Susan Sorensen

Ed. note: The author is on leave of absence; this is a previously published article.



Disasters are never scheduled so it is important always to be prepared. We tend to think that they always will happen in other locations but as residents of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington we quickly could become isolated as a result of a natural disaster. This month let's discuss what you can do to enhance your readiness whether you do or don't have diabetes.

According to the American Red Cross, there are six basics that everyone should have ready for an emergency: food, water, first aid kits, clothing, tools and items for personal medical conditions. For a complete list of items, look at the Red Cross website at www.redcross.org or call the local office at 457-7933.

For food, choose items that have a long shelf life and do not require refrigeration; good options are granola bars, canned food, dried fruit and my personal favorite, peanut butter. Select fruit that is packed in its own juice to eliminate the excess sugar in heavy syrup. Remember to include a hand-operated can opener.

The Red Cross suggests that you store one gallon of water per adult per day with a supply to last for at least 72 hours. A change of clothing with an extra pair of socks also is helpful for your comfort. What might start as a minor foot irritation can progress to a serious problem if your feet remain wet. Another lightweight addition that is helpful is a battery-operated radio for information updates with additional batteries.

How to properly store insulin and the quantity of medications to keep on hand have been the most commonly asked questions. Try always to have at least two weeks supply of medications on hand along with a complete list of your drugs, dosages and frequency.

Be creative when thinking about storing insulin. If unopened, insulin that is stored between 35-46 degrees F is good until the expiration date on the vial. Once opened, insulin can be stored at room temperature (59-86 degrees F) for 28 days but needs to be protected from direct light and temperature extremes. Check out your local pharmacy for items that have gel-pack inserts to provide cool storage or look online at www.medicool.com.

You may want to consider obtaining a small Styrofoam container and chemical cold packs that can be activated as you need them. Along with insulin, pack sufficient syringes; they don't take up much room and your insulin is useless without syringes. In conjunction with your medications, insulin and syringes, it is important to have your glucose monitor, lancets and testing strips organized and ready. Since strips are not interchangeable between different types of monitors, have adequate testing strips for your monitor so that you can continue to test your blood glucose for several days after the disaster.

Take a few minutes to think about what you would need to be self-sustaining for at least 72 hours and put those items into a easily transportable container. It will make a difference in the final outcome.



Susan Sorensen is a registered nurse who does diabetes education in the community and can be reached at www.starladydiabetes.com.