Renal Support Network

A disaster is an event that can result in significant harm to lives and/or property, as well as disruption in daily activities. For the people receiving kidney dialysis or living with a kidney transplant, planning for emergencies and disasters can be the difference between life and death.

People who have an illness and require medication and treatment must take special measures to ensure their own health and safety during and after disasters. Here are resources to help you put together a plan to be prepared in the case of an emergency.

Click the play arrow above to hear the preparedness PSA by Renal Support Network

(KCER) serves as a great resource to patients and professionals. An example for patients is the card. These Patient Identification Cards, from KCER, provide the basic information to help the patient and dialysis provider locate information in case of an emergency.
Download a copy of the card: Interactive type-in and print version

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has published this guide for people on dialysis “Preparing for Emergencies – A Guide for People on Dialysis”.
Click here to download a copy of the guide.

Tambien disponible en espanol: Prepárese para Emergencias: Una guía para personas en diálisis

If you’re on dialysis, you’re advised to have these items in your home, and switch to this diet if you don’t have access to care. This is not a substitute for dialysis. Feel free to download, print and share.

FCC and Universal Administrative Co Emergency Broadband Financial Assistance The Emergency Broadband Benefit Program is a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program that provides a temporary discount on monthly broadband bills for qualifying low-income households. If your household is eligible, you can receive:

• Up to a $50/month discount on your broadband service and associated equipment rentals
• Up to a $75/month discount if your household is on qualifying Tribal lands
• A one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, tablet, or desktop computer (with a co-payment of more than $10 but less than $50)

Only one monthly service discount and one device discount is allowed per household.

The FCC has announced that consumers can begin applying for and enrolling in the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program on May 12, 2021. The program will end when the fund runs out of money, or six months after the Department of Health and Human Services declares an end to the COVID-19 health emergency, whichever is sooner.

Florida’s Special Needs Shelter program and its Registry
If you live in Florida and you or a family member, during periods of evacuation or emergency, requires evacuation and/or sheltering assistance due to physical impairments, mental impairments, cognitive impairment, or sensory disabilities; it is important that you are aware of your County’s Special Needs Shelter program and its Registry. It is important that you become familiar with the services available within your community before an emergency or disaster strikes. Start by checking this list of Special Needs Shelters by County.