The staff at Center of Reproductive Medicine wants you to know that we have an extensive emergency action plan that includes a state-of-the-art, independent generator/back-up power supply. Our emergency action plan allows us more than enough time to either freeze or transfer the embryos currently in culture.
The official 2013 Atlantic hurricane season kicked off last month on June 1st and won’t end until after Thanksgiving. Researchers are predicting a very active 2013 season, forecasting up to 15-18 named storms, with up to five major hurricanes making landfall this year. Tropical Storm Andrea hit landfall in Florida early in June, before being downgraded on its way up the East Coast.
Texas is frequently impacted by hurricanes and other tropical storms and the damage done by high winds, flooding and storm surges along the coast can be devastating. There are two very important things to remember when there is a real hurricane threat: do not panic and be prepared. So, what does being prepared mean when it comes to planning for a hurricane or tropical storm? It means having a plan of action in place before the bad weather starts traveling in your direction. It means that you and your family know what you will do before such a storm ever gets strong enough and close enough to you to be a problem.
One of the best ways to plan for a possible hurricane is to make your own “hurricane kit”, gathering essential survival items you would need in the event of a hurricane. If a natural disaster event causes an emergency evacuation in your area or you have no choice but to ride out the storm in your own home, a well stocked hurricane kit may save your life or at least make life more tolerable for you and your family. A hurricane kit contains all the essentials you would need in order to take shelter at home or to take with you if you need to evacuate the area.
If you don’t already have a hurricane kit, now is the time to make one. Don’t wait until the natural disaster is carving a path in your direction before trying to make preparations. By having your hurricane kit together and ready for use, you will save precious time by not having to look for every item you would want with you. It is entirely possible that if you wait until the last minute to get your “hurricane kit” together, you won’t be able to find the things that you would need at any store. We have all seen the panic rush at the local grocery and hardware stores, with everyone looking to stock up on basic necessities, whenever bad storms are on the way. The most critical supplies seem to always sell out the fastest.
It would be easier now to think about what you might need rather than frantically thinking about a survival kit while you are boarding up your house or trying to get your family together to start an evacuation. If you take the time now to organize a survival kit, you will be able to make other necessary critical decisions, if and when a tropical storm or hurricane shows up at your back door.
Most hurricane survival kits tend to have the same basic supplies, such as bottled water and canned goods, but not all hurricane kits will be exactly alike. Prescription medications, extra eyeglasses, and pet needs are often forgotten in the initial stages of emergency planning; therefore, it is important to think about special needs in advance, so everything is included and ready when you need to use it.
If you have a hurricane kit already together, you should check it annually to be sure that the contents are not out-of-date. If your kit contains canned goods, be sure to check the sell-by date. Pull out the old and replenish with current products. It is critical that you have a well-stocked hurricane preparedness kit you can rely on, if and when the time comes. Who knows if you will have to quick load up your vehicle and leave the area. If your local authorities decide to implement an evacuation order, the sooner you are ready to leave, the easier it will be to navigate through traffic to get on your way.
Just as every home should have an emergency plan, most businesses (large and small) should also develop an emergency action plan. The staff at Center of Reproductive Medicine wants you to know that we have an extensive emergency action plan that includes a state-of-the-art, independent generator/back-up power supply. Our emergency action plan allows us more than enough time to either freeze or transfer the embryos currently in culture. Electricity is no longer an issue once the embryos are cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen. In the event of a natural disaster, such as a hurricane, CORM has enough liquid nitrogen on site to keep the embryos frozen up to 6 months.
With our emergency back-up plan in place for the 2013 hurricane season, the staff at CORM hopes that you have a solid emergency plan in place for you and your family. We also want you to know that as you work through your infertility journey, we are committed to serving each of our patients. Our emergency plan is just one way we can keep our commitment to you.