Sarah Howard (nee Tackett) has dedicated her career to supporting the T1D community ever since she was diagnosed with T1D while in college in May 2013. Since then, she has worked for various diabetes organizations, focusing on research, advocacy, and community-building efforts for people with T1D and their loved ones. Sarah is currently the Senior Manager of Marketing at T1D Exchange.
I don’t have a kit, but I definitely have all the supplies for it. I live in a hurricane prone area and know what it’s like to evacuate and not be able to get home for a couple of weeks.
Not a kit per se, but do try to have extra supplies on hand in case of emergencies. I store all my supplies together in a box (except my insulin in the fridge) so easy to grab and go.
Yes I have a grab and go diabetes supply survival kit that has enough extra stuff for three weeks, including an extra sensor. All I have to do is grab my extra stash of insulin kept in a Frio pack from the fridge to add to the kit on the way out to a safe place.
I have everything but not in a kit that I could easily grab and go. I should prepare a kit. Don’t think I can adequately prepare for a worst case scenario.
I always keep back up in my truck. A 6 pack mini 12v fridge that I got for 30 dollars keeps things cool enough. Live in SWFL sometimes I sweat my stuff off a few times a week. May not be a disaster or emergency for the rest of the world but at that moment it is for me.
National disasters do not exist for insurance companies. You cannot have any extra supplies due to the cost to them and other insurance customers. This is what I was told by my insurance company. I thanked her for guaranteeing my struggle or death in a national disaster. She laughed and hung up. I wish I had gotten her name.
No. I live in a small place, and don’t know where I would keep an emergency kit. All of the closets and cabinets are full. If time allowed, I could put my insulin and supplies together within a few minutes. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.
I was suddenly evacuated from a fire zone for a week once and I was trapped in a hotel for several days after the Boston marathon bombing. The possibility of being cut off from my normal routine is very real for me so I keep a “travel kit” ready. I would just need to grab insulin from the fridge.
I always have a days worth of stuff with me in my cosmetic bag. for few days, I would simply add my tresiba pen. Longer than that, it would depend on how long my cgm lasted.
Always. I live 1/4 mile from the Hayward Fault which is WAY overdue to break. We are informed to be able to provide for our own needs for at least 3 days — based on the anticipated inability of the authorities to provide help for that long in the event of a major earthquake.
No, I don’t. All the pump supplies, CGM supplies plus my 7 daily prescription meds take up a lot of space that combined would be a suitcase full. I could grab insulin from the fridge and a bag of disposable syringes quickly, but the other things would take a while to put together. Thanks for the reminder that it needs to be done.
I have put a kit together in the past, but realized that I need to keep an eye on expiry dates of the meds and pump and CGM supplies. So I have put a written list in my earthquake kit of the drugs etc that I need to grab if need be. Hopefully I will have my wits about me!
I have a “kit” that I keep located where I change sites etc with several days of supplies but do it for convenience. I’d probably use a larger kit or stock more supplies if that was the case.
I have stuff that I carry with me, but the needed supplies for a disaster would have to be gone thru continuously so none of the supplies expire!
So, my supplies are all kept in one place, but not in a carryable container.
But of course, insulin can’t be kept like that…..
All Supplies in my house inland that might be subject to tornado. The only disaster no one could have been prepared for was the death of my wife last week but I carry on in her memory!
partially ready just have to grab insulin from frig and get sensors from a closet – expiration of things keep it sort of unready. but I could do in 2. minutes.
Yes, in a way. My husband is frequently ill, so I keep an “Emergency Room” bag with extra supplies, batteries, syringes and snacks. The kit includes a long-acting insulin pen. Truth be told, I really need to have ketone strips, glucagon, etc. We have a crankable charging lantern that I would use in a natural disaster to provide power to charge my pump as long as possible.
Yes & No. I did have a bag packed in 2020/2021 when I lived in a zone for both earthquake and tsunamis. But same issue, expiration dates. I still have the “bug out bags” packed with non-perishables, but would grab diabetes supplies from the drawer and fridge I keep them in to be sure they are fresh. I’m going to make the needs list AnneYun mentioned & put THAT in the bags, so I won’t forget something in a freak out.
In my purse I always have a little BG monitor case with a BG monitor, 1 vial fast-acting insulin and couple syringes. I also always carry nasal glucagon & glucose tabs. It’s actually just for day to day events, i.e. if I’m out and my insulin pen is empty or cracked, or my syringe tip gets bent. It’s got me thru a few situations that could have become issues. In a crisis it would keep me alive for a while I suppose. What i don’t have is long acting insulin.
Due to the refrigeration requirements of insulin, no kit has been created. Just make sure there is always plenty on hand. I always have a medium size ice chest and ice blocks if I have to escape for a while. Even with a CGM, I never travel without the blood glucose kit.
I don’t have a kit, but I definitely have all the supplies for it. I live in a hurricane prone area and know what it’s like to evacuate and not be able to get home for a couple of weeks.
Not a kit per se, but do try to have extra supplies on hand in case of emergencies. I store all my supplies together in a box (except my insulin in the fridge) so easy to grab and go.
No, but I could throw one together in about a minute.
