Health & Fitness
Preparing for an Emergency with a 'Go Bag'
"Hope for the best - prepare for the worst"
As a Board Certified Case Manager and a member of the City of Stamford Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), I have encountered people faced with a wide variety of emergency situations. I was fortunate to have been a volunteer during Hurricane Sandy. During the hurricane and the days following, I witnessed firsthand the difference it made for people who were prepared, verses those that were caught off guard.
We never know when an emergency situation may strike; whether it’s a medical emergency precipitating a trip to the ER, or a weather related emergency, such as a hurricane that forces us to leave our home.
Keep in mind that when away from home and with the possibly of limited or no electricity, you may not be able to access your cell phone, computer, or the Internet.
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It’s for this reason, that it’s so important to create an Emergency Go Bag complete with important documents. It is recommended that a Go Bag be created for each member of the family, including children. For children it makes sense to include some of the child’s favorite books, crayons and paper, games, etc.
Since time is of the essence in an emergency situation, it would be beneficial to prepare your Go Bag in advance, and leave the bag in a readily available place.
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As you prepare to create a Go Bag, the first step is to obtain a bag that is sturdy and large enough to hold your desired items, such as a back pack or duffle bag.
To follow is a list of some items that you may want to include in your Go Bag, along with your own list of items.
SAMPLE EMERGENCY GO BAG CHECKLIST
When emergencies happen, it’s important to be prepared.
Create an Emergency Go Bag to take with you if you suddenly have to leave your home.
- File of Life (The “File of Life” is a medical information packet designed to provide Paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians with the necessary medical information to begin immediate treatment.)
- Copy of Medical Insurance Cards
- Copy of Living Will, Advanced Directives, Power of Attorney, DNR
- Picture of a Photo ID (Driver’s License, work or senior center ID)
- List of Names and phone numbers of Family & Friends
- List of Surgeries with dates (e.g. appendicitis 1978)
- Cell phone with electric outlet & car charger
- Laptop Charger & Laptop Car Charger Adapter
- Reading Material, Crossword Puzzles, etc.
- Bottled water & snacks (e.g. crackers, granola bars)
- Comb, brush, toothbrush & travel size tooth paste
- Wet wipes, hand sanitizer & package of tissues
- Notepad and pen
- 7 day supply of daily prescription medications + a copy of the prescriptions
- Small flashlight with extra batteries
- Battery powered AM/FM radio with extra batteries
- Extra pair of eyeglasses and hearing aid batteries
- Moist towelettes or baby wipes
- Special sanitary needs
- First Aid Supplies
- Playing cards
- Other personal items as desired
This list is provided courtesy of The Caregiver Resource Center • Greenwich CT • 203-861-9833
PREPAREDNESS RESOURCES
To follow are some resources that can be helpful to you and your family, in preparing for a possible emergency situation.
FEMA
Emergency preparedness guidance from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
National Safety Council
http://www.nsc.org/safety_home/Resources/Pages/EmergencyPreparedness.aspx
800-621-7615
TTY: 888-232-6348
American Red Cross
National Organization on Disability
Emergency Preparedness
http://nod.org/disability_resources/emergency_preparedness_for_persons_with_disabilities/
646-505-1191 ext. 122
Photo from Microsoft
The information in this article is provided as an information resource only, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. This information is not intended to be patient education, does not create any patient provider relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.
Please consult your health care provider for an appointment, before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition.
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Linda Ziac is the owner and founder of The Caregiver Resource Center. Linda founded her company in October 1990, and provides concierge case management and advocacy services for seniors, people with special needs and families.
Linda’s professional career spans 39 years in the health and mental health field as a CT Licensed Professional Counselor, CT Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor, Board Certified Case Manager, and Board Certified Dementia Practitioner.
Linda’s role is to work with the client, their family and healthcare professionals to help assess, plan for and implement ways to allow for their greatest degree of health, safety, independence, and quality of life. We are often asked to help when a person is taken to the ER, is in the hospital, or there is a need to help assess and implement a plan to address a person’s day to day needs.
This process involves identifying a client’s abilities and needs, and helping to design a care plan (road map) that is composed of a spectrum of services, that best meets the unique needs of that particular client. A client and their family select the services that they want, and they only pay for those services.
