Hurricane Florence is making its way to the East Coast.
READ MORE: Hurricane Florence upgraded to Category 4, on track to hit East Coast asmajorstorm this week
Among the many things to prepare for the storm, the National Diabetes Coalition is urging diabetics to add their diabetes kit to that list.
The Diabetes Disaster Response Coalition (DDRC), a group comprised of the nation’s leading diabetes organizations are making sure people with diabetes are prepared and have made a plan to stay healthy and safe during and after the storm.
“We know securing medication can be a challenge. Our goal, as a coalition, is to ensure that people with diabetes have swift and adequate access to health care, information, and supplies,” said Kelly Mueller, Vice President, American Diabetes Association and Co-Chair of the DDRC.
Storms bring a major inconvenience, but it brings an even larger inconvenience to a person struggling with diabetes. That is why the DDRC has a Patient Preparedness Plan that includes a checklist of supplies, information, and guidelines.
Here's a list of Diabetes supplies you or your loved one should have prepared for the storm:
• Additional week supply (or more) of all medications, including insulin and Glucagon, if prescribed.
• Protect your insulin pump from water.
• Supplies to check your blood sugar, like testing strips and lancets. Don’t forget extra batteries!
• Extra supplies for insulin pump or CGM
• Cooler and reusable cold packs
• Note: Do NOT use dry ice and do not freeze the medication
• Empty plastic bottle or sharps container to safely carry syringes, needles and lancets
• Items to treat high blood sugar such as pump supplies (infusion sets) and/or syringes
• Items to treat low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), like: Juice, Hard candy (not sugar-free), Regular soda, Glucose tablets, Honey, or Glucag.
Note: If you lose power and you have unused insulin, don’t throw it out! In an emergency, it is okay to use expired or non-refrigerated insulin.
To view the DDRC's full Patient Preparedness Plan and checklist, CLICK HERE.
