How to Prepare Yourself and Your Family for Disasters

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How to Prepare Yourself and Your Family for
Disasters
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Presentation Objectives

• List general steps to prepare for any disaster
• List the necessary components of an
  emergency/disaster supply kit
• Provide guidelines for creating an
  emergency/disaster family plan
• Learn how to get more information on disasters
  and preparedness

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How do I prepare for an emergency?

• Take the same general steps to prepare for most
  emergencies,
• Make an emergency/disaster supply kit
• Make an emergency/disaster family plan
• Stay informed
• Get involved

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You Can Make an Emergency Kit Simply and
Cheaply!!!

• You wont need these
• supplies often, so it is ok to purchase
• inexpensive items
• You have to start somewherebuy one extra item
  every time you go to the grocery or department
  storeit will all add up and eventually you can
  have a full kit!

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Basic Information About Disaster Kits

• Remember to check your items every 6 months and
  rotate foods/water/medicines in with your regular
  supplies.
• Make sure your kit is not too heavy
• for you to carry in an emergency!!
• Remember, you should be able to grab a kit and go
  immediately during an emergencydont count on
  pulling things together around the house during
  that time.
• Most importantly Individualize
• your kit to your specific family needs!!

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Basic Items to Include in an Emergency Supply Kit

• Water
• Food
• Clothes (jacket, hat)
• Medications
• Flashlight
• Manual Can Opener
• Radio (hand-cranked/battery powered)
• Hygiene Items
• First Aid

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First-Aid Kit

• Sterile bandages and gauze in assorted sizes
• Adhesive tape
• Anti-diarrhea medication
• Cold pack
• Scissors, tweezers, safety pins
• Alcohol wipes

• Disposable gloves
• List of family members allergies, health
  conditions, and medications

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Also include.Copies of Important
Papers/Documents

• Birth Certificate
• Recent Family Photos
• Wills
• Homeowners/Flood Insurance
• Social Security Card
• Drivers License
• Childrens Identification Cards
• Deed

• Physicians Information
• List of Prescription Medications
• List of Family/Friends Names Contact
  Information, etc.
• Keep these items in a Ziploc/plastic sealable bag

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Dont forget your pets!

• Plan to take your pets with you when you evacuate
• Many counties in NC are creating co-location
  shelters where you can stay with your pet
• Consider having your Vet put a microchip in your
  pet incase you do become separated

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Know Where Your Storm-Safe Areas Are Located

• What is a safe area?
• An area/room in your home or workplace that is
  free from or has minimal windows and does not
  have an outside wall and is preferably located on
  the first floor (i.e., closet, bathroom, hallway,
  etc.).
• Designate/Educate your family on where to go
  inside your home for safety until the storm
  passes.
• Designate/Educate your co-workers on where to go
  inside your workplace for safety until the storm
  passes.
• Conduct practice drills at home and in your
  workplace to ensure everyone understands where to
  go for safety.

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Have an Evacuation Plan

• Plan places where your family will meet, both
  within and outside of your immediate
  neighborhood. Become familiar with alternate
  routes and other means of transportation out of
  your area.
• If you have a car, keep a half tank of gas in it
  at all times in case you need to evacuate. If
  you do not have a car, plan how you will leave if
  you have to.
• Take your emergency supply kit unless you have
  reason to believe it has been contaminated.
• Lock the door behind you.
• Take your pets with you

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Communication is Key

• Create a Family Communication Plan
• Ask someone who lives and works out of town to be
  your familys emergency contact.
• Have family members carry the contacts phone
  number(s) and email address with them.
• If disaster strikes your area, family members
  should report their locations to the contact.
  He/She can tell you where everyone is.
• Family Communication Plan information obtained
  from Channing-Bete Company brochure entitled,
  Terrorism Living with Uncertainty.

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Be Informed

• Learn about the emergency plans that have been
  established in your area by your state and local
  government.
• ____________ Countys emergency services
  include
• Special Needs Registry?
• Co-location shelters?
• Special Needs Shelters?
• Other emergency plans?

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Disaster Public Education Websites

• American Red Cross www.redcross.org
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  www.cdc.gov
• Citizen Corps www.citizencorps.gov
• Department of Homeland Security www.dhs.gov
• Department of Commerce www.doc.gov
• Department of Energy www.energy.gov
• Department of Health and Human Services
  www.hhs.gov
• Department of Interior www.doi.gov
• Department of Justice www.justice.gov
• Environmental Protection Agency www.epa.gov
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
  www.fema.gov
• Food and Drug Administration www.fda.gov

• Humane Society of the United States
  www.hsus.org/disaster
• Institute for Business and Home Safety
  www.ibhs.org
• National Fire Protection Association
  www.nfpa.org
• National Institute of Mental Health
  www.nimh.nih.gov
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
  www.noaa.gov
• National Weather Service www.nws.noaa.gov
• Nuclear Regulatory Commission www.nrc.gov
• Pandemic Influenza www.pandemicflu.gov
• United Animal Nations Emergency Animal Rescue
  Service www.uan.org
• U.S. Fire Administration www.usfa.fema.gov
• U.S. Department of Agriculture www.usda.gov
• U.S. Geological Survey www.usgs.gov
• US. Postal Service www.usps.gov

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Get involved!

• Formally
• Citizen Corps programs such as the Medical
  Reserve Corps, Community Emergency Response Team,
  Neighborhood Watch, Red Cross, etc.
• Informally
• Watch out for your neighbors and your community!