There has been some crazy winter weather going on the last few weeks, what with a massive snow storm on the East Coast spanning from Boston to Atlanta and even some frigid, icy weather in Southern California. Hopefully everyone is staying safe and warm!
Photo: LA Times
Harsh weather isn’t exactly common here in CA, but for PWDs anywhere, the weather can cause major issues if a storm blocks the roadways or knocks out power, or if a wildfire calls for an evacuation. As we well know, disasters or severe weather can happen any time, so it’s crucial to always be prepared — that Scouting Motto that applies so well to living with the big D, huh?
So, how do you stay safe with diabetes?
The Mayo Clinic provides a nice list of basic supplies that can save lives, which is a good start for safeguarding your day-to-day living needs. For diabetes specifically, my friend Barb Marche over at DiabetesAdvocacy.com has a great checklist going. Here’s my own at-a-glance list of important items to have on hand to help manage your diabetes in a crisis:
- A FRIO pack and a storage container to cool your insulin (FRIO packs only require water to cool, so no need for a freezer)
- Unopened bottles of glucose tablets (they’re like Twinkies – they last forever!)
- A supply of non-perishable food, like granola bars, protein bars or meal replacement bars, since they are a good source of carbs, fiber and protein.
- At least a week’s worth of diabetes supplies: oral medication or insulin, extra batteries for your meter and/or pump, and test strips
- Long-acting insulin and syringes if you’re on an insulin pump, in case it breaks and postal delivery is unable to get to you. Pay attention to the expiration on the long-acting insulin if you don’t think you’ll use it right away; might be better to just keep a prescription handy and fill it if a storm is brewing
- A glucagon kit for treating severe hypos (plus someone to operate it for you)
A couple of years ago I wrote a review of the first-ever pre-made Diabetes Emergency Kit on the market. Since then, the price from the original vendor seems to have skyrocketed to $100 (!), while you can get it on Amazon.com for $80. Still pricey, but the principle behind the kit is quite good — good enough to guide you in compiling your own personal kit.
If you’re looking for something specific to add to yours, like maybe an emergency water siphon or emergency candle that burns for 100 hours, go directly to the website Emergency Essentials. They’ve got hundreds of products, ranging from freeze-dried foods in pouches to 18-hour hand and body warmers. You can even “build your own first aid kit” at a variety of prices.
So… who keeps an emergency kit for their diabetes handy? Any special suggestions for what else could go inside?
We don’t have a kit like this per se at home, though I could quickly make a sweep of our supply cabinet and dump it into a bag.
But I do have similar kits stashed at Q’s school.
We have a box of extra supplies in the office. And we have two lunchboxes full of emergencies supplies in two key locations: her classroom and the music room.
In case of a lockdown, she would likely be in her classroom or the music room (PE and lunch go into the music room in this situation).
If teachers need instruction, they can easily call the principal or me if they can’t figure something out (though key staff have been trained).
If she’s upstairs and there’s a shooter (highly unlikely, but you never know), she’ll have to stay put. But if she’s downstairs and we need to get her out for a severe hypo, etc., the police can get her out the window.
I hadn’t even thought of all of this when she began kindergarten. But there was a lockdown last year when someone escaped a mental counseling center and several nearby schools locked down (not ours).
This is fantastic! I need this info! Thank you! If you read my post today you’ll see why lol. Seriously, though very well timed post for many of us I’m sure
@Sysy – ugh, I hear you! Mixing up insulins has always been one of my worst fears. See http://www.diabetesmine.com/2005/05/my_worst_fears.html
I think this is a great list but I’m reading it as a stuck-at-home type emergency. What about in-the-car or otherwise traveling type emergencies? I lived in Wyoming for many years and always had a car emergency kit – but I didn’t think about adding diabetes supplies to it. I know a lot of people with diabetes who don’t even have a snack in their car – I’m one of them. What happens if you’re stuck in traffic for hours or caught in a blizzard like those folks in the northeast last month? You’ve really got me thinking about what supplies I ought to have on me!
I’ve actually started keeping boxes of sets, reservoirs, etc. at work – anything that I might need in case of a fire at my apartment that might be complicated to get at a pharmacy, etc. in the ensuing post-fire chaos.
My doomsday scenarios are very specific!
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Andrew and others. Andrew said: » In Case of Emergency: Good D-Scouts Are Prepared – DiabetesMine …: For diabetes specifically, my friend Barb… http://bit.ly/hRbENm [...]
Re: glucose tablets being like “Twinkies” that last forever…I have to disagree…after about six months they start to get little spots on them (even in unopened containers)…and they get so horrible tasting that I’d really have to seriously consider going into diabetic shock rather than having to eat those things…
Good advice in the article!
Scott
Shocked at the prices of kit on amazon… Its about $25 worth of supplies and a box…
[...] who I think of as a great e-patient gives a more practical example when she talks about what diabetics need to do to stay prepared in the winter. (What’s the basic “survival kit” and where can you go to get one.) [...]