The Los Angeles fires remind us to be prepared for emergencies

Rapidly spreading wildfires have taken over the news headlines from the Los Angeles area, as I write this column. Dry weather and the Santa Ana winds joined forces to create an inferno there.

Wildfires are just one emergency that the pulmonary fibrosis (PF) community must be prepared to handle. Extended power outages, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, and more can present life-threatening challenges for our community.

When I was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in January 2017, being prepared for an emergency or natural disaster was not the first thing that came to mind. I wasn’t being cavalier. In fact, I’d lived through earthquakes, hurricanes, and a house fire as a child.

At the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF) Summit in 2019, I attended a presentation on preparing for an emergency as a PF patient. I’d just been prescribed supplemental oxygen, although I wasn’t yet using it at the time of the summit. While we’d made some preparations, I needed to pay attention, and I did.

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Are you prepared?

What are you prepared for? Did anyone have a pandemic on their bingo card for 2020? I did not. After attending the PFF presentation, though, I took steps to prepare for many of the other types of emergencies.

The epicenter of the Virginia earthquake in 2011 was in the immediate area of the home my wife, Susan, and I live in today. We’d closed on this home the week before the earthquake; we hadn’t even settled into the house. As we later made ourselves at home, we prepared in the event there was another earthquake. I’d experienced them while living in Japan and during visits to Southern California.

Years later, following my diagnosis, we employed those same earthquake preparations when I was prescribed supplemental oxygen, when we attached the large emergency supply cylinder to an interior wall. Additionally, we stored oxygen tanks in a way to prevent them from being damaged.

Following my diagnosis, we’d begun to anticipate more emergencies, such as extended power outages. Our home is located in what’s best described as a rural setting. Power outages did occur because of significant weather events or an occasional traffic accident. We’d installed a whole-house generator to provide a safety net in the event of an outage.

I received a bilateral lung transplant in July 2021. Before my transplant and before being prescribed supplemental oxygen, I’d also been diagnosed with sleep apnea during my pre-transplant testing. My breathing while sleeping was aided by a continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, machine.

I wanted to have power for that device. I learned that a patient who has medical devices requiring electricity is often eligible to be placed on an electric company list for priority restoration. This help became even more important when I went on oxygen and used a home oxygen concentrator.

What if you must flee?

What are some of the things you need to have if you must evacuate? This list is not all-inclusive, but consider these items to start.

• All of your medications. You’ll also need a list of all those medications, along with who prescribed them and where you have them filled (with contact information).
• A copy of your medical history or access to it.
• If you’re on oxygen, all available oxygen tanks, an oxygen concentrator, fittings, tubing, cannulas, and any other necessary supplies.
• Surgical-style masks and other masks. These can protect you from heavy smoke if you’re fleeing a fire.

You should also plan where you’ll go and how you’ll get there. Confirm those plans as you’re leaving the endangered area. A huge consideration for Susan and me is our pets. Jack, our cat, is easy enough to scoop up and place in a pet carrier. Beau, our Great Pyrenees/Anatolian shepherd, is now 16 months old and still growing. Will your evacuation destination be able to accommodate your pets as well as you?

Prepare today

I watched many news reports of the Los Angeles fires. Many of the victims have lost everything. That was made worse because there was little advance notice that these horrific fires were going to engulf everything they’d held dear.

Even if you don’t write it down, at least think about what you’d need to take and where you’d want to go in such an emergency. Life with PF is not like it was before you were diagnosed. Being prepared will help you make every breath count.

What can you think of that’s important to take with you if you must evacuate? Please share your ideas in the comments below.

Note: Pulmonary Fibrosis News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Pulmonary Fibrosis News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to pulmonary fibrosis.