Emergency Preparedness

Tropical Storm Nicole Information

Patient Assistance Hotlines

Hurricane Ian Resources

To help alleviate some the burdens felt by patients, the NKF of Florida will be offering a one-time emergency grant for those patients in need. Social workers must apply for this grant by clicking on the link below. Gift cards will be sent to the social worker for distribution to the patients. If you have any immediate concerns, please call our office at 407.894.7325 and we will do everything that we can to assist. Again, our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected by this devastating storm.

• National Kidney Foundation Hurricane Ian Relief Fund

Mental Health

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988 offers 24/7 access to trained crisis counselors who can help people experiencing mental health-related distress. That could be:

• Thoughts of suicide
• Mental health or substance use crisis, or
• Any other kind of emotion distress

People can call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org for themselves or if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.

National/Web-based:

• CDC: Coping with a Disaster or Traumatic Event
• Kids: Coping After a Disaster
• Teens: Coping After a Natural Disaster
• SAMHSA: Disaster Distress Helpline
• Direct help available in American Sign Language
• National Kidney Foundation of Florida: Joe Karan, Patient Advocate is available to help 727-505-4445
  Patient Support Group Meeting: October 6, 2022 at 6:00pm ET
  Register online here
  Dial by Location: +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
  One Tap Mobile: +19292056099,,86521270970#,,,,*963283# US (New York)
  Meeting ID: 865 2127 0970

Donations

Should any providers or stakeholders ask about donations, here are a few organizations:

• A coalition of grassroots organizations has launched the IanResponse.org fund
  To address urgent needs of impacted communities and provide aid throughout the state to quickly address shortfalls. This fund is anchored by a coalition of on-the-ground organizations who came together in the wake of Hurricane Irma, including Florida Rising, Dream Defenders, Florida Immigrant Coalition, FL Jobs With Justice, and Faith in Florida.
• Volunteer Florida: Officially recognized as the Florida Commission on Community Service: volunteer, donate, or get information
• Southwest Florida Emergency Relief Fund

Dialysis Patient Assistance

American Kidney Fund (AKF) Emergency Grant Program: $250 grants for Dialysis and Transplant patients.

• By Phone: Call us at 1.800.795.3226 Monday through Thursday to speak with a live representative. 
• By Phone Appointment: Visit GMSassist.com to schedule a phone appointment for a day and time that is convenient for you. All times available are in EST. 
• By Message: Message us through your GMS account at gms.KidneyFund.org. Be sure to also check the “Information” and “FAQ” tabs for more updated information.
• By Email: GMS registration issues E-mail us at registration@kidneyfund.org. 
• Online: Visit www.KidneyFund.org to learn more about AKF's financial assistance program    

General Financial Assistance

• FEMA Disaster Assistance:
  The fastest way to apply is through DisasterAssistance.gov. You can also apply through the FEMA mobile app or by calling 1-800-621-3362. If you use a video relay service, captioned telephone service, or other communication services, please provide FEMA the specific number assigned for that service
• Flood Insurance: FEMA suggests:
  Call your insurance company right away. Take photos to document damage and keep receipts from all clean-up and repair related purchases. These steps may help maximize insurance and federal disaster assistance payments. If you’ve evacuated, you can still start a claim now and provide specifics later. National Flood Insurance Program policyholders should be sure to ask their insurance company about advance payments to receive up to $20,000 to jumpstart recovery. If you need help with reaching your flood insurance agent or carrier, call 877-336-2627. To learn more about how to start your flood insurance claim, visit Floodsmart.gov

Other Resources

Florida Department of Health (FDOH) Curfew Letter

The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) Hurricane webpage

County and Regional Emergency Coordinators

FDOH Emergency Support Function (ESF) 8 phone number: 850.445.1380

Hurricane Ian 1135 Waivers in place: Waiver or Modification of Requirements Under Section 1135 of the Social Security Act (hhs.gov)

Re-entry Requirements: These requirements will be followed across the state. If a letter on employer letterhead is used, each individual employee’s must be on their copy of the letter, and the name on the letter must match the name on either ID. Individuals and businesses seeking to provide essential commodities and services to impacted areas will be allowed re-entry by possessing and presenting to local officials:

• A valid government-issued ID, such as a driver’s license or passport
• Proof of employment, such as employer credentials, business card or a letter on employer letterhead
• A demonstrated need to enter the area, such as a work order, inventory list or employer authorization. Local officials know their communities and are well-suited to facilitate a safe and timely reentry process

FL Re-entry Procedures: Florida Disaster

Contact information for Utility Partners and Power Outage Update:  

• FPL—Online Reporting
  Call to Report: 800.4OUTAGE (800.468.8243)
  FPL App for iPhone and Android
• Duke Energy—Online Reporting
  Call to Report: 800.228.8485
  Duke Energy App for iPhone and Android
  TEXT “OUT” to 57801 to report
  Contact at Duke Energy, Michele Cavallo, Florida Director, Business Markets at Duke Energy,
  727.698.0204, michele.cavallo@duke-energy.com
• TECO—Online Reporting
  Call to Report 877.588.1010
  Text “OUT” to 35069 or “UPDATE” to 35069 to receive messages
• JEA (Jacksonville Electric Authority)—Online Reporting
  Call to Report: 904.665.6000

COVID-19

The following resources below are great places to find more information about how the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak is affecting your area, and the measures that are being taken to contain it. As we all work together to be safe during this pandemic, please contact the Network (see menus above) if you are a dialysis facility in need of technical assistance or you are a dialysis patient or a family member of a patient and need assistance.