Turbulent Weather: Natural Disasters and Fires

Due to climate change, more national disasters such as hurricanes and tornadoes have been occurring and increasing in intensity. Just this year, Massachusetts has had two devastating fires. One in Long Term Care, and the other in a Rest Home. We need to start thinking of how extreme weather events and fires affect our residents.

Is your facility prepared? Is it part of a mutual aid or disaster membership such as MassMAPP (my facility is in Massachusetts)? Is the proper management going to drills off site to learn? Is your building having a mock drill once a year? If so, are you part of that mock drill as an Activity Professional?

Are YOU prepared for disasters as an Activity Professional? Maybe you have had this conversation during the interview process, or you are a part of this discussion during Leadership meetings. Other than the facility’s emergency procedures, you and your staff need to know how to handle residents with dementia and/or psychological issues during disasters. All staff especially should receive training about how to comfort the residents during this time – and after the fact – as they grieve the loss of their possessions and their homes. This is where your Activities Care Plans are essential, because they describe residents’ needs and abilities.

When it is safe, provide activities for the residents and make sure they are otherwise engaged. This way, there is no mass panic. Do you have things ready to take and go? Baggies filled with items such as puzzles, or a CD player with a CD and working batteries. Whatever you pick, make sure the residents are familiar with the activity, so to provide a stable environment. Is your laptop fully charged so you can help with Zoom calls? Are you prepared to stay and care for the residents during their time of need, even if you have dependents at home?

Make sure to have a “disaster binder” or bag that is readily accessible and is a part of your facility’s disaster cart. Within that, make sure you have a census sheet with small details about what your residents like. For example, next to a resident’s name, write only a few words: “likes to walk around,” or “likes to putz”; something like that.

What about your residents – are they prepared? What can we do as Activity Professionals to help our residents’ mental and emotional readiness for a disaster? Part of our job as Activity Professionals is to help secure and calm our residents, and disaster procedures are just a continuation of that. Because of this, we, as Activity Professionals, should help prepare and advocate for residents. We should have multiple conversations and small training workshops about this during Resident Council meetings, where you remind the residents where the fire exits are. Also, encourage management to make the residents a part of the live drills.

Most importantly, be prepared to be asked to do anything. But remember: as long as you are sufficiently prepared, you can handle everything they throw at you!

Catherine E. Sabatini, ADC-MC, CDP, CMDCP, MHE

2026 NAAP Leadership Team