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Get Trained in Emergency Preparedness

You may have the mindset of being prepared in case of emergencies, but lack the necessary skills to respond effectively. To solve this problem, you may want to think about taking a Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) course when it becomes available in your area. For example, the city of La Quinta in California will offer CERT training beginning in January. The Desert Sun reports:

The 20-hour emergency response and preparedness course is approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and will allow residents to be an eligible volunteer for an official Community Emergency Response Team.

Participants learn first aid, medical triage, search and rescue skills and more.

The classes are held at La Quinta’s Emergency Operations Center. Locate the one in your city to find out if and when they’ll offer CERT training courses. Learning the vital skills being offered in these courses will be invaluable to you and your family, and others in the neighborhood that may rely on you for help in an emergency.

Higher level skills such as medical triage and search and rescue skills may not be taught in other local classes, therefore it’s worth the small fee associated with taking the course. At the very least, you’ll know how to use what’s in the emergency kits you’ve bought and stored.

Source:
http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091208/NEWS01/91208031/1263/update/CERT+Training+available+in+La+Quinta

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Power Outage Preparedness

Are you prepared to survive and thrive during a power outage? Maybe thriving is goal for later on, but at the bare minimum you’d better have what you need to live if (and when) the power goes out in your community for days or weeks. The Tahoe Daily Tribune reports on the following health related recommendations for power outages offered by Care Flight, an emergency medical transportation service:

Have a first aid kit in your home, office, and car. Take first aid and CPR training.

Sewer pump stations have limited storage capacity. Limit all water usage, and avoid flushing your toilet during a power outage.

Be a good neighbor and check on any neighbors with special needs: Elderly people, people with disabilities, and children who are home alone during a power outage. They may need your help.

If you’re dependent on electricity to use medical and other devices due to health issues, then you’ll also have to get a backup system, such as a generator. Be careful though, as you don’t want dangerous fumes in your home from a generator exhaust. One alternative is to purchase a portable power pack that you can plug into your outlet to store electricity. When the power goes out, you’ll have electricity stored for a little while. Most importantly, don’t forget the little things, such as an emergency first aid kit.

Source:
http://www.tahoedailytribune.com/article/20091208/NEWS/912089994/1056/RSS

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Winter Storm Slams U.S.

A storm that dumped several feet of snow in California has now made its way across the country. After wreaking havoc in the Midwest and heading into New England, it appears that emergency conditions will continue for a while. AccuWeather is calling it the “December to Remember,” and storm trackers are warning about heavy rains that will immediately be followed by a blast of cold air from the north:

The cold blast will bring about the worst lake-effect snow event of the season so far Thursday into Saturday. The worst of the blinding bands of snow will occur across upstate New York, where snow will be measured in feet.

With several feet of snow on the way, there’s always a danger of massive and sustained power outages. If you haven’t been thinking about emergency preparedness, perhaps it’s time to start prioritizing.  For example, if you live in an apartment in a big city, do you have the means to prepare your food and stay warm during a blackout? Your tap water won’t be coming on without electricity, or your toilet, for that matter. It may not be a fun topic to think about, but it gives people great peace of mind to be prepared for these types of emergencies, before they happen.

Source:
http://www.accuweather.com/regional-news-story.asp?region=eastusnews

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CERT Wants You to Be Prepared

If you’ve been reading this blog, you’re aware of the various Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) being formed across the country. These and similar groups are comprised of volunteers who are trained to aid police, firefighters and other first responders in an emergency. Does that mean you’re all set and you don’t need to worry about your own preparations? Think again. For example, here’s what the response team is up to in Macomb, Illinois:

Due to inclement weather the McDonough County Emergency Planning Team has met and is prepared to open emergency sheltering in McDonough County if needed.

The Planning Team encourages residents to rely on family, friends and their emergency preparedness kits prior to requesting shelter.

