What You Can Do to Prepare?
Finding out what can happen is the first step.
Once you have determined the events possible and their potential in your
community, it is important that you discuss them with your family or household.
Develop a disaster plan together.
1. Create an emergency
communications plan.
Choose an out-of-town contact your family or household will call or e-mail to
check on each other should a disaster occur. Your selected contact should live
far enough away that they would be unlikely to be directly affected by the same
event, and they should know they are the chosen contact. Make sure every
household member has that contact's, and each other's, e-mail addresses and
telephone numbers (home, work, pager and cell). Leave these contact numbers at
your children's schools, if you have children, and at your workplace. Your
family should know that if telephones are not working, they need to be patient
and try again later or try e-mail. Many people flood the telephone lines when
emergencies happen but e-mail can sometimes get through when calls don't.
2. Establish a meeting
place.
Having a predetermined meeting place away from your home will save time and
minimize confusion should your home be affected or the area evacuated. You may
even want to make arrangements to stay with a family member or friend in case
of an emergency. Be sure to include any pets in these plans, since pets are not
permitted in shelters and some hotels will not accept them.
3. Assemble
a disaster supplies kit. (more information
…) If you need to evacuate your home or are asked to
"shelter in place," having some essential supplies on hand will make
you and your family more comfortable. Prepare a disaster supplies kit in an
easy-to-carry container such as a duffel bag or small plastic trash can.
Include "special needs" items for any member of your household
(infant formula or items for people with disabilities or older people), first
aid supplies (including prescription medications), a change of clothing for each
household member, a sleeping bag or bedroll for each, a battery powered radio
or television and extra batteries, food, bottled water and tools. It is also a
good idea to include some cash and copies of important family documents (birth
certificates, passports and licenses) in your kit.
Copies of essential documents-like powers of
attorney, birth and marriage certificates, insurance policies, life insurance
beneficiary designations and a copy of your will-should also be kept in a safe
location outside your home. A safe deposit box or the home of a friend or
family member who lives out of town is a good choice.
For more complete
instructions, Contact Harper County Emergency Management Office
or the American Red Cross for the brochure detailing your family disaster supplies
kit.
4. Check on the school
emergency plan of any school-age children you may have.
You need to know if they will they keep children at school until a parent or
designated adult can pick them up or send them home on their own. Be sure that
the school has updated information about how to reach parents and responsible
caregivers to arrange for pickup. And, ask what type of authorization the
school may require to release a child to someone you designate, if you are not
able to pick up your child. During times of emergency the school telephones may
be overwhelmed with calls.
If Disaster Strikes
- Remain
calm and be patient.
- Follow
the advice of local emergency officials.
- Listen
to your radio or television for news and instructions.
- If the
disaster occurs near you, check for injuries. Give first aid and get help
for seriously injured people.
- If the
disaster occurs near your home while you are there, check for damage using
a flashlight. Do not light matches or candles or turn on electrical
switches. Check for fires, fire hazards and other household hazards. Sniff
for gas leaks, starting at the water heater. If you smell gas or suspect a
leak, turn off the main gas valve, open windows, and get everyone outside
quickly.
- Shut
off any other damaged utilities.
- Confine
or secure your pets.
- Call
your family contact—do not use the telephone again unless it is a
life-threatening emergency.
- Check
on your neighbors, especially those who are elderly or disabled.
A Word on What Could Happen
As we learned from the events of September 11, 2001, the following things can
happen after a terrorist attack:
- There
can be significant numbers of casualties and/or damage to buildings and
the infrastructure. So employers need up-to-date information about any
medical needs you may have and on how to contact your designated
beneficiaries.
- Heavy
law enforcement involvement at local, state and federal levels follows a
terrorist attack due to the event's criminal nature.
- Health
and mental health resources in the affected communities can be strained to
their limits, maybe even overwhelmed.
- Extensive
media coverage, strong public fear and international implications and
consequences can continue for a prolonged period.
- Workplaces
and schools may be closed, and there may be restrictions on domestic and
international travel.
- You
and your family or household may have to evacuate an area, avoiding roads
blocked for your safety.
- Clean-up
may take many months.
Evacuation
more information
...
If local authorities ask you to leave your home, they have a good reason to
make this request, and you should heed the advice immediately. Listen to your
radio or television and follow the instructions of local emergency officials
and keep these simple tips in mind-
- Wear
long-sleeved shirts, long pants and sturdy shoes so you can be protected
as much as possible.
- Take
your disaster supplies kit.
- Take
your pets with you; do not leave them behind. Because pets are not
permitted in public shelters, follow your plan to go to a relative's or
friend's home, or find a "pet-friendly" hotel.
- Lock
your home.
- Use
travel routes specified by local authorities—don't use shortcuts because
certain areas may be impassable or dangerous.
- Stay
away from downed power lines.
Listen to local
authorities.
Your local authorities will provide you with the most accurate information
specific to an event in your area. Staying tuned to local radio and television,
and following their instructions is your safest choice.
If you're sure you have time:
- Call
your family contact to tell them where you are going and when you expect
to arrive.
