UMass Boston

Personal Emergency Plan

In the event of an emergency, do you know what to do? Do you have enough emergency supplies on hand? Will you have access to any needed medical or assistive equipment? If you are evacuated, do you have a place to stay? How will you connect with your friends and family? It’s important to ask questions like these before the emergency happens. My Personal Emergency Plan will help you do just that. Use this guide and the resources available at the websites listed below to help you create your own customized personal preparedness guide for on-campus and off-campus emergencies. Developed with materials from ready.gov and redcross.org, the information in this guide is organized in three basic steps.

Three Steps to Prepare

Step 1: Get Educated!

Find general information related to UMass Boston emergency preparedness, including the UMass Boston Alert System, emergency management, campus evacuation, and emergency operations plans. Visit the Office of Emergency Management website at umb.edu/preparedness.

Get lab safety, building evacuation, and fire safety information through the Office of Environmental Health and Safety at umb.edu/ehs.

Get general health, wellness, and pandemic flu preparedness information through University Health Services at umb.edu/health-services.

Find safety tips, the annual security report, and crime reporting on the UMass Boston Police website at umb.edu/police.

Disabilities and Emergency Preparedness

ADA Coordinator
umb.edu/crtix/ada
For nonemergency questions related to preparedness and your disability, please call 617.287.5148 or email CivilRights.TitleIX@umb.edu.

For individuals with access or functional needs, these websites provide additional guidance:
ready.gov/people-disabilities
mass.gov/info-details/emergency-preparedness-for-individuals-with-disabilities-and-access-and-functional-needs

Create a written emergency plan using ready.gov/plan-form.

Specific Emergencies

Don’t wait for disaster to happen before you become educated about these risks:

Additional information to build your knowledge of specific threats is available at ready.gov and the Office of Emergency Management’s “What to Do in an Emergency” webpage at umb.edu/preparedness/emergency.

Step 2: Get Notified!

Sign up to receive UMass Boston Alert System messages on your cell phone.

Visit getrave.com/login/umb and enter your cell phone number in the UMass Boston Alert System. It’s the best way to be informed about on-campus emergencies. This system sends alert messages via text, voice, email, social media, digital signage, PC popup (where available), and loudspeaker.

Sign up for alerts issued by the City of Boston:

City of Boston Alerts: boston.gov/departments/emergency-management/city-boston-alerts-and-notifications

Use Twitter to connect with:

  • UMass Boston @UMassBoston
  • Boston Police @Boston_Police
  • Boston Fire @BostonFire
  • Boston Public Health @HealthyBoston
  • State Police @MassStatePolice
  • CDC @CDCgov, @CDCFlu, @CDCemergency
  • MEMA @MassEMA
  • FEMA @fema
  • Red Cross @RedCross

Step 3: Get Ready!

Take action—get a flu shot, prepare a list of important phone numbers, and write down insurance information and prescriptions. Think about what to do in different emergencies. Arrange for a place to stay. Ask friends or neighbors whether they can assist you. Act now, before the emergency happens.

If you may require additional assistance, be sure to identify your needs ahead of time and communicate them to others. You should be able to tell emergency personnel if you have a disability (including an invisible disability), use a mobility aide or service animal, need communication assistance, or have medical allergies, phobias, or a language barrier. Know the names of all your medications. Create a waterproof wallet-sized card to provide to first responders in the event of an emergency. If you use assistive technologies or mobility aides, plan how you will evacuate with the devices.

Create an emergency supply kit and collect critical information so that you will be prepared.

Emergency Supply Kit

Keep the following items together in one location in your place of residence.

  • Water: one gallon per person per day
  • Food: at least a three-day supply of nonperishable food
  • Manual can opener for food
  • Battery-powered radio and extra batteries
  • Face masks
  • Cell phone and watch charger
  • Flashlight and extra batteries
  • First aid kit
  • Whistle (to signal for help)
  • Prescription medications
  • Moist towelettes for sanitation
  • Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
  • Infant formula and diapers for children
  • Important family documents
  • Emergency cash and change
  • Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person
  • Emergency supplies for service animals and pets
  • Lightweight manual wheelchair
  • Medical and assistive technologies
  • Extra batteries and charger for motorized wheelchairs and other assistive devices
  • Laminated personal communication board (if you might need assistance with being understood or understanding others)
  • Hearing aids and hearing aid batteries
  • Extra oxygen, insulin, and other medical supplies

Be prepared on the go! Consider taking these supplies with you in your bag or car.

  • Flashlight
  • Extra cellphone and assistive device charger
  • Backup power bank
  • Snacks and water
  • Small first aid kit
  • Face masks
  • Emergency contact card
  • Extra pair of glasses
  • Medical alert bracelet
  • Written list of important phone numbers (in case cell phone is without power)
  • Backup medication and prescription information
  • Service animal ID tag
  • Extra blanket and coats

In case your cell phone is not charged, write a list of the names and phone numbers of your doctor, pharmacy, the vet or kennel of your service animal, and an emergency contact. Also include your medical and homeowner’s insurance carriers and policy numbers. Keep these numbers in a safe place.

Contact

ADA Coordinator:

Emergency Management

This publication is a collaboration of the ADA Coordinator, the Office of Emergency Management at UMass Boston.

A copy of this publication is available in an alternative format upon request. Please go to umb.edu/crtix/ada.

A PDF brochure is available on the Office of Emergency Management website: umb.edu/preparedness/documents-plans-policies/.