Emergency preparedness when you depend on medication or medical devices
Keep at least a week of your everyday medicines (more if your doctor agrees), rotated so nothing expires, plus a written medication list and copies of prescriptions. If you use insulin, know that the US FDA says vials and pens can be kept unrefrigerated at 15–30 °C (59–86 °F) for up to 28 days. If you depend on powered equipment, plan a backup power source and tell your electricity provider and care team.
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Why medicines are the first thing to plan
In an emergency pharmacies may be closed, card payments may fail and roads may be blocked. Every official list we follow, from Ready.gov to France’s 2025 guide and Catalonia’s 2025 campaign, puts everyday medicines in the 72-hour kit. For anyone with a chronic condition, a few extra days is a sensible margin.
Build a small rolling supply
- Ask your doctor or pharmacist whether you can hold a few extra days of each medicine. Rules differ by country and by medicine.
- Rotate: when you collect a new pack, put it in the kit and use the older one at home.
- Use a weekly pill organiser filled a week ahead, so you can grab seven days of doses in seconds.
- Don’t forget the extras: inhalers, glucose tablets, test strips, lancets, needles, ostomy and incontinence supplies, hearing-aid batteries, spare glasses.
- Check dates at every kit check: see how often to check your kit.
The medication list: one page that helps everyone
Write or print a single page and keep it in a waterproof pouch in your kit, with a photo on your phone:
- Name, date of birth and conditions.
- Every medicine with dose, time and what it’s for.
- Allergies and intolerances.
- Doctor, specialist, pharmacy and a relative’s phone numbers.
- Health insurance or health card number, and copies of prescriptions.
- Equipment you use, with model and supplier.
Medicines that need to stay cool
Insulin, some eye drops, biologic injections and some liquid antibiotics need refrigeration. In a blackout:
- Insulin: the US FDA says vials and cartridges, opened or unopened, can be kept at 15–30 °C (59–86 °F) for up to 28 days and still work. Keep it out of direct sun and heat, and never use insulin that has frozen. If you use ice, don’t let it touch the insulin.
- Keep the fridge closed: it stays cold for about four hours.
- An insulin cooling case keeps pens cool during heatwaves and evacuations.
- For other medicines, check the patient leaflet or ask your pharmacist how long they can be out of the fridge.
The FDA also explains how to switch between insulin types if you can’t get your usual one, but do this with a doctor’s guidance whenever possible and monitor blood sugar closely.
If you depend on powered medical equipment
Oxygen concentrators, home ventilators, CPAP machines, powered wheelchairs, pumps and electric beds all stop in a blackout.
- Ask your supplier what backup they provide (oxygen cylinders, spare batteries) and how long it lasts.
- Tell your electricity provider. In some countries, such as the UK with its Priority Services Register, you can register as someone who depends on power for medical reasons.
- Get a backup power source sized for the device: check its wattage and see our portable power station guide.
- Know where to go: a relative’s home, a hospital or a shelter with power.
- Ready.gov advises making sure your support network knows how to use your equipment and has a spare key.
Older people and carers
Add the things that make life work day to day: spare glasses and hearing-aid batteries, mobility aids, incontinence supplies, a night light, warm layers and easy-to-eat food. Agree a buddy who will check in during an emergency. Our kit for older people and carers has the full checklist.
| Product | Best for | Key spec | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insulin cooling case | Insulin and cool-chain medicines | No fridge needed | Check price on Amazon |
| Weekly pill organiser | A week of doses | Labelled by day | Check price on Amazon |
| Medication travel bag | Keeping medicines together | Compartments | Check price on Amazon |
| Hearing-aid batteries | Hearing aids | Size 312 and others | Check price on Amazon |
We don’t list prices because they change often. Use the button to see the current price on Amazon.
Questions people ask
How much medication should I keep for emergencies?
Official lists ask for at least three days of medicines in your kit; we recommend aiming for a week where your doctor and pharmacy rules allow it, rotated so you always use the oldest pack first.
How do I keep insulin cool without electricity?
The US FDA says insulin in the manufacturer’s vials or cartridges can be kept unrefrigerated between 15 and 30 °C (59–86 °F) for up to 28 days. Keep it out of the sun, use an insulin cooling case in the heat, and never use insulin that has frozen.
What if I use an oxygen concentrator or other powered device?
Ask your supplier about backup cylinders or batteries, keep a power station or spare batteries charged, register with your electricity provider if a priority list exists, and plan where you would go if power is out for long.
What documents should someone with medical needs keep in their kit?
A medication list with doses, copies of prescriptions, a summary of conditions and allergies, health insurance details and contacts for doctors, pharmacy and a relative.
Can I switch insulin brands in an emergency?
Only under medical guidance where possible. The FDA explains how to switch between insulin types in an emergency, but you should monitor blood sugar closely and contact a doctor as soon as you can.
Keep reading
- /kits/older-people/
- Home first aid kit checklist
- How to prepare for a heatwave (and a blackout in the heat)
- /best-portable-power-station/