Did you catch that? Residents better have their own kits and rely on family and friends first. The lesson here and in every disaster preparedness story, is that you must take the initiative and get prepared for emergencies. You will have to invest money to buy survival kits and other needed supplies, but that beats sitting around waiting for help to arrive, when there may not be enough resources for any to show up. Add to that shelters being filled to capacity because others did not take the necessary steps to prepare ahead of time, and the only wise decision you’re left with is to get ready now. 

Source:
http://www.connecttristates.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=387637

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FEMA’s “Are You Ready?” Guide Released

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has made available a publication on emergency preparedness: “Are you Ready? An in Depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness.” You can print out the guide and hand out to employees, co-workers, organizations and other groups. Some of the highlights are:

Create an evacuation plan.

Find out your child’s school’s emergency plan.

Develop a Family Disaster Plan.

Assemble a home emergency kit.

Obtain property, life and health insurance if you don’t have them. Review existing policies and amount of coverage to ensure it’s adequate for the type of emergencies that may occur in your area.

Inventory your home possessions. Store important documents including insurance policies, property records, and other important papers in a safe place away from you like in a safety deposit box. Make copies of important documents (medical records, birth certificates, marriage licenses, adoption papers, etc) and place them in your disaster supplies kit.

Home, car, office, school and other disaster kits are necessary for emergencies. That’s why FEMA recommends that you have these so that you’re ready and prepared during a crisis. However, it’s important to keep in mind that once you buy your kits, you’ll need to add things to them, such as copies or originals of important documents. If you’ve already purchased one of our kits, make sure you personalize it by adding papers, prescriptions and other items unique to your situation.

Source:
http://www.middletownjournal.com/lifestyle/things-you-can-do-right-now-to-prepare-439550.html?cxtype=rss_lifestyle

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You’re on Your Own in an Emergency

Emergency preparedness is a hot topic these days for many local government officials and spokespersons. A lot of grant money and other funds are going towards informing the public at large to be prepared. It’s as if they’re gearing up for the real possibility of emergencies occurring, and acknowledging at the same time that there are not enough first responders to help everyone. That’s being admitted in several statements in various communities across the globe. For example, Sybille Sanderson, the public safety education coordinator for the Cowichan Valley Regional District in Canada, warned residents of the need to prepare themselves for emergencies.

“If there’s an earthquake, how many here would be prepared?” Sanderson asked. “What we’re encouraging is that you don’t wait until you run out of food before you stock up and that you learn about what other things you can do to be best prepared.”

She said that if, for example, there is an earthquake — which experts say is inevitable on Vancouver Island — the likelihood of emergency crews being able to offer immediate help will likely be remote, so that means people will have to take care of themselves for days or even weeks.

She went on to state that individuals had better be ready to help each other rather than rely on police and firefighters. She’s absolutely right. Do you have the supplies and skills to respond to emergencies in your home and neighborhood?

Source:
http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_central/lakecowichangazette/news/78777457.html

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Emergency Drills Help You Get Prepared

What will you do if you heard tomorrow on your local news that your city or town was under a terrorist attack?  What if you had to evacuate your home because of a chemical or bio threat? It doesn’t matter how much you read, until you schedule drills to practice your emergency preparedness plan, you won’t do well in an actual time of crisis. Even major entities use drills to make sure they’re prepared. For example, a nuclear plant facility, Fermi, in Monroe, Missouri has announced its upcoming drill:

“This drill adds to our established emergency preparedness program and gives us the opportunity to practice with our local, state and federal partners in public safety and emergency response,” he said. “It also gives all the partners an opportunity to test the plan and identify the elements that work well and those that may be improved.”

 

Similar drills and training sessions are conducted several times a year to test other elements of Fermi 2’s emergency response plan. The efforts are meant to ensure that personnel maintain high levels of knowledge and skill related to their emergency response duties and that their actions under the emergency plan will protect public health and safety.

