Emergency preparedness for children, seniors and people on medication

Short answer. Official agencies agree on four priorities for people who cannot simply "make do" in a crisis: a reserve of prescription medicines (US: "several days" ²; Germany: household self-sufficiency for ideally 10 days ⁶), a backup plan for any medical device that needs electricity ², safe infant feeding, with ready-to-feed formula as the safest formula option ⁵, and spare batteries for mobility and hearing aids ²⁷.

Why do children, seniors and people on medication need a separate plan?

A general emergency kit assumes that everyone in the household can eat what is stored, walk out the door and wait a few days for shops and pharmacies to reopen. That assumption fails for a baby who depends on formula, a person on daily insulin, someone who uses a power wheelchair or oxygen, or an older adult who relies on a hearing aid to hear a warning.

Ready.gov notes that an emergency "can make it difficult" to refill a prescription or find an open pharmacy ¹. Germany's federal civil protection office (BBK) asks households to be able to supply themselves for ideally ten days, and says even a three-day reserve "helps a lot" ⁶. For anyone whose health depends on a medicine, a device or a specific food, those days have to be planned item by item.

How much medication should I keep in reserve?

The agencies cited here do not give one universal figure, and they differ:

In practice, the conversation with your doctor or pharmacist is the step Ready.gov recommends ². Ask what reserve is appropriate for each medicine, and how to rotate it so that the oldest packs are used first.

Keep a written list of every medicine, its dose and any allergies ². BBK also recommends a written medication plan and an emergency ID card (Notfallausweis) listing illnesses, allergies, aids and emergency contacts, which can also be kept on a smartphone ⁷.

What happens to insulin and refrigerated medicines in a power cut?

Ready.gov advises keeping a cooler and chemical ice packs on hand to chill medicines that must be refrigerated ².

For insulin, the FDA states that manufacturer vials or cartridges, opened or unopened, may be kept unrefrigerated between 59°F and 86°F (15°C to 30°C) for up to 28 days and still work ³. Insulin that has been diluted or drawn out of its original vial should be discarded within two weeks ³. Do not use insulin that has been frozen, and keep it away from direct heat and sunlight ³.

For other medicines, the FDA advises checking the storage instructions or asking a pharmacist, health care provider or the manufacturer after a loss of refrigeration ⁴. Any medicine that has touched floodwater or unsafe water should be thrown away, even in its original container with a screw-top cap, snap lid or dropper ⁴. The one exception the FDA allows: if a medicine is needed for a life-threatening condition and no replacement is available, it may be used if it looks unchanged, and replaced as soon as possible ⁴.

What if a medical device needs electricity?

If you use medical equipment at home that runs on electricity, Ready.gov says to talk to your doctor or health care provider about a plan, and to ask your power provider to put you on a list for priority power restoration ². In the United Kingdom, gas, electricity and water suppliers run Priority Services Registers so they know you need extra support when supply is interrupted; the UK government also asks carers to check whether the people they look after are registered ⁸.

Other steps the agencies name:

• A backup supply of oxygen ².
• An extra battery for a power wheelchair or other battery-operated medical or assistive device, with spare batteries kept charged at all times ².
• Spare chargers for electronic devices ²; BBK lists spare batteries, rechargeable packs and chargers for technical aids ⁷.
• A written list of the style and serial number of each medical device ².

Treat a priority list as one layer of the plan, with batteries and a place to go as the others.

What do babies and young children need?

The CDC states that during a natural disaster, breastfeeding is the safest way to feed an infant ⁵. For formula feeding, ready-to-feed infant formula is the safest option during an emergency or disaster, because it does not need to be mixed with water ⁵.

If powdered formula is the only option, the CDC says to prepare it with safe water and a clean measuring scoop, using the exact amount of water and formula listed on the container, and to discard any formula left in the bottle after a feed ⁵. That means water for formula has to be counted on top of drinking water. Ready.gov's general baseline is one gallon (about 3.8 litres) per person per day ¹.

Ready.gov's list of additional kit items includes infant formula, bottles, diapers, wipes and diaper rash cream ¹. Add any children's medicines your paediatrician has prescribed, following the same reserve logic as for adults ².

How do I plan for limited mobility or hearing and vision loss?

BBK recommends discussing with neighbours, family and friends how they could support you in an emergency, and thinking ahead about who can help and how ⁷. It also lists mobility aids ready for leaving the home quickly, and aids such as glasses or hearing aids kept at hand ⁷. Ready.gov adds extra hearing-aid batteries and a battery-operated lantern so that people can still communicate by sign language or lip reading in the dark ².

