The Fresno-Madera Chapter of the American Red Cross responded to more than 275 local disasters last year; the majority being house fires or flooded homes. Suffice to say, it’s always best to be prepared.
The Sandoval family is in the process of preparing a Family Readiness Kit. Mom, Diane, wants her family to be prepared. Marina and baby Isabella were happy to help. “It’s always good to have those things that you need ready that you can just grab and go.”
Public Health Nurse Rose Mary Garrone has tips on creating a plan to get your family disaster ready. The kit is just a small piece of it.
Disaster Readiness Plan
Write it down! – Before an emergency happens, sit down together and decide where you will go and what you will do in an emergency. Keep a copy in a safe place where you can access it in the event of a disaster.
Make sure every body has a copy of the plan. – Make sure all family members have a copy. And if you have small children, give a copy of your plan to your child’s daycare provider and/or babysitter.
Designate an out-of-state contact person - During a disaster, making phone calls within the local area may be difficult. So, be sure to designate a “contact” person who lives out of the local area or out of the state! “What’s always important to remember is to communicate who that person is going to be. That the family knows who that person is going to be and that the person knows they’re the contact for them, as well.”
School’s disaster readiness plan - One never knows when disaster may strike and you could be out of the home when it happens. So, be sure to find out about your child’s school disaster readiness plan. “Most preschools and most schools have an emergency plans. So, it’s very important to ask the school what the plans are and how the school would notify the parent in case of an emergency.”
Copy of medical information - Keep a record of all your family’s prescriptions or any medical supplies. “If you have a copy of that subscription you could take it back to your pharmacy or a different pharmacy. The pharmacy could at least confirm or acknowledge receipt of that prescription and get more medication for you.”
Disaster Readiness Kit
One of the most critical items to include in your Disaster Preparedness Kit is water! And, when building the kit it’s recommended that you have at least 3 days worth, to start. “You should be prepared to be without power for 7 days, although the minimum is 3 days. It’s a challenge for families to prepare a kit so, try for 3 days and work up to 7.”
It’s very important for people to stay tuned or stay informed during a disaster. So, Rose Mary recommends including a battery operated radio in your Disaster Preparedness Kit. “During a disaster, the media is one of the main ways messages are communicated to the public about a disaster and where to go.”
Family Disaster Supplies List Non-food items
-battery powered radio and flashlights
-extra batteries
-first aid kit
-prescription medications
-photocopies of prescriptions (pharmacy records may not be available right away)
-credit cards and cash
-personal I.D.
-spare set of car keys
-extra pair of eyeglasses
-matches in a waterproof container
-cell phone and charger
-signal flare
-whistle to signal for help
-can opener
-wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
-dust mask to filter contaminated air Sources: Family Readiness Kit (Overview Booklet) – American Academy of Pediatrics http://www.aap.org/family/frk/aapfrkfull.pdf Emergency Supply List - U.S. Department of Homeland Security http://www.ready.gov/america/_downloads/checklist.pdf
Rose Mary also suggests includingcopies ofbank accounts, birth certificates, health records and immunization records and to be sure to store the information in a secure location and update it every year. If you have computer access and a scanner, scan all those documents and load them onto a disk or a USB port as well. “It’s a little easier to carry that way.”
Diane and the girls are finally finished packing their kit. “1-2-3! We’re ready to go. Good job!”
