Doctor Provides Practical Tips to the South Florida Community on What to Do Before and After a Hurricane Hits
With the 2008 Hurricane Season at our doorstep, Rene Reyes, MD -- a Hollywood physician -- provides practical advice to his South Florida community on what to do when disaster strikes. His tips include how to prepare before a storm and how to stay healthy after the storm.
Hollywood, FL (PRWEB) June 3, 2008 -- To prepare for a hurricane, residents in hurricane-prone areas are urged to stock up on emergency supplies, learn about their local emergency plans, warning signals, and evacuation routes. However, one area that is often overlooked is ensuring continuity of medicines and healthcare.
"When a storm hits, we all think about batteries and water, but we forget to include medications for ourselves, our families and our pets," said Rene Reyes, M.D. "Whether it be insulin, heart medication or a simple first-aid kit, it is important to make these items a priority when preparing for a storm. I recommend that patients always maintain their prescriptions up-to-date and keep them in their original bottles along with any other helpful medical information," continued Dr. Reyes.
Patients should check how much medicine they have and get refills as soon as possible. If patients need to evacuate prior to refilling, they should take a waterproof bag with their current medications - even if the bottles are empty. The information on the bottle labels will help the pharmacist refill the medicine once they have arrived at their destination. The waterproof bag is helpful for protecting medicines against heat, humidity and sunlight that can degrade the effectiveness of the medicine. Additionally, patients should keep a written record of their current prescriptions and dosages with their other valuable papers, including their insurance cards, doctor's name and contact information. Dr. Reyes also urges his patients to ensure they have adequate supply of other medical equipment and supplies such as dentures, glucometers & strips, nebulizers, crutches, prostheses, etc.
After an emergency Dr. Reyes encourages his patients to prevent common health risks associated with storms such as those from food, water and heat exhaustion. Individuals should not eat any food that may have come in contact with dirty water from floods or tidal surges, and refrigerators that have been without power should be cleaned out. It is also important to watch for the warning signs of heat exhaustion, which include heavy sweating, weakness, paleness, nausea and vomiting.
"One of the main ways to prevent illness after a storm is to simply wash your hands," stated Dr. Reyes. Finding running water may be difficult, but keeping your hands clean will help you avoid getting sick. It is best to wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds, but when water is not available, using alcohol-based hand sanitizers will do."
About Reyes and Reyes, M.D., PA
Reyes and Reyes MD, PA is a team of physicians with specialties in Family Practice and Internal Medicine based in beautiful Hollywood, Florida. For more than thirty years the practice has been dedicated to partnering with patients to better their health and wellness in a professional, knowledgeable and caring manner. At Reyes and Reyes, MD, PA, they are committed to caring for the community by offering full-service quality health care to individuals 16 and older. The practice has a strong focus on promoting good health and preventing illness. It recognizes that a patient-centered culture of doing business is paramount to achieving its goal of providing leading edge health care. Services include everything from weight loss, skin screening and cholesterol care to annual physicals, smoking cessation and stress reduction - take care of all your health needs in one location. The office is conveniently located adjacent Memorial Regional Hospital SOUTH at 3700 Washington Street, Suite # 404 Hollywood, FL 33021. For more information, contact (954) 983-3233 or visit them online at www.reyesmdonline.com.
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