{"id":10580,"date":"2020-04-15T17:54:50","date_gmt":"2020-04-15T21:54:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=10580"},"modified":"2024-01-18T15:42:16","modified_gmt":"2024-01-18T20:42:16","slug":"what-should-be-first-aid-kit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/what-should-be-first-aid-kit\/","title":{"rendered":"Medication disaster plan: Building and storing a first aid kit"},"content":{"rendered":"

Emergencies and natural disasters are a threat to everyone, and for people who need prescription medications to treat serious medical issues, the threat doesn\u2019t stop once a pandemic subsides, the floods recede, or the fires go out.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you take life-saving medication or are a caregiver for someone who does, practicing effective emergency preparedness should be part of your care strategy.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is emergency preparedness?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Emergency preparedness<\/span><\/a> is the act of carrying out a few well-known actions that increase your level of safety during a crisis.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some emergencies are international news\u2014like a hurricane approaching a major city. But not every emergency makes CNN. A family member can unexpectedly fall ill, or a gas leak can require your whole block to evacuate.<\/span><\/p>\n

What are the four phases of emergency preparedness?<\/span><\/h3>\n

These are the four phases of preparedness:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Mitigation<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Preparedness<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Response<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Recovery<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Whether you know it or not, you and everyone in your community are in one or more of these phases right now.<\/span><\/p>\n

    The mitigation phase <\/b>involves activities that limit the damage an emergency could cause. For example, removing dry branches around a property could prevent a brush fire from reaching the home.<\/span><\/p>\n

    The preparedness phase <\/b>is training for events that can\u2019t be mitigated. An out-of-control forest fire may require homeowners to evacuate no matter how thorough their prevention efforts are. Activities may include creating an emergency kit or go bag.<\/span><\/p>\n

    The response phase<\/b> consists of actions taken during and immediately after the emergency. A parent evacuating their family as a fire approaches is an example of response phase activity.<\/span><\/p>\n

    The recovery phase <\/b>begins once life gets (mostly) back to normal. Life and property are no longer threatened, and schools and businesses have started to reopen. Now, the focus turns to repairing physical, financial, and emotional damage caused by the emergency. Recovery includes determining how to limit the damage from future similar emergencies and restart the mitigation phase.<\/span><\/p>\n

    What kind of emergencies should you prepare for?<\/span><\/h3>\n

    Based on where you live, some emergencies are more likely than others. Understanding the risks in your area can guide your thinking as you develop an emergency or natural disaster preparedness plan.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Emergency planners categorize disasters into three categories.<\/span><\/p>\n