Author: Paul Faust

Categories
Uncategorized

Don’t Forget a Deck of Playing Cards

‘Tis the season for widespread power outages, apparently. Chataqua County, New York braced itself for a winter storm, and the local Red Cross chapter told everyone to get ready in the event of a major power blackout situation.

Vince Horrigan, Southwestern New York Chapter executive director, warned residents to use caution when coping with power outages.

“Do not try to heat your home with open flame gas stoves and ensure proper ventilation when using emergency generators,” Horrigan said. “And flashlights are much safer than using candles. If you do use candles, do not leave them unattended and keep them out of the reach of children.”

It’s a good reminder to be thinking about winter time emergency preparedness, before an outage hits your community. Do you have a plan in place to keep yourself and your family warm if the electricity goes out for several days, or even weeks? You can’t fire up a gas-powered generator inside your apartment, so you’d better start thinking about how you’re going to stay warm.

A good plan is always have extra blankets stored in your home for an emergency. Candles and battery-powered light sources are another great idea, and so is having a means of food preparation. (You have plenty of extra non-perishable food stored, right?) A great way to jump-start your preparedness plan is to purchase an emergency supplies kit. Monitor the weather forecasts during the winter months, so you can know when there’s a potentially high danger of a power outage. Oh, and don’t forget to have a non-electrical powered means of entertaining yourself and your family during an outage, such as a deck of cards and plenty of reading material.

Source:
http://post-journal.com/page/content.detail/id/546777.html?nav=5004

Categories
Uncategorized

Community Input for Preparedness

Residents of Hawaii are being asked for their take on how the government can help mitigate, or prevent, natural disasters. It’s part of an emergency preparedness plan revision:

“The multi-hazard plan identifies disasters that may impact the residents of Oahu, such as flash flooding, high winds, tsunami, hurricanes, etc.,” said Melvin Kaku, director for the Department of Emergency Management in a news release. “We have developed an online survey form that residents can quickly complete and submit via our Web site to give them a voice in the planning process.”

There are pros and cons to this approach. On the one hand, the government might get some really good suggestions on how to prepare for a disaster, or to minimize casualties and/or property damage in the event of one. On the other hand, how exactly do they plan to prevent a tsunami or any other potential disaster that could hit Hawaii?

Government agencies can plan until they’re blue in the face, but what it really comes down to is how prepared individuals, families, churches and neighborhoods are for these events. It’s impossible for local, state or federal agencies to prepare for every eventuality. The best plan of action is to get your own house in order, by storing safe drinking water, non-perishable food and other emergency supplies. You can’t prevent major weather-related disasters, but you can do your part to be prepared for them.

Source:
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20091211/BREAKING01/91211018/Input+sought+on+Hawaii+hazards

Categories
Uncategorized

Disabled Students Press for Emergency Preparedness

Disabled students face extra challenges in emergencies. It’s even more important for them and their families to formulate and practice emergency plans that will help them evacuate buildings, or stay where they are safely for an extended period of time without power. One group of disabled students has banded together to try to address this and other issues. The University of Maryland’s Independent Daily Student Newspaper reports:

The tentatively named Disabled Students Union will serve as a venue for both disabled and able-bodied students to air their concerns on the university’s disabilities provisions. It will also serve as a social outlet, said women’s studies graduate student Angel Miles, who is spearheading the student group’s creation.

The club will also focus on raising university awareness of disability issues, advocating for student needs and helping the administration prioritize problems, she said. One pressing issue raised earlier this year was the need to create an improved emergency preparedness plan for disabled students in buildings with limited access.

All students need school emergency kits, but especially disabled and other students who cannot readily assemble the supplies they need and at the same time evacuate quickly. With a pre-made kit, they can grab it and go or have one in a vehicle ready to go.

Source:
http://www.diamondbackonline.com/news/disabled-students-form-union-for-lobbying-social-events-1.985907

Categories
Uncategorized

County Finds Weaknesses in Disaster Preparedness Drills

Counties and cities must practice their emergency preparedness plans, just like individuals and families. The outcome of doing drills can be startling when exposing weaknesses, but it’s better to spot those ahead of time and make corrections where needed. County leaders in Atascadero, California benefited from a recent drill, where residents tested out their emergency plans. The Tribune reports:

A simulated catastrophic storm, based on a 1969 flood that caused significant damage in Atascadero, was used to test the skills of more than 60 local emergency responders and community stakeholders.