Ready.gov also asks people to keep copies of insurance and Medicare cards and contact information for doctors and relatives to notify ². If you rely on a service or support animal, pack food, extra water, a collar with ID tag and medical records for it, and check whether your local shelter accepts animals ².

Any change to the building itself, such as ramps, a protected room or a stair lift, is outside the scope of this guide. Ask a qualified engineer or accessibility professional.

What official agencies recommend

• United States (FEMA / Ready.gov): several days of prescription medicines, a plan with your doctor for powered equipment, a request to your utility for priority restoration, backup oxygen, spare batteries and chargers, and copies of medical documents ¹².
• United States (FDA): insulin can be kept at 59-86°F for up to 28 days; discard medicines exposed to floodwater ³⁴.
• United States (CDC): breastfeeding first; ready-to-feed formula is the safest formula option ⁵.
• Germany (BBK): household self-sufficiency for ideally 10 days, at least 3 ⁶; necessary medicines, a medication plan, an emergency ID card and spare batteries for aids ⁷.
• United Kingdom: sign up to your energy and water suppliers' Priority Services Registers if eligible ⁸.

Where figures differ, the gap reflects national policy rather than a disagreement about medicine: the US speaks of "several days" ¹², Germany of ideally 10 days of general household self-sufficiency ⁶. Follow your own country's agency and your prescriber.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get extra prescription medicine for an emergency reserve?

Ready.gov advises talking to your doctor or pharmacist about how to build an emergency supply ². They can tell you what is possible for each of your medicines.

How long does insulin last without a fridge?

According to the FDA, manufacturer vials or cartridges can be kept between 59°F and 86°F for up to 28 days, opened or not ³. Discard any insulin that has frozen ³.

Is powdered formula safe to use after a disaster?

The CDC calls ready-to-feed formula the safest formula option ⁵. If you must use powder, prepare it with safe water and a clean scoop in the exact proportions on the label, and discard leftovers after each feed ⁵.

Should I tell my electricity company that I use a medical device?

Yes. Ready.gov recommends asking your power provider to put you on a priority restoration list ², and in the UK suppliers keep Priority Services Registers for this purpose ⁸.

My medicines got wet in a flood. Can I still take them?

The FDA says medicines that have touched floodwater or unsafe water should be discarded ⁴. Only a medicine needed for a life-threatening condition, with no replacement available, may be used if it looks unchanged until you can replace it ⁴.

Next step: write it down

A reserve, a device plan and a feeding plan only work if everyone in the household knows them. Write down each person's medicines, doses, devices and contacts ²⁷, and check your own national agency's recommendations.

Sources

1. Ready.gov (U.S. Department of Homeland Security / FEMA) — Build A Kit — https://www.ready.gov/kit (accessed 2026-10-20)
2. Ready.gov (U.S. Department of Homeland Security / FEMA) — Disability and Access and Functional Needs — https://www.ready.gov/disability (accessed 2026-10-20)
3. U.S. Food and Drug Administration — Information Regarding Insulin Storage and Switching Between Products in an Emergency — https://www.fda.gov/drugs/emergency-preparedness-drugs/information-regarding-insulin-storage-and-switching-between-products-emergency (accessed 2026-10-20)
4. U.S. Food and Drug Administration — Safe Drug Use After a Natural Disaster — https://www.fda.gov/drugs/emergency-preparedness-drugs/safe-drug-use-after-natural-disaster (accessed 2026-10-20)
5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — Facts About Infant Feeding During Emergencies — https://www.cdc.gov/infant-feeding-emergencies-toolkit/php/facts.html (accessed 2026-10-20)
6. Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz und Katastrophenhilfe (BBK), Germany — Ratgeber: Vorsorgen für Krisen und Katastrophen — https://www.bbk.bund.de/DE/Warnung-Vorsorge/Vorsorge/Ratgeber-Checkliste/ratgeber-checkliste_node.html (accessed 2026-10-20)
7. Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz und Katastrophenhilfe (BBK), Germany — Vorsorge für Menschen mit Beeinträchtigungen — https://www.bbk.bund.de/DE/Warnung-Vorsorge/Vorsorge/So-koennen-Sie-sich-vorbereiten/Vorsorge-Menschen-mit-Beeintraechtigungen/vorsorge-menschen-mit-beeintraechti_node.html (accessed 2026-10-20)
8. UK Government (Cabinet Office) — Prepare — https://prepare.campaign.gov.uk/ (accessed 2026-10-20)