Special Needs
Special needs means persons who have high-risk temporary or chronic health conditions or special medical
considerations that may require additional support during emergencies. The Office of Emergency Management
is partnering with a number of departments to launch the Special Needs Registry. The purpose of the Special Needs Registry
is to provide information that can help the City of Richmond help you in case of an emergency such as extreme weather conditions.
In order to register individuals must meet certain eligibility criteria:
Medically Fragile/
Chronically Diseased |
Require special care to assist in daily functioning such as home health care, hospice and the frail and the elderly who need the assistance of a caregiver for basic functions (washing, shaving, toileting, etc.). This group can include individuals such as chemotherapy patients, severe insulin dependent diabetics, medication dependant asthmatics, etc. |
| Technologically Dependent |
Require some type of technological device to sustain life. Example of this group might include individuals that need power to run an oxygen concentrator. (Those needing greater technical support such as dialysis or ventilator support will need to go to an area hospital). |
| Mobility Impaired |
Requires assistance for personal mobility. This includes amputees using assistive devices, the morbidly obese and the wheelchair bound. |
| Medication Dependent |
Require medication to either sustain life or mental sanity/acuity. |
| Sensory or Mentally Impaired |
Persons who are blind, deaf and hard of hearing and the mentally challenged. |
For more information call 311.
Always incorporate special needs considerations into emergency preparedness planning and remember that usual methods of support and assistance may not be available for some time during and after the disaster.
Click here for additional information about special needs emergency preparedness planning.
