Preparing for Hurricane Season

As hurricane season draws near, it’s important to start preparing yourself and your family members. When hearing about hurricane preparedness most people think about getting batteries, shutters, flashlights, battery powered radios, canned foods, drinking water, generators, gas, and fans. A lot of people forget about health-related needs.

3 Tips to Help You Prepare

• Contact your state Public Health Department to find out if laws where you live allow pharmacists to dispense 30-day refills of medication in advance during emergencies. This is vitally important because, although a hurricane might last one to two days, its effects could keep you from seeing your pharmacists for much longer or damages could lead the pharmacist to be unable to refill your medications. It is better to be safe and have a backup supply of your medication.
• Collect and protect all important documents. This includes paperwork such as health insurance cards and ID’s that could help prove medical coverage, medical needs, or identity after an emergency. Put these documents in a waterproof safe.
• Have a backup power source. If you have a condition that relies on power this is incredibly important. You want to make sure that you have batteries or a generator to rely on in the event of extended power loss.

According to the Florida Health.gov everyone in Florida should have an emergency preparedness kit tailored to your specific needs. Six things to include in your kit are:

• Water. It is recommended that you have at least one gallon a day per person.
• Non- perishable packaged or canned food.
• Necessary medication.
• Written instructions for care and medication dosages along with a list of your doctors and medial devices.
• First aid kit.
• Flashlights with extra batteries.

It is important to be proactive and carefully prepare for hurricanes. Being prepared allows you to be more organized and lowers the chances of you forgetting something. The Florida Division of Emergency Management also has resources for helping you and your family stay prepared for a disaster.

We at BHA hope you and your family stay prepared and safe during this hurricane season!