On Friday, June 27,the Omaha, Nebraska metro area was hit by approximately 120 mile per hour straight-line winds (equivalent to an F2 tornado).
Valley, suffered extensive damage and subsequent power outages.
At one point approximately 71% of the Omaha Public Power District users in this area were without power.
We lost power.
We now have power back on, but there are areas that are still without power and are not expected to get power back until Saturday according to local news reports.
This is not the first time we have lost power (in 1997 we had an ice storm that put us without power for 10 days!).
Without air conditioning we had to open windows for a cool breeze.
It is well known that people who suffer from allergies and asthma need to maintain a certain type of indoor air quality.
Without my artificial environment, (air conditioning, dehumidifier, and air filters) the indoor air quality became intolerable quite quickly.
The next day I awoke with a bad allergy attack.
We had stayed in our home that night because we were not sure when the power would come back on.
My husband is quite "handy" and we had a portable power source to power my neubulizer;but nothing else.
I ended up at my son's house the next day, his power had come back on during the night.
I had always maintained a list of my medications and instructions for what to do in the event that I had either an allergy or asthma attack (many times the first causes the second), but I had not developed a long term plan for handling a power outage with my allergies and asthma.
This incident made it clear that developing an Allergy/Asthma Backup Action Plan was necessary.
I would encourage everyone who sufferers from allergies, asthma, or both to develop an Allergy/Asthma Backup Action Plan for managing your allergies and asthma in the event that you lose power or are forced from your home.
Where is a safe place for you to go? How will you power your indoor air purifiers, dehumidifiers, neubulizers, and other related medical equipment?Which ones can you take with you if you need to leave?Write down your medications and make sure that you have a given a copy to someone who can assist you if you become very ill.
Keep a copy of these medications and any pertinent instructions with you.
For example, I can't go to an Urgent Care if I have a major attack because they don't have the injectibles needed.
I have to go to the Emergency Room.
People in your circle offamily and friends need to know these types of things.
Having a plan in place will make you a lot more comfortable and safer.
Be proactive don't become a victim of your disease due to alack of planning.
So whether it's thunderstorms, tornadoes, wildfires, flooding, or any other type of disaster; be prepared, plan, and include those around you who can help insure that you get proper medical care at those times when you are not able to maintain the artificial environment that you need for optimal health.
Our weather patterns continue to be unpredictable.
If you have questions about what would be appropriate for you contact your doctor or other medical practitioner.
Other great resources include: the Asthma and Allergy Foundation, http://www.
aafa.
org, American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology, aaaai.
org, and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, 3niaid.
nih.
gov.
Take care everyone, have a safe and happy summer.
Valley, suffered extensive damage and subsequent power outages.
At one point approximately 71% of the Omaha Public Power District users in this area were without power.
We lost power.
We now have power back on, but there are areas that are still without power and are not expected to get power back until Saturday according to local news reports.
This is not the first time we have lost power (in 1997 we had an ice storm that put us without power for 10 days!).
Without air conditioning we had to open windows for a cool breeze.
It is well known that people who suffer from allergies and asthma need to maintain a certain type of indoor air quality.
Without my artificial environment, (air conditioning, dehumidifier, and air filters) the indoor air quality became intolerable quite quickly.
The next day I awoke with a bad allergy attack.
We had stayed in our home that night because we were not sure when the power would come back on.
My husband is quite "handy" and we had a portable power source to power my neubulizer;but nothing else.
I ended up at my son's house the next day, his power had come back on during the night.
I had always maintained a list of my medications and instructions for what to do in the event that I had either an allergy or asthma attack (many times the first causes the second), but I had not developed a long term plan for handling a power outage with my allergies and asthma.
This incident made it clear that developing an Allergy/Asthma Backup Action Plan was necessary.
I would encourage everyone who sufferers from allergies, asthma, or both to develop an Allergy/Asthma Backup Action Plan for managing your allergies and asthma in the event that you lose power or are forced from your home.
Where is a safe place for you to go? How will you power your indoor air purifiers, dehumidifiers, neubulizers, and other related medical equipment?Which ones can you take with you if you need to leave?Write down your medications and make sure that you have a given a copy to someone who can assist you if you become very ill.
Keep a copy of these medications and any pertinent instructions with you.
For example, I can't go to an Urgent Care if I have a major attack because they don't have the injectibles needed.
I have to go to the Emergency Room.
People in your circle offamily and friends need to know these types of things.
Having a plan in place will make you a lot more comfortable and safer.
Be proactive don't become a victim of your disease due to alack of planning.
So whether it's thunderstorms, tornadoes, wildfires, flooding, or any other type of disaster; be prepared, plan, and include those around you who can help insure that you get proper medical care at those times when you are not able to maintain the artificial environment that you need for optimal health.
Our weather patterns continue to be unpredictable.
If you have questions about what would be appropriate for you contact your doctor or other medical practitioner.
Other great resources include: the Asthma and Allergy Foundation, http://www.
aafa.
org, American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology, aaaai.
org, and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, 3niaid.
nih.
gov.
Take care everyone, have a safe and happy summer.