Professional Documents
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Your
Family Disaster Plan
W here will your
family be when
Disaster can strike quickly and without warning. It can force
you to evacuate your neighborhood or confine you to your
disaster strikes? They home. What would you do if basic services–water, gas,
could be anywhere — electricity or telephones–were cut off? Local officials and
relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster, but they
cannot reach everyone right away.
at school
or in the car.
Phone ( ) Phone ( )
day evening
HOME HAZARD HUNT
3
During a disaster, ordinary objects
in your home can cause injury or
Complete This Checklist damage. Anything that can move,
fall, break or cause a fire is a home
❏ Post emergency telephone numbers ❏ Install smoke detectors on each level hazard. For example, a hot water
by phones (fire, police, ambulance, of your home, especially near heater or a bookshelf can fall.
etc.). bedrooms. Inspect your home at least once a
❏ Teach children how and when to call ❏ Conduct a home hazard hunt. year and fix potential hazards.
911 or your local Emergency Medical
❏ Stock emergency supplies and Contact your local fire department
Services number for emergency help. to learn about home fire hazards.
assemble a Disaster Supplies Kit.
❏ Show each family member how and
when to turn off the water, gas and ❏ Take a Red Cross first aid and CPR
electricity at the main switches. class.
❏ Check if you have adequate insurance ❏ Determine the best escape routes
coverage. from your home. Find two ways out
❏ Teach each family member how to of each room.
use the fire extinguisher (ABC type), ❏ Find the safe spots in your home for
and show them where it’s kept. each type of disaster.
4
Practice and Maintain Your Plan
❏ Quiz your kids every six months so ❏ Test your smoke detectors monthly
they remember what to do. and change the batteries at least once
❏ Conduct fire and emergency a year. EVACUATION
evacuation drills. Jan. ❏ July ❏
Year Drill Date Feb. ❏ Aug. ❏ Evacuate immediately if told
to do so:
Mar. ❏ Sep. ❏
Apr. ❏ Oct. ❏ ■ Listen to your battery-powered
radio and follow the instructions
❏ Replace stored water every three May ❏ Nov. ❏ of local emergency officials.
months and stored food every six
June ❏ Dec. ❏ ■ Wear protective clothing and
months.
❏ Test and recharge your fire sturdy shoes.
extinguisher(s) according to Change batteries in each year. ■ Take your Disaster Supplies Kit.
(month)
manufacturer’s instructions.
■ Lock your home.
■ Use travel routes specified by
local authorities — don’t use
NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS shortcuts because certain areas
may be impassable or dangerous.
Working with neighbors can save lives and property. Meet with your
neighbors to plan how the neighborhood could work together after a disas- If you’re sure you have time:
ter until help arrives. If you’re a member of a neighborhood organization,
such as a home association or crime watch group, introduce disaster pre- ■ Shut off water, gas and electricity
before leaving, if instructed to do so.
paredness as a new activity. Know your neighbors’ special skills (e.g.,
medical, technical) and consider how you could help neighbors who have ■ Post a note telling others when you
special needs, such as disabled and elderly persons. Make plans for child left and where you are going.
care in case parents can’t get home. ■ Make arrangements for your pets.
IF DISASTER STRIKES
The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Community and Family Preparedness Program and the American Red
Cross Community Disaster Education Program are nationwide efforts to help people prepare for disasters of all types.
For more information, please contact your local emergency management office and American Red Cross chapter. This
brochure and other preparedness materials are available by calling FEMA at 1-800-480-2520, or writing: FEMA, P.O.
Box 2012, Jessup, MD 20794-2012.
Publications are also available on the World Wide Web at:
FEMA’s Web site: http://www.fema.gov
American Red Cross Web site: http://www.redcross.org
Ask for: Are You Ready?, Your Family
Disaster Supplies Kit and Food & Water Local sponsorship provided by:
in an Emergency.
September 1991
FEMA L-191
ARC 4466
F A C T S H E E T
WINTER STORMS
A major winter storm can be lethal. Preparing for cold weather conditions and responding to them
effectively can reduce the dangers caused by winter storms.
Be familiar with winter storm Contact your local emergency Develop an emergency
warning messages. management office or American communication plan.
(See Winter Storm Watches and Red Cross chapter for more In case family members are
Warnings) information on winter storms. separated from one another during
a winter storm (a real possibility
Service snow removal equipment Keep pipes from freezing. during the day when adults are at
and have rock salt on hand to ■ Wrap pipes in insulation or layers work and children are at school),
melt ice on walkways and kitty of old newspapers. have a plan for getting back
litter to generate temporary together.
■ Cover the newspapers with
traction.
plastic to keep out moisture. Ask an out-of-state relative or
friend to serve as the “family
Make sure you have sufficient ■ Let faucets drip a little to avoid
contact.” After a disaster, it’s often
heating fuel; regular fuel sources freezing. easier to call long distance. Make
may be cut off.
■ Know how to shut off water sure everyone in the family knows
valves. the name, address, and phone
Winterize your home.
number of the contact person.
