N OV . 2, 2016 • D ISASTER P REPARATION
11
When it rains
cats and dogs...
left behind. If you have to leave
your animals at home, keep
them inside a secure area with
at least a 10-day supply of dry
food and water. Put signs on
windows and doors indicating
the number and type of animals
inside and your contact infor-
mation.
• Keep your pets’ vaccina-
tions and ID tags up to date.
• Don’t leave pets in vehi-
cles, tethered or crated without
Creating a community of support to relieve stress
hen disaster occurs, the first
responders are overwhelmed.
YOYO then becomes a reality:
You’re On Your Own.
The American Red Cross recommends you
create a personal support network made up of
several folks who will check in on you,
ensure your wellness and give assistance if
needed. This network can consist of friends,
roommates, family members, relatives, per-
sonal attendants, co-workers and neighbors.
Ideally, a minimum of three people can be
identified at each location where you regular-
ly spend time, for example at work, home or
volunteer site.
There are important items to discuss and
implement with a personal support network:
1. Make arrangements, prior to an emer-
gency, for your support network to immedi-
ately check on you after a disaster and, if
needed, offer assistance.
W
2. Show them where you keep emergency
supplies and copies of your relevant emer-
gency documents, evacuation plans and emer-
gency health information card.
3. Agree on and practice methods of con-
tacting each other in the event of an emer-
gency.
4. You and your network should always
notify each other when you’re going to be out
of town and when you will return.
5. The relationship should be mutual. You
have a lot to contribute! Learn about each
other’s needs and how to help each other in
an emergency. You can even collaborate on
making preparations to be ready for a disas-
ter.
The single most important thing anyone
can do to prepare for a disaster is to organize
their neighborhood — and it doesn’t cost a
cent! Contacting your neighbors, especially
fellow seniors can build a sense of communi-
ty and camaraderie along with an assurance
that no one need to face adversity alone.
When you are prepared, you are less likely
to feel helpless and less likely to experience
stress related disorders. You will remember
what you discussed as a community and
apply what you learned from those discus-
sions and drills to help you overcome your
situation.
Other things you can do now to help make
a disaster less nerve-racking is to pack items
in your emergency kits that you use in every-
day life.
Pack coloring or activity books, candy, a
good book, playing cards and paper and pens,
pencils and color pencils. These items may
seem frivolous, but they can really make a
difference in helping cope in an emergency.
They provide relief from stress during the
times you have to wait for your life to return
to normal.
YELLOW
• Carry a picture of your pet
in the event you are separated.
• Consider storing your pet’s
favorite toy or activity with
your emergency kit. When cir-
cumstances change and
upheaval is the order of the
day, having a familiar item
nearby is one way to relieve
your pet’s stress.
• Take animals with you if
you need to evacuate. Only as a
last resort should animals be
MAGENTA
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Here are some suggestions
offered by www.petmd.com,
www.redcross.org and
www.co.lincoln.or.us/
emergencymanagement to
prepare your pet for a disaster.
• Get your dog “chipped”
with current contact informa-
tion and make sure ID tags
are on collars.
• Be sure to have extra pet
food on hand, along with
enough drinking water for the
whole household.
• Keep an extra supply of
medications or other special
requirements.
• Learn where your pet likes
to hide when frightened.
• Make sure you have a pet
carrier for transportation, as
well as a leash and extra collar.
CYAN
hen preparing for a
disaster, most folks
have figured out
plans for themselves, their chil-
dren and some even prepare
for their neighbors. What some
fail to consider is man’s best
friend.
An unspoken rule is that if
we take on the responsibility of
a pet, then they are just that: a
responsibility. We are charged
with feeding, sheltering and
providing medical care, in sick-
ness and and in health. In good
times and bad. Sounds like
marriage vows. The reality is
some folks have the attitude
that if everything melts down,
they can simply abandon their
pets, grab the kids and run for
the hills.
BLACK
Preparing your pet for emergencies