Medications in Emergencies: Supplies, Insulin and First Aid

Quick answer: Ask your doctor or pharmacist how you can keep a small extra supply of essential medicines; the American Red Cross suggests at least 7 days in your emergency kit. Keep a written medication list, store medicines cool and dry, and plan how to keep insulin and other fridge medicines cool if the power fails. The US FDA says many insulin vials and cartridges can be kept unrefrigerated at 15–30 °C (59–86 °F) for up to 28 days, but check your product’s leaflet. Pack a basic first-aid kit and learn how to use it.

This guide gives general preparedness information only. It is not medical advice. Always ask your doctor or pharmacist about your own medicines, and never change a dose or stop a medicine without their guidance.

When shops, pharmacies and clinics close, or roads are cut, regular medicines can become the most urgent need in a household. Unlike food and water, you can’t just buy a bit extra at the supermarket. The answer is to plan ahead with the professionals who already look after you.

Step 1: Talk to your doctor or pharmacist

Start with a short conversation. Good questions to ask:

Can I keep an extra supply of my essential medicines? How much is sensible and allowed where I live?
How should I store it, and how long does it keep?
What should I do if I run out or can’t get to a pharmacy?
Are there alternatives if my usual medicine is unavailable?
What’s the plan for my medical devices if the power goes out? Ready.gov advises talking to your medical provider about a power-outage plan for powered devices and refrigerated medicines.

Rules on early repeat prescriptions vary a lot between countries and insurers. Your pharmacist will know what is possible locally.

Rotate your extra supply

An emergency supply only helps if it’s in date. Use the oldest pack first, keep the newest in reserve, and check expiry dates every few months, just as you would with food (see food rotation and FIFO).

Step 2: Write a medication list

In an emergency you may see a different doctor, pharmacist or volunteer medic. A written list saves time and prevents mistakes.

Include for each person:

What to record	Example
Medicine name (brand and generic)	As printed on the box
Strength and how it’s taken	As on the label or prescription
Why it’s taken	e.g. blood pressure, asthma
Prescriber and pharmacy	Name and phone number
Allergies and reactions	e.g. penicillin, latex
Medical conditions	e.g. diabetes, epilepsy
Devices	e.g. inhaler, glucose meter, CPAP, hearing aid

Keep one copy in your emergency kit, one in your wallet or bag and a photo on your phone. Update it whenever anything changes.

Step 3: Store medicines well

Keep the original packaging and leaflet. They carry the name, strength, expiry date and storage instructions.
Cool and dry. Bathrooms are often too damp and warm. A bedroom cupboard is usually better.
Out of reach of children.
Waterproof bag or box for your emergency supply.

Heat, flooding and fire

The FDA warns that medicines exposed to floodwater or possibly contaminated water can become unsafe and should be discarded, even in their original containers. Medicines exposed to excessive heat may not work as well and should be considered for replacement. If an affected medicine is needed for a life-threatening condition and no replacement is available, the FDA says it may be used if it looks unchanged, until you can get a new supply. Speak to a pharmacist as soon as you can.

Insulin and fridge medicines without power

This is the area that needs the most planning.

What the FDA says about insulin

Insulin in vials or cartridges supplied by the manufacturer, opened or unopened, may be left unrefrigerated between 15 °C and 30 °C (59–86 °F) for up to 28 days and continue to work.
Some products have different limits, so check your product’s leaflet or the manufacturer.
Do not use insulin that has been frozen.
Keep it away from direct heat and sunlight.
Don’t put insulin directly on ice, which can freeze it.
Once you can get properly stored insulin again, replace vials that were exposed to extreme temperatures.
Only switch insulin products under a doctor’s care, with close blood sugar monitoring.

Keeping fridge medicines cool

Keep the fridge closed. A closed fridge stays cold for about 4 hours, according to FoodSafety.gov and Ready.gov.
Use a cool bag with frozen gel packs wrapped in a cloth, so medicine never touches the ice directly.
Consider a medical cooling wallet that works by evaporation and needs no power. Ask your pharmacist or diabetes team which suits your medicine.
Keep a fridge thermometer so you know how warm it got.
Ask before discarding. Ready.gov advises that if the power is out for more than a day, you should discard medication that needs refrigeration unless the label says otherwise. Because some medicines, like insulin, have specific allowances, check with your pharmacist or the product information first.

More tips on handling outages are in our power outage preparation guide.

Diabetes supplies to pack

Insulin and pen needles or syringes
Glucose meter, test strips, lancets and spare batteries
Fast-acting sugar for low blood sugar, as your care team advises
A sharps container
Your diabetes plan and contact numbers

Step 4: First-aid basics

A first-aid kit and a little knowledge can handle most minor injuries when help is slow to arrive.

First-aid kit checklist

Learn the skills

A kit is far more useful if you know what to do. Red Cross societies and other organisations run short first-aid courses in many countries, and the British Red Cross and American Red Cross both offer free first-aid apps. Core skills worth learning: controlling bleeding, treating burns, recognising a heart attack or stroke, CPR, and helping someone who is choking.

Emergency medication checklist

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about an extra supply
Keep at least 7 days of essential medicines in your kit
Write a medication list for each person and store copies
Store medicines cool, dry and in original packaging
Plan cool storage for insulin and fridge medicines
Plan backup power for essential medical devices
Pack a first-aid kit and learn basic first aid
Check expiry dates every few months and rotate

Want to see how prepared your household is overall? Check how many days your household would last. It asks about prescription and fridge medicines so they’re part of your plan.

In any medical emergency, call your local emergency number. Follow advice from your doctor, pharmacist and local health authorities.