Hurricane
Sandy brought me up short. I realized how much I didn't know that I
knew I should know. Where is
the closest evacuation shelter? Where are Boudreaux's vet records?
Fortunately, we didn't need to evacuate. We are far enough inland
that lots of wind,
rain and cold weather was really all we experienced. Oh, and a
partially downed tree and spotty internet service. I'm prepared
now...for the next emergency.
Flashlights
and spare batteries. One
flashlight should be safely stowed beside your elder's favorite
spots---their chair, bed, the back door. Candles are fine if your
elder is steady and not easily confused. Flashlights are my choice
with Boo and for any elder moving from room to room.
Fully
charged cell phone with programed numbers. Any
cell phone with good reception that your elder knows how to use will
work.
Food
and water. At
least one gallon of potable water per person per day is the minimum.
Protein bars, peanut butter or cheese crackers, fruit, Ensure or
Glucerna and cereal bars are the types of foods I keep on hand for
Boo at times like this. I absolutely do not want him to attempt to
heat anything. If your elder is different, stock up on those foods
that are easily prepared and a simple way to prepare them.
Additional water should be reserved for personal cleaning.
Medication,
medical equipment, medical history and medical power of attorney.
Having
these items together and ready to go is an absolute necessity.
Medical equipment includes glucometer and test strips, blood pressure
monitor, walker or cane. They should be kept beside your packed bag.
Another important item I include is the names, addresses and phone
numbers of several friends and the places they've planned to be
during an emergency---work, specific evacuation shelter, etc.
Packed
evacuation bag. This
bag should include a complete change of comfortable clothes for three
or four days. Important things to remember: denture supplies,
incontinence supplies, small items to help you feel more comfortable.
For Boo, small items include a 4x6 brag book of photos that help
orient him, a knotted cord rosary and a small hand held cross one of
his daughters gave him.
Be
sure to have photo identification on you. Your
driver's license or state identification, Medicare and insurance
cards and a card listing phone numbers of family and friends. If
you're in an accident or become confused, identification and contact
people are extremely important.
Full
tank of gas, flashlight, bottles of water and nonperishable snacks,
tarp and a blanket in car. Just
in case you're redirected to another area or cannot reach your
shelter immediately, you'll be prepared. A silver space blanket is
good to have. It is very lightweight, waterproof and helps to
conserve body heat.
Know
the location of the closest shelter and several routes to it. This
one should be self explanatory. If you don't know shelter locations
in your area, the police department, social services or local
hospital are good places to ask. Checking in advance to familiarize
yourself with the shelter is a very good idea. Are there steps that
might be problematic? There shouldn't be, but sometimes are.
Have
an evacuation plans for any pets. Have
a pet carrier and/or a sturdy leash and collar, food, prepared litter
box (if needed) and vet record including rabies vaccine information.
Some shelters accept pets. You need to know this in advance! If it
does not, which veterinarians or animal shelters accept animals
during a temporary emergency. Just as with any shelter, know the
location and several routes.
Have
a firm plan for contacting family once you have reached safety.
Generally,
it's a good idea to choose someone not in your immediate area as your
contact person. This helps to ensure that your contact person is not
searching for shelter themselves. Many shelters will assist elders
in contacting one person. Instead of cell phone calls, text messages
are suggested as creating less of a load on the system. When phone
lines and cell towers are down, ham radio operators can be contacted
by shelter personnel to get in touch with one contact person. This
isn't a fast service, but it does work.
Top Ten Tuesday, Teach Me Tuesday, Titus 2sday
Wonderful tips, thanks.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this important information.
ReplyDeleteNewest follower here! Great post, I can't wait to read more!
ReplyDelete-Melanie
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