The American Red Cross wants to make it easy to get prepared this Spring by offering fast, simply tips throughout the month of May that take just a few minutes each day. There are three basic steps for getting prepared: learn, plan and assemble.
Learn about potential disasters or emergencies that could affect your family, home or community.
Make plans for preventing and/or responding to them.
Assemble or buy and customize an emergency supplies kit.
Each of the daily tips provided will fall into one of these three areas.
TIP 1: Use Your Imagination
Get the whole family involved in developing emergency preparedness plans. Discuss what kinds of emergencies could happen in your home, community, school or workplace. (Photo Credit: American Red Cross)
After dinner tonight, sit down by yourself or make it a group activity and have your family join you.
Set a timer or stopwatch for 5 minutes and make a list of every possible emergency or disaster that could happen to you or your family in your home, at school or work or in your community. When the time is up, compare lists eliminating duplicates and talk for a few minutes about the resulting combined list. This list is the beginning of getting prepared.
If you want to make a game out of it, perhaps the person with the longest or most unique list gets his or her pick of desserts or doesn’t have to take a turn washing dishes this week.
Still stumped? Take a look at Prepare at Home on RedCross.org for a list of typical disasters. While these are largely natural disasters and bigger in scale, don’t discount an item just because it doesn’t seem like a big deal—it’s clearly a concern to at least one family member. Remember that not all disasters make headlines, and the Red Cross wants you to be as prepared for life’s little emergencies along with the big ones.
With an idea of the types of personal emergencies and larger disasters you could face, take a few minutes to look around RedCross.org. The Get Prepared section offers information and tips about coping with various types of disasters—including
thunderstorms,
tornadoes,
hurricanes and
fires—and
Living Well/Living Safe provides information and guidance about handling everyday emergencies.
Print off the emergency information and read it at your leisure. Keep a copy in a folder or three-ring binder that is easily accessible, perhaps with that emergency supplies kit you have or will be assembling, so you can refer to it.
Then, surf over to StateLocalGov.net for a comprehensive list of links to city, county and/or state government Web sites. Go to your own state/local sites and visit pages with subjects such as “Emergency Preparedness” to learn about local preparedness and response plans and to find phone numbers, addresses and other information you may need during an emergency or area-wide disaster.
By familiarizing yourself with this information, printing it off now and keeping it accessible, you’ll have it ready when time is short and powering up or dialing in via computer may not be possible.
Remember also to bookmark sites and pages, so you can check them periodically for updates.
It seems rather fundamental, but that’s exactly the reason we need a reminder to do it.
Make a list of emergency numbers that is kept not only by home telephones but with emergency supplies kit—in case you have to evacuate—as well as in purses, briefcases, at the office or in the car.
Sure we know 9-1-1, and we may have the number for our doctor or children’s pediatrician, and may even know local police or fire direct dial numbers. What about…
The National Poison Control Center?
Your child or children's school number(s)?
Your vet and a local emergency (24/7) vet hospital?
Your medical, home or car insurance provider?
The lost or stolen hotline for your bank or credit cards?
Your gas, electric or water companies?
Your landlord or mortgage lender?
There are any number of scenarios in which you may need to make calls quickly but do not have time to look up numbers in the phone book or via the Internet.
Take 5 or 10 minutes now to look up or retrieve these (and any other) critical numbers. Write or type up and copy your list. With the increased accessibility of cellular phones or PDAs in our lives, it is even easier to keep these numbers handy by programming them into your handheld device for emergencies as well.
A staple of emergency supplies is the first aid kit, which should contain at minimum the following items:
(20) adhesive bandages, various sizes
(1) 5" x 9" sterile dressing
(1) conforming roller gauze bandage
(2) triangular bandages
(2) 3 x 3 sterile gauze pads
(2) 4 x 4 sterile gauze pads
(1) roll 3" cohesive bandage
(2) germicidal hand wipes or waterless alcohol-based hand sanitizer
(6) antiseptic wipes
(2) pair large medical grade non-latex gloves
Adhesive tape, 2" width
Anti-bacterial ointment
Cold pack
Scissors (small, personal)
Tweezers
CPR breathing barrier, such as a face shield
Whether you assemble it yourself or buy one ready-made, you can customize kits with personal necessities, such as pain reliefers (aspirin or ibuprofen), allergy or stomach remedies.
Take a few minutes today to think first aid first, and be sure you have one for each car as well as one for your home.
While knowing what to do and where to go are critical for safety, nothing is more important during emergencies—big or small—than knowing loved ones are safe. From informing grandma or grandpa that you’re on route to the hospital to witness the miracle of birth to checking in after a tornado barrels through town, it’s always easier with a communication plan and emergency contact list at the ready.
