FROM: THE HERITAGE
HUNT EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS TASK
FORCE
EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS
101
ARTICLE 1
Like any insurance,
preparing for an
emergency is not the
most fun thing to
think about, or do.
If the problem is
not looking us right
in the face, we tend
to procrastinate.
But we believe
everyone understands
that our world has
changed: - some of
the possible
emergencies that
could face us today,
from natural or
man-made disasters
to terrorist attacks
- can be downright
fatal if we don’t
pay some attention
and make some simple
preparations.
While we may be
aware of all the
civil defense
actions and
emergency
preparation going on
by federal, state
and county
authorities, it
stands to reason
that in a major
emergency they may
be initially
overwhelmed or
otherwise unable –
communications down,
roads jammed, many
injuries – to
provide the
immediate help
you may need.
That means that
initially,
and maybe for as
long as three
days, it may
be that your help
comes from: - -
you, and / or your
neighbors. That
means that it may be
smart to think about
some initial
preparation, and, to
actually make
some initial
preparations. It
could be that your
well-being, and
maybe your survival,
may depend on you.
We don’t want to get
hysterical about it
(remember all the
plastic and duct
tape instructions?);
but we, the Heritage
Hunt Emergency
Preparedness Task
Force, want to help
you do some
preparation.
As one set of
actions, we will
provide, in each of
the next few issues
of the Heritage
Horn, a series of
short articles to
help you plan and
raise your level of
emergency
preparedness for you
and your family. The
short articles will
include such things
as: Emergency
Supplies (kits),
Emergency Planning
for You and Your
Family, and
Reasonable Responses
(actions you can
take) to Potential
Threats or
Situations.
For your
convenience, these
articles will be
tear-outs like this
one so you can
easily remove and
keep them in one
place, like a
loose-leaf binder.
Because an emergency
supply kit in your
home can be very
useful in many
different
situations, we start
with it. *
EMERGENCY SUPPLIES
(KITS)
Just like having
spare batteries for
your flashlights,
having one or two
emergency supply
kits will put the
items you may really
need at your
fingertips. As a
general guideline,
you want to set
yourself up to be
able to improvise
and use what you
have on hand to make
it on your own
FOR AT LEAST THREE
DAYS.
Consider that while
there are many
things that might
make you more
comfortable, think
first about
the
necessities:
fresh water, food,
clean air, and
important
medications
you take each day
such as insulin and
heart medicine.
Store items in a
sheltered area
in an easy-to-carry
bag(s),
such as a shopping
bag, case, backpack
or duffle bag.
You should
consider TWO kits,
one (larger one) to
stay in the event of
an order to
“shelter in place”,
and one to go
if
evacuation
is ordered.
In one, put
everything you will
need to stay where
you are and make it
on your own for at
least three days.
The other should be
a lightweight,
smaller version you
can take with you if
you have to get away
(evacuate).
Water
Store
one gallon of water
per person
per day for drinking
and sanitation in
clean plastic
containers. If it is
warm outside, more
water per person per
day will be
necessary. Even
though sealed, water
should be rotated
every six months.
Food
Store
food that won’t go
bad or does not have
to be heated or
cooked.
Choose food that you
and your family will
eat, including
protein or fruit
bars, dry cereal or
granola, canned
foods and juices,
peanut butter, dried
fruit, nuts,
crackers. Remember
to pack a
manual can opener,
cups, and eating
utensils, paper
towels, Sterno cans,
matches, and a sharp
knife.
Clean Air
The air could get
contaminated. A
potential terrorist
attack could send
tiny microscopic
“junk” into the air.
For example, an
explosion may
release very fine
debris that can
cause lung damage. A
biological attack
may release germs
that can make you
sick if inhaled or
absorbed through
open cuts.
Many of these agents
can only hurt you
if they get into
your body. So
think about creating
a barrier between
yourself and any
contamination. Be
prepared to
improvise with what
you have on hand to
protect your nose,
mouth, eyes, and
cuts on your
skin.
Anything that fits
snugly over your
nose and mouth,
including any
dense-weave
cotton materiel,
can help filter
contaminants in an
emergency. It is
very important that
most of the air you
breathe comes
through the mask or
cloth, not around
it. Do whatever you
can to make the best
fit possible for
children. There are
also a variety of
inexpensive
facemasks
readily
available in
hardware stores or
on the Internet that
are rated
based on how small a
particle they can
filter out.
Given the different
types of attacks
that could occur
that can cause air
contamination, there
is not one solution
for masking. For
instance, simple
cloth facemasks can
filter some of the
airborne “junk” or
germs you might
breathe into your
body, but will
probably not protect
you from chemical
gases. Still,
something over your
nose and mouth in an
emergency is better
than nothing.
Have
heavyweight garbage
bags or plastic
sheeting, duct tape
and scissors
in your kit. You can
use these things to
tape up windows,
doors and air vents
if you need to seal
off a room for a
period of time to
avoid outside
contamination.
Consider precutting
and labeling these
materials. Anything
you can do in
advance will save
time when it counts.
Medications
We’ve mentioned some
of this stuff above;
a list may include:
the food, water,
masks,
flashlights,
extra batteries
(flashlight, AA,
AAA), battery
powered radio
(preferably NOAA
capable), cell phone
charged and portable
charger, first aid
kit, utility knife,
local map, toilet
paper, feminine
hygiene products,
simple tools, soap,
garbage bags and
other sanitation
supplies, plastic
sheeting, duct tape,
as well as extra
cash and
identification.
Periodically rotate
your extra batteries
to be sure they will
work when you need
them.
Warmth
If you live in a
cold weather
climate, you must
think about warmth.
It is very possible
that the power will
be out and you will
not have heat. Have
warm clothing
for each family
member in your
supply kit,
including a jacket
or coat, long pants,
long sleeve shirts,
sturdy shoes, hat
and cloves. Have a
sleeping bag or warm
blanket
for each person.
Special Items
Think about your
family’s unique
needs. Consider pets
if you have them
(pet food),
comfort items,
eyeglasses, books,
paper, deck of cards
or some other form
of entertainment,
Gasoline cans for
the car.
You may want to
maintain at least a
half tank of gas
in your getaway
vehicle if you must
evacuate.
You might list your
family’s unique
needs here:
A GET-AWAY KIT
In the event of an
evacuation order, it
is important to have
a quick-grab
lightweight kit
available, maybe in
a small duffle bag,
which includes a
smaller version of
the “stay here” kit,
and also includes
important papers
such as ID
(passports), house
deed, house
inventory on CD or
diskette, homeowners
insurance policy,
bank account numbers
and checkbooks, and
money (cash).
SUMMARY
It is difficult to
make the exact right
list of emergency
items for each
family. No list is
complete or
all-inclusive for
every contingency.
We strongly
recommend that you
look at the articles
we mention here and
make up your
family’s list of
what you should have
in emergency kit(s).
You can build your
kit a few items at a
time, on your trips
Costco or BJ’s.
What’s most
important, we
believe, is that you
start; take
some action,
no matter how small,
to prepare for
emergencies.
* Source: U.S.
Department of
Homeland Security
Pamphlet
“Preparing Makes
Sense. Get
Ready Now” (www.ready.gov).
The Next
Installment:
Emergency
Planning for
Your Family.
Joe DeBell
