It’s easy to forget about those “pesky weather events” called Hurricanes, especially since it has been a few years since one has had a direct impact on our state. However, any seasoned weather watcher will tell you it only takes one hurricane to remind you of the devastation and disruption to daily life they can produce. To prepare for a hurricane, we commonly think about having a generator, and extra food and drinking water, but we frequently overlook putting prescriptions on preparation lists. To do so is perilous during such an emergency.
We recommend these “prescription preparations” to our patients during hurricane season:
1. Know what you take and why. In an emergency this could be lifesaving. Being unfamiliar with your medications is detrimental to your care at any time, but is especially problematic during emergencies. A current medication list is always helpful.
2. Keep your medications together in a container or bag that is water-tight and portable. If you need to move quickly you will not want to forget anything; this simple task can create peace of mind for you and your family. It is also wise to include some of your most common over-the-counter products here such as pain relievers, antacids and first-aid items.
3. Keep your health insurance cards with you at all times during hurricane season. Emergency situations are very fluid and it may not always be feasible to get back to your home. Additionally, be familiar with your health insurance plan’s emergency filling policies; almost all carriers have one and they are not all the same.
4. If you have prescriptions that have special handling needs such as refrigeration or reconstitution requirements, be certain to have a cooler appropriate to those needs or the supplies necessary to administer your prescriptions.
5. Be familiar with your physician’s office procedures during a disaster. Calling in refills during a disaster can be problematic. Even though most pharmacies have special privileges during disasters to do emergency filling, if your physician has an emergency plan you should know it.
6. If your medications must be shipped, be familiar with the process used during an emergency, such as contact numbers and alternate shipping locations. Above all, order early if possible using the emergency filling policy.
Having a safe hurricane season has everything to do with preparation. You can never start too early – and that especially applies to prescriptions.