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Preparing for Hurricane Francine

Date: 09/10/24

Hurricane Francine is projected to bring severe weather, including heavy rainfall, flash flooding, tornadoes, and strong winds to parts of Louisiana. It is important that you finalize your storm preparations now.

We are here to help our members.

At Louisiana Healthcare Connections, we take severe weather very seriously and are taking steps to prepare. To ensure our members are taken care of during the storm, we are reaching out to those with special health care needs to help prepare them in case they are affected. If you are a Louisiana Healthcare Connections member and you need help, please call us at 1-866-595-8133 (TTY: 711). 

Prepare your Medical Information Kit.

We encourage all members to prepare for their medical needs and create a Medical Information Kit. A Medical Information Kit helps you have key information on hand to protect your health and the health of your loved ones after a disaster. 

Your Medical Information Kit should include:

  • Your Louisiana Healthcare Connections member ID card
  • Your Medicaid member ID card
  • Names and phone numbers of your doctors
  • A list of your allergies and any health conditions 
  • Information about your medications:
    • Names of all medications: list dosages and times, the reason (or health condition) for each medication, and the name of the doctor who prescribed it (along with their phone number).
    • A seven-day supply (or more) of essential medications. Ask your doctor(s) about getting extra supplies of medications and extra copies of prescriptions in case of emergency.
    • Find out if your medications should be stored at certain temperatures. A medicine’s strength can sometimes weaken if stored at the wrong temperature, or if it is stored for too long.
    • If your doctor currently gives you treatments (such as methadone, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy), be sure to ask them how to prepare in the event of a disruption. 

Know where to go for shelter.

Find out if your local public shelter is open in case you need to evacuate your home and go there. For up-to-date community shelter information, call 211.

Keep yourself and your family safe.

Flooding

The storm may bring floodwaters. Please remember to avoid driving and walking through floodwaters, especially on roads and highways.

Power Outages

If you rely on a medical device that needs electricity, tell your power company and your parish's emergency authorities so you can be assisted quickly during an outage. Make sure that a neighbor or loved one is aware of your situation and knows what to do in the event of a power outage. Learn more about power outages.

Generator Safety

When using a gas generator, please remember:

  • Portable generators should never be used indoors. This includes in a garage, carport, basement, crawl space or other enclosed or partially enclosed area, even those with ventilation.
  • Gas-powered generators produce an exhaust of carbon monoxide (CO) which is odorless and colorless. CO inhalation can rapidly lead to full incapacitation or death. Opening windows or doors or using fans will not prevent the build-up of CO. If you start to feel sick, dizzy or weak while using a generator, get to fresh air IMMEDIATELY. Be sure to place the generator away from doors, windows and vents that could allow CO to come indoors.
  • Keep the generator dry and do not use in rain or wet conditions. Protect the generator from moisture by operating it on a dry surface under an open canopy-like structure, such as a tarp held up on poles.

Learn more about safe generator use from the CDC. 

Take care of yourself.

Dealing with disasters can cause stress and strong emotions. It is natural to feel anxiety, grief, and worry. Coping with these feelings and getting help when you need it will help you, your family and your community recover.

You can get help right away if you are having a mental health problem or a crisis. Call our 24/7 Mental Health and Addiction Crisis Hotline at 1-844-677-7553 (TTY: 711) to speak with a licensed mental health counselor.

We will continue to monitor this situation.

We will monitor the storm closely. We will act quickly to make sure affected members can easily replace medical equipment, refill prescriptions and get needed care. 

If you are a Louisiana Healthcare Connections member and you need help, please call us at 1-866-595-8133 (TTY: 711). 

Additional information about how to prepare your family for hurricane season can be found at www.GetAGamePlan.org. You can also review storm-ready guidance from the Louisiana Department of Health.