Disaster or
Emergency Preparedness
Emergency Preparedness or disaster preparedness is a huge topic. Here, we specialize in first aid. Now, a really good first aid kit will be part of your emergency preparedness, but only a part. You will need an emergency survival kit (the first aid kit goes in here). You will also need to do a little planning and gather some information. Being prepared reduces fear and anxiety. It also allows you to be of help to those around you. In this section we'll discuss 4 basic needs of survival and 3 simple steps you need to prepare yourself. We break the 3 steps down and walk you through the process. We've included links to some great websites and loads of free downloads. Getting you and your family ready can take as little as a few hours on a spare Saturday. So, order in a few pizzas, gather the family and grab a pen. Let's get started. There are quite a few PDF downloads available on this page. You will need Adobe Reader to view those files.
You can get Abode Reader here, it is a free program.
The information in this section, Emergency Preparedness, is provided by the government organizations
FEMA
and
Ready.gov.
It is included here for your convenience. FEMA and Ready.gov in no way endorse nor are they affiliated with this site.
The 4 Basics of Survival
First off let's talk about the basics. No matter what emergency or disaster situation you find yourself in, you will need to consider these 4 things. They are the core of emergency preparedness. And they are water, food, clean air and warmth.When putting your plan together and organizing your survival kit keep these 4 points in mind. We'll discuss them in depth as we go along. Let's move on to the 3 steps you need to take to be prepared.
The 3 Steps for Emergency Preparedness
- Get a Kit
- Make a Plan
- Be informed
I told you it was easy. First you'll put together a survival kit that will include the 4 basics (water, food, clean air and warmth) along with extras your family might need.Then you'll create plans for what your family will do in an emergency. Who's calling who, where you all plan to meet, what you'll do if you have to evacuate, etc. Lastly, you'll gain a little knowledge and become informed. You'll learn different strategies and techniques for surviving depending on what disasters you are most likely to encounter. Take a few minutes to review each section and download the checklists and emergency preparedness booklet that apply to you. You might as well, they're free.
Step One: Get a Kit
You will need to put together a survival kit that will keep you self-sufficient for 3 days. If you live in the Southeastern United States it is suggested you have enough provisions for 10 days.When putting together your kit it's important to take into account your unique family needs. Are you living with a disabled or an elderly person? Do you have children? What about pets, both big and small? Do you live in earthquake country or Hurricane Alley? You will need to supplement your basic kit to cover your needs. Below you'll find the link to a basic emergency survival kit and checklist. Start with this list. Then supplement it with other checklists based on your family's needs. Download the ones that apply to you. The downloads in this section are provided by
ready.gov.
This is a great organization started by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to help with individual emergency preparedness.
Basic Emergency Survival Kit
Start with this checklist. Basic supplies everyone should have on hand to survive for 3 days. You might want to consider having two kits. A larger kit at home and then a smaller portable kit at work or in the car.
Emergency Preparedness for Kids
If you have babies, kiddies, children, or any variation there of. Then this is the checklist for you. It will help you gather the neccesary things to keep your children safe. There are also some links to emergency preparedness games and stickers and other cool things. (My nephew Alex highly recommends the stickers)
Emergency Preparedness for Senior Citizens
Senior citizens have special needs. Medications, walkers, eye glasses, hearing aids, etc. Here is a checklist and tips for gathering the necessary items. Don't forget grandma's Gameboy!
Emergency Preparedness for Persons with Disabilities
Here's a checklist and a few tips for persons with special needs.
Emergency Preparedness for Pets
Your pets will need a checklist of their own. This is an often overlooked part of disaster preparedness. Keep in mind that most shelters will not let you bring your pets in with you. There will most likely be special pet shelters set side. Make sure your pet has food, toys, medication, a pet carrier, etc.
Step Two: Make a Plan
Now that you have your kit together you need to know what to do. It's time to make a plan.Emergency preparedness plans are really a series of 'What if' questions you need to ask yourself. What if we need to evacuate? What if the phones are down? What if I'm in my car? What if my family is separated? We will start with the basic family emergency plan and then cover the other scenarios. Again, download the pamphlets and lists that apply to you.
