Recap of Weeks 3 and 4 of National Preparedness Month!

Today, we will review what we covered in weeks 3 and 4.

Week 3: “How to…”

• A disaster supplies kit is a collection of basic items in your household that you may need in the event of an emergency for AT LEAST 72 hours (equivalent to 3 days)
• Assemble your kit in advance and make sure to rotate the items in order to keep the food from expiring
• To find out what to put into the kit go back to the blog posted on September 15^th.
• Emergency kits do not have to be just for the home, you should make one for your workplace and vehicle as well.
• To save money while making your kit you do not have to buy all the items at once. Wait for stores to have the items on sale or use coupons to help reduce the cost.
• Buy items in bulk and split the cost with other families
• Look into government funded programs that help assist with the cost of the kits as well as emergency cell phones
• Different types of Emergencies: floods, extreme heat, winter storms, power outages, etc. For more information refer back to the specific blog post on September 18^th.
• Maintain your emergency kit by keeping it located in a cool dry place.
• Re-think your need every year and update your kit as your family needs change
• Check to make sure none of the food or water has been damaged or punctured throughout the year.

Week 4: “Flu Season”

• Getting the flu vaccine is important to not only keep yourself healthy but those around you as well.
• You can get others sick 24 hours before you feel any symptoms of the flu
• Vaccinations are a way to produce immunity in the body against that organism.
• The CDC has a recommended immunization schedule for people starting from birth.
• After a disaster occurs the CDC recommends that everyone get a Tetanus shot or a Tetanus booster due to the amount of debris that can accumulate.
• Toledo-Lucas County Health Department along with local healthcare providers offer different vaccines.
• Shots 4 Tots is a program through the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department that provides immunizations to children from birth through 18 years of age.
• Infection Prevention!
  • Wash your hands and those of children regularly. After vaccines this is the second most helpful way to prevent the spread of diseases.
  • Do not share eating utensils or drinking containers
  • Do not share personal toilet articles such as combs, razors, toothbrushes, or towels with anyone else
  • Dispose of razor blades and needles used for medications in containers designed for sharps disposal.
  • Bathe and wash clothing on a regular basis.
• Even though you prepare for the flu you may still catch it.
• Make sure that you get your flu vaccination early before flu season is in full affect
• Learn the symptoms of the flu versus the symptoms of a cold or stomach bug.

 

Recap of Weeks 1 and 2 of National Preparedness Month

National Preparedness Month is coming to an end; here is a list of what we covered the first two weeks!

 

Week 1: “Get Ready”

• Common natural hazards in Ohio: floods, tornadoes, winter storms, and extreme heat.
• Get information on when and where a threat has the potential to develop!
• Know the difference between a watch and a warning
  • Watch means that conditions are favorable for dangerous weather and to be alter for changing weather conditions
  • Warning means that immediate action is to be made, and is only used when severe weather is about to strike.
• Keep all family members involved in all steps of the planning, including children
• Family communication plan: contact list with names and phone numbers, as well as where to go in the event of an emergency
• Tailor your plans and supplies to fit your specific needs and responsibilities
• Have a plan for any type of location, it is likely that you and/or your family members will not be at home during an emergency.
• Ready.gov provides information on how to prepare for different locations. Questions you should ask your child’s school or even your workplace in the event of an emergency:
  • Ask schools how they will communicate with families during a crisis.
  • Ask if they store adequate food, water and other basic supplies.
  • Find out if they are prepared to “shelter-in-place” if need be, and how they plan to go if they must get away.
• If you are an employer – make sure you have appropriate supplies on hand and include a plan for if your employees can’t get home.
• ID your pet. In an emergency situation having your pet wear and ID tag can help rescue workers contact you when the pet is found.
• Make sure you have a safe place to take your pets in case of an emergency because not all shelters all pets.
• Create an emergency kit for your pets. These kits can include food and water, medications and medical records, cate litter and litter box, leashes, collars, pet toys, a photo and description of pet, as well as veterinarian contact info.
• Look back at September 6^th for how to stay connected through media sites. Some of the sites include Facebook and Twitter

Week 2: “Get Involved”

• Ready.gov recommends that the community, as a whole, “participates in activities to make their families, homes and communities safer from risks and threats.”
• Volunteer through organizations such as: Community Response Team (Lucas County does have one), the Medical Reserve Corps, Citizen Corps, American Red Cross and/or faith-based organizations who are active in supporting disasters.
• Participate in CERT Basic Training courses or through Teen CERT programs
• Training opportunities are also available through FEMA and have a lot of different courses that are at no cost to the individual
• Attend Safety Town events within the community. Children can learn about what their local fire departments and police departments do in the event of emergencies
• Business preparedness means taking charge and having a plan prepared for emergencies
• Five steps in developing a preparedness program: program management, planning, implementation, testing and exercise, and program improvement.
• First responders include law enforcement, fire fighters, and emergency medical personnel. These individuals can serve as a role model in the community by properly preparing themselves and their families for an emergency
• Be sure to speak with your employer about emergency response drills.
• For those with disabilities – PLAN AHEAD! Make sure that you are able to execute your preparedness plan in the event that there is no assistance available

 

Stay Informed Before and After an Emergency

One of the first steps in being prepared, is being informed. It’s important to know what to do in the event of an emergency, and how to handle the aftermath. What emergencies are most common in Lucas County? Does your community have their own disaster plans? Where can you get information on potential threats? Do you know the difference between various weather alerts? We will discuss all this and more in today’s post!

—Some common natural hazards that can occur in Ohio are floods, tornadoes, winter storms, and extreme cold.

http://www.ready.gov/ohio provides excellent information on how to prepare for these types of emergencies before, during, and afterward and event. They also provide information on insurance, and tools and resources you can use to make sure your family is protected.

–Ask your local officials if they have a disaster plan in place. If they do, make sure you ask them what it entails, and if you can get a copy for yourself.

—Getting the information needed to know when and where a threat has the potential to develop is another important step in being informed. The media is a great resource to use for weather alerts. Text alerts are also becoming more common, with the increase in cell phone use in the community. You can go to http://lucascountyalerts.com/ and fill out your information and what kind of alerts you would like to receive to be notified. It is a free system, although, standard text messaging rates may apply. http://www.ctia.org/your-wireless-life/consumer-tips/wireless-emergency-alerts and http://www.ready.gov/alerts are also good resources for text alerts.

—Knowing the difference between various weather alerts can mean the difference between life and death.

A watch is a notice that means conditions are favorable for dangerous weather. Be alert for changing weather conditions

A warning is a notice that requires immediate action to be made, and is only used when severe weather is about to strike.

 

Thank you for your continued interest in National Preparedness Month. Be sure to check out our #readylucas posts and continue to check our site!

Sources:               CDC.gov               cti.org   lucascountyalerts.com   ready.gov