Friday, March 9, 2012

First Aid Friday: Medical Needs Planning

When thinking about preparing for an emergency, whether the effects are short-term or long-term, it is good to prepare for medical needs as well.  When there are known medical conditions and needs, there are also some things that can be done to prepare for having those needs met during and after an emergency, depending on the situation.

Some ideas on preparing for known medical needs:
If medical equipment like nebulizers is necessary, sometimes there are arrangements that can be made ahead of time with the electric companies or local health care facilities.  Some electrical companies have a sort of priority list to whom they try to get electric to first.  If your local electric company has this, they may require a form to be filled out by your doctor indicating medical need for electrical services, if they don't offer this priority service, then it would be wise to know what other options are available to those with medical equipment needs.

Some areas (like those subject to hurricanes) ask that those with medical needs and the elderly register with the city or agency so that when a hurricane or other disaster hits, the city knows where to send aid quickly.

Other times, doctors may suggest for certain medical conditions to go to the hospital or near it when a hurricane is forecasted.  An example of this is a woman who is very near her due date may be asked to go to the hospital before the hurricane hits.

In all cases, if there is a chronic medical condition, it is wise to consult with the doctor about what can be done to prepare for emergencies.  It is also wise to know at least some basic care for those conditions as well as first aid because, in general, after a major disaster it can be up to 72 hours before any help may be available.

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