Now it’s your turn.  Explore our articles section, read our recommendations and make a list of potential natural and man-made disasters that could happen at any time. Then, schedule monthly or weekly drills to practice evacuation and bunkering down techniques with your family.

Source:
http://www.monroenews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091208/NEWS01/712089997/-1/NEWS

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Utility Companies too slow to Respond to Major Power Outage

Power outages can cause major problems, especially when they occur during a natural disaster.  Everyone is affected from individuals to business owners and governments. For instance, New Hampshire recently recovered from a crippling ice storm that caused this:

The Dec. 11 ice storm knocked out power to two-thirds of the state’s population, closed 448 schools, and caused $80 million in damage, plus an additional $70 million in business losses, and insurance and other claims, [Public Utilities Commission] PUC Chairman Tom Getz said.

So, how well did the utility companies do in restoring power to two-thirds of the state’s population?

The PUC released its findings in a final report partly based on an assessment performed by the independent consultant NEI Electric Power Engineering. The report found that the utility companies’ initial damage assessments were slow, the process to disseminate estimated restoration times was ineffective, and communication with local and state officials, and first responders, was ineffective.

Yet another sobering reminder about the necessity to be ready to bunker down and survive when the power goes out. New Hampshire residents, who weren’t prepared with something as simple as a home kit, must have wished they had those basic supplies instead of relying on the PUC.

Source:
http://www.eagletribune.com/punewsnh/local_story_343020133.html?keyword=secondarystory

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FEMA Holiday Gift Ideas

When you think of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, holiday gift giving ideas is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. And yet, FEMA has put out a list of gift ideas to increase preparedness. The idea is that protecting your family is the best gift you can give. Here’s what’s on the list:

“Disasters can happen anytime, anywhere and the holiday season provides a great opportunity to ensure that you and your loved ones are taking simple steps to be prepared,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate.

A list of possible gifts that may assist in disasters includes:

• Disaster kits for homes, offices and autos (first aid kits; food, water and prescription medications for 72 hours; i.e., extra clothing, blankets, and flashlights).
• NOAA weather radios with extra batteries.
• Enrollment in a CPR or first-aid class.
• Smoke detectors.
• Fire extinguishers (for kitchen, garage, car, etc.)
• Foldable ladders for second-story escape in a fire.
• Car kits (emergency flares, shovels, ice scrapers, flashlights and fluorescent distress flags).
• Pet Disaster kits (food, water, leashes, dishes and carrying case or crate).
• Battery powered lamps.

Don’t try to give everything on this list of course, or you’ll get overwhelmed. Prioritize the list based on needs. Home, office, car and pet emergency kits are great to give to families and friends new to the topic of emergency preparedness. These kits have essential supplies, neatly packed and easy to wrap.

Source: http://tribwekchron.com/2009/12/holiday-gifts-that-increase-preparedness/

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New York’s Emergency Preparedness

The state of New York is the recipient of more than $344.7 million in federal grants from the Department of Homeland Security. It’s a preparedness grant of sorts, giving the monies necessary to train and equip first responders in emergencies:

“New Yorkers know all too well the evils of terrorism as the City and State remain a target for those who would cause us harm. And it is especially gratifying to see that our partners at the federal Department of Homeland Security recognize that too,” Governor Paterson said. “That is why these funds are so vital in the continuing effort to enhance our readiness and response capabilities to protect our citizens. These funds will help make sure that our valiant first responders have the tools and training they need to protect our State from potential acts of terror.

“These grants play a major role in our efforts to work with our state, local, tribal and territorial and private sector partners to build a national culture of readiness and resilience,” DHS Secretary Napolitano said in making the national target awards announcement this morning.

New York is one of many states to receive similar grants. If the government is putting so much money into emergency preparedness at the state level, shouldn’t that motivate individuals and families to get prepared as well? At the very least, it’s implicitly a warning that we all could find ourselves in a crisis, whether naturally caused or man-made.

Source: http://www.wbng.com/news/state/78802217.html