- Shut
off water and electricity before leaving, if instructed to do so. Leave
natural gas service ON unless local officials advise you otherwise. You
may need gas for heating and cooking, and only a professional can restore
gas service in your home once it's been turned off. In a disaster
situation it could take weeks for a professional to respond.
Shelter in place
If you are advised by local officials to "shelter in place," what
they mean is for you to remain inside your home or office and protect yourself
there. Close and lock all windows and exterior doors. Turn off all fans,
heating and air conditioning systems. Close the fireplace damper. Get your
disaster supplies kit, and make sure the radio is working. Go to an interior
room without windows that's above ground level. In the case of a chemical
threat, an above-ground location is preferable because some chemicals are
heavier than air, and may seep into basements even if the windows are closed.
Using duct tape, seal all cracks around the door and any vents into the room.
Keep listening to your radio or television until you are told all is safe or
you are told to evacuate. Local officials may call for evacuation in specific
areas at greatest risk in your community.
Additional Positive Steps You Can Take
Raw, unedited footage of terrorism events
and people's reaction to those events can be very upsetting, especially to
children. We do not recommend that children watch television news reports about
such events, especially if the news reports show images over and over again
about the same incident. Young children do not realize that it is repeated
video footage, and think the event is happening again and again. Adults may
also need to give themselves a break from watching disturbing footage. However,
listening to local radio and television reports will provide you with the most
accurate information from responsible governmental authorities on what's happening
and what actions you will need to take. So you may want to make some
arrangements to take turns listening to the news with other adult members of
your household.
Another useful preparation includes learning
some basic first aid. To enroll in a first aid and AED/CPR course, contact
Harper County Emergency Medical Services at 620-842-5132 or your local American
Red Cross chapter. In an emergency situation, you need to tend to your own
well-being first and then consider first aid for others immediately around you,
including possibly assisting injured people to evacuate a building if
necessary.
People who may have come into contact with a
biological or chemical agent may need to go through a decontamination procedure
and receive medical attention. Listen to the advice of local officials on the
radio or television to determine what steps you will need to take to protect
yourself and your family. As emergency services will likely be overwhelmed,
only call 9-1-1 about life-threatening emergencies.
First Aid Primer
If you encounter someone who is injured, apply the emergency action steps:
Check-Call-Care. Check the scene to make sure it is safe for you to
approach. Then check the victim for unconsciousness and life-threatening
conditions. Someone who has a life-threatening condition, such as not breathing
or severe bleeding, requires immediate care by trained responders and may
require treatment by medical professionals. Call out for help. There are
some steps that you can take, however, to care for someone who is hurt,
but whose injuries are not life threatening.
Control Bleeding
- Cover
the wound with a dressing, and press firmly against the wound (direct
pressure).
- Elevate
the injured area above the level of the heart if you do not suspect that
the victim has a broken bone.
- Cover
the dressing with a roller bandage.
- If the
bleeding does not stop:
- Apply
additional dressings and bandages.
- Use
a pressure point to squeeze the artery against the bone.
- Provide
care for shock.
Care for Shock
- Keep
the victim from getting chilled or overheated.
- Elevate
the legs about 12 inches (if broken bones are not suspected).
- Do not
give food or drink to the victim.
Tend Burns
- Stop the
burning by cooling the burn with large amounts of water.
- Cover
the burn with dry, clean dressings or cloth.
Care for Injuries to Muscles, Bones and
Joints
- Rest
the injured part.
- Apply
ice or a cold pack to control swelling and reduce pain.
- Avoid
any movement or activity that causes pain.
- If you
must move the victim because the scene is becoming unsafe, try to
immobilize the injured part to keep it from moving.
Be Aware of Biological/Radiological
Exposure
- Listen
to local radio and television reports for the most accurate information
from responsible governmental and medical authorities on what's happening
and what actions you will need to take. The Web sites referenced at the
end of this brochure can give you more information on how to protect yourself
from exposure to biological or radiological hazards.
Reduce Any Care Risks
The risk of getting a disease while giving first aid is extremely rare.
However, to reduce the risk even further:
- Avoid
direct contact with blood and other body fluids.
- Use
protective equipment, such as disposable gloves and breathing barriers.
- Thoroughly
wash your hands with soap and water immediately after giving care.
It is important to be prepared for an
emergency and to know how to give emergency care.
More Information
All of these recommendations make good sense, regardless of the potential
problem. For more information on how to get ready for disaster and be safe when
disaster strikes, or to register for a first aid and AED/CPR course, please
contact your local American Red Cross chapter. You can find it in your
telephone directory under "American Red Cross" or through our home
page at www.redcross.org
under "your local chapter."
For information about your community's
specific plans for response to disasters and other emergencies, contact your
local office of emergency management.
For information on what a business can do to
protect its employees and customers as well as develop business continuity
plans, you may want to get a copy of the Emergency Management Guide for
Business and Industry and/or Preparing Your Business for the Unthinkable
from your local American Red Cross chapter or see http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/beprepared
For more information about the specific
effects of chemical or biological agents, the following Web sites may be
helpful:
Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention: www.bt.cdc.gov
U.S. Department of
Energy: www.energy.gov
U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services: www.hhs.gov
Federal Emergency
Management Agency: www.rris.fema.gov
Environmental
Protection Agency: www.epa.gov/swercepp
