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Prospreo:
My wife is diabetic and has insulin that needs refrigeration. We are five blocks from Boca Ciega Bay in Pinellas County, on a slight ridge so dry until a 20 foot storm surge. But with old oak trees are everywhere we could possibly be a few days without power when a high wind comes by.

I see several hurricane shelters in the area, and one "special needs" shelter. Would this be an option for a generator powered refrigerator for insulin?

I think I'll order a car cigarette powered cooler that we can plug into our car for her meds...

We may send her on the road, but the last time Pinellas County was evacuated the gridlock on the bridges was crazy and several friends eventually made it to Orlando to be hammered there when it was calm here (Charlie).

I'll ride the storm out here, as foolish as it is. Unless a cat 5 totally aims for Gulfport and St Pete...

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OrlandoDan:
Prospero. I had a sister that was highly dependent on insulin. In the short term, use a nice big cooler and stock up on ice. In the longer term, understand your options. A good cooler that is big and stocked should last a few days.

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Prospero:
Thanks, OrlandoDan!

I am Googling "Insulin Coolers". There are some good solutions for maybe three pens, but for a week or so of no power the options drop off drastically. So I am looking at basic DC powered small refrigerators and realize I have my work cut out for me.

We have several battery operated fans for our comfort when the power is out, and flashlights, etc. We have propane to cook food before it spoils, and canned food for regular meals. Instant coffee and creamer of course, and plenty of water (for a week anyway). So keeping her insulin cool is the main objective we need to nail down.

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JIMII:
I am in the same boat regarding insulin thus the reason I'm stock piling ice NOW. Already have enough for one small cooler just from the ice marker in the fridge. I figure I'll need enough to survive 3 to 4 days without power, after that enough gas to drive to where power is (got friends in Tampa & Atlanta). The long game isn't to stay put with generators and all that nonsense, just drive to a better location once the roads are cleared. A lot of people stick around and try to "tough it out"... ummm no thanks. 3 days after Wilma it was apparent the power wasn't coming back on soon (took 10 days FYI) so we drove north and just kept tabs on situation back home. Panels were up and insurance would cover whatever we left behind.

Speaking of which - quick tip: take pictures of all YOUR stuff: Inside, outside, vehicles, furniture, etc so insurance can verify their condition. We also take pics/videos of the house with all the panels up to prove we protected our asset as best as possible.

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Daniel Jones:
You may want to look into Cooluli . The one I linked, while not the most visually appealing, is at least available now via Prime One-Day for the Orlando area. I have all 3 sizes of their mini fridges, and while they're not cold enough to keep food for extended periods, they will work for keeping insulin cold enough for several days. My mother-in-law uses insulin, and we actually keep one of these plugged in and cooled for use in the event the power goes out. Also comes with plugs to use in the car or even USB power banks. Like most thermoelectric fridges, they only cool to about 40 degrees below ambient, so keep that in mind when using them.

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lunkerhunter:
YETI Roady 20 or larger Tundra.

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justmeinflorida:
FRIO insulin wallet gets activated with water and will keep insulin cool for 2 days, then you just wet it again to re-activate. http://www.frioinsulincoolingcase.com/how-the-frio-insulin-cooling-case-works.html

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COML43:
Prospero- Also consider dry ice and stock up on crush activated sports medicine ice packs. They are VERY handy in keeping meds chilled "on the go" and in unexpected outages. -Murph

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Prospero:
Thanks Daniel Jones, just ordered a Cooluli which will come tomorrow free delivery (Amazon Prime).
I'm interested in the FRIO that justmeinflorida mentions, and may add that to out Diabetic home and road kit.

Insulin, and Diabetes in general definitely adds a level of concern when preparing for any kind of storm or power outage.

Thank you all and I am certain your info will be valuable for many others as well!

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