Louisiana Home Care Providers,
I participated in a state emergency preparedness call this morning. Tropical storm force winds have arrived at the mouth of the Mississippi River and will be reaching those of us in the path of Isaac over the coming hours. You have all been busy preparing patients and their families, your staff and their families, and many of you are involved in preparing your own communities’ response teams related to the storm. DHH and the Office of Emergency Preparedness are well orchestrated and prepared to handle the challenges ahead.
A few items were mentioned this morning related to post storm issues deserve repeating.
Home Oxygen dependent patients- Many of these folks will panic after the storm, particularly if power is out. Beware and prepare to assist them as much as possible to address this need.
Home Ventilator dependent patients- The state is surprised that so few of these patients have requested assistance. Many have generators and feel secure but after the storm the availability of fuel may become an issue. Be prepared for that.
Length of Storm Duration- This storm is slow moving and will be over the state for perhaps three full days. This will result in more trees down, flooding, power outages, etc.
Fuel Shortages –Past storms have taught us that fuel will be in short supply, and power outages will impact gas stations’ ability to serve customers. Prepare accordingly.
Permission to Reenter Effected Areas – Connect with your Office of Emergency Preparedness now, before the storm hits, to make them aware that your home health nurses are often the first to get to patients after the storm. Find out if the nurses will need special identification, letters from the OEP office, or just their home health IDs to let them back into communities to check on patients.
One last item is that communications are always a challenge post hurricanes. You will all recall that text messaging was the most reliable form of communication after Katrina. The office here in Lafayette will be closing to allow our staff to prepare their own homes and families for the storm. I will continue to be online checking email, participating in twice daily calls with the state’s emergency center, and responding to you in the event a need arises with which we might assist. You have all of my contact information below, except my cell number. Feel free to use that should the need arise. It is 337-380-4545. My home number is 337-406-8080. Thank you. Let’s prepare for the worst and pray for the best.
