Living in Florida means living with hurricanes from June to October every year. They bring with them not only rain and high wind, but stress, panic, and sometimes depression to senior citizens. It is many times shocking how many seniors chose to stay in their homes and ride out the storm. Many have horror stories about evacuations. If there is a large storm heading towards us it is very helpful to have a solid plan in place before we start hearing about it.
As most people know there is always a surge of people heading out to buy food and supplies a few days before storms hit. This is why it is so important that you have some necessary supplies stashed in the home or garage. Canned foods can be kept for over a year in a cool dark place but make sure you also have a manual can opener. Make sure you have batteries, flashlights, and maybe a small radio if you need to hear the news. It might be helpful to place all hurricane items in an easily moveable container with a tight lid. That way everything is in one place and ready to go when needed. Other items to place in the box should be an envelope of cash and a few days of medications, FEMA recommends enough for 72 hours.
In the case that you do need to go to a shelter, here is what you need to know. Brevard has 3 types of shelters: primary evacuation, special needs, and pet friendly shelters. They are only open in the event of a storm Category 2 or higher. Evacuating to a shelter can be a traumatic experience, especially for a homebound senior. The website for the application to the special needs shelter is found here Preparing an Emergency Plan for Special Needs in Brevard County, FL (brevardfl.gov), it can be faxed, mailed or emailed to them. If you register to be picked up and have a pet, the pet will be picked up by Animal Services and returned after the storm. Pets are not permitted at the special needs shelter as there are many medically fragile individuals. If you are dependent on oxygen you must register for the special needs shelter. You will not have enough portable oxygen to last and if you lose power, you lose your oxygen too. EMS may not be able to come out in a storm to rescue you. The following is a list of items to take with you to the shelter:
- Bring your own pillows, sheets, blankets, portable cot or air mattress, chaise lounge, folding chairs or sleeping bags.
- Cots or beds are not provided
- If you are on a special diet, bring a supply of nonperishable food that will be sufficient for 3 days per person.
- All required medications and medical support equipment:
- Wheelchair/walker, oxygen, dressings, feeding and suction equipment, diapers, etc.
- Any specific medications or care instructions ( 2-week supply)
- Personal hygiene items, like toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, towels, brush/comb, dentures, glasses, eye drops
- Make sure to label all medical equipment that you take with you with your name and address
The best practice is to also have a support system in place to help you through a hurricane. That can mean family, friends, neighbors, your church, or even a home care agency. There have been several storms that we had staff stay with clients 24/7 helping to coordinate things like getting the hurricane shutters up and making sure the generator has enough gas. Taking care of a senior’s physical needs in a hurricane is important but so is their sense of security and safety. Having a person or persons who you can count on in an emergency is a great comfort.