Simple, but Effective Family Communication Plan
Plan ahead for the possibility of becoming separated from your family and friends whether it is a personal emergency or a larger-scale disaster.
Start by designating a single, out-of-town contact that your family or household members can call, email or text message should a disaster occur. If local phone service is overwhelmed, it may be easier to call outside the area. Your contact should be aware that they are your family’s designated contact.
All of your loved ones should agree to call the out-of-town contact to report their whereabouts and welfare.
Regular contact with your designated person will help to keep everyone informed. After initial contact and depending on the circumstances, you might set a specific check-in time.
When telephone lines are busy, e-mails or text messages may go through when calls cannot. Be sure you have correct email addresses for loved ones and let them know you may communicate that way in an emergency.
Emergency Contact List
Create an emergency contact list; include phone numbers and email address for your designated out-of-town contact, loved ones, neighbors and other emergency numbers such as police, fire and your physician.
Make copies of the list for every family member and print a copy to keep by the phone and with your emergency supplies.
Consider laminating a wallet-sized card version that easily fits in a purse or wallet. As a backup, be sure everyone is entered correctly your cell phone or other handheld device.
After creating your list, or if you have one already, check and update it periodically to reflect new contacts, numbers and email addresses.
Take a few minutes now to make or update your family communication plan and contact list.
TIP 6: Gathering Supplies for Potential Emergencies
What supplies you gather for an emergency will depend somewhat on where you live, the emergencies or disasters you're likely to face and the unique needs of your household and its members. Your environment and weather may affect whether you put mittens or sunscreen in your kit, for example.
Generally emergency supplies will include water, food, health and safety products, comfort items, basic tools and supplies, sanitation supplies and entertainment. If the last one seems out of place, imagine spending a day or more riding out seasonal storms - whether in your own home, a loved one's, a hotel or an emergency shelter - with young children or teenagers and no electricity. You'll want to have something handy for them (and you) to wile away the hours.
Your own household's supplies may include more unique items if you have infants, pets or persons with a medical condition or disability that requires special diet or supplies. For more details, visit the Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Supplies Kit page on RedCross.org.
Tonight, sit down with the members of your household and take a few minutes to make a list of supplies you'll need for an emergency.
Get everyone brainstorming and write down all the suggestions. Some may be scratched off later as not-so-necessary, but this is a chance for kids to do some creative thinking. And, planning ahead can help them feel safer and more ready to react when an emergency or disaster strikes.
Approximately 65 percent of the human body is made up of water, so it makes sense that your emergency supplies should include life's most basic necessity:
Store one gallon of water per person per day. Two quarts are for drinking -- that's your "eight glasses a day" that everyone is always talking about—and two quarts are for food preparation and sanitation.
Here's some helpful math:
One gallon = 128 fluid ounces or eight 16-ounce bottles
One gallon = four quarts or four 32-ounce bottles
One quart = 1.057 liters, so a gallon is approximately four one-liter bottles
Keep at least a three-day supply of water for each household member.
Store water in plastic containers such as soft drink bottles. Avoid using containers that will decompose or break, such as milk cartons or glass bottles.
Extra Considerations
Boiling is the safest method of treating water. Bring water to a rolling boil for 3-5 minutes, keeping in mind that some water will evaporate. Let the water cool before drinking. (Photo Credit: American Red Cross)
Hot environments and intense physical activity can increase water need and consumption.
Children, nursing mothers and ill people will need more water than others.
Remember to include a water supply for your pets; one quarter a day per pet.
There are ways to treat or filter potentially contaminated water by boiling or using liquid chlorine bleach to disinfect it. Take a few minutes to learn more.
Next time few times you're out at the store, pick up some water for your emergency supplies stash.
We've all heard that we should "save for a rainy day." You owe it to yourself and your loved ones to follow this piece of advice.
Of course, it needn't be an overwhelming task. On payday or whenever you sit down to pay bills, simply consider your emergency fund one more debt to be paid. Contribute a little each week or month, and no dipping into it unless it's truly an emergency.
Since power may be out following an area-wide disaster, automated teller machines (ATMs) and credit card processing machines may not be operating and banks may be closed. You will want to keep at least some portion of your emergency fund available and accessible in cash, travelers' checks and a roll of quarters (for payphones). Stash the cash discretely in your emergency supplies kit so you can get to it easily.
Collect up important papers and place them in a waterproof, preferably fireproof, container with a lock that can be kept with your emergency supplies kit and easily taken with you in the event of an evacuation. Consider storing original documents in a safe deposit box and keeping photocopies in your kit.
