Guest Post: Are You Ready For an Emergency?

After yesterday's storm, Dr. Stuart Chipkin has a few reminders for you all about being prepared for an emergency. Thanks Dr. Chipkin!

Whenever the snow starts falling or the electricity fails, I can count on several phone calls from patients who “all of a sudden” realize they don’t have glucose test strips or other supplies to help with their diabetes.  It’s completely understandable- we all think “Oh, I’ll run out and get those tomorrow”, or “the weather will only be bad for a day or so- I won’t have a problem”.  But any weather that can limit your ability to travel or suddenly put you without electricity can “snowball” (OK- maybe I intended that pun) into a much bigger problem. 

And I recommend all patients have a Medical ID (bracelet, necklace, even a tattoo!) in case they are unable to respond when initially found (again, independent of weather- could be in a car accident or brought into an Emergency room).

Listed below are some things you should think about to make sure that you are prepared for having diabetes during severe weather:

•  A week’s worth of medication
• Glucose tablets or gel if you are at any risk for having low blood sugars.  If you have had reactions without symptoms, you should find out about having a Glucagon emergency kit as long as someone at home will learn how to use it.
• For those on an insulin pump- have extra supplies including:
• Cartridges, infusion sets, prep wipes and batteries
• Extra sensors (if appropriate) and chargers
• Non-pump insulin options (see #4) in case of a pump failure;
• If you are on insulin injections, make sure and have enough:
• Insulin pens and pen needles OR insulin vials and syringes- both short and long acting
• Extra alcohol wipes;
• Consider having something in which to discard insulin syringes, needles and lancets (e.g., an empty hard plastic detergent bottle with cap)
• Glucose measurement supplies including:
• Extra meter
•  Lancet device and lancets
• Alcohol wipes
• Test strips and batteries
• For patients with type 1 diabetes, I encourage you to have urine ketone test strips (independent of bad weather)-  these are good to have if you have several high blood sugars to see if you are getting to the point that you need to consider going to the Emergency room;
• Other general information to have:
• Copy of your recent medical records including current medications and doses

You should think about having something to put all these things in- a container (maybe even waterproof) that may also have a place for a cold pack for insulin.

For more information, visit either:

http://www.diabetesforecast.org/2012/aug/how-to-stockpile-for-emergencies.html

http://www.nj.gov/health/fhs/documents/diabetes_disaster_guidelines.pdf