Fresenius Medical Care North America, FMCNA, recommends that dialysis patients have the following plans in place:

•   Keep your emergency phone numbers handy. When bad weather threatens, contact your local facility and follow instructions they may provide. FMCNA offers a patient hotline at 1-800-626-1297, for any FMCNA or non-FMCNA patients who need help finding the nearest open dialysis facility in a disaster. The hotline is staffed by customer service specialists who can provide locations and contact numbers for alternate facilities, if necessary.

•   Have a disaster plan. Talk to your doctor, dialysis care team and family about your disaster plan — what you should do and where you should go if a disaster strikes. Keep track of local weather forecasts.

•   Keep proper emergency supplies on hand. Have ready access to a first-aid kit, flashlight (with extra batteries), blankets, battery-powered radio, cell phone, non-electric can opener and any necessary medications. 

•  Make sure you have a ride. If you are an in-center patient, arrange for backup transportation to the clinic with a friend, neighbor or family member

• Plan for power outages. If you are a home dialysis patient and you lose power, follow the directions given to you by the home training staff for continuing dialysis in an emergency.

• Adjust your insulin. If you are diabetic, ask your doctor how to adjust your insulin dosage if severe flooding is forecasted for your area.

Note: Anyone who needs dialysis, whether or not they are a Fresenius Medical Care patient, can call 1-800-626-1297 to find the nearest open clinic. For more information on preparing for a disaster, visit www.ultracare-dialysis.com and click on “Be Prepared.”