Evacuation and Sheltering of People with Medical Dependencies: Knowledge Gaps and Barriers to National Preparedness

Emergency plans are mandated by a number of federal regulations, often with conflicting definitions, to incorporate people with medical dependencies. However targeted planning for this segment is presently h ampered b y s ubstantial knowledge deficits defining this population and the potential resource requirements in a disaster. T hese g aps p revent t he development of evidence-based best practices for locating, communicating with, transporting, sheltering, and ensuring the safe recovery of those with medical dependencies. The authors discuss the knowledge gaps in preparing for this population and propose solutions to fill these gaps in order to facilitate enhanced preparedness for people with medical dependencies.