- Always ask the person how you can best assist.
- Ask/Look for:
- An identification bracelet with special health information.
- Emergency contact information to reach the person’s family.
- Essential equipment and supplies (for example: wheelchair, walker, oxygen, batteries, communication devices [head pointers, alphabet boards, speech synthesizers, etc.]). Medication.
- Mobility aids (for example, wheelchair, cane, walker or an assistance or service animal).
- Special health instructions (for example, allergies).
- Special communication information (for example, the person might say [s]he is stressed, look confused, withdraw, start rubbing their hands together).
- Conditions that people might misinterpret (for example, someone might mistake Cerebral Palsy for drunkenness).
- Try to include the person in conversations with other people; don’t talk about a person in front of that person.
- If the person does not use words to speak, look for gestures or other behaviors that communicate what that person wants to express.
- Don’t assume that people do not understand just because they don’t use words to communicate.
Dear First Responder,
Whether you are a First Responder assisting in an emergency caused by a natural disaster or a terrorist attack, or you are a community volunteer providing assistance to people in need, you may encounter people with some type of disability. Some disabilities may be visually obvious. Other disabilities are more difficult to detect. In many cases, you can’t tell just by looking at the person whether they have a disability.
Supporting people with disabilities is easier if you remember they are “people first” and their disability is only a part of who they are. People with disabilities simply want to be treated with dignity and respect, just like anyone else. In supporting people with disabilities, take time to listen to what they are telling you either with their words or behaviors. It is always best to start by asking how you can help or assist.
Many first responders have requested quick, easy-to-use guidelines for assisting persons with disabilities. These tips sheets provide information about many types of disabilities and can be used during emergencies as well as during routine encounters. They are not meant to be comprehensive, but contain specific information that you can read quickly either before or while you are responding to an incident. In addition to the tips for responding to people, information about where to locate services for people is also provided.
In addition to viewing tips on this page you may also download the full manual as a pdf.
Email us if you would like more information or have suggestions for future editions of this guide.
Jump to Tips Section




The Developmental Disabilities Council of Oklahoma gratefully acknowledges the following organizations for the initial creation and subsequent individualization of Tips for First Responders. Without their hard work, the customized Oklahoma version of Tips would not have been possible.
- Center for Development and Disability, University of New Mexico
- New Mexico Department of Health, Office of Emergency Management
- American Association on Health and Disability
- New Mexico Governor’s Commission on Disability
- Research and Training Center on Independent Living
- Texas Center for Disabilities Studies
- Texas Developmental Disabilities Council