Healthier Hawaii: Don’t forget medications when preparing for hurricane season

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – As an active hurricane season continues across the Pacific, health officials are reminding residents that an emergency preparedness kit should include far more than just canned goods and bottled water.

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Kurtis Nakamura, outpatient pharmacy manager at Hawaii Pacific Health, said essential prescription medications should always be part of storm preparation plans.

Ideally, residents should keep a one- to two-week supply of their medications on hand, matching common food and water emergency recommendations. If that is not possible, a three- to five-day supply is generally sufficient for most patients.

“Hawaii pharmacies are generally not as spread out as pharmacies in many mainland communities, but emergencies can still cause delays and disruptions,” Nakamura said.

Critical vs. noncritical medications

Not all prescriptions carry the same immediate health risks if interrupted. Nakamura noted that patients managing chronic, life-sustaining conditions should prioritize critical treatments:

Because every patient’s medical regimen is different, Nakamura advised consulting a doctor or pharmacist to determine individual medication priorities before a storm threatens.

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When to request refills

Hurricanes typically offer several days of warning, providing an important window to assess prescription supplies.

If your medication is running low, contact your pharmacy as early as possible. Pharmacy volume often surges ahead of severe weather, meaning prescriptions may take an extra day or more to fulfill.

Insurance providers frequently authorize emergency refill overrides, but those exceptions typically take effect only when a storm poses a direct threat to the islands.

Nakamura urged the public not to request unnecessary refills simply because it is hurricane season, noting that sudden spikes in demand strain pharmacy operations and delay access for patients with urgent needs.

Handling refrigerated medications during power outages

Extended power outages present serious storage challenges for temperature-sensitive drugs. Nakamura offered several key steps:

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