FDA > CDRH >
Hurricanes: Health and Safety Before and After a Storm > FDA Offers Tips about Medical Devices and Hurricane Disasters
FDA Offers Tips about Medical Devices and Hurricane Disasters
General Safety
- Keep your device and supplies clean and dry.
- If you depend on your device to keep you alive, seek emergency services
immediately. If possible, notify your local Public Health Authority to request
evacuation prior to adverse weather events.
- Always use battery powered flashlights or lanterns rather than gas lights
or torches when oxygen is in use (to minimize the risk of fire).
- If your device appears to be damaged, or if you need a back-up device,
contact your distributor or device manufacturer.
- Check all power cords and batteries to make sure they are not wet or damaged
by water. If electrical circuits and electrical equipment have gotten wet,
turn off the power at the main breaker.
- Maintain your device only in a well lit area so you can assess your device's
performance (e.g., refilling your insulin pump, checking your glucose meter).
- Keep your device in as clean and secure location as possible: off the ground,
away from animals or crowded areas.
- Always check your device for pests before you use it (e.g., syringes, mechanical
devices).
Power Outage
- Notify your electric company and fire department to let them know you have a medical device that needs power (e.g., ventilator, apnea monitor).
- Read your user instructions or call your distributor or device manufacturer to find out if your device can be used with batteries or a generator.
- Locate a generator if possible.
- Make sure you check for water before plugging in your device. Do not plug in a power cord if the cord or the device is wet.
- When the power is restored, check to make sure the settings on your medical device have not changed (often medical devices reset to a default mode when power is interrupted).
Warning about Potential Carbon Monoxide Problems when Using Generators
Since many medical devices used in the home require a source of electrical power, generators are often used to supply electricity during a general power outage. The following points should be followed to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Never run a generator, pressure washer, or any gasoline-powered engine inside a basement, garage, or other enclosed structure, even if the doors or windows are open, unless the equipment is professionally installed and vented.
- Never run a motor vehicle, generator, pressure washer, or any gasoline-powered engine outside an open window or door where exhaust can vent into an enclosed area.
|
Water Contamination
Some medical devices and equipment, such as dialyzers or IV pumps, require
safe water in their use, cleaning, and maintenance.
Hurricanes, especially if accompanied by a tidal surge or flooding, can contaminate
the public water supply. In the area hit by a hurricane, water treatment plants
may not be operating; even if they are, storm damage and flooding can contaminate
water lines.
Listen to and follow public announcements about the safety
of the municipal water supply.
In an emergency situation, follow these steps to ensure that your water is safe for use with your medical device:
- Use only bottled, boiled, or treated water until your supply is tested
and found safe.
- If you use bottled water, be sure it came from a safe source. If you do
not know that the water came from a safe source, you should boil or treat
it before you use it.
- Boiling water, when practical, is the preferred way to kill harmful bacteria
and parasites. Bringing water to a rolling boil for 1 minute will kill most
organisms.
- When boiling water is not practical, you can treat water with chlorine
tablets, iodine tablets, or unscented household chlorine bleach (5.25% sodium
hypochlorite). If you use chlorine tablets or iodine tablets, follow the directions
that come with the packaging.
- If you use household chlorine bleach, add 1/8 teaspoon (~0.75 mL) of bleach
per gallon of water if the water is clear. For cloudy water, add 1/4 teaspoon
(~1.50 mL) of bleach per gallon. Mix the solution thoroughly and let it stand
for about 30 minutes before using it.
Note: Treating water with chlorine tablets, iodine tablets, or liquid bleach will not kill parasitic organisms.
Use a bleach solution to rinse water containers before reusing them. Use water
storage tanks and other types of containers with caution. For example, fire
truck storage tanks and previously used cans or bottles may be contaminated
with microbes or chemicals.
For additional information on keeping water safe, see http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/foodwater.asp.
Sterility
- When performing medical procedures, maintain a clean environment by using
bleach, alcohol, or a disinfectant in the area you are working (e.g., catheter
changes, dressing changes, suctioning).
- Check sterile packaging to make sure it is dry and intact (e.g., sterile
gauze). If the packaging is wet or damaged, do not use the product inside.
- When you purchase supplies, always check the packaging to make sure it hasn't
been damaged.
Re-use of Medical Devices
Do not reuse a medical device intended for single use.
If you find that you need additional single use products, contact a healthcare
provider or emergency response personnel.
- If you need to reuse a device that is intended for multiple uses (e.g.,
infusion tubing, syringes), the device must be cleaned and disinfected or
sterilized according to the device manufacturer’s instructions. Devices
should not be boiled unless explicitly allowed on the product label or instructions
for use.
- If you have supplies that are intended for multiple use with your medical
device, follow the appropriate procedures for cleaning and disinfecting.
- If you need sterile water for cleaning, disinfecting, or sterilizing your
device or its components, follow the above procedures for ensuring that your
water is safe.
Dealing with Heat and Humidity
Heat and humidity can have an effect on home diagnostic test kits (including blood glucose tests used by people with diabetes). Test results may not be accurate. Read your owner’s manual to make sure your test kit is performing properly.
Special Information about Using Blood Glucose Meters
Heat and humidity can damage blood glucose meters and test strips.
If you use a blood glucose meter, check the meter and test strip package insert for information on use during unusual heat and humidity. Store and handle the meter and test strips according to the instructions. Perform quality-control checks to make sure that your home glucose testing is accurate and reliable.
|
To protect your device from heat and humidity, follow the steps below:
- Use a dry cloth to wipe off your device regularly (e.g., mechanical infusion pumps).
- Keep your device out of direct sunlight.
- Enclose your medical products in plastic containers to keep them dry (e.g., wound care supplies).
- Do not use ice if there is a danger of water contamination; use dry ice or instant cold packs to keep your device cool (e.g., prefilled syringes).
- Do not use disposable devices that are wet (e.g., wound dressings, disposable thermometers, tubing).
Treating Snakebites
- If medical care is rapidly available, then initial treatment should include
immobilizing the affected limb and minimizing physical activity as much as
possible (ideally entirely immobilizing the patient) during transport to a
medical facility.
- If care is delayed, a loose-fitting pressure bandage that does not restrict
arterial and venous flow (but does limit lymphatic flow) is recommended as
a first-aid measure while the victim is moved as quickly as possible to a
medical facility. Tourniquets that impair blood flow to the affected limb
are generally contraindicated.
- Specific therapy for snakebites varies with the type of snake. Procedures
such as making cuts over the bite marks and attempting to suck out the venom
should not be done. Ice should not be placed
on the bite. Immediate transport to a medical facility and treatment with
snake antivenin is the treatment of choice.
The Food and Drug Administration regulates antivenins as part of its oversight
of biological products. The agency requires certain criteria to be met before
these materials are sold, including standards for purification, packaging and
potency. The FDA also regulates antivenin labeling, ensuring that data on potential
side effects and other pertinent information are available.
See also:
Updated August 29, 2008
CDRH Home Page | CDRH A-Z Index | Contact CDRH | Accessibility | Disclaimer
FDA Home Page | Search FDA Site | FDA A-Z Index | Contact FDA | HHS Home Page
Center for Devices and Radiological Health / CDRH