EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS NOTES
A 12
Point Program for
Individual, Family & Community Preparedness
By
Al Cooper
1. Have
an emergency plan
Develop, maintain and practice a
written, comprehensive plan detailing
how emergency contingencies will be mitigated, prepared for,
responded to and recovered from.
Ask the question – “What would we do if. . .” a particular set of emergency
circumstances were to
arise? Think about possible
and likely risks and areas of vulnerability, then identify
desirable resources and possible options.
Consider how your plan correlates with school, work place and neighborhood plans. Keep in mind
the fact that the very process of
making a plan may well be more important
than the plan itself.
2. Get
an emergency kit
Assemble and maintain a portable 72-hour emergency
kit containing items
designed to support each individual with vital health
& personal items designed
to support each individual with vital
health and personal comfort essentials for two or three days away
from home. Of the two most likely responses to a wide range
of emergencies,
the possibility of evacuation should
drive this effort.
possible carrying options may prove practical, including a compact back pack which
leaves hands free. Of primary importance is a flashlight and battery
radio together with fresh backu-up batteries for each. Other impo rtant items often overlooked might include essential medications, some cash money (“plastic” might not work” and a list of key
contact information. Position your kit(s) with quick access in mind.
3. Have
emergency food supplies
Fortify home-base with food,
water and other provisions designed to care for the
regular daily needs of those resident there, anticipating the second of the two most likely emergency situations – one where
for possibly extended
periods of time,
outside resources will be unavailable or limited.
Don’t allow yourself to be daunted
by the notion that there is “magic” in the famous “one-year-supply.”
Begin with an inventory of what you already have, then set some practical, reasonable and
achievable goals
for adding the things in form and quantities which make sense
for you. This is not a
one-size-fits-all
game plan. Build
your program around foods
which are desirable for you, have a long shelf life,
and require a minimum of preparations. Date everything, and begin
at once to put it into regular use, always maintaining and increasing
based upon experience.
4. Prepare to shelter-in-place
Identify,
outfit and prepare an area of your home
base suitable for a “shelter-in-place” emergency,
such as might arise from a hazardous material
release. In such a case, evacuation might expose a population to a greater danger
than “staying put.”
Select a room or space
which is relatively easy to isolate from outside air intake,
and which promises a
degree of comfort for a short period
of time. In outfitting
this space, assume that the emergency may
involve a temporary interruption
of electric power with the personal inconveniences which
follow. A shelter-in-place kit should include a battery-powered radio and flashlight, along with pre-cut sheets
of plastic and tape
for helping to further proof the area against outside contamination. Some of the same
thoughtfulness which goes into the 72-hour kit can help guide preparations here. A kit which
fits under a bed or into a closet corner is sensible.
5. Know your home
Make it your business to become
familiar
with the critical infrastructure of your homebase and learn how to operate electric
circuits, natural gas
service controls, culinary water main
valves, outside air vents, etc. Locate
necessary tools where
they are handy for use in an emergency.
Consult
appropriate experts
if necessary. Knowing when to
take in turn utilities off and on is important.
Remember
during a “shelter-in-place” emergency
to turn off air conditioner/heating systems which bring
outside air into the building
or space providing shelter. In schools and work places, this may
require the services of a custodian.
6. Take
inventory
Inventory items of special
value and importance and their location
in the home base, assigning a priority to each. In the event of an evacuation order, there may
be only minutes to take property
with you. Limitations
of time and space may
suggest the need to pre-position and/or
protect such belongings.
The very act of producing this list – like
the basic plan
itself – may prove a useful minder of the things that really have value
in our lives. Usually, it will be family records, genealogies, irreplaceable photos, etc. which rise to the top of the list. A plan
to consolidate the location and enhance the portability of high-priority items may
result.
7. Equip
your car
Outfit the family vehicle(s) with items which
will add to its safety and security in various emergency and everyday situations, with
an eye to the changing
of seasons and circumstances.
Make it a matter f habit
to keep the fuel level
above the halfway mark.
