Emergency Preparedness Plans: In Your Car

Living in New England or other parts of the country where weather tends to be unpredictable and often severe, it is essential that people with chronic illnesses and health problems make it a habit to prepare themselves for emergencies. Most of these will be weather-related but difficult situations, like loss of electricity, heat and water can last longer than expected.

As patients with a chronic illness, being prepared as much as possible is key to reducing the stress that comes from lack of preparation. It is no secret that stress is not our friend, especially if you have Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) or Fibromyalgia (FM).

This article is a detailed outline of what to prepare for so you don’t have to think. However, keep in mind that each individual person may have to personalize the list. And in no way does it cover absolutely everything. Feel free to add your particulars to the list.

Contact your county government’s emergency information management office and see what they have to offer for planning resources.

If you use services from your state, county or city as a disabled person, such as meals-on-wheels or home aid, contact them and ask what services they provide in an emergency and see if they maintain a list of disabled people on which you can be put. In a disaster, this means someone would be looking for you.

What to keep in your car

For automobiles: there are some specific things to keep in the car either for emergencies or for inclement weather, especially when we start another unpredictable winter in New England:

• • Your name, address, phone, work and home, emergency contact numbers and your physician’s name, address and phone. You may want to include your date of birth—this can be a written list you keep on your person
  • Window brush and/or scraper
  • Bag of icemelt (cheap brands don’t work as well)
  • Roll of paper towels
  • Small shovel— can have the fold up handle or be a child’s plastic shovel
  • Car cell phone charger, if you have a cell phone
  • Flashlight with batteries and make sure it is in working order
  • Portable radio with batteries
  • Emergency lights
  • A few plastic forks, spoons and knives, bendable straws
  • Maps of the areas you travel the most
  • An extra fleece coat or jacket because fleece keeps you warm
  • Extra pair of gloves
  • Warm hat
  • A few bags of dried food that has a long shelf life
  • Emergency blanket such as a sheet of mylar that is lightweight but can keep you warm. It might be a good idea to include one in the emergency kit for your home
  • First aid kit comprising the following items:
    • Large sterile gauze pads
    • Paper tape in a wider size so it can be can into smaller pieces if necessary
    • Scissors (to cut clothes, gauze etc.)
    • Assortment of stiri-strips and band aids
    • Ace bandage
    • Aspirin
    • Face mask
    • Benadryl for itch and allergy relief
    • Non-latex gloves (preferably several pairs)
    • Pain medicine if you have extra
    • Something to make a tourniquet
    • Drinking water
    • Small but warm blanket
    • A tarp
    • Hand warmers that when snapped, heat up
    • Whistle—so people can find you