Your Emergency Preparedness Checklist

Are you prepared for any medical emergency? Emergencies can happen to anyone, and they can be stressful and traumatic. While you can never be fully prepared, you can reduce their adverse effects on your everyday life and loved ones.

Life is unpredictable, and you should always expect the unexpected. However, taking crucial steps can make all the difference in dealing with life-threatening situations Read on to learn how to prepare for any medical emergency.

What Information Should You Keep Handy?

Time is of the essence in medical emergencies. It’s crucial to keep important information handy to improve response times and the level of care you receive. This is a list of what you should have:

• Identification documents: Ensure you have your ID or driver’s license nearby to fast-track administrative processes should you require pre-authorisation and hospitalisation following an emergency.
• Medical insurance information: Keep a copy of your health insurance plan details in case your loved ones need to provide the response team with your member number.
• Medical history: If you have underlying health conditions, your loved ones and emergency responders should be aware of them to improve making informed decisions about your healthcare needs.
• List of medications: It helps to provide a list of medications or active ingredients, like penicillin, you may be allergic to, to avoid adverse reactions during emergency treatment.
• Emergency contacts: Update your list of emergency contacts in case you are in an accident or suffer severe injuries and your loved ones need to be informed.

What You Should Pack

Packing basic medical supplies can help when you least expect it. For instance, having a first aid kit in your car, at home, or at work can be beneficial in an emergency. If you are vulnerable to medical emergencies such as respiratory infections, you should consider having these items packed in your hospital overnight bag:

• Comfortable clothing that’s easy to put on or take off.
• Toiletries in case you need to be admitted.
• Essential prescribed medications.
• Personal items such as an extra phone charger.
• Hygiene products like sanitary pads.

What to Remember During a Medical Emergency

While you can rely on emergency responders to keep you safe during sudden illness or severe trauma, there are things that you can do to help ease the situation. Since these situations happen when you least expect it, it can leave little to no room for you to process everything. However, you can manage your situation when you remember these tips during a medical emergency:

• You should try to stay calm to assess how bad the situation is and the medical assistance you require.
• If you have first aid knowledge, use it to help manage the situation and prevent risks.
• Contact Affinity Rescue for immediate emergency medical assistance.
• Don’t do anything that can worsen your situation before emergency responders arrive.
• Remember that your health and safety are a priority.

In summary, despite unpredictable emergencies, staying prepared can go a long way. You should inform a close person of where to find important documents to save valuable time and improve the care you receive when you need it the most. Affinity Rescue has partnered with Integrated Emergency Response (iER) to provide exceptional emergency care and support that you can always rely on to stay safe and prepared in your time of need.