Jamaica faces an imminent threat from Hurricane Beryl, one of the first major disasters of the season. The climate crisis has already left supermarket shelves empty, with many gearing up for what is being categorised as an intense landfall. Among the top priorities to address are matters of health and safety.
According to Dr Lorenzo Crumbie, having a first aid kit is crucial as you prepare for the impending blow. “Usually for hurricane preparedness, you want your first aid kit to have things that aren’t readily accessible from stores due to closure,” he told Lifestyle . Among the emergency kit checklist are pain medications such as Panadol or Cetamol as well as antihistamines or allergy meds.
Medication for nausea and vomiting, he says, are also important. “Unfortunately, in our setting, those medications aren’t necessarily available over the counter. But we are concerned about contaminated water sources [if] you didn’t store your water properly [and] risks of having gastroenteritis.
” He further explained that individuals with known chronic illnesses should ensure they have their medications in stock. “We hope things are not so severe that you will need more than a month’s worth of medication. But at least have supplies that will carry you for a month.
So, for persons with high blood pressure, they should have their pressure meds. And those with high blood sugar should have their sugar meds.” With the possibility of water leaving the pipes, Dr Crumbie stro.
