Free Household Emergency Plan for Additional Support Needs
More detailed planning for older people, people with disability and anyone who may need extra support during an emergency.
Your emergency plan should reflect your everyday life: how you communicate, move around, manage your health and access support.
Our free digital and printable template helps you work through these details with family, carers and your support network. Use the form above to get your copy.
Developed by PrepMates, informed by the Person-Centred Emergency Preparedness (P-CEP) approach.
A plan built around your everyday needs.
Start with what you can do independently and where you need assistance. Consider how those arrangements could change if power, transport, communications or regular services were disrupted.
You can complete the plan yourself or work through it with someone you trust. Keep your preferences and decisions at the centre of the conversation.
Include the people who may help put your plan into action, and agree on their roles beforehand.
Work through your arrangements.
Use these topics to guide conversations with your household and support network as you complete your plan.
Daily needs & routines
Record the assistance, medications, equipment and services you rely on. Include mobility, communication, personal care, meals and any routines that help you feel comfortable.
Local risks & warnings
Check your council and state or territory emergency services for the hazards relevant to your area. Decide how you will receive, understand and act on warnings.
Support contacts & backups
List family, friends, neighbours, carers and support workers who have agreed to help. Record what each person can do and who you will contact if your usual support is unavailable.
Communication & sharing
Explain how you prefer to communicate and what assistance you may need. Share relevant parts of your plan with trusted people, with your consent.
Prepare the supplies you rely on.
Add your personal essentials to your household emergency supplies. Consider what you would need both at home and if you had to leave.
Food, water & medications
Make sure you have enough non-perishable food on hand for at least 3 days, and 3 litres of stored water per person, per day. Discuss medication reserves, storage and access arrangements with your pharmacist or treating team.
Personal equipment & consumables
Consider spare glasses, hearing-aid batteries, communication aids, chargers, continence products and medical consumables. Record instructions for equipment someone else may need to help you use.
Power & service disruptions
If you use powered medical or mobility equipment, agree on a backup plan with your equipment supplier and treating team. Confirm suitable backup power and where you would go if it runs out.
Assistance animals & pets
Include food, water, bowls, leads, medications and relevant records. Confirm transport and accommodation arrangements for your animals before you need to leave.
Plan how you would leave safely.
Transport that meets your needs
Identify who can help you leave and what vehicle or accessible transport you would need. Check availability and have a backup arrangement, as normal transport services may be disrupted.
Somewhere suitable to stay
Consider trusted households or accommodation that can meet your accessibility and support needs. Confirm access, bathrooms, power, equipment space and animal arrangements. Check official advice for evacuation centres suitable for additional needs.
Equipment & assistance
Plan how you would move essential equipment, medications and supplies. Record any transfer assistance you need and discuss it with the people who have agreed to help.
Stay connected to your support network.
Choose warning sources and communication formats you can use, such as text alerts, large print, Easy Read information or your usual communication device. Include an alternative if your phone or internet connection is unavailable.
Ask your care provider or support coordinator how they will communicate during an emergency and what happens if regular visits or services cannot continue.
If you receive home care or live in supported accommodation or residential aged care, discuss how your personal plan fits with the provider’s emergency arrangements.
Practise together.
Review when things change.
Walk through your plan with the people involved. Check that contact details are correct, equipment can be transported and everyone understands their agreed role.
Practise what you safely can, with appropriate assistance. Use anything you learn to improve the arrangements.
Review your plan every six months, before your local hazard season, and whenever your health, address, equipment or support network changes. Keep copies accessible and store sensitive personal information securely.
Common questions.
Who is this plan for?
Older people, people with disability and anyone with additional support needs. Family members, carers and support workers can help complete it with the person whose plan it is.
How does this relate to P-CEP?
This is a PrepMates template informed by the Person-Centred Emergency Preparedness approach. You can also access the official P-CEP workbook and tools through Collaborating 4 Inclusion below.
Do I need an NDIS plan to use it?
No. This resource is free to access and can be used whether or not you receive NDIS, aged care or other funded support.
Where should I keep my completed plan?
Keep a copy with your emergency supplies and a digital copy you can access. Let your trusted support network know where it is. Share personal and medical information only with the people who need it.
Can my carer or provider help me complete it?
Yes. Work through it together, keeping your preferences, decisions and support needs at the centre. Confirm what assistance they can provide during an emergency and agree on backup arrangements.
Further planning resources.
Explore these resources for more guidance on person-centred planning and emergency preparedness. Follow your local emergency services for current warnings and instructions.
Prepare your emergency supplies.
Explore these options alongside your plan, then add the personal items and supplies you rely on.
