Be Ready: Preparing for emergencies when you are living with cancer

The UK Government launched its Be Ready campaign on 22 October. The campaign aims to help households prepare for potential emergencies that could disrupt the everyday services they rely on 

The new initiative encourages people to take simple steps to ensure they can cope for up to 3 days if an emergency, such as severe weather or a cyberattack, disrupts services like water, power, communications and local businesses. 

You can learn more about the Be Ready campaign on the UK Government website. There is tailored Be Ready advice for people living in Scotland and Northern Ireland. 

Emergencies often happen unexpectedly. Thinking about what you might need if something disrupted the services and support you rely on can help you feel more prepared. 

You may find it helpful to create a checklist of the things you would need in an emergency. You can then use this checklist to put together an emergency kit that is tailored to you and the people in your household. 

The government's advice is to be prepared for up to 3 days, helping you manage while emergency services and support are prioritised for those most in need. 

Once you have created your emergency kit checklist, you may find you already have many of the items on it. For anything you do not already have, there is no need to buy everything at once. An emergency kit can be built up over time, perhaps by adding one or two items to your regular shop. It is also something you will want to review over time. The government advice recommends reviewing the content every 6 months. 

If you, or someone you live with, has cancer, there may be some additional things you should consider. This blog offers advice to help you create your emergency kit checklist. 

Priority services register

Medicines

Try to keep a supply of your regular medicines that would last for at least 3 days. This might include:

• cancer medicines such as chemotherapy tablets or steroids 
• painkillers 
• anti-sickness medicines 
• any medicines you take for other health conditions.

Keep an up-to-date list of your medicines, including the dose and how often you take them. Make sure you have the contact details of your GP, hospital team and pharmacy and store this information somewhere easy to find, for example, on your phone. 

Some medicines need to be kept within a specific temperature range. You can ask your pharmacist how long your medicines can safely be stored if there is a power cut. If any of  your medicines need refrigeration you could keep a cool bag and ice packs for use in an emergency. 

• stoma products 
• dressings 
• catheters 
• feeding pumps 
• oxygen equipment 
• suction machines 
• nebulisers.

Keep user instructions, and any backup batteries in place you can easily get to. If loss of power could affect your treatment or safety, make sure your electricity supplier knows about your situation (see Priority Services Register section above). 

First aid kit

• thermometer 
• plasters  
• sterile dressings and bandages 
• adhesive tape 
• antiseptic wipes 
• disposable gloves 
• scissors and tweezers 
• pain relief medicines that are safe for you to use.
  
  

Healthcare plan

• Your cancer diagnosis and treatment details 
• Current medicines you take and any allergies 
• Emergency contacts 
• Details of your cancer team, GP and hospital 
• Information about any medical equipment you use.

Keep copies somewhere easy to get to so that family members, or anyone who needs to can quickly find important information. 

A key part of your emergency kit is making sure you have enough food and water. 

Water supplies for 3 days 

If your household water supply was disrupted, you would need bottled water not only for drinking, but also for tasks such as washing and cooking. 

The Be Ready campaign recommends having 3 litres of drinking water per person, per day. This means you would need nine litres per person to prepare for 3 days. You would also need additional water for washing and cooking. 

Food supplies for 3 days 

When it comes to food, make sure you have enough non-perishable food to last for 3 days. Foods with a long shelf life that do not need cooking or refrigeration include tinned meat, fish and vegetables, as well as dried fruit and nuts. 

It's also important to have anything you need to prepare or eat your food. For example, make sure you have a tin opener if you're storing tinned food. 

If an emergency affects essential services such as the power supply, these items can help you stay connected, safe and warm. 
 

A rechargeable power bank 

A fully charged power bank will help for any periods where there is no electricity. 

When choosing a power bank, there are a few things to consider. First, check that it is compatible with the devices you want to charge. For example, if you need to charge a mobile phone using a USB cable, make sure the power bank supports that connection. Most power banks are compatible with USB cables, but some devices may use different types of charging cables. 

If you are unsure which charging cable your device uses, you can search online for different cable types and compare them with your own devices. This can help you choose the right power bank for your needs. 

You should also consider the size and battery capacity of the power bank. Capacity is usually measured in milliampere-hours (mAh). Product descriptions will often indicate how many times the power bank can charge a particular device. For example, a 20,000 mAh power bank may be able to charge an iPhone around 3 times, depending on the model. 

A torch  

 
You may need a source of light, and a torch is safer than candles. You can choose either a wind-up torch or a battery-powered torch. 

Spare batteries 

If any items in your emergency kit rely on batteries, make sure you’ve got at least 1 spare pack of the correct size batteries. 

Blankets, sleeping bags, and warm clothing

Keeping warm is important, especially if an emergency happens during the winter months. Consider things like extra blankets you might need if your heating supply is impacted by an emergency. 

We also have advice to help you keep warm without turning the heat on. 

Staying informed about what is happening and being able to communicate with loved ones can be especially important in an emergency. Here are some of the things that will help you do this. 

A battery-powered radio 

Having an FM radio that doesn’t rely on an electric supply will be useful for updates during outages. You can buy radios that are wind-up or battery powered. If you choose a battery-powered radio, make sure you also keep spare batteries for it. Government guidance also recommends you note down the radio frequencies for local and national stations that you would use to hear the latest news. 

Writing down the phone numbers you might need 

Create an emergency contact list and store it somewhere safe. Where possible, include mobile and landline numbers.  

As well as details for family and friends, you might want to include numbers for local support, such as: 

• your GP or doctor’s surgery 
• a local pharmacy or chemist 
• a veterinary surgery if you have pets. 

It can also be helpful to note down numbers for services you might need: 

• Emergency services: 999 
• NHS non-emergency number: 111 
• Police non-urgent: 101 
• Reporting a power cut: 105 in England, Scotland and Wales, and 03457 643643 in Northern Ireland. 

Keep enough money available to cover essentials such as food and fuel. The guidance recommends having a mix of payment methods, including bank cards, cash notes and coins. 

It is also recommended that you keep copies of important documents, such as passports, birth certificates and insurance policy details. Printed copies can be particularly useful if digital services are unavailable during an emergency. 

If there are children in your household, here are some of the things to consider when preparing for an emergency. 
 

Baby formula 

Having enough of the ready-made or ready-to-feed formula options to last for 3 days is best. In an emergency, you may not be able to boil water to prepare powered formula. 

Non-perishable food for toddlers and young children 

If you have young children, you may want to think about non-perishable food that is familiar to them. For example, fruit and vegetable pouches, crackers, oatcakes, or cereal bars. 

Nappies and baby wipes 

If a child in your household uses nappies, make sure you have enough nappies and baby wipes to last for 3 days. 

Medication for children

If a child takes any regular medication, make sure you include enough of it in your emergency medical kit. 

As well as these essential supplies, you might also want to think about things that will help a child feel comfortable in an emergency. This might include a favourite comfort item and activities to keep them occupied that do not rely on electricity. 

If you have pets in your household, you will also need to think about what you would need for them to prepare for 3 days. Pets will need: 

• Non-perishable pet food 
• Drinking water 
• Any medication 
• Litter supplies or waste bags