Hurricane Season Prep for Gulf Coast Families With Medical Needs

Ready.gov advises that “you may have to evacuate quickly due to a hurricane if you live in an evacuation zone.” Check with your city or county emergency management office to find out whether your home is in one, and decide now where you would go.

• Learn your routes. Ready.gov recommends that you learn your evacuation routes, practice with your household and pets, and identify where you will stay.
• Follow official orders. “If you live in a mandatory evacuation zone and local officials tell you to evacuate, do so immediately.”
• Have more than one way to get alerts. Sign up for community alerts where you live, and know that Wireless Emergency Alerts and the Emergency Alert System require no sign-up.
• Keep phones charged. When a hurricane is in the forecast, charge your cell phone and have backup charging devices.

Ready.gov’s guidance for people with disabilities and medical needs includes several steps that are worth doing before a storm is named:

• Medications: Organize and protect your prescriptions, over-the-counter drugs and vitamins so you can take them with you if you need to leave.
• Power-dependent equipment: If you use medical equipment at home that requires electricity, talk to your doctor or health care provider about how to keep it running during a power outage. You can also ask your power provider to put you on a list for priority power restoration.
• Dialysis and other life-sustaining treatment: Know the location and availability of more than one facility that can help you.
• Oxygen: Ready.gov lists a backup supply of oxygen as an emergency kit item for people who use it.
• Documents: Keep copies of insurance and Medicare cards and contact information for doctors and family members with your supplies.
• Support network: Build a network of people who can help you in a disaster, and keep a contact list in a watertight container or on your phone.

If a loved one lives in a nursing home or assisted living facility, ask now how the facility will handle a hurricane and keep families informed.

The State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry (STEAR) is “a free registry that provides local emergency planners and emergency responders with additional information on the needs in their community.” It is intended for people with disabilities, people who are medically fragile, and people with access and functional needs, such as limited mobility, communication barriers, or a need for transportation or personal care assistance.

You can register online through the Texas Division of Emergency Management, or by calling 2-1-1 (video relay users can reach 2-1-1 at 877-541-7905). Information is kept for one year, so re-register each year.

Start with Ready.gov’s basic disaster supplies kit, then add the medical items above:

• Water: one gallon per person per day for several days, for drinking and sanitation
• At least a several-day supply of non-perishable food and a manual can opener
• A battery-powered or hand crank radio, including a NOAA Weather Radio
• Flashlight, extra batteries and a first aid kit
• A whistle to signal for help
• Local maps, plus a cell phone with chargers and a backup battery

Hazards don’t end when the wind dies down. Keep these safety rules in mind during the storm and in the days after:

• Turn Around. Don’t Drown! Do not walk, swim or drive through flood waters. Ready.gov notes that just six inches of fast-moving water can knock you down.
• Avoid floodwater contact. Flood water can contain dangerous pathogens that cause illnesses.
• Use generators outdoors only. The CDC says to use generators outside, more than 20 feet away from any windows, doors and vents, and never inside your home or garage, even if doors and windows are open.
• Protect against carbon monoxide. The CDC recommends battery-operated or battery back-up carbon monoxide detectors near every sleeping area.

If someone in your household depends on scheduled non-emergency ambulance transport, such as rides to dialysis or doctor appointments, ask their care team and treatment facility now how storm closures could affect appointments. Republic EMS schedules non-emergency transports through our 24/7 dispatch at 888-305-9967 across Greater Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Beaumont and surrounding areas, and you can also reach us through our contact form.