It’s never too early: Ready our community for National Preparedness Month 07-01-26
July 1, 2026
It’s never too early: Ready our community for National Preparedness Month
MOBILE, Ala. — National Preparedness Month is observed every September—but for families in Mobile County, the time to prepare is now. Sudden power outages, water interruptions, extreme heat, hurricanes, and transportation disruptions can happen at any time, and many of our neighbors rely on critical medical devices and services that cannot wait for the lights to come back on.
Across our community, people depend on electricity, refrigeration, and regular transportation for life‑sustaining care: oxygen concentrators, ventilators, powered wheelchairs, home infusion pumps, insulin and other refrigerated medications, feeding pumps, and routine dialysis appointments. A loss of power, water, or road access can turn a manageable medical condition into a life‑threatening emergency in minutes.
“Preparedness is personal,” said Dr. Kevin Michaels, Mobile County Health Officer. “If you or someone you love depends on medical equipment, refrigerated medicine, or regular clinic or dialysis visits, an outage is not just an inconvenience—it’s a serious health risk. Planning ahead with family, friends, and caregivers can save lives.”
Know your needs, make your plan
Residents are urged to take simple, concrete steps now—before the next storm, brownout, or boil‑water notice:
- Identify all medical devices and supplies that require electricity, refrigeration, or regular transportation.
- Talk with your healthcare providers, dialysis centers, and durable medical equipment suppliers about backup options, including battery power, alternative sites, and emergency procedures.
- Develop a written plan with family, friends, and caregivers for what to do during sudden outages or scheduled brownouts, including who will help and where you will go.
- Register, if available, with local utility medical priority or “critical care” customer programs and keep contact information updated.
- Store emergency contact numbers for healthcare providers, pharmacies, dialysis centers, home health agencies, and utilities in both your phone and a paper copy.
Plan for power, water, and transportation
Outages rarely affect just one system. Residents should:
- Plan for loss of electricity: backup batteries, alternative charging options, and safe generator use away from doors and windows.
- Plan for loss of water: keep an emergency supply of drinking water and know local guidance on boil‑water notices.
- Plan for disrupted transportation: identify multiple ways to reach dialysis, medical appointments, and pharmacies, including help from family, neighbors, or community organizations.
Preparedness is a community effort. Families are encouraged to check in with older adults, neighbors with disabilities, and loved ones who may have limited transportation or communication access. A 5‑minute conversation today about “What would we do if the power went out for 24 hours?” can make all the difference when the unexpected happens.
To learn more about the Mobile County Health Department’s Emergency Preparedness Program, you can call 251-410-4383 or visit https://mchd.org/emergency-preparedness.