Essential Home Medical Items Needed During a Freeze

Ensure your home first-aid kit is prepared for the next winter freeze with the right medical supplies.

During times of extremely cold weather or a winter freeze, staying healthy and safe may present a challenge. Slippery roads, power outages, freezing temperatures, and so much more are what some people face once their area is under a freeze, making it impossible to leave home. How can you ensure that your at-home medical supplies are prepared for a winter disaster?

At the time of a disaster, there are usually checklists and reminders on what to do, from preparing your home to evacuation plans, all over the news and digital channels. However, a simple ‘what to do’ in an at-home medical emergency is often missed.

First, ensuring your medical supply kit is prepared for a winter storm before the last minute is important. We all have seen it before – store shelves empty as the panic of a forecasted disaster sits in with checkout lines wrapped for hours. It is crucial to plan in preparation for a winter storm, especially in areas where extreme cold conditions are typical. Stocking up on items in advance for a winter freeze – especially medical supply, which is available year-round – does not have to take you by surprise.

Preparing earlier and stocking up on essential supplies is vital for those where winter storms are typically expected. Unfortunately, the severity and length of a storm are usually unknown. Below are some items your home emergency kit must-have during a winter freeze.

Essential Home Medical Items Needed During a Freeze

• Hand sanitizer and Alcohol wipes
• Burn cream
• Antihistamine like Benadryl
• Band-Aids and Dressing of all sizes
• Antibiotic ointment
• Pain relievers and Fever reducers
• Oral thermometer
• Scissors and Tweezers
• Gloves
• Cold pack

Important note:  You and your loved ones should always have at least a week’s worth of prescription medication on hand, especially during a disaster. For medication that must be kept cold, keep freezer packs on hand in case of a power outage.

Here is how the CDC tells people to prepare overall for a winter storm.

Stay Safe Indoors During a Freeze

During a winter storm advisory, conditions make it extremely dangerous to be outside. Take as few brief trips as possible to protect your health and safety. Overexposure to freezing temperatures subjects you to severe medical conditions like hypothermia and frostbite. To avoid these medical emergencies, you should stay inside. If you must go outside, please do the following:

• Wear multiple layers of clothing.
• Stay dry.
• Avoid gasoline and alcohol on or in the body.
• Do not ignore shivering – this is the body’s first sign of losing heat.
• Dry, cold air triggers asthma attacks.

24/7 Emergency Services

Here at Topeka ER & Hospital, we provide 24/7 access to top-tier, advanced emergency medical services for you and your loved ones, no matter the weather condition. Our state-of-the-art facility and expert team are equipped to provide medical care – no matter the illness or injury – at all times, with minimal wait.

If you or a loved one find yourself in a medical emergency during a winter storm or due to overexposure to cold temperatures and deem it safe enough to travel, come on in to Topeka ER & Hospital. We are here to help!

Disclaimer: As a service to our readers, Topeka ER & Hospital and Nutex Health state no content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinicians.