Personal and Family Preparedness

Personal and Family Preparedness

Diana Mata - Intern Kevin Dodge - Intern Introduction

Do you know where your car title is located? Do you have a list of all medications your household takes on a daily basis? Do you know what frequency the emergency broadcasting channel is on an AM/FM radio? Pre-TestHow Prepared Are You???

Be Informed Make a Plan Build a Kit Get Involved What Should We Do?

What are some potential hazards we face in North Texas?

Be Informed Thunderstorms and Lightning If a sturdy shelter is not available, get inside a hardtop vehicle and keep the windows up Lightning strike victims carry no electrical charge and should be attended to immediately Avoid showering or bathing. Plumbing and bathroom fixtures can conduct electricity Tornadoes generally occur near the trailing edge of a thunderstorm

Be Informed Tornados They may strike quickly, with little or no warning Before a tornado hits, the wind may die down and the air may become very still A cloud of debris can mark the location of a tornado even if a funnel is not visible

Be Informed Look for the following danger signs: Dark, often greenish sky Large hail A large, dark, low-lying cloud (particularly if rotating) Loud roar, similar to a freight train Take shelter by going to the center of an interior room on the lowest level of a building Put as many walls as possible between you and the outside

Be Informed Warning sirens are generally activated when: Tornado warnings from the National Weather Service naming your location in its path Severe thunderstorm warnings from the National Weather Service with winds forecast over 73mph When deemed necessary by city officials (civil unrest, Hazmat, disasters)

Watches vs. Warnings Watch — Conditions are favorable for the severe weather event in or near the watch area. When a watch is announced, stay alert and be ready to take action Warning — Severe weather event is imminent or occurring in the warned area. Take action based on the emergency at hand Be Informed

Be Informed Floods/Flashfloods It only takes six inches of fast-moving floodwater to knock over an adult and two feet to carry away most vehicles, including pickups and SUVs High winds Can accompany other natural disasters Debris can turn into damaging projectiles Can cause power outages

Be Informed Hail • Most commonly causes damage to property, vehicles and crops; more than $1 billion in damage each year • The costliest thunderstorm event in U.S. history struck Dallas-Fort Worth on May 5, 1995 What to do • Cover windows with curtains or close blinds to reduce the impact of breaking glass • Provide shelter for any outdoor pets or farm animals. Animals are particularly vulnerable to hail • Pull over if you are driving

Be Informed Heat and Drought • Older adults, young children, and those who are sick or overweight are most likely to suffer when the mercury rises Wildfires • Wildfires often begin unnoticed. These fires are usually triggered by lightning or accidents

Be Informed Winter Storms A winter storm can last for several days and be accompanied by: • high winds • freezing rain • sleet • heavy snowfall • cold temperatures People can become trapped at home, without utilities or other services, or in their vehicle

Be Informed Hazardous Materials • Chemical manufacturers are one source of hazardous materials, but there are many others, including 18-wheelers, service stations, hospitals and hazardous materials waste sites • Anyone living near an Interstate is susceptible to hazardous material exposure Transportation Accidents • $10.8 million in 2009 • 35,900 deaths in 2009

Be Informed Blackouts/Loss of Electricity • Follow energy conservation measures to keep the use of electricity as low as possible, which can help power companies avoid imposing rolling blackouts • More likely during hottest and coldest periods of the year

Be Informed Epidemic • An epidemic occurs when a disease affects a greater number people than is usual for the locality or one that spreads to areas not usually associated with the disease Pandemic • A pandemic is an epidemic of world-wide proportions

H5N1 (Avian Flu) A relatively new Influenza A virus Extremely virulent, capable of causing severe disease Not currently transmittable Be Informed

West Nile Virus The hours from dusk to dawn are peak biting times for many species of mosquitoes Control measures Avoid containers that allow standing water Insect repellant Long sleeves Be Informed

Be Informed Practice good “Cough Etiquette” Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth

Be Informed • Wash your hands often with soap and warm water, especially after you cough or sneeze • Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective but second to soap and warm water • Stay home if you get sick. Germs spread that way

Be Informed Carbon Monoxide You can’t see or smell carbon monoxide, but at high levels it can kill a person in minutes

Be Informed House Fires • Fire is Fast! • Fire is Hot! • Fire is Dark! • Fire is Deadly!