■ Insulate walls and attic. Have disaster supplies on hand, in
■ Caulk and weather-strip doors case the power goes out. Make sure that all family mem-
and windows. • Flashlight and extra batteries bers know how to respond after
a severe winter storm.
■ Install storm windows or cover • Portable, battery-operated radio
windows with plastic from the Teach children how and when to
and extra batteries
inside. call 9-1-1, police, or fire depart-
• First aid kit ment, and which radio station to
Have safe emergency heating • One-week supply of food (include tune to for emergency information.
equipment available. items that do not require refrigera-
• Fireplace with ample supply tion or cooking in case the power Kerosene Heaters
of wood is shut off)
Check with your local fire department on
• Small, well-vented wood, coal, or • Nonelectric can opener
the legality of using kerosene heaters in
camp stove with fuel • One-week supply of essential your community. Use only the correct fuel
• Portable space heaters or kerosene prescription medications for your unit and follow the manufacturer’s
heaters (See Kerosene Heaters) • Extra blankets and sleeping bags instructions. Refuel outdoors only, and
only when cool. Keep your kerosene
Install and check smoke detectors. • Fire extinguisher (A-B-C type) heater at least 3 feet away from furniture
and other flammable objects.
IF INDOORS Avoid overexertion. Frostbite and Hypothermia
Stay indoors and dress warmly. Cold weather puts an added strain
on the heart. Unaccustomed Frostbite is a severe reaction to cold
Conserve fuel. exercise such as shoveling snow or exposure that can permanently damage its
Lower the thermostat to 65 degrees pushing a car can bring on a heart victims. A loss of feeling and a white or
during the day and 55 degrees at attack or make other medical pale appearance in fingers, toes, or nose
night. Close off unused rooms. conditions worse. Be aware of and ear lobes are symptoms of frostbite.
symptoms of dehydration.
Hypothermia is a condition brought on
If the pipes freeze, remove any when the body temperature drops to less
insulation or layers of newspa- Watch for signs of frostbite and
than 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Symptoms
pers and wrap pipes in rags. hypothermia.
of hypothermia include uncontrollable
Completely open all faucets and shivering, slow speech, memory lapses,
pour hot water over the pipes, Keep dry.
frequent stumbling, drowsiness, and
starting where they were most Change wet clothing frequently to
exhaustion.
exposed to the cold (or where the prevent a loss of body heat. Wet
clothing loses all of its insulating If frostbite or hypothermia is suspected,
cold was most likely to penetrate).
value and transmits heat rapidly. begin warming the person slowly and seek
immediate medical assistance. Warm the
Listen to the radio or television to
Remember to help your neighbors person’s trunk first. Use your own body
get the latest storm information.
who may require special assis- heat to help. Arms and legs should be
tance — infants, elderly people, warmed last because stimulation of the
IF OUTDOORS limbs can drive cold blood toward the
and people with disabilities.
Dress warmly. heart and lead to heart failure. Put person
Wear loose-fitting, layered, light- in dry clothing and wrap their entire body
weight clothing. Layers can be Mitigation in a blanket.
removed to prevent perspiration Never give a frostbite or hypothermia
and chill. Outer garments should Mitigation includes any activities that victim something with caffeine in it (like
be tightly woven and water repel- prevent an emergency, reduce the chance coffee or tea) or alcohol. Caffeine, a
lent. Mittens are warmer than of an emergency happening, or lessen the stimulant, can cause the heart to beat
gloves because fingers generate damaging effects of unavoidable faster and hasten the effects the cold has
warmth when they touch each other. emergencies. Investing in preventive on the body. Alcohol, a depressant, can
mitigation steps now such as purchasing a slow the heart and also hasten the ill
Stretch before you go out. flood insurance policy and installing storm effects of cold body temperatures.
If you go out to shovel snow, do a windows will help reduce the impact of
few stretching exercises to warm up winter storms in the future. For more
your body. Also, take frequent information on mitigation, contact your Winter Storm Watches
breaks. local emergency management office. and Warnings
September 1993
B A C K G R O U N D E R
nied by high winds, freezing rain or sleet, heavy snowfall, and blizzard conditions with blinding
extremely cold temperatures. People can become stranded on the
wind-driven snow that last several
road or trapped at home, without utilities or other services. The best
protection against severe winter weather is to stay inside and to days. Some winter storms may be
dress warmly by wearing loose-fitting, layered, lightweight clothing. large enough to affect several states
2. A serious danger during a winter storm is hypothermia—a while others may affect only a single
condition brought on when the body temperature drops because of
prolonged exposure to extreme cold. Hypothermia is not always community. All winter storms are
fatal, but for those who survive there are likely to be lasting kidney, accompanied by low temperatures
liver, and pancreatic problems.
and blowing snow, which can
3. Heavy snowfall and blizzards can trap motorists in their cars.
severely reduce visibility. A severe
Attempting to walk for help in a blizzard can be a deadly decision.
Disorientation and confusion come very quickly in blowing snow. winter storm is one that drops 4 or
People trapped in a car during a blizzard do best to stay in the car
more inches of snow during a 12-
and wait for help.
hour period, or 6 or more inches
September 1993