Disaster can strike without warning, forcing you to confront an unexpected situation.  Are you prepared?  Knowing what steps to take before an emergency can greatly reduce danger and stress.
Here in Florida, we have the constant threat of hurricanes.  They can cause extensive damage to your personal records due to winds, rain and flooding.  Having an emergency plan already in place ensures that you will have the information needed should a disaster affect you personally.
We all know how to put up our shutters, fill the bathtub with water and stock the appropriate supplies, but do we know how to make sure that all of our important documents remain safe and intact?
Let’s review what personal information is crucial to have access to in case of an emergency.  Knowing what to do and how to do it can help your family manage disasters with less worry, fear and uncertainty.  
Some of the items that should be kept safe and secure are:  personal identifications, copies of birth certificates, marriage licenses, death certificates, inventory of household goods, bank account information and most important of all, your medical records.  This article will be focusing, primarily on your medical records.
Today, technology can be our best friend in these situations.  The use of a waterproof, electronic medical device can help us in many ways.  This portable device can be plugged into a computer (through the USB port), and can hold all your medical information and keep it secure throughout a disaster.  Special software is not needed in many cases.  
Of the choices available where no software is required, our research has shown that the best device on the market today is the ER Card.  
Keeping your personal healthcare information with you at all times is key as well as having the ability to provide this information, complete with past history and medications, as needed.  
Having a device containing your personal information will ensure the sharing of that information across multiple settings to include hospitals, emergency departments, physician’s offices and more.
Having this device will minimize failure to diagnose, or delay a diagnosis with the end result causing over testing and over treatment.
Since you will be the one to coordinate all of your information, how much of it you wish to include is up to you.  We recommend that you document information that would be vital to your treatment in all situations.
Portable health record devices, such as the ER Card, were developed under the premise that great care starts with great information.  When care is needed in an emergency situation, your personal medical information will be crucial to your receiving the correct care.
The following is a list of recommended information to be put on a portable device: current medications (prescribed or over the counter and herbal supplements), blood type, allergies (to food or medication),Medical conditions, emergency contacts, physical or verbal limitations, major surgeries (anything removed or implanted),Primary care doctor and phone number, treatment specialists, emergency evacuation information, advance directives
Having a plan for emergencies and disasters can help loved ones gain peace of mind as well as save your life!

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