Undivided Content Editor

Contributors:

Vance Taylor, Chief of the Office of Access and Functional Needs at the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services
Heather McCullough, Undivided Navigator

Each piece of content has been rigorously researched, edited, and vetted to bring you the latest and most up-to-date information. Learn more about our content and research process here.

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