Participants used the city’s emergency plan to test its strength in the event of widespread flooding, breach of the city’s wastewater treatment plan, collapse of local buildings and citywide power failure.

“We noticed some weaknesses in our current plan but that is what we wanted to gain from this training — we wanted to find the flaws,” Stone said. “The training validated that we do well at what we do every day — it is the things that you don’t have to rely on very often that need refreshed.”

What are things that you don’t do often that needs refreshed when it comes to your emergency plans? When was the last time you walked to the location you plan to evacuate to? If the roads are blocked or driving is not an option, you’ll need to get there by walking. This is just one example of the many things you have to practice to see how to improve your existing plans.

Source:
http://www.waterworld.com/index/display/news_display/138834317.html

Categories
Uncategorized

Tips to Stay Warm and Healthy

Fighting to stay warm is crucial in an emergency situation. If there’s a power outage, you may not have heat, and losing body heat can cause hypothermia and result in death. At the same time, you don’t want to use unsafe methods to stay warm because your power goes out. The Winchester News Gazette reports on the following information and tips offered by the local Department of Health:

“Hypothermia occurs when people are exposed to cold temperatures,” said State Health Department medical director for Public Health and Preparedness Joan Duwve, M.D. “A person’s body begins to lose heat faster than it can be produced and prolonged exposure to the cold will ultimately use up your body’s stored energy. This results in hypothermia, or abnormally low body temperature.”

Tips for staying warm and safe while at home include:

  • Use fireplace, wood stoves, or other combustion heaters only if they are properly vented to the outside;
  • Never use a charcoal or gas grill indoors – the fumes are deadly;
  • Never leave lit candles unattended;
  • Keep as much heat as possible inside your home;
  • Check the temperature in your home often during severely cold weather;
  • Leave all water taps slightly open so they drip continuously; and
  • Eat well-balanced meals to help you stay warmer.

It’s important to note that there have been reports of people slipping into a hypothermic state with temperatures in the 40s (F). People have a tendency to get overconfident when it warms up a little, and they spend too long outdoors in a T-shirt.

You have to stay warm, but you also have to stay safe. Make plans now for how to accomplish both without power. 

Source:
http://www.winchesternewsgazette.com/articles/2009/12/13/news/news1.txt

Categories
Uncategorized

Nuclear Attack Preparedness

A nuclear attack on the United States seems unlikely to some. However, the likelihood of a nuclear attack is a major concern to federal and state government officials, and everyone should prepare. In California, plans are underway to prepare for a nuclear event. The Los Angeles Daily News reports on the “Golden Phoenix,” an exercise scheduled for 2010 that simulates the scenario of a 10-kiloton nuclear device detonated in Los Angeles:

“These aren’t comfortable things to talk about, but it all begins with preparations,” said Angelo Bellomo, the county director of environmental health who oversees the Radiation Management unit.

“We think this is a great opportunity for us to open a dialogue with the 88 cities so they can begin to amend their emergency plans to include planning for a nuclear device.”

Some of the emergency plans involve locating old bomb shelters in government facilities and other buildings for residents to flee to. However, some are concerned that the shelters are not enough:

“I don’t mean to minimize the efforts of Los Angeles County in creating fallout shelters,” [Sharon] Packer, [executive director of the American Civil Defense Association] said. “It is very important and a wonderful first step. The larger concern, in my estimation, is in the protection of our electrical grid and the storage of additional transformers to assure the continuance of our infrastructure.”

Preparing for a nuclear attack must be a part of your emergency plans. Read our articles on nuclear attack preparedness to learn specifics on what to do.

Source:
http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_13991762

Categories
Uncategorized

School Emergency Response Teams in the Philippines

School Emergency Response Teams (SERTS) are not only cropping up in communities across the United States, but also globally. In the Philippines, the Department of Education conducted a three day Regional Training for Student Government Officers as part of its efforts to develop SERTS:

At least 400 participants, composed of student leaders and teacher-advisers from the secondary schools division of the six provinces of Bicol region, attended the affair. During the plenary session on the first day, PIA Information Center Manager Irma Guhit presented the state of Bicol environment while Sorsogon City Fire Marshal Chief Inspector Renato B. Marcial refreshed the participants on Basic Safety Fire Tips.

