Get a 30-day supply of necessary medications 

If you take prescription medications, purchased from your local pharmacy, try having a 30-day supply on hand. But this is not as easy as it sounds — many insurance companies will not authorize the filling of additional medication unless ordered by the state in emergency situations, such as natural disasters. Make your medication plan now. This plan should include speaking with a health insurance representative, pharmacist or physician about options to acquire extra medications. One option may be paying cash for your 30-day supply. 

Call your dialysis center for a temporary plan of care 

If you are on dialysis, call your dialysis center to make a plan of action for your care. Do not miss a treatment prior to bad weather, and follow your doctor-ordered diet. Read the patient care information provided to you by your doctor. It includes medical information to assist you and phone numbers to the End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Network. Only your doctor can recommend if it is medically safe for you to miss treatments and can advise you on whether or not you should be admitted to a hospital during a hurricane. Special needs shelters do not offer dialysis, and some centers close during a hurricane. When the storm passes, contact your dialysis center for further instructions or go to your hospital for short-term care if your center is closed. 

The hospital is not a county shelter

County shelters are designated throughout the county, mostly in elementary schools. The hospital is not a designated shelter and does not take evacuees. For more helpful information visit www.brevardcounty.us/emergencymanagement/preparedness/shelters. 

If you are oxygen dependent, make shelter arrangements 

You may be eligible for care at a special needs shelter, based on your medical needs and availability. If you are an oxygen-dependent person, be sure to get your oxygen tanks filled. You should try to have two days’ worth of oxygen on hand. Also make shelter arrangements now. 

If you do not plan to evacuate, contact the Brevard County Office of Emergency Management at 321-637-6670 for more information on how to register for special needs shelter. If you wait until a hurricane hits to make shelter arrangements, it will be too late. 

General Preparation for a Hurricane 

For complete information on what you can do to prepare for a disaster or hurricane, go online to the Brevard County Office of Emergency Management Web site at www.brevardcounty.us/EOC. You will find valuable information to help prepare your home and family before a hurricane strikes. 


About Parrish Medical Center 

Parrish Medical Center (PMC), a Parrish Healthcare integrated care partner, is located at 951 N. Washington Ave., Titusville, Florida. The 210-bed, not-for-profit, public medical center has been serving Brevard County for 60 years. PMC is the first in the nation to be Integrated Care certified by The Joint Commission and is nationally recognized as One of America’s Finest Healing Environments®. PMC maintains top-tier national rankings for clinical outcomes, safety and patients’ experiences according to CMS, The SafeCare Group, The National Patient Safety Movement and The Joint Commission. PMC is also nationally recognized among the best places to work in healthcare. For more information, visit www.parrishmed.com.