Be Informed

Gas Leaks Natural gas is odorless and colorless, so harmless substances are added to it to make it smell like rotten eggs, to assist in identifying leaks Be Informed

Be Informed Holiday Travel • Inform someone from your support network • Avoid less travelled surface roads if possible • Check weather before you leave • Ensure your vehicle’s maintenance is up to date

Be Informed Biological Threats Biological agents are organisms or toxins that can kill or incapacitate people, livestock and crops The three basic groups of biological agents that would likely be used as weapons are bacteria, viruses and toxins

Be Informed Chemical Threats • Chemical agents are poisonous vapors, aerosols, liquids and solids that have toxic effects on people, animals or plants • While potentially lethal, chemical agents are difficult to deliver in lethal concentrations

Be Informed Explosions Explosive devices can be highly portable, using vehicles and humans as a means of transport Terrorists have frequently used explosive devices as one of their most common weapons

Be Informed Comanche Peak Power Station Located 100 miles southwest of McKinney, TX Nuclear Power Plant Nearly 3 million Americans live within 10 miles of an operating nuclear power plant Nuclear power plants operate in most states in the country and produce about 20 percent of the nation’s power

Make a Plan

Make a Plan Your family may not be together when a disaster strikes. Making a plan is essential • How will you get to a safe place? • How will you contact one another? • How will you get back together? • What will you do in different situations and disasters? • Who should you ask for help?

Make a Plan Plan for your risks Before, during, and after • Identify common hazards in your area • Share information from the “Be Informed” section with all members of your household or your support network • Inquire about alert and warning systems at: • home • work • school • locations where you spend time • Make preparations to shelter in place or evacuate

Create a Personal Support Network • Members of your network can be: • roommates • relatives • neighbors • friends • co-workers • family members • They should be people you trust and who can check to see if you need assistance. Tell them about your capabilities and needs, so they can provide help when needed

Make a Plan Plan to protect yourself / family • Make an emergency plan • Plan together with your support network • Arrange for more than one person from your support network to check on you in an emergency, so there is at least one back-up person • Keep your plan in a safe place where everyone can find it

Make a Plan Communications Plan • Fill out a family emergency plan • Identify and confirm with the out-of-town contact • Someone who can establish contact with everyone during a disaster • Ways to communicate • Cell phone • Text messaging • Pay phone • Internet/email • Online registration programs • Social media

Make a Plan • ICE, or “In Case of Emergency” • EMT and first responders actually look for this! • Put a new contact in your cell phone: • Call it “ICE” (or ICE1, ICE2, etc., for multiple) • Add phone number • Add notes for who this contact is, such as “Wife Alice” or “Dad – Bill” (if your phone lets you)

Make a Plan File of Life Program • The File of Life is a red, magnetic packet that contains vitally important medical information about you. • The File of Life also provides an area to list contact information for your family members, and includes doctor, insurance information and any other special circumstances that rescue personnel should know in caring for you.

Make a Plan Escape routes for your home • Identify at least two escape routes for each room • If your home is taller than one story plan to use escape ladders Establish a place to meet in the event of an emergency

Be Informed Get Tech Ready

Make a Plan Utility Shut-off • It is very important to contact your service provider in order to determine the safest shut-off and start-up procedures for each utility in your home • gas • water • electricity • There is always a possibility of secondary emergencies and accidents if not followed properly

Make a Plan Vital Records and Documents • Store important documents in an electronic format orin a safe location away from your home • Safe deposit box • Someone from your support network • Remember to update any information as soon as changes take effect

Make a Plan Examples of Vital Records and Documents • Drivers License or ID card • Medical records • Marriage, birth, & death certificates • House/car deeds • Insurance policies • Bank records/credit card accounts • Divorce decrees & adoption records • Home inventory list (with photos)

Make a Plan Safety • Take first aid and CPR classes • Learn to use a fire extinguisher • Update the medical information for everyone included in your plan • Learn how to care for those in your family with serious medical conditions and/or physical limitations

Make a Plan • Be sure to include pets in your plan • Pet Alert Decal for your home, it alerts first responders that there is a pet inside the home

Make a Plan Tailor a Plan for Your Needs • Its important to consider any challenges or barriers that might limit your independence and self-reliance • As you answer the following questions think about a day when you might feel your worst

Make a Plan On your worst day… • Could you move around on your own? • Would you be able to lift, grab or carry your disaster kit? • Could you evacuate on your own? • Would you be able to safely drive a vehicle? • Would you be able to get access to news and important information? • How long could you take care of yourself?

Make a Plan Planning • Consider how a disaster might affect your needs • Plan to make it on your own for a several days • Identify what kinds of resources you use on a daily basis and what you might need if these are limited • Consider your unique needs as you plan to keep your health, safety and independence • Keep in mind any pets or livestock that may rely on you for food and shelter

Make a Plan As you identify your needs and the resources available during a disaster remember to keep in mind: • Ages of members in your family or group • Your responsibilities for assisting others • Locations you frequently visit • Dietary needs • Medical needs • Transportation needs • Disabilities or functional needs • Pets or service animals

Make a Plan Locations to consider as you plan Home Workplace Vehicles Commuter transportation Schools Places of Worship Sports arenas and playing fields Entertainment locations Shopping malls or retail centers Travel locations or hotels

Personal and Family Preparedness