PREP Project

The PREParation for Emergencies and Recovery: Supporting Individuals with Developmental Disabilities and their Families (PREP) project is funded by the US Administration on Developmental Disabilities (ADD) as a Project of National Significance.  The project addresses the critical need for individual preparedness for emergency situations by engaging individuals with disabilities, their families, community members, and state and national organizations to prepare for and recover from emergency situations.

The goals of the PREP Project are

1) to ensure that individuals with disabilities and their families are prepared for emergency situations, and

2) to ensure that the service system is prepared to support individuals with disabilities and their families in the event of an emergency.

The project includes these components: 

• Identification, development, and implementation of a web-based process for emergency planning
• Development of user-friendly materials and resources to assist individuals and family members to create plans for emergency situations 
• Training for individuals, families, service providers, and emergency responders
• Information and referral services for individuals, families, and community members focused on emergency preparedness and recovery 
• Active involvement of individuals with disabilities and family members through state and national advisory groups that ensure that project activities reflect their concerns and priorities 
• Active involvement of state level planners and policy makers to pool resources, coordinate services, and share expenses 
• A public awareness campaign to promote the importance of emergency preparedness
• Comprehensive program evaluation

The process and products developed through the PREP Project will be available to other states and communities across the country as they develop their own emergency planning process through a unique partnership with PLAN!T NOW, a non-profit organization that advocates empowerment of people through information and connection, and creates dialogue between people and organizations preparing for and dealing with natural and human-made disasters.

For more information about the PREP Project, contact Dr. Irene Nathan Zipper, Principal Investigator, at 919.966.6395.

To develop your own PREP plan, go to www.myprep.org

For related information and resources, click here.