In Case of Emergency
We must be prepared when we are sick or when a loved one is ill. When this happens we need to know certain things so that we can help them to the best of our ability.
Family has really taken on quite a different look in todays society.
· Many people living on their own also have room-mates that may come from other backgrounds.
· We may live in a single family residence and yet we have taken on boarders or friends that live with us around the clock.
· Children are living with parents or grandparents or both.
· We may live alone.
· We may be new to an area/living in remote areas/living in multiple occupant facility
All of these items play into our plan in case of an emergency. Once we are sick it can be a frantic time to try to think of what is the best resource for us and how to we get the help we need.
There are many emergency preparedness guides that can help us plan for bad weather, housing damage or service interruptions. All of these plans call for personal support networks which includes all the people who will be able to help when you need it.
In any of your emergency kits make sure that you keep spare batteries or chargers for any assistive device you may need medically. Keep a list of your current medications and where you keep them as well where your identification and contact lists are located.
You may need to attract attention by placing a picture of a red cross in your window to indicate you need help and let the neighbors know to call for help if they see this in your window or on your door.
Three Central Needs for your plan:
1. Have a buddy
2. A Driver/or transportation plan
3. Have a medical advocate
Buddy:
Consider designating one or two people as buddies – they have an extra set of keys to your home and they know where you keep an emergency kit. You can prearrange to have that person check in on you during outages, or to take care of your animals should you have to leave and are not able to return within a days time. Make sure they know how to contact transportation arrangements and your medical advocate that will accompany you should you need to go to the hospital or other medical facility.
Transportation:
If you have a vehicle you still may not be able to use it during an emergency, or drive yourself so develop a separate plan for travel. Ambulance #, police#, fire#, friend/neighbor# should all be readily available if your buddy needs to assist you when you may be unresponsive. Have a transportation budget tucked away in a safe place that you keep for emergency travel. (you may be able to have an ambulance take you to the hospital but they will not return you home or if the hospital makes arrangements there will be a fee to cover the cost)
Medical Advocate:
Have a medical advocate someone that knows you intimately or that you can share your medical information and wishes with should you not be able to speak for yourself. Make sure they are aware of any medical equipment or devices you may use and also have a current list of your medications and dosage. The advocate should be aware of your wishes should you become unconscious or if you are not able to speak for yourself. They should be aware of what medical supplies you use and know who your Doctor or healthcare provider has been along with any specialists. If you have prescription glasses, dentures, hearing aids, etc.
Keep your emergency kit in an accessible location that is easy to reach. This ICE plan only deals with medical emergency and you should make sure that your kit includes recommendations such as extra clothes, toiletry items, pet supplies, water, batteries, etc.
Family members may be a buddy, a medical advocate or your driver; ensure they know what their roles are and that they agree. Should you not have access to family you should discuss with a couple of neighbors to share responsibilities. You look in on them, they look in on you. If no-one drives or has a car check with Fire, ambulance and police on recommendations they may have to assist.
Keep a list of your support network where you and others can easily find it. Update it regularly (people move, relationships change) and keep a copy in your go bag or emergency go bag.
In an emergency you may have to leave your home, room, apartment have a list of at least two locations where you would go to stay safe or to seek medical help. If your family lives out of town be sure to leave a telephone or email number where they can be reached, in case you are not able to do this yourself.
Text messaging may be key in the event of wide spread power outage, but if you do not have a phone or service that will allow this, see if your buddy, your driver or medical advocate could perform this task on your behalf.
This medical emergency listing should be adjusted for each individual. We are all different and may come from different backgrounds or beliefs, but one thing we have in common is that in a medical emergency we will need help and assistance. Take the time now to prepare and hope that you never have to use your plan, but know you are ready just in case.
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