(Make a plan. Include your specific health and safety needs when creating your emergency plan. Ready.gov/myplan. Brought to you by the Ad Council and Ready.)
September is National Preparedness Month. During the last few months, we have witnessed Americans experience wildfires, hurricanes, flash floods and more. If a disaster strikes your community, are you prepared?
Since 2004, National Preparedness Month is observed each September in the United States of America. Sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Preparedness Month encourages Americans to take steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses, schools, and communities. FEMA’s Ready Campaign, a public education outreach campaign, has great information and resources to help the general public prepare for and respond to emergencies. As we all know this preparation is especially important for persons with chronic health conditions, so be informed and make a plan – go here to find a comprehensive checklist from the Ready Campaign.
Persons with an inherited bleeding disorder and their caregivers need to be proactive in order to be ready for all sorts of circumstances. The Hemophilia Federation of America (HFA) and the National Hemophilia Foundation (NHF) have many tools and resources that are intended to help the bleeding disorders community plan ahead:
- HFA Be Prepared Toolkit (check-lists, articles and links to resources)
- HFA Disaster Relief (helpful resources for the current disaster relief efforts in response to Hurricanes Harvey and Irma – in English and Spanish)
- Contact HFA at 202-675-6984 or helpinghands@hemophiliafed.org if you or someone you know needs immediate assistance
- NHF’s 7 Ways You Can Prepare for Emergencies (an easy to read checklist with tips on locating HTC’s and a link to MASAC recommendation #227 regarding home factor supply for emergency preparedness)
- NHF Harvey Disaster Relief (a link where you can donate to bleeding disorders families who were directly affected by Hurricane Harvey)
- HemAware’s “Traveling With Medication” (article that includes tips on what supplies to bring and how to keep your factor product safe)
- Steps for Living – Preparedness Tips (basic to dos for caregivers of people with bleeding disorders)
In observance of National Preparedness Month, The American Public Health Association has a Get Ready Day Campaign on September 19th. They offer fact sheets, blogs, podcasts and more to help you prepare for a potential disaster – go here to check out the free materials on the Get Ready Web site.
