During these tough economic times, many states and cities are facing major cutbacks to First Responders so it is more important than ever for businesses and consumers to know what they should plan for and do during an emergency situation.
One way to help is to get copies of IT'S A DISASTER! for your family, friends, employees and customers.
• Listen to the radio for information where shelters will be set up and ready to open in your area. This may take three or more days depending on the extent of the damage. That is why it is so important to be ready to take care of yourself, your family and your neighbors for a minimum of three days!
• Can you stay with out-of-town friends or relatives? Have you made arrangements with them for you to bring your pets with you?
• Do you have a vehicle in good working condition that can transport both you and your pet to safety? If you cannot leave, do you have a safe hiding room with proper supplies?
• If you are away from your pet during an evacuation order, do you have a neighbor or friend who can get your pet to safety? If so, do they have a key to get into your house? Does your pet know them? How will your pet respond to them?
Be sure to check to the preparedness videos for special needs persons at the bottom of this page
Stock up on at least a three-day supply of food, water,clothes, medical supplies and other necessary equipment for everyone in your family. Make sure everyone knows where to find them.
Decide where and when to reunite your family should you be apart when a disaster strikes.
Choose a person outside the immediate area to contact if family members are separated. Long distance phone service will probably be restored sooner than local service. Choose an out of town and out of state friend or relative of which each member of the family knows to contact to check in with after a natural disaster as local phone systems are likely to be out of service. Be sure everyone keeps this number in their phone or wallet.
Do not use the phone immediately after a major emergency.
Know the policies of the school or daycare center your children attend. Make plans to have someone pick them up if you are unable to get to them.
If you have a family member who does not speak English, prepare an emergency card written in English indicating that person’s identification, address and any special needs such as medication or allergies. Tell that person to keep the card with him/her at all times.
Conduct Earthquake: Duck, Cover & Hold drills every six months with your family. Injuries and deaths during earthquakes are caused by falling objects and collapsing structures. Knowing how to protect yourself when the shaking starts may save your life.
Duck under a sturdy table, Cover your head and neck with one arm and hand, Hold on to the table leg with the other hand. Stay there until 60 seconds after the shaking stops. Then calmly and safely exit the building into and open area with nothing overhead.
Do not run outside during the shaking or use the stairways or elevators. Many people are killed just outside of buildings by falling bricks and other debris.
If you are driving when the earthquake strikes, move to the shoulder of the highway and away from bridges, overpasses, power lines, and large buildings as quickly as is safe. Stay in your car and wait for the shaking to stop.
If you are riding BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit), the train typically will stop. Remain calm and follow instructions from BART staff members who have been trained to handle earthquake emergencies.Source
Practice Stop, Drop and Roll drills for fire, as well as Emergency exit drills in the house (EDITH) regularly. Know the safest place in each room because it will be difficult to move from one room to another during an earthquake or explosion.
Locate the shutoff valves for water, gas and electricity. Learn how to shut off the valves before an emergency. If you have any questions, call your utility company. Remember not to shut off utility valves unless directed to do so by your utility company.
When preparing for an emergency, plan on having enough supplies to get you and your family through at least the first 72 hours. After a major emergency, there’s a good chance that traditional emergency response teams will be too busy to take care of you and your family. You need to prepare your home and neighborhood.
Make copies of vital records and keep them in a safe deposit box in another city or state. Make sure your originals are stored safely.
Before a major emergency occurs, call your local Red Cross chapter and Offi ce of Emergency Services to find out about their plans for emergency shelters and temporary medical centers in case of a disaster.
Establish all the possible ways to exit your house. Keep those areas clear. Make sure to have a meeting place once everyone makes their exit.
Know the locations of the nearest fire and police stations.
Take photos and/or videos of your valuables. Make copies and keep them with a friend or relative in another city or state.
Include your babysitter and other household help in your plans.
Keep an extra pair of eyeglasses and house and car keys on hand.
Keep extra cash and change. If electricity is out, you will not be able to use an ATM.
General Tips
Stay away from heavy furniture, appliances, large glass panes, shelves holding objects, and large decorative masonry, brick or plaster such as fi replaces.
Keep your hallway clear. It is usually one of the safest places to be during an earthquake or explosion.
Stay away from kitchens and garages, which tend to be the most dangerous places because of the many items kept there.
Research on preparedness shows that people who believe themselves “prepared” for disasters often aren’t as prepared as they think. Forty percent of survey respondents did not have household plans, 80 percent had not conducted home evacuation drills, and nearly 60 percent did not know their community’s evacuation routes.
Nearly 20 percent of survey respondents reported having a disability that would affect their capacity to respond to an emergency situation, but shockingly only one out of four of them had made arrangements specific to their disability to help them respond safely in the event of an emergency.
Our nation’s emergency managers, firefighters, law enforcement officers, EMT/paramedics, and other emergency responders do an incredible job of keeping us safe, but they can’t do it alone. We must all embrace our individual responsibility to be prepared – in doing so, we contribute to the safety and security of the nation as well.
Becoming more prepared in case of an emergency is easier than you might think. Whether it’s your home, your neighborhood, your place of business, or your school, you can take a few simple steps to prepare your community. This toolkit gives you the basics for getting started.
Host a house meeting with your family, neighbors, co-workers, and faith-based colleagues.
Get in touch with your local emergency management agency, fire department, police or sheriff’s department, EMTs/paramedics, or other emergency responders to send an expert to come speak at your event.
Create an event that promotes safety and preparedness and raises awareness.
Sponsor a forum, like a town hall meeting that encourages people from throughout the community to discuss disaster preparedness and response and to exchange information and ideas.
Act on It
Help prepare friends and family. Visit the websites of organizations and government programs like Ready.gov, Are You Ready?, and the National Safety Council to learn more about how you can prepare for and respond to disaster. Visit the website of the Home Safety Council to learn how you can make your home safer for you and your family.
Get started by finding Citizen Corps Councils and programs near you by entering your zip code at www.citizencorps.gov.
