FAMILY PREPAREDNESS PLANS

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Romney) — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 03:00:00 +0000

By Patricia & Calvin Luker

After an emergency, workers may not be able to reach everyone right away. In some cases it may take 3 or more days for help to arrive. Your family preparedness plan is the guide that will help to prepare your family to endure these difficult times.

In creating a family preparedness plan, it is important to consider the needs of the people who live in your home. This article includes planning tips, suggestions and checklists that we hope will help you and your family develop an emergency preparedness plan.

You should consider the following when developing a family preparedness plan:

A family meeting location

Planning for those with disabilities/special needs

Important documents and files to collect and protect

Emergency kits and what to have in them

Local evacuation routes

Contact information for local emergency providers

Be sure to update your Family Preparedness Plan every time your family information changes.

Your family should review the plan together so everyone understands what to do in an emergency. Be sure to pay particular attention to the different needs of each person in your household and make sure any special needs are included in your plan. Members of your family that might have special needs include babies, infants, small children, elderly persons and any persons with disabilities.

Family Meeting Location

Your family may not be together when an emergency occurs, so it is good to choose a place where you can meet after an emergency or make contact with one another if you are separated. When you discuss your Family Preparedness Plan as a family, be sure everyone knows and reviews what you will do in different situations.

Planning for those with disabilities/special needs

If you have a family member who has a disability or special need, you may need to take additional steps to protect her or him in an emergency.

Some ideas to consider when making your Family Preparedness Plan:

Form a circle of support people to help you in an emergency. (Church members, neighbors, nearby friends or family members)

Prepare and keep a medical resume for and with the family member with special needs so that others know the person’s conditions and needs and how to meet them.

Create an Emergency Kit containing supplies specific to your family member’s special needs. (See list at bottom of suggested items article]

Make sure your circle of support knows about your emergency kit and where it is stored.

Give a member of your circle of support a key to your home.

Contact your local emergency management office and notify them that you have a family member with a disability/special need. (Most emergency management offices keep a current list of people within a community who have a disability/special need, so they can be quickly located and assisted in the event of an emergency).

Encourage your family member with a disability/special need to wear a medical alert bracelet or tag.

If your family member is dependent on dialysis or other life sustaining treatment, know the locations and availability of more than one facility in your area.

Show your circle of support how to operate any special equipment your family needs [e.g., wheelchair, tube feeding supplies, oxygen, etc.].

Show members of your circle of support how to collapse the wheelchair in case it needs to be transported.

Here is a list of supplies you may want to consider keeping in your Family Preparedness Kit:

Extra supply of prescription medicines, a list of medications and their dosages [be sure that you rotate these so the medications don’t become ineffective]

Extra set of eyeglasses and extra hearing-aid batteries.

A list of the styles and serial numbers of medical devices you use

Extra copies of medical insurance documents and Medicare/Medicaid cards

List of doctors, relatives, and friends, along with their contact information, who you may want to go to for assistance

Food

It is recommended to have a three-day supply of non-perishable food. Non-perishable means food that can stay good for a long time without needing to be in the refrigerator. It is also good if the food doesn't need to be cooked. Keep food in a dry, cool location.

Remember to replace your food supplies every six months to ensure freshness. A good way to remember when to replace your foods is by doing so at the same time when you change your clocks for Daylight Savings.

Here are some suggestions of foods to have prepared:

Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits and vegetables
Canned juice, milk and soup
High energy foods, like peanut butter, granola bars, trail mix
Powdered coffee or tea
Dried fruits and nuts
Crackers
Vitamins
Sugar, salt and pepper
Fun foods! Like cookies, hard candy, lollipops
Special food for babies or those with disabilities/special needs

Along with your food supply, it is necessary to have all the items that are necessary for food storage, cooking, eating, and cleaning.

Camping stove with extra gas
Pots, pans, plates and utensils
Sponges, soap and other cleaning supplies
Napkins, towels and paper products
Manual can opener
Ice cooler / Ice chest

Water

Drinking Water

Storing drinking water is one of the most important things you can do before a disaster. In a disaster, water pipes may be broken or the water may become contaminated. To be ready, you should have at least a 3-day supply of drinking water at your home. Plan to have at least one gallon of water for each person per day.

Cooking and Hygiene Water (For cooking meals/ brushing teeth/ bathing)

You will also need at least one gallon of water for each person per day for things like cooking and personal hygiene (like brushing your teeth).

Calculating Total Water Storage Needs

You will need at least 2 gallons of water per person per day to meet all family water needs. So a family of 4 will need 24 gallons of water stored to meet family needs for a period of three days [4 persons times 2 gallons of water per person per day times 3 days equals 24 gallons (4 X 2 X 3 = 24)]. Remember to add in extra water if your family member who has special needs has extraordinary water needs.

Water Storage Tips

Buying 1 Gallon jugs of bottled water is suggested, but you can fill your own water containers if needed. Be sure to store your water in plastic containers. Plastic soft drink bottles are fine for use, but do not use milk cartons or glass bottles!

First Aid Kit

During a disaster, you or a family member may become injured. A First Aid Kit will be needed to treat an injured person, so keep a first aid manual and basic medical supplies in your First Aid Kit. Having these basic supplies will allow you to assist someone who has been injured. Remember, many injuries are not life threatening and do not require immediate medical attention. Knowing how to treat minor injuries can make a difference in an emergency. Also, it is recommended that you and other family members take a first aid class.

Here are the things you should have in your First Aid Kit:

First Aid Manual
Sterile adhesive bandages of different sizes
Sterile gauze pads
Hypoallergenic adhesive tape
Triangular bandages
Scissors
Tweezers
Sewing needle
Moistened towellettes
Antiseptic
Thermometer
Tube of petroleum jelly
Safety pins
Soap
Latex gloves
Sunscreen
Aspirin or other pain reliever
Anti-diarrhea medicine
Antacid
Laxative
Activated charcoal

Local Emergency Contacts

In planning for emergencies, you should learn about the emergency departments in your community and their services. Before, during and after a disaster, listen closely to the information they provide. They will supply you with details regarding the disaster event, including shelter openings/closings, safety tips to consider and instructions to follow to ensure your safety.

Checklist of Things to do BEFORE an emergency occurs

Emergency Preparedness

FAMILY PREPAREDNESS PLANS