Yes I have a grab and go diabetes supply survival kit that has enough extra stuff for three weeks, including an extra sensor. All I have to do is grab my extra stash of insulin kept in a Frio pack from the fridge to add to the kit on the way out to a safe place.
Same here – supplies are in a travel bag (3 of everything). Just have to grab insulin and a smaller cooler and I’m outta there!
I have everything but not in a kit that I could easily grab and go. I should prepare a kit. Don’t think I can adequately prepare for a worst case scenario.
I always keep back up in my truck. A 6 pack mini 12v fridge that I got for 30 dollars keeps things cool enough. Live in SWFL sometimes I sweat my stuff off a few times a week. May not be a disaster or emergency for the rest of the world but at that moment it is for me.
No, not yet. After 2 fire 🔥 alarms in our apt building since April, going to make sure I do!
National disasters do not exist for insurance companies. You cannot have any extra supplies due to the cost to them and other insurance customers. This is what I was told by my insurance company. I thanked her for guaranteeing my struggle or death in a national disaster. She laughed and hung up. I wish I had gotten her name.
Just got it yesterday
No. I live in a small place, and don’t know where I would keep an emergency kit. All of the closets and cabinets are full. If time allowed, I could put my insulin and supplies together within a few minutes. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.
Currently awaiting several scripts, with CORRECT insurance information, before I am able to fulfill the complete kit
Would probably be a good idea
I was suddenly evacuated from a fire zone for a week once and I was trapped in a hotel for several days after the Boston marathon bombing. The possibility of being cut off from my normal routine is very real for me so I keep a “travel kit” ready. I would just need to grab insulin from the fridge.
I always have a days worth of stuff with me in my cosmetic bag. for few days, I would simply add my tresiba pen. Longer than that, it would depend on how long my cgm lasted.
Always. I live 1/4 mile from the Hayward Fault which is WAY overdue to break. We are informed to be able to provide for our own needs for at least 3 days — based on the anticipated inability of the authorities to provide help for that long in the event of a major earthquake.
No, I don’t. All the pump supplies, CGM supplies plus my 7 daily prescription meds take up a lot of space that combined would be a suitcase full. I could grab insulin from the fridge and a bag of disposable syringes quickly, but the other things would take a while to put together. Thanks for the reminder that it needs to be done.
I have all my supplies in one location except insulin (in fridge) along with a small backpack to put it in, but it isn’t pre-packed.
Things I would need in an emergency, yes. Located in a box as a kit, no
Kind of – all of my diabetes supplies are in one location in the house and would be easy to put in a bag that is also there.
No, but I keep all my current supplies in a tote bag.
I have put a kit together in the past, but realized that I need to keep an eye on expiry dates of the meds and pump and CGM supplies. So I have put a written list in my earthquake kit of the drugs etc that I need to grab if need be. Hopefully I will have my wits about me!
Ooh good tip to make the list for future freaked out me!! Thanks for this answer.
I have a “kit” that I keep located where I change sites etc with several days of supplies but do it for convenience. I’d probably use a larger kit or stock more supplies if that was the case.
I have stuff that I carry with me, but the needed supplies for a disaster would have to be gone thru continuously so none of the supplies expire!
So, my supplies are all kept in one place, but not in a carryable container.
But of course, insulin can’t be kept like that…..
All Supplies in my house inland that might be subject to tornado. The only disaster no one could have been prepared for was the death of my wife last week but I carry on in her memory!
so sorry. One can never be prepared for this.
I’m so sorry for your loss.
partially ready just have to grab insulin from frig and get sensors from a closet – expiration of things keep it sort of unready. but I could do in 2. minutes.
if the natural disaster only lasts as long as my insurance cover my meds, then, i guess.
Yes, in a way. My husband is frequently ill, so I keep an “Emergency Room” bag with extra supplies, batteries, syringes and snacks. The kit includes a long-acting insulin pen. Truth be told, I really need to have ketone strips, glucagon, etc. We have a crankable charging lantern that I would use in a natural disaster to provide power to charge my pump as long as possible.
Not currently. I have in the past.
Not specifically, but all my supplies are probably as easy to grab as the bag would be.
I said no, but since my supplies are in a large storage rubbermaid tub, I could easily just grab that.
Yes & No. I did have a bag packed in 2020/2021 when I lived in a zone for both earthquake and tsunamis. But same issue, expiration dates. I still have the “bug out bags” packed with non-perishables, but would grab diabetes supplies from the drawer and fridge I keep them in to be sure they are fresh. I’m going to make the needs list AnneYun mentioned & put THAT in the bags, so I won’t forget something in a freak out.
Everything is close by and could easily be thrown into a bag in case of emergency evacuation.
In my purse I always have a little BG monitor case with a BG monitor, 1 vial fast-acting insulin and couple syringes. I also always carry nasal glucagon & glucose tabs. It’s actually just for day to day events, i.e. if I’m out and my insulin pen is empty or cracked, or my syringe tip gets bent. It’s got me thru a few situations that could have become issues. In a crisis it would keep me alive for a while I suppose. What i don’t have is long acting insulin.
Due to the refrigeration requirements of insulin, no kit has been created. Just make sure there is always plenty on hand. I always have a medium size ice chest and ice blocks if I have to escape for a while. Even with a CGM, I never travel without the blood glucose kit.