September 2007 National Preparedness Month

A NOAA All-Hazards Warning Radio is your best communication tool for receiving all types of alerts

Preparing Your Home Follow the rules – listen to your local officials Follow the rules – listen to your local officials Create a disaster plan Create a disaster plan Practice your plan Practice your plan Put together an emergency supply kit Put together an emergency supply kit Don’t forget children and pets Don’t forget children and pets

Follow the Rules In an emergency or disaster situation, the most important thing to remember is to follow the advice of your city or county emergency response officials. In an emergency or disaster situation, the most important thing to remember is to follow the advice of your city or county emergency response officials.

Develop a Family Disaster Plan What are the potential emergencies and how would you respond to each? What are the potential emergencies and how would you respond to each? How will everyone in your family stay in contact if separated? How will everyone in your family stay in contact if separated? Where will you meet if separated? Where will you meet if separated? Who will be an emergency contact outside your household? Who will be an emergency contact outside your household?

Disaster Plan How will you get out of your home in an emergency? How will you get out of your home in an emergency? Where are emergency supplies? Where are emergency supplies? Does everyone know when or where to turn off utilities? Does everyone know when or where to turn off utilities? What happens to your pets in emergencies? What happens to your pets in emergencies?

Other things to consider Post emergency numbers around your home Post emergency numbers around your home Consider taking a First Aid or CPR class Consider taking a First Aid or CPR class Review property and/or life insurance Review property and/or life insurance Consider ways to help neighbors Consider ways to help neighbors Keep identification on you at all times Keep identification on you at all times

Disaster Plan Drills Practice periodically Practice periodically Have an alternate exit in mind (two ways out) Have an alternate exit in mind (two ways out) Have a safety-approved ladder for upper stories if necessary Have a safety-approved ladder for upper stories if necessary Consider how windows & screens would affect your exit Consider how windows & screens would affect your exit Practice “feeling your way out” Practice “feeling your way out”

Emergency Supply Kit Personal hygiene Personal hygiene Household documents Household documents Other items Other items Water Water Food Food First aid supplies First aid supplies Clothing Clothing Prescriptions/medications Prescriptions/medications Supplies should be placed in a bag or bags that are stored in a safe room and always ready to grab and go.

Preparedness for children Explain disasters to children Explain disasters to children Preparedness = safety Preparedness = safety Teach them about emergency sirens & emergency alerts Teach them about emergency sirens & emergency alerts Teach them how & when to call for help Teach them how & when to call for help Consider older children being trained in First-Aid & CPR Consider older children being trained in First-Aid & CPR Encourage them to look to parents Encourage them to look to parents for help or answers for help or answers

Emergency Planning for Pets Pet supply kit: food, water, can opener, leashes, vet contacts, and medication Pet supply kit: food, water, can opener, leashes, vet contacts, and medication List of boarding facilities/vets that can provide emergency shelter List of boarding facilities/vets that can provide emergency shelter Pet-friendly hotels Pet-friendly hotels Photos of pets Photos of pets Keep pets inside during emergency warnings, in case you have to leave Keep pets inside during emergency warnings, in case you have to leave

Preparing Your Home Smoke alarms Smoke alarms Fire extinguishers Fire extinguishers Keys by the door Keys by the door Flood protection – Purchase Sandbags Flood protection – Purchase Sandbags Home security review Home security review

Natural Disasters Tune in to television & NOAA All-Hazards Warning Radio Tune in to television & NOAA All-Hazards Warning Radio Thunderstorms Thunderstorms Lightning Lightning Hail Hail Floods – Consider purchasing sandbags Floods – Consider purchasing sandbags Tornados Tornados Fires Fires

Homeland Security Advisory Risk of terrorist threats Risk of terrorist threats Response to intelligence Response to intelligence Security actions for each threat level Security actions for each threat level Citizens must be vigilant Citizens must be vigilant

CodeRED Emergency Telephone Notification CodeRED data is obtained from telephone records CodeRED data is obtained from telephone records If you have an unlisted telephone number or want to add a cell phone number to the CodeRED calling system – visit – click on CodeRED and sign-up – it’s easy! If you have an unlisted telephone number or want to add a cell phone number to the CodeRED calling system – visit – click on CodeRED and sign-up – it’s easy! If you need help signing up – call – We’ll need your name, address & phone number If you need help signing up – call – We’ll need your name, address & phone number

Thank you for doing your part! Emergency response begins with you Emergency response begins with you We must all work together We must all work together Everyone has a significant role Everyone has a significant role Our region needs you to be prepared Our region needs you to be prepared