Saturday, September 21, 2019

Life with Chronic Conditions: Be Prepared Not Scared


What would you do if you have to suddenly evacuate your home because of a natural disaster? How about if you are stranded for several days because of a power outage, snow storm, hurricane or tornado?

September is “National Preparedness Month.” Today’s post is about being prepared, not scared.

It’s common for people to wait until just the day before a hurricane, blizzard or other event is about to happen and make a mad dash to the store only to be greeted by bare shelves. Many events happen without any warning, such as earthquakes and fires. Consequently,  the better prepared you are now, the better you’ll deal with an emergency.

In addition to having sufficient medical supplies (7-10 day supply of prescription medications), water and food to last 72 hours, as well as protect important documents and medical records, there are specific things you might need depending on your condition.  

Register with local agencies if you will need help evacuating or need to be checked on at home. If your state doesn’t have a registry, contact your local fire department and/or police department as they will be heading up rescue operations if they are needed. They can also advise you about special programs to register for.

Know your state’s emergency management program/protocols. Every state has an emergency management division usually within their Department of Public Safety. You can find your state’s program by googling the name of your state with “emergency management.” Read through the website as it can help you prepare for emergencies specific to your area.

Know the alerts for your area: Depending on your community, there can be specific sirens and alerts depending on the type of emergency.  Know the best places (radio stations and websites) to monitor the emergency situation.

Wear a medical alert bracelet or other ID

Know your exact diagnosis

Carry your insurance card along with medical provider information (Name, phone number, e-mail address, hospital they are affiliated with). Also have written down the medications you are on, dosages, and other relevant information.

Depending on medication, keep some in multiple places: This includes oxygen

Consider registering with a life alert program as you can contact them even if there is a power outage and phone lines are down.

Create a plan with family and friends: Use the Ready Guide  to help you.

Make a plan with your medical provider: Depending on where you live, as well as your chronic condition, it’s important that you know where to go to get immediate medical help you may need in the event of an emergency. This is particularly true for those on dialysis and certain respiratory diseases.

Emergency Preparedness by Condition
• Epilepsy

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