The succeeding days were highlighted by massive trainings on Basic First Aid, Basic Mountaineering Skills, Team Building and Water Safety Survival Skills spearheaded by the City Division School Nurse in partnership with the City Disaster Coordinating Council and the Composite Response and Rescue Team (CCRT), a private local organization here.

“We enjoyed the training because it has increased our awareness on common emergencies and equipped us with the latest skills and strategies towards emergency care,” said most of the participants.

School emergencies are a cause for concern for many parents who have children of all school ages, including college students. At the bare minimum, equip your children with school survival kits and train them on how to use the supplies stored in them. You can also equip teachers with classroom survival kits, which they can use to help all students in their classes.

Source:
http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&r=&y=&mo=&fi=p091214.htm&no=19

Categories
Uncategorized

Citizens Speak Out AGAINST Government Preparedness

The community of Olney, Illinois doesn’t sound too happy about the emergency preparedness plans of the mayor’s office. At issue is the city’s requirement to comply with certain federal regulations, in order to qualify for federal money for emergency preparedness. The Olney Daily Mail reports:

Comments from those in attendance centered on issues such as how the city would enforce a curfew or evacuation during an emergency or disaster, the centralization of power in such an event, how an emergency or disaster would be defined, and what some saw as intrusive government, specifically concerning the city’s need to comply with National Incident Management System (NIMS) regulations.

Many of the citizens in Olney are worried about the language in the proposal, which would allow the city to instate martial law curfews, and to confiscate firearms, ammunition, fuel and other supplies. If you’re concerned about these things as well, you should find out about emergency preparedness in your own community. Find out if the emergency plans are compliant with NIMS regulations. If your city is receiving federal emergency preparedness funds, it’s likely that these plans are already in place. It’s better to know these things ahead of time. It won’t matter how prepared you are for an emergency, if government officials come knocking on your door in a crisis in order to confiscate all of your supplies.

Source:
http://www.olneydailymail.com/news/x1669484899/Mayor-attempts-to-address-concerns-about-emergency-ordinance

Categories
Uncategorized

Emergency Operations Centers

Being prepared for emergencies includes being informed about how your community is (or is not) ready to handle disasters. For instance, emergency operations centers have popping up all over the country since 9-11, and there may be one right where you live. Boise City in Idaho officially opened and dedicated the city’s new Emergency Operations Center recently, and it’s located at he Boise Police and Fire headquarters. So just what is an emergency operations center? KIVI reports this:

An emergency operations center — or EOC — is a central command and control facility.

The Boise’s EOC is essentially a large information and communications center where leaders and supervisors can gather, collect up-to-the-minute information, and use that information to communicate the best operational response to protect life and property.

“Having one central location where all information is gathered and analyzed, and leaders can come together to make operational decisions while sharing information has been recognized, particularly since 9-11, as essential to public safety in emergencies or disasters,” [Boise Police/Boise Fire spokeswoman Lynn] Hightower said.

Now you know. With that said, it’s important to have your own communications plans in place for family and friends during an emergency. If you haven’t formulated a plan, or written it down, take the time to do so soon.

Source:
http://www.kivitv.com/Global/story.asp?S=11663227

Categories
Uncategorized

Federal Disaster Aid for Louisiana

After 5 days of intense storms across a wide swath of Louisiana, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has announced that it will release disaster related funds to help local governments recover. Tornadoes and flooding devastated several communities, and they’re still picking up the pieces to this day. Here’s a portion of the announcement from FEMA:

Federal funding is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding in the parishes of Beauregard, Bossier, Caldwell, Claiborne, De Soto, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Union, and Webster.

As always, the federal dollars are filtered down to state, county and city governments, and at the end of the day, government entities absorb the majority of the funds. Though it’s not always the case, individuals and families who are hurt in these disasters often don’t see much in the way of funding from these gifts. It’s a good reminder to keep up on your homeowners or renters insurance, and to be prepared for both short-term and long-term emergency situations. It’s better to assume that you’ll be on your own in a major disaster scenario, than to hope that money will eventually filter its way down to your family.

Source:
http://media-newswire.com/release_1107859.html