Hurricane Prep for the Medicine Cabinet
Every South Florida storm list covers water and batteries. Almost none of them cover the thing that actually can’t be improvised.
Do this now, before anything is named
Ask your pharmacist about Florida’s emergency refill provision. Under state law, when a hurricane warning or state of emergency is declared for your county, you can generally get an early refill of maintenance medications. Knowing the rule exists before you need it is most of the battle.
Write down every prescription in your household on paper: drug name, dose, frequency, prescribing doctor, and pharmacy. Photograph it and put it in your phone too. If pharmacy systems go down, that paper is how a doctor knows what you take.
Check expiration dates on everything, including the over-the-counter shelf.
The week before, when there’s a cone
Refill everything you can. Add over-the-counter basics: pain and fever reducers for adults and kids, antihistamines, anti-diarrheal, electrolyte packets, hydrocortisone, antibiotic ointment, bandages, and a working thermometer.
Confirm you have a full inhaler and a spare, not the one from last March.
If anyone in the house has a serious condition, call the doctor’s office and ask what their emergency protocol is.
Refrigerated medication
Insulin, some injectables, certain eye drops, and liquid antibiotics need cold storage. Get a small cooler and freeze gel packs now, not the night before when every store is out. Know your medication’s specific temperature guidance, because it varies. Most insulin tolerates room temperature for a limited window, but the number of days differs by type, so call your pharmacist and write it on the cooler in Sharpie.
The day before
Pack the go-bag: prescriptions in original labeled bottles, the paper list, insurance cards, a photo of each ID, and a week of over-the-counter basics. Charge everything, including any medical device batteries.
If you use powered equipment like a nebulizer or CPAP, know your backup plan. Some utilities keep a special-needs registry, and Miami-Dade runs an Emergency Evacuation Assistance Program with a registration deadline, so look that up well before storm season, not during it.
This is general information, not medical advice. Your doctor or pharmacist can tell you what’s right for your family.
