Disasters Don’t Wait. Be Prepared!

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Reading Time: 3 minutes
(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Did you know that National Preparedness Month is observed each September to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies? This year, Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Ready Campaign theme is “Take Control in 1, 2, 3”. Though preparedness is for everyone, this year’s campaign focuses on preparing older adults and their caregivers for all kinds of hazards including floods, fires, earthquakes, and more. Several factors make older adults more vulnerable to the impacts of disasters, especially if they are living alone, are low-income, have a disability, or live in rural areas.

If you are an older adult or there is someone in your life who is (like a neighbor, friend, or family member), here are some tips and resources for preparing for the unexpected.

1. Assess your needs.

An important first step in preparedness is understanding the risks you may encounter – big and small. Knowing what you may face will help you assess your needs and get you started on your preparedness journey. Learn about the types of disasters that could happen in your community, sign up for alerts and warnings, and think about what needs you have.

  • Do you have any medical conditions or dietary restrictions that require specific care or medication?
  • Do you have mobility challenges or need assistance with transportation if there was an evacuation?
  • Do you have medical equipment that requires electricity?

Think about how to prepare for your needs to be met and make sure your loved ones and caregivers are aware of your plan.

2. Make a plan.

Now that you’ve assessed your needs, it’s time to make a plan. Because disasters and emergencies can strike with no warning, it is vital to have a plan and be prepared. It is also essential to create a support network. Though a support network can look different for everyone, it might consist of family, friends, caregivers, and neighbors. Include these people in your planning and practice with them. Make sure at least one person in your support network has a spare key to your home, knows where your emergency kit is, and knows how to use lifesaving equipment or administer medicine. Additional things to consider when making a plan include:

  • What is your communication plan for notifying loved ones about the emergency?
  • Do you need transportation assistance or additional travel time if you need to evacuate? Identify an accessible evacuation route and shelter and plan for transportation assistance if needed in advance.
  • Don’t forget your pets or service animals. Not all shelters accept pets, so plan for alternatives and consider asking friends or loved ones outside of your immediate area if they can help.

3. Build a kit.

After an emergency, you may need to survive on your own for several days. Make sure you have your own food, water, and other essential supplies to last for several days. Some important things to consider including in your emergency kit as an older adult include:

  • Medicine and medical supplies (a week-long supply, if possible)
  • Assistive devices (hearing aids, mobility aids, eyeglasses) and spare batteries
  • Care plan – a list of prescriptions, dosage information, and medical providers
  • Important documents (identification, insurance cards, wills, power of attorney documents, deeds, etc.)
  • Contact list (people you want or need to be connected to during an emergency)

Emergency planning can look different for everyone. Check out this preparedness guide and emergency kit checklist for additional tips, ideas, and worksheets. Take time today to assess your needs, make a plan, and build a kit!

Additional preparedness resources and information:

FEMA Disaster Preparedness Guide for Older Adults

Plan Ahead for Disasters | Ready.gov

Older Adults | Ready.gov

Older Adults Emergency Preparedness | American Red Cross

Preparing Makes Sense for Older Americans – YouTube

Get Back to School Ready: Emergency Preparedness Edition

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Reading Time: 4 minutes

From school supply shopping to re-acclimating your kids to an early morning routine, there is a lot of preparing that goes into the start of the new school year. As school supplies are packed into backpacks and the finishing touches are put on that first day of school outfit, don’t forget to take the time to build an emergency kit, make a family communication plan, and know how you will reunite with your kids if there is an emergency.

A little preparation now can make a big difference later! Here are some tips for preparing your kids for emergencies to stay safe if the unexpected occurs.

Make a Go Bag (or two).

A go bag, or disaster kit, is a collection of basic items designed to provide survival essentials in the case of a short-term disaster (it is recommended to have enough supplies to last for at least three days in your go bag). When assembling your kit, collect the items together with your child and talk to them about what they need in their go bag and the importance of each item. Items like a book, puzzle, and a favorite stuffed animal or blanket is a great comfort item to consider when assembling your kit.

Remember, everyone has different needs, so be sure to keep that in mind when assembling your go bags! You never know when a disaster or emergency might strike, so consider making multiple go bags and storing them both at home and in your vehicle. Check out these printable go bag checklists and start building your go bags today!

Make a family communication plan.

If a disaster or emergency strikes, knowing how to contact one another and reconnect if separated is an important part of emergency planning for you and your family.

