Disaster Preparedness - Emergency Info

Emergency Preparedness Are up ready

View info from NHF

In January the center paired up with the National Hemophilia Foundation to put on a program for our patients and families to discuss the importance of Emergency Preparedness. Since Hurricane Katrina the bleeding disorders community has taken an active role in educating individuals regarding the importance to become prepared. When Hurricanes struck in the south individuals who were not prepared found themselves without shelter, food, water, medication and protection. It is even more critical for an individual with a bleeding disorder to have a plan in place.

There are several areas that are important to cover when implementing a Family Emergency Plan. These include:

• Insurance and vital records: Insurance policies, birth certificates, personal property information, etc.
• Family communication plan: Be Technologically Savvy! Plan your meeting spot and final destination with others. How will you communicate with each other if there is no electricity and phone lines are down? Choose a relative or contact who resides out of state for family to notify that they are safe. Learn other plans that may involve you (health department, emergency response, Hemophilia Treatment Center, Red Cross)
• Care for family pets
• Learn how to shelter-in-place: Home escape routes/safe room. Be familiar with your home and know escape routes. Establish a meeting place outside your home, talk about and practice this plan with your family. Share your plan with others.
• Special Needs for yourself or family members: Keep a list of your medication and a cooler ready for any medication that requires refrigeration. Have all necessary Factor/Medical supplies and other medication on hand.
• Gather Supplies: Extra water, Non-Perishable Food, Flashlight/Candles, Batteries/Radio, Cell Phone Charger, Camp Stove, Generator, Games and activities for kids, Keys, Cash, ATM and Credit Cards, Maps, Whistle, First Aid Kit, Child Care supplies, Extra Clothing.

The Mary Gooley Hemophilia Center is asking patients to provide an emergency contact person within the Rochester area along with someone outside of the Rochester area. This information is being kept in the patient’s medical records and database and will only be used if the center is unable to contact you in an emergency. The hemophilia community partners to help one another in time of need. In our 2007 Comprehensive Clinics the center staff will be encouraging patients to BECOME PREPARED!! If there is anything we can do to help you and your family become prepared please don’t hesitate to call the center (922-5700) and talk with Tricia Oppelt, LMSW social worker at the center.

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”
- Benjamin Franklin

Mary Gooley Hemophilia Center/Chapter Preparedness

Who we are working with:

We work closely with Rochester General Hospital where information from our center database is backed up by their server. All information in the database is secure and safe.  We also work with ATHN (www.athn.org), a national organization which safeguards medical information for Hemophilia Treatment Centers and which - if the need arises and with your consent - may be able to make your medical information accessible to you or to another Hemophilia Treatment Center in another community (in the United States).

Information contained in our database includes:

Diagnosis
Demographical information
Work
Blood Product
Insurance
Physicians
Lab Values

Our Chapter/Center Emergency Plan:

Beginning in 2007 our center is asking patients or guardians to update their demographical information. Included in that information is a local and out of Rochester contact number. We are also encouraging patients to give the center
e-mail addresses. This information will be entered into our secure database.

Communicating our plan with others:

Our center/chapter stays in constant communication with Rochester General Hospital (RGH). We have a unique partnership with not only RGH but other center/chapters in our region. In time of need the hemophilia community pulls together to support one another.

What our Center/Chapter is doing to educate our families and consumers:

Our hope is for this program to help individuals and family members become better prepared in case of an emergency. This is a topic that will be discussed not only for this program but in Comprehensive clinics throughout 2007.

TO GO/TRAVEL BAGS:

We are giving our patients the bags full of supplies needed in time of an emergency.
Each bag has an ID tag that has the Hemophilia Treatment Centers direct number and after hours number. If either of these numbers are not working Bob Fox, CEO/President also has his cell phone number listed on the ID tag and the readiness card.

Items in bag: Ice Pack
First Aid Kit
Flash Light with Batteries
Coban wrap
Tourniquet
Tooth Brush/Toothpaste
Bottled Water
Readiness Checklist
Information on Cell phone charger and Medic Alert