Hurricanes. Blizzards. Extended power outages. These are all emergencies that can happen here in Rhode Island. September is National Preparedness Month, and the Rhode Island Department of Health (HEALTH) reminds everyone to prepare now.
"Now is the perfect time to think about what you'll need in an emergency," said Director of Health Michael Fine, MD. "Decide what needs to be in your emergency kit and put all of those supplies together. If you already have an emergency kit, replace any items that are missing, broken or unsafe to use."
While your emergency kit should include enough basic supplies to support each member of your household for at least three days, HEALTH recommends that the following items be included in an emergency kit to support your health:
* Three-day supply of all medications (prescription and non-prescription) * List of all medications, and specific doses, that you take * List of all healthcare providers and their contact information * Extra pair of glasses * Extra batteries for hearing aids or other medical equipment * Alcohol-based hand sanitizer or antibacterial wipes * First aid kit * Healthy, non-perishable food items like canned fruit with no added sugar, tuna fish, peanut butter, or low-fat/low-sugar granola bars * Water (one gallon per person per day)
For a detailed list of what should be included in an emergency kit, visit http://www.health.ri.gov/emergency. For helpful preparedness tips, like HEALTH (Rhode Island Department of Health) on Facebook or follow us on Twitter (@RIHealth).
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