Planning for an Emergency

EMS personnel often waste precious time trying to locate the individual's home— especially at night, when house numbers are hard to identify.

Follow these tips and be prepared:

Mark your house with large, reflective numbers and/or paint your house number on the curb with fluorescent paint. Trim any foliage that might obscure your address.

If an emergency occurs, turn on all the lights—including your porch light. If possible, ask someone to stand out front to wave down the ambulance.

Post your medical information in a prominent place. EMS workers also waste precious time searching patients’ homes for medicine bottles and other clues about their health status.

To save time: Write a brief medical history of yourself (and anyone else living in the house) on an index card. Tape the card to your refrigerator door.

Be sure to include...
Your name.
Your doctor’s name and telephone number.
Medical conditions you have.
Prior or current treatment regimens and dates.
Major operations and dates. Especially your WLS!
Allergies you have.
Names and dosages of all drugs you take.

Name of your insurance carrier, plus your group and personal identification numbers.

In case you become ill or sustain an injury away from home, keep in your wallet a card bearing all of the above information.

If you have heart disease or another serious condition, such as this WLS consider wearing a MedicAlert bracelet or necklace. To order one, call 800-432-5378. Cost: $35, plus $15 per year.

Prepare your phones for emergency use. if you have a chronic ailment, install a phone in every room of your house.

Best: Phones with speed-dial. They can be programmed to call 911 at the push of a single button.

If your community lacks 911 service, program the phones with the local emergency number (typically the police or fire department). Tape this number—along with your address—to each phone.

If children live in or frequently visit the house: Teach them to call 911 “if Mommy, Daddy, Gradma, etc., is hurt or won’t wake up.” Tell kids that they should stay on the line until they are instructed otherwise by the 911 operator or police.

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