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Is your family prepared for a natural disaster? Have you rehearsed family plans for emergency situations? If you answered “NO” to either question, you've come to the right place. We have gathered information to aid you before, during and after disasters occur.
Family Disaster Plan
Disaster can strike quickly and without warning. It can force you to evacuate your neighborhood or confine you to your home. Families can and do cope with disasters by preparing in advance and working together as a team. Knowing what to do is your best protection and your responsibility. Therefore, we urge you to develop a Family Disaster Plan. |
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1. Pick two places to meet: right outside your home in case of a sudden emergency, like a fire; and outside your neighborhood in case you cannot return home.
2. Post emergency telephone numbers by phones (fire, police, ambulance, etc.). Teach your children how and when to call 911.
3. Ask an out-of-state friend or family member to be the “family contact” for everyone to call if the family gets separated. Make sure each family member knows the “family contact” phone number. After a disaster, it is often easier to call long distance rather than calling someone locally.
Pets:
4. If you are a pet owner, that plan should include your pets. Being prepared can save their lives. In the event of a disaster, if you must evacuate, the most important thing you can do to protect your pets is to evacuate them, too. Red Cross disaster shelters cannot accept pets because of the state’s health and safety regulations and other considerations. It may be difficult, if not impossible, to find shelter for your pet in the midst of a disaster, so plan ahead. Some suggestions:
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Contact hotels and motels outside your immediate area to check
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policies on accepting pets. Ask if “no pet” policies could be waived in an emergency. If you have notice of an impending disaster, call ahead for reservations.
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Ask friends, relatives, or others outside the affected area whether they could shelter your pet.
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Prepare a list of boarding facilities and veterinarians who could shelter pets in an emergency and include 24-hour phone numbers.
5. Show each family member how to:
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Turn off water, gas and electricity at the main switches;
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Use a fire extinguisher;
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Conduct a home hazard hunt in which you inspect your home for items that can move, fall, break or cause a fire, and correct them;
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Stock emergency supplies in a Disaster Supplies Kit.
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Determine the best escape routes from your room and find safe spots in your home for different types of disasters.
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Have your family learn safety measures, such as CPR and First Aid
Practice and maintain your plan:
Ask questions frequently to make sure your family remembers the designated meeting places, phone numbers and safety rules in your Family Disaster Plan.
Conduct drills
Check Smoke alarms and batteries monthly (batteries should be changed at least once a year).
Evacuations
When community evacuations become necessary, local officials provide information to the public through the media. In some circumstances, other warning methods, such as sirens or telephone calls, are also used. Additionally, there may be circumstances under which you and your family feel threatened or endangered and you need to leave your home, school, or workplace to avoid these situations.
You may also want to inquire about emergency plans at the following places: work, daycare and school. If no plans exist, consider volunteering to help create one. Talk to your neighbors about how you can work together in the event of an emergency. You will be better prepared to safely reunite your family and loved ones during an emergency if you think ahead and communicate with others in advance.
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