2018 Hurricane Preparedness: Moving Forward after Harvey

By: Melissa Parmer, RN, CCM, MBA

The Atlantic Hurricane Season officially begins on June 1, and 2018 Hurricane Preparedness Week is May 6-12. After a disastrous landfall in 2017, Hurricane Harvey remains on the minds of many as clean-up efforts remain on-going in some areas. Second only to Hurricane Katrina, Harvey is estimated to have cost $125 billion dollars. Harvey-related retrospective reports and peer reviews provide essential information on the hurricane’s impact, as well as education for better preparation.

During disasters, nurses are often personally affected but also need to care of others affected. Plan ahead with these four things in mind:

• Preparing general emergency kits
• Accounting for medical needs of family members and pets
• Planning communication methods
• Knowing evacuation needs and options

CDC and Ready.gov provide resources for hurricane-related events and this list of recommended items and plans from the Federal Emergency Management Agency can help you account for household members (including pets) with illnesses, medical conditions and disabilities. Register ahead of time for the State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry online or by calling 2-1-1 Texas. And the Houston-area National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) offers a free HelpLine and an online list of in-crisis resources with phone numbers for veterans, suicide prevention and youth crisis.

Members, sign-in for more specific information and dozens of additional resources on hurricane-preparedness — including ways to keep your family, pets and patients safe — and how you can volunteer your skills during emergencies in Texas.