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

 

Pet Preparedness Form!

Last week, we posted about pet preparedness and its importance! To go along with this previous post, we have uploaded a printable form for you to fill out for each pet! Be sure to make a few copies of the form for each pet and place them with your family’s medical documents as well as in each of their pet carriers! Just click the link below! Enjoy! PET BOARDING INSTRUCTIONS

Plan for Meeting Spots Near Your Home and In Your Neighborhood!

In the event of an emergency it is likely that you and your family members will not be at home. Whether you’re at work, have children in school, are away for college, or on vacation you need to have a plan to make sure you’re prepared.

 

http://www.ready.gov/plan-for-locations This website provided by ready.gov will give you more information on planning for different locations and what you can do to keep your family informed.

 

Ready.gov is an excellent resource for different kinds of preparedness. They provided questions that you should ask your child’s school or 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;

 

–Take a critical look at your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system to determine if it is secure or if it could feasibly be upgraded to better filter potential contaminants, and be sure you know how to turn it off if you need to.

 

–Think about what to do if your employees can’t get home.

 

–Make sure you have appropriate supplies on hand.

 

Your business should have a plan that includes your employees and how they should handle the event. http://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1389022685845-7cdf7d7dad7638a19477d01fdbfa820f/Business_booklet_12pg_2014.pdf

 

This is a document provided by FEMA for businesses and what they should do to be prepared.

 

Emergencies can happen at any time of day, and while you are at many different locations. Knowing what to do, and how to stay informed and prepared while you are away from the home will help you feel more responsible and equipped to handle any situation.

 

Sources: fema.gov          ready.gov

 

Making an Emergency Plan

Establishing a family emergency plan is a crucial step in preparing for an emergency or disaster. It is important to keep family members involved in all steps of the planning, including the children. I will go over how to make your own emergency family plan, and include guidelines and resources so you can be better prepared.

A family communication plan is the first step in becoming more prepared. With a list of numbers and where to go in the event of an emergency, children and parents will know what to do. http://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/a260e5fb242216dc62ae380946806677/FEMA_plan_child_508_071513.pdf

http://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/FamEmePlan_2012.pdf

As you further prepare, beyond the communication plan, be sure to tailor your plan and supplies to your specific needs and responsibilities. According to Ready.gov some factors to keep in mind while you’re preparing a plan are;

–Different ages of members

–Responsibilities for assisting others (do you care for an older family member?)

–Locations frequented

–Dietary needs (does someone in the family have any allergies?)

–Medical needs including prescriptions and equipment

–Disabilities or access and functional needs including devices and equipment

–languages

–cultural and religious considerations

–pets or service animals

 

The New York State Department of Health compiled free and low-cost ideas to keep your family ready for emergencies. That can be found here: https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/7284.pdf

 

Keeping your family informed and prepared are some of the most important aspects of overall preparedness. Knowing what to do, who to call, and how to handle an emergency by having all things ready that can be planned for. Make sure your family is prepared.

 

Sources: health.ny.gov fema.gov             ready.gov