10A COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL August 12, 2015
Are you ready?
D ISASTER P REPAREDNESS
BUILD A KIT
Shelter in place
An emergency kit is essential in the event of a disaster. You may
need to survive on your own aft er an emergency. It’s important to
have essentials in a kit ready to go when disaster strikes.
Assemble your kit now. Make sure to include basic items your family
may need during an emergency. Be sure to include food, water, and
other essential supplies. You want to have enough food and water to
survive on your own for a minimum of 72 hours.
Include the following items in your kit. Keep these items in a rugged
backpack or bag and store in a place that easy to get to.
· Water – one to three gallons per person per day, for drinking,
cooking and sanitary needs.
· Food – ready to eat, non-perishable, high-protein, high-calorie
foods that you enjoy (peanut butter, canned meats, energy bars,
canned fruits, etc.).
· Can opener
· First aid kit
· Batteries
· Flashlight
· Blankets or sleeping bag
· Extra clothing, shoes, and gloves
· Food for pets
· Extra cash for emergency purchases
· Large garbage bags and duct tape
· Warm clothes and rain gear for each family member
· Five days or more of critical medications, extra pair of eyeglasses
or disposable contacts, and comfort items such as books, toys or
games.
TEN ESSENTIALS FOR A CHILD’S Go-KIT
Oregon Offi ce of Emergency Management recommends children
have a Go-Kit that is kept in an easy to access location, such as on
their bedroom door handle or in the closet, with these 10 essential
items. When an emergency happens, they can grab their own
“emergency kit” and BEE Prepared to help out Mom and Dad.
1.
A change of clothes (rotate clothes for fi t and season)
2.
Shoes and socks
3.
Flashlight with batteries (to preserve battery life, put them
in upside down. Th ey can be fl ipped easily in time of need.)
4.
Whistle
5.
Mini fi rst-aid kit
6.
Sunglasses
7.
Lip Balm
8.
Power Bar
9.
Water Bottle
Whether you are at home, work or elsewhere, there may be
situations when it’s simply best to stay where you are and avoid any
uncertainty outside.
Th ere may be circumstances when staying put and creating a barrier
between yourself and potentially contaminated air outside, a process
known as “sealing the room,” is a matter of survival.
Use common sense and available information to assess the situation
and determine if there is immediate danger. If you see large
amounts of debris in the air, or if local authorities say the air is badly
contaminated, you may want to take this kind of action.
Th e process used to seal the room is considered a temporary
protective measure to create a barrier between you and potentially
contaminated air outside. It is a type of sheltering in place that
requires preplanning.
• Bring your family and pets inside.
• Lock doors, close windows, air vents and fi replace dampers.
• Turn off fans, air conditioning and forced air heating systems.
• Take your emergency supply kit unless you have reason to believe
it has been contaminated.
• Go into an interior room with few windows, if possible.
• Seal all windows, doors and air vents with 2-4 mil. thick plastic
sheeting and duct tape. Consider measuring and cutting
the sheeting in advance to save time.
• Cut the plastic sheeting several inches wider than the openings
and label each sheet.
• Duct tape plastic at corners fi rst and then tape down all edges.
• Be prepared to improvise and use what you have on hand to seal
gaps so that you create a barrier between yourself and any
contamination.
Local authorities may not immediately be able to provide information
on what is happening and what you should do. However, you should
watch TV, listen to the radio or check the Internet oft en for offi cial
news and instructions as they become available.
some remote chance they do, you may not be able to fi nd them
when you return.
If you are going to a public shelter, it is important to understand
that animals may not be allowed inside. Plan in advance for shelter
alternatives that will work for both you and your pets; consider
loved ones or friends outside of your immediate area who would be
willing to host you and your pets in an emergency.
Make a back-up emergency plan in case you can’t care for your
animals yourself. Develop a buddy system with neighbors, friends
and relatives to make sure that someone is available to care for
or evacuate your pets if you are unable to do so. Be prepared to
improvise and use what you have on hand to make it on your own
for at least three days, maybe longer.
SENIORS
Th e likelihood that you and your family will recover from
an emergency tomorrow oft en depends on the planning and
preparation done today. While each person’s abilities and needs are
unique, every individual can take steps to prepare for all kinds of
emergencies. By evaluating your own personal needs and making
an emergency plan that fits those needs, you and your loved ones
can be better prepared.
Th ere are commonsense measures older Americans can take to start
preparing for emergencies before they happen.
Create a network of neighbors, relatives, friends and co-workers to
aid you in an emergency. Discuss your needs and make sure everyone
knows how to operate necessary equipment. If appropriate, discuss
your needs with your employer.
Seniors should keep specialized items ready, including extra
wheelchair batteries, oxygen, catheters, medication, food for service
animals and any other items you might need. Keep a list of the type
and model numbers of the medical devices you require. Be sure to
make provisions for medications that require refrigeration. Make
arrangements for any assistance to get to a shel ter.
CARING FOR ANIMALS
If you are like millions of animal owners nationwide, your pet is an
important member of your household. Unfortunately, animals are
also aff ected by disaster.
Th e likelihood that you and your animals will survive an emergency
such as a fi re or fl ood, tornado or terrorist attack depends largely
on emergency planning done today. Some of the things you can
do to prepare for the unexpected, such as assembling an animal
emergency supply kit and developing a pet care buddy system, are
the same for any emergency. Whether you decide to stay put in an
emergency or evacuate to a safer location, you will need to make
plans in advance for your pets. Keep in mind that what’s best for you
is typically what’s best for your animals.
If you evacuate your home, DO NOT LEAVE YOUR PETS
BEHIND! Pets most likely cannot survive on their own and if by
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10. Space Blanket
Disasters are hard to predict and usually are
out of your control. But you can take steps
to keep you and your family safe.
Preparing for disaster
Learn about specifi c health threats and what you
can do to reduce the risk to your health and safety.
Make an emergency plan.
Learn basic fi rst aid skills such as CPR.
Always look to local authorities and health experts
for specifi c, up-to-date information for your area.
We’re here to help when you need us.
1515 Village Drive
Cottage Grove
541-767-5500
Make sure all the pieces are in place to render you and your family prepared in the event of a natural disaster.
• Listen to radio or television newscasts for the latest weather information, and follow all evacuation directions and suggestions.
• Keep a stock of non-perishable food items as well as bottled water on hand inside your home.
• Keep a 72 Hour Kit on hand inside your home that is easy to get to in the event of a disaster.
For more information and tips on disaster response and preparedness, contact your local emergency services center.
South Lane Fire & Rescue • 233 Harrison Ave, Cottage Grove 541-942-4493 • 55 South 1st Street, Creswell 541-895-2506
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