When you have a child with a bleeding or blood disorder, you must plan ahead and be prepared. Planning ahead can reduce unnecessary stress and confusion if an emergency or disaster happens. Your family should have a plan about where to meet, how to communicate, and have the supplies needed to care for your child and family members ready to go. Below are ways to help you and your family prepare.

This section of Next Step covers:

What’s the Plan?

What’s In Your Go-Bag?

Tips for Being Prepared

What’s the Plan?

Sit down with your whole family and talk about your emergency plan. Emergency preparedness plans for people with bleeding or blood disorders are important to ensure their safety and wellbeing during an emergency or disaster. Here are some things to talk about:

What’s in Your Go-Bag?

A go-bag is filled with important supplies you will need in case of an emergency. One person in your family should be responsible for quickly grabbing the bag when you must evacuate. Be sure everyone in the family knows where the go-bag is kept. Check the bag from time to time to see if any of the items have expired and need to be replaced.

Here are some recommended items for your go-bag:

• Important telephone numbers
  • Hemophilia Treatment Center (HTC) or other health care provider
  • Home care company
  • Insurance provider
  • Emergency room
  • Out-of-town family member or friend
• Important medical information
  • Your child’s diagnosis
  • Your child’s bleeding disorder medication name, company, and instructions
  • Your child’s treatment plan
• Your child’s bleeding disorder medication
• If your child infuses, stock an infusion kit with syringes, needles, gauze, alcohol wipes, tourniquets, and bandages.
• Any other medicine you or other family members take.
• Ice pack and a way to store bleeding disorder medication correctly.
• Your child’s treatment log
• Flashlight with extra batteries
• Whistle
• Water and non-perishable food
• Dust mask
• Cell phones and chargers

Tips for Being Prepared

You should always be ready for an emergency. Families can manage emergencies and disasters by preparing in advance and working together as a team. Below are some additional tips to make sure you and your family are prepared.

• Have your child wear a medical alert bracelet or necklace.
• Keep multiple ice packs in the freezer.
• Keep cash in a safe and reliable place.
• Keep as much bleeding disorder medicine and supplies on hand as your insurance will allow (at least a 2-week supply).
• Take your child’s bleeding disorder medicine and supplies with you when you leave home.
• Keep important phone numbers (Hemophilia Treatment Center [HTC], homecare company, health care providers, insurance) in multiple locations, such as on the fridge, in your wallet, on your child's car seat, in school or work bags, in your go-bag, and with your car registration papers.
• Teach family and friends how to infuse or treat your child.
• Keep a notebook or store on your phone important medical information, directions on how to give treatment, maps of the area for the HTC/hospital, important phone numbers, diagnosis and treatment information, and the location of a backup place to get emergency care.
• Rotate supplies regularly in line with expiration dates.
• Add the 1-800-42-HANDI (1-800-424-2634) number into your phone in case you need information on available HTCs if you have to evacuate.
• Contact your local emergency management office or public health department for information on shelter-in-place and other safety procedures for your area.
• Be safe when driving:
  • Make sure everyone wears a seatbelt.
  • Install car seats properly.
  • Always carry a first aid kit, blankets, food, water, and other roadside emergency supplies in your car.
  • Attach an emergency information card to all child car seats and keep one in your wallet and glove compartment.
  • Make sure you have enough fuel prior to evacuation.

For more information about emergency planning please go to Ready.gov or CDC Preparedness and Planning.

For more information about what to bring to the emergency room, please go to Emergency Room Visits.

For more information about recommendations regarding home factor supply for emergency preparedness, please go to MASAC Document 227.