Response & Recovery
Response During a Disaster
If you must leave home, this is the time to use your family’s Go-Bag. Go to a designated shelter or safe zone that provides access to allergy-safe food and accommodations. If you have to move to a shelter, check that food has been clearly labeled to identify potential allergens. Find shelter staff (ideally there will be more than one person) trained to understand and respond to allergy-related emergencies and talk with them about your family’s food-allergy needs.
DON’T PANIC. Be sure to take the following items:
- Allergy-Safe Go-Bag(s)
- Emergency Contact List
- Allergy & Anaphylaxis Emergency Plan
- Emergency Health and Allergy Profile
- Medications
- Important Documents (passports, checkbooks, cash)
Recovery After a Disaster
Life may return to normal quickly—or it can take days, weeks, or even months. Depending upon the recovery needs in your area, visit the FEMA Individual Disaster Assistance page or the Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery Services site to determine the support that can be provided.
If you lose power during a disaster, make sure that you have reviewed the Red Cross Power Outage Tips to ensure that your home, family, and food remain safe.
The USDA Food Safety Following a Disaster page also has valuable tips to learn how to keep your food and water safe if disaster hits your community.
You can also get assistance from United Way by calling 211 or visiting their site at Local 211 United Way to find additional resources.
If you have subscribed to your local emergency alert services, they should be providing you with updates, as well. Regardless, try to keep your phone charged so that you can stay connected with family and other emergency contacts while receiving important disaster updates and recovery tips from your local news sources and local government.
Behavioral/Mental Health Services
Living through a disaster takes a toll on adults and children alike. According to Ready.gov, disasters can leave children feeling scared, confused, and vulnerable. Adults can also struggle with varying emotional responses following a disaster.
Visit FAACT's Behavioral Health Resource Center for tips to help you and your family manage anxiety, stress, PTSD, and more following a disaster. For additional resources, explore the Red Cross Emotional Recovery Services and Ready.gov, both of which provide a diverse array of resources to assist families with children, persons with special needs, and mental health challenges following a disaster.
Support Groups
If you are part of a food allergy support group, post-disaster is a good time to reach out. The food allergy community is a special group that loves to support one another, especially in times of need. Check out FAACT's Food Allergy Support Groups if you are not already a member of a group. If you are interested in starting a support group in an area that faces regular natural disasters, visit FAACT's ‘How To Start A Support Group’ webpage.