Such obvious items as a blanket,
heavy-duty flashlight, container of drinking
water, a collapsible shovel, a basic first
aid kit and jumper cables
are a start. Some high-energy snack bars and weather-conscious clothing items are good additons. A sharp- pointed rock hammer within
the
driver’s reach may
become a life-saving method of breaking through
a window in a flood situation, and a spare
cell-phone kept charged is a smart further
step
8. Prepare to go powerless
Prepare the home base to remain secure and reasonably comfortable during short or extended periods
of electrical power failure. This is once of the most likely events to follow
in the wake of both natural
and man-cuased emergencies. Alternate lighting,
communication, heating and food
preparation resources should be part of the basic
emergency response
plan.
Battery-operated
lights should be positioned
strategically in different parts of a
residence along with a program which
insures a supply of back-up batteries. (Alkaline batteries have a long
shelf-life, and LED systems operate
frugally.) In the case of a prolonged outage, alternate-fuel lamps may prove
important. Propane lanterns handy
cartridge with replacement systems are
easy to use and widely available. Kerosene-fueled lamps, such as the Aladdin design are economical to operate and
provide a soft, silent source
of illumination while producing a minimum
of fumes.
(Always plan for extra
fresh air sources and ventilation when using any fueled device indoors or in a confined
space. They all will consume some of
the available oxygen supply as well
as produce fumes.) Storing flammable fuels
requires special attention, and kerosene is less volatile
than others. Outdoor propane
and charcoal grills are an excellent cooking alternative,
as are camp stoves
and Dutch oven systems. Extra blankets, sleeping bags and warm
clothing should be a part of every non-electric plan.
At least one adult family member should remain awake and on watch when alternate
lighting/heating devices are in use,
even with recommended ventilation.
Make sure that the presence of charged A,B,C fire extinguishers and practice in using them correctly is a part of your basic emergency response plan. Gasoine or other combusibly-fueled generators may greatly extend the ability to compensate for loss of commercial power, but require a knowledge and planning to
operate safely. Never position a generator indoors or where its exhaust fumes
may migrate
into a living space. Remember that the storage of adequate fuel supplies adds a certain
safety burden, and limits the
duration of this alternate source
of power.
9.
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Plan for pets
Plan for
the care and disposition of pets and domestic livestock in the even of a range of possible emergency spawned contingencies. Almost without exception, emergency shelters usually managed by the Red Cross do not welcome pets. domestic pet plans might include larger quantities of food, supplies, provisions for automatic, gravity feed water and food dispensers, multiple litter boxes, etc. Arrangement for extended care by family members, friends or commercial service providers might also be considered.
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10. Figure
financial contingencies
Develop a comprehensive “Financial Contingency
Plan” geared to your particular set of economic circumstances and designed to respond to the possible interruption of normal cash flow and debt retirement obligations.
Among those “emergencies” most likely to occur at some point,
but least anticipated and
planned for is the interruption
of income occasioned by loss of employment, illness
or even the unexpected
death of a bread-winner. The economic consequences of a natural
or manmade disaster
may also effect cash flow in a
temporary, or even long-term way, reducing our ability to
dal with everyday affairs and activities. In addition
to making use of food storage
supplies already identified, and thereby
freeing up financial resources, contingency plans might also include such goals as the
accumulation of cash reserves on
an ongoing basis, and the pre-payment
of some key monthly obligations, ie. Home mortgages, car contracts, and medical
insurance plans. “Buying time” thus becomes
an important dimension of the
overall emergency plan.
While this may not be accomplished easily, or all at once, it is a worthwhile long-term objective
well worth pursuing.
11. Remember your health
Plan for the continuation of health and
medical needs during a time of extended emergencies and special
circumstances.
With
an empmhasis on critical, life-supporting medications and supplies, and with the consultation of the prescribing physician where indicated, maintain a supply of such items
sufficient to bridge an emergency
response such as
enforced evacuation or other interruption of normal
access. Carry on your person
preferably, vital written prescriptions for eye glasses and other
vital, medical needs, and a clear description of treatment requirements. An insulin-dependent diabetic, for instance, should anticipate having to leave home
base with a small portable cooler, and a supply of insulin and syringes. Just as one shouldn’t allow the fuel in the vehicle
to get below half, the person with a medication dependency, should not allow
the supply to get below personal the 30-day mark. Make sure some other family member
has a copy of your medical plan.
12. Remember those
with special needs
It
is an article of faith
among those who have
studied, or personally real disasters, that in the end, it
is neighbor-helping-neighbor which most insures the “disaster-resiliency” of a community.
