Having just experienced the high winds and rain of Tropical Storm Fay, evacuation preparedness is high on my list of priorities. The information below is based on a local Special Needs Shelter here in central Florida that is used for hurricanes as well as our extensive spring wildfires. Much of the information will be applicable for people throughout the country but you should check with your local agencies for specific details in your area.
Should You Stay Home or Go to a Special Needs Shelter?
The director of the council, Beverly Hougland, was involved in the central Florida "2008 Hurricane Expo." She talked about staying home if you can. If you are not in a flood zone and don't live in a manufactured home, you may be more comfortable staying in your own home with access to all your normal supplies.
Finding Special Needs Shelters
To find a shelter in your area, check with your county's Emergency Management office, a council on aging if you have one, your local health department, or the American Red Cross. They will be able to tell you who administers the shelter closest to you and where to apply.
Advanced Registration
You will need to apply in advance to be sure you qualify, and you may need to renew your application annually. Registration lets the agency running the shelter know what your needs are. Once your application is received, someone will contact you for more information. In our county, this triage interview is done by a health department nurse.
If they can't accommodate you, they will tell you where you can go instead.
If you do qualify, they will tell you what you need to do, when to evacuate your home and how, what to bring with you, etc. Our county calls three times. Once the Emergency Management office is activated, the first call is made to let you know there is a storm on the way.
The second call is to determine if your are going to stay in your home or go to the shelter. The third call is to make the appointment for the shelter transportation to pick you up.
Eligibility
If you are over 60, disabled, or have a dependency on electricity, you may be eligible for a special needs shelter. This includes people on oxygen or those needing dialysis or a nebulizer. They also accept people in wheelchairs, those using crutches, people who need help administering medication, individuals suffering from emphysema, partial paralysis, heart problems, Parkinson's disease, dementia or incontinence, and in some cases advanced pregnancy.
Check with Your Doctor
You should also talk to the doctor in advance because if your patient has some specific conditions, even some problem pregnancies, you might need to check your patient into a hospital in an emergency situations instead of a special needs shelter. If the person you care for has an unstable condition or on-going treatment, such as wound care or IV treatment, the shelter may not be able to accept them.
Who Can Go with the Patient
The special needs shelter may have limited space and they usually allow only one caregiver per patient. Some shelters may have separate areas for the rest of the family, while others may require the rest of your household to go to another facility.
Pets are not allowed in most special needs shelters. Try to make arrangements for your pets on your own. Although some shelters may volunteer to take your pets to a pet shelter for you, don't count on this service being available.
What You Need to Take With You
You will be responsible for bringing your own medications, required medical equipment, and if you are on oxygen, at least a 24-hour supply in case the shelter's power fails. You should also take the medical history for the patient. See the side bar for Personal Medical History. Note: This might be a good time to fill out a medical history on each member of the family, as well.
Medications and Supplies
Prescriptions - Get all your medications together, be sure to update your medical history if necessary, and order any refills you need. If you get your prescriptions from a chain, like a drug store or grocery store, you may be able to get refills at other stores in the chain in a different area once you evacuate, but only if they have electricity and the computers are working, so be sure you have enough to last for several weeks. Check with your pharmacist or insurance company about buying larger than usual amounts. During emergency situations, like hurricanes, many insurance companies allow you to refill orders sooner than normal, or get two monthly amounts at the same time and prevent the problem.
Also, some shelters and their administrative agencies may be able to provide you with transportation to a doctor or pharmacy in the days before evacuation if you need help getting what you need.
Supplies - Before an emergency, take some time to record all you do for your patient in an average week, including all the different supplies you need, no matter how small. During an evacuation, you don't want to discover you left something vital at home. The easiest way is keep a running list for several non-emergency days. Include everything, even small items, like hearing aid batteries, denture adhesive, or cotton swabs.
For example, if your patient is diabetic you will need a monitor and log book, double the amount of test strips you ordinarily use for the time period you expect to be in the shelter (stress and irregular meals might require more testing), plenty of lancets, alcohol wipes, syringes for at least 3 weeks of insulin doses, a cooler to transport the insulin (remember that insulin can't be frozen so don't put it in direct contact with ice), and an acceptable sharps container. Think through each step of everything you do for your patient so you don't forget what you need to take with you.
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Bev Hougland reminded the Expo participants that shelters are not the most comfortable place to sit out a storm. If you have a safe alternative, whether it is a hotel, a relative's home, or your own home in a safe location, you may be better off staying at home and keeping your patient in familiar surroundings. Your decision to leave your home depends on the person you are caring for and their condition. You need to assess your situation in advance and plan accordingly, so you don't put yourself or your patient in danger.
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