Basic Family Emergency Plan
The family emergency plan is really a list of important phone numbers, addresses, financial information, medical information and meeting places. Every member of the family should carry it with them. There are wallet size cutouts you can fill in and laminate (or cover it with clear plastic packing tape).
Workplace Plan
Your workplace is your financial livelihood it is worth creating a plan to safe guard your finances. Find lists and plans for computer inventory, insurance, small and large business plans, etc.
Staying Put
Things you need to know if you are going to stay put during an emergency. ‘Sheltering in Place’ information covers everything you need to know if you intend to ride it out where you are.
Evacuating
What to do and what you need to bring if you have to evacuate.
Neighborhoods and Apartments
Things you should know if you live in an apartment and plans for your neighborhood.
In a high-rise
A plan to help you out if you live in a high-rise building.
Moving Vehicle Plan
You just had to go get that burger at the drive thru, now you find yourself in an emergency situation. Good thing you downloaded this checklist.
Step Three: Be Informed
So, you've put together your kit, remembered the rash cream for the baby, filled in your family emergency forms, created plans worthy of Mission Impossible. Your next and final step is to get informed.Every region has it's own unique weather and disaster challenges. I live in Los Angeles, California so I am informed about earthquakes, mudslides and celebrity mishaps. There are also universal disasters that we need to inform ourselves about, such as biological or chemical threats. Just give a click on the links below to find out more information about a particular emergency and what you can do to prepare for it.
Biological Threat
Chemical Threat
Earthquakes
Explosions
Extreme Heat or Heat Wave
Fires
Floods
Hurricanes
Influenza Pandemic
Landslide and Debris Flow (Mudslide)
Nuclear Threat
Radiation Threat
Thunderstorms
Tornadoes
Tsunamis
Volcanoes
Winter Storms and Extreme Cold
The Wrap Up
That's it, you're done! Don't forget to update your plans and check your supplies once or twice a year. Things get used, food and water needs to be checked for expiration. I check my kits the first day of spring and the first day of winter. Easy dates to remember. Then I'm all set for the rest of the year.We have a few extra downloads, websites and things we would like to tell you about.
Preparing Makes Sense: Get Ready Now. 3 Fold Brochure.
This is a brochure that gives you the basic emergency preparedness survival checklist along with the 3 steps. This is a PDF file.
Preparing Makes Sense: Get Ready Now. 16 Page Booklet
This is a 16 page booklet that gives an overview of everything we covered on this webpage. This is a PDF file.
The Granddaddy of All Disaster Guides
If you can't sleep at night and need a little reading material. This is a 204 page disaster preparedness book. An absolute page turner. This is a PDF file.
Online Training Module.
This is a little interactive training module that The Red Cross offers. It is in four parts with links to resourses and downloads. It's free with videos that walk you through the emergency preparedness process.
Emergency Preparedness Shopping List.
The Red Cross offers this great spreadsheet to help you prepare for an emergency. You simply type in the number of people in your household and it calculates the supplies you need. It's very helpful we recommend it.
Prepare.org
is a wonderful site. The Red Cross runs this site and it has loads of information about preparing for an emergency with children, the elderly, pets etc.
The American Red Cross Disaster Preparedness Website.
Are you sensing a theme here? The American Red Cross is the ultimate in emergency preparedness. They are the authority on what to do and how to do it. So why not check it out?
The NOAA Website
The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration. I dare you to try and find a weather condition that is not covered on this website.
FEMA
The Federal Emergency Management Agency. The name says it all.
The US Dept of Homeland Security
You can find all kinds of useful information here.
For easy reference you can find all the downloads available at our Downloads Page.
The information in this section comes from The US Department of Homeland Security and their website Ready.gov. We have provided the information here has a convenience to our visitors. Ready.gov in no way endorses the All-things-first-aid Website or it's products.
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Disclaimer: All information on All-Things-First-Aid.com are
for educational purposes only. This information is not intended as a
substitute for professional medical advice, emergency treatment or formal
first-aid training. If you're in a life-threatening or emergency medical
situation, seek medical assistance immediately.
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