In the case of an emergency at school, it’s always good to know what kind of emergency plan is in place at your child’s school. If you don’t know what the school’s emergency plan is, ask for it and get familiar with it. Know how your child’s school will contact you and make sure the contact information they have on file is up to date. Know what relocation sites have been preidentified by the school in the case of an evacuation. If your child rides the bus, know what alternative routes they might take and where the new drop of location(s) will be in the event of an emergency.

Have a family discussion to determine who would be your point of contact during an emergency. It’s always a good idea to pick one primary emergency contact that lives locally and another that lives out of town. Unless you are in danger, send a text. Texts may have an easier time getting through than phone calls, and you don’t want to tie up phone lines needed by emergency workers. Knowing where to go and how to get there is also essential. Decide on safe, familiar, accessible places where your family can go for safety or to reunite. If you have pets or animals, think about animal-friendly locations. Consider places in your house, in your neighborhood, and outside of your city to you’re prepared for any situation.

Practice, practice, practice! Write down your contacts and plans. Make sure everyone in the family has copies and keeps them in a safe space, like in a backpack or wallet. Your family’s needs change over time, so regularly meet to review, practice, and update your plan.

Keep emergency contact information up to date.

Revisit your child’s emergency contact list every school year and make sure the contact information your child’s school has on file is accurate. Practice with your child to help them memorize emergency contacts, important phone numbers (like 911), and addresses. Remember, schools might not always be able to access the student’s emergency contacts in some situations. You can also make a backpack emergency contact card for your child, so they always have the information on hand when at school. And don’t forget that ICE (in case of emergency) contacts should be saved on all the family cell phones. Entries should start with ICE and then have the name of the contact.

Make sure your child is up to date on their immunizations.

Start the school year off right by making sure your child is up to date on all their recommended immunizations. Immunizations help keep your child healthy and protects those around them, too. Skagit County Public Health offers the immunizations required for children entering school, childcare, and other learning programs, in addition to influenza and COVID-19. There is no cost, and no insurance is required. For assistance scheduling an appointment, please call (360) 416-1500 or visit www.skagitcounty.net/Departments/HealthDiseases/main.htm.

Resources:

Building Safety Month: Evacuation Planning!

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Were you and your family woken up by the earthquake that happened on May 1, 2022 here in Mount Vernon? Some described feeling a shake and hearing a loud explosion-like noise.  

If you felt the earthquake, what was the first thought that came to mind? Did you know what you and your family would do in case an evacuation was needed?  

This May, join Public Health and the International Code Council in commemorating Building Safety Month. This year, Building Safety Month is focusing on safety for all building codes in action. Help us educate and spread awareness about how to properly evacuate a building or home in case of an emergency.  

Preparing an effective evacuation plan is important. The worst mistake that you can make is waiting until the last minute to get prepared. Here are some helpful preparedness tips for you and your family on how to evacuate a building, including your home, in case of an emergency.  

At your home: 

  • Arrange your evacuation plan ahead of time. For tips on creating a plan, go to: Five Steps to preparing an effective evacuation plan | III.   
  • Sit down with your household and discuss clear exit points located in your home.  
  • Come up with a meeting point outside of your home in case you must evacuate.   
  • Remove any objects or furniture that are blocking exit ways. 
  • Make clear pathways to all exits. 
  • Make sure family members know how to unlock and open windows and doors. 
  • Have a plan for evacuating your pets, as well!  

In a building:  

  • Learn about your emergency exit routes and know where a building map is located. Talk with your employer about their approved evacuation/safety plan.  
  • If working in the building, safely stop your work. 
  • Leave the building through the nearest door with an exit. 
  • Wait for instructions from emergency responders.  

Why is it important? 

Being prepared and planning ahead can save lives during an emergency. Not only that, but it can also prevent you from feeling overwhelmed or scared. After all, having a plan will give you the confidence you need in order to activate during an emergency situation.  

Support Building Safety Month  

  • Educate Your Community  
  • Visit buildingsafetymonth.org to find the online campaign toolkit, safety tip sheets and kids’ corner materials.  
  • Issue a Proclamation  
  • Ask your city official to sign a proclamation.  
  • Promote  
  • Hand out Building Safety Month materials to your community, family, and friends. For print copies of brochures, pencils and more, you can visit the Code Council store. 

For more resources please visit: 

Evacuation | Ready.gov 

Five Steps to preparing an effective evacuation plan | III 

Building Evacuation Procedures (ucsd.edu) 

BUILDING SAFETY MONTH -May 2022 – National Today 

2022 Building Safety Month – ICC (iccsafe.org) 

Magnitude 3.6 earthquake shakes Mount Vernon | king5.com