Social Security cards
Proof of residence
Passports and/or military/veteran papers
Birth, death and marriage certificates
Divorce, custody or adoption papers
Family medical and immunization records; copies of prescriptions
Insurance cards and policies, including health, home, life and auto
An inventory of valuable household goods—a printed list with recorded serial numbers as well as any photographs or video taken of items
Property titles/deeds, mortgage or lease or rental agreements
Certificates for stocks, bonds, securities or other investments
Tax records, such as federal and state tax returns
Copies of wills, powers of attorney and/or medical/healthcare proxy
(Note: Generally originals of wills should be kept with your attorney and not a safe deposit box, which might be sealed temporarily after death.)
Important business documents
Irreplaceable photographs, negatives (in protective sleeves) or videotapes
With the exception of compiling the household inventory, gathering these documents and/or photocopying them shouldn't take too long. When/if you have a little more time, create a computerized backup for yourself and store password-protected files on a CD that can be kept with your car's emergency supplies, at the office or in a safe deposit box.
Hopefully you have gathered your important documents and put them away in a safe place. Today, take a few minutes today to create a comprehensive list of important numbers that can be quickly accessed and/or easily carried with you. The list should include:
Drivers License or other photo ID numbers
Social Security numbers for all family members
Insurance policy numbers
Bank, loan and charge account numbers
Style and serial numbers of any medical devices
Names and dosages of prescriptions
An inventory of valuable household goods, including serial numbers
If you haven't already created an inventory of valuable household goods, consider doing it today—or at least this coming weekend. You'll want to include items like televisions, stereos, computers, wedding rings, etc.
Taking a little time now is better than trying to make an inventory later by memory if you should lose your home to a fire or natural disaster.
Ordinary items in the home can cause injury and damage. Anything that can move, fall, break or cause a fire could be a potential hazard.
Take a few minutes to check your home for hazards. Some may involve a quick fix you can do now in a manner of minutes, while others may prompt you to call a professional.
Repair defective electrical wiring and leaky gas connections
Fasten shelves securely
Move large, heavy objects to lower shelves
Hang pictures and mirrors away from beds
Brace overhead light fixtures
Secure water heater; strap to wall studs
Repair cracks in ceilings or foundations
Store weed killers, pesticides and flammable products away from heat sources
Place oily polishing rags or waste in covered metal cans
Clean and repair chimneys, flue pipes, vent connectors, and gas vents
Put a child-safety closure on cabinets containing household cleaners or move out of reach
Do you know what to do if your child is choking? What if your dog is hit by a car? Or a friend with a bee allergy is stung? Sure, we've seen it on TV, but ask yourself what YOU would do when faced with this kind of disaster?
Emergencies need not affect a lot of people to be a disaster...just you and the ones you love. Taking time to get trained in first aid, CPR and AED use can equip you with the know-how you need to react quickly when time is short. True, training classes may take more than a few minutes, but the time investment will be well worth it when you gain the knowledge and skills to help save a life.
Local Red Cross chapters offer these (aforementioned) basic training classes and many also offer more specialized classes including pet first aid, babysitting and caregiving, lifeguarding and even disaster preparedness. Employers, schools and community groups often work with the Red Cross to provide group trainings.
Take a few minutes today to learn about the health and safety training courses available from your local chapter and sign-up for a class.
The thought of disaster planning may seem daunting...but needn't be. While you'll need different plans for different emergencies, they generally will be variations on what to do to leave, stay put and communicate in an emergency.
You may leave to take a sick or injured child to the emergency room, to escape a home fire or to evacuate to a hurricane-rated shelter to wait out a bad tropical storm.
You may stay put while a storm passes or during an extended power outage, or you may be sheltering-in-place (whether at home, work or school) due to a chemical or radiation emergency—such as chemical spill.
And, of course, whether you stay or go, you'll need to communicate – to be apprised of an emergency situation, such as weather updates or official announcements, and to keep loved ones connected. (See also Tips 3 and 5.)
Start at the beginning with a basic emergency evacuation plan.
Determine at least two ways of escape from every room of your home. Consider getting escape ladders if you reside or have sleeping areas above the first floor, and then learn how to use and store them.
Select a location outside your home where everyone would meet after evacuating. Select two places to meet—one right outside your home in case of a sudden
but contained emergency, like a fire, and one outside your neighborhood in case you can’t return home.
Be sure to consider the unique needs of evacuating family members with disabilities or mobility issues, young children and pets.
Remember, practice makes perfect; review and practice your escape plan at least twice a year.
NOTE: Links to Web sites outside of RedCross.org open in a New Window. The inclusion of organizations, agencies or Web sites within this section does not constitute an endorsement from the American Red Cross.
