Where will you or your family be when disaster strikes? You could be anywhere, at work, at school, or in the car. How will you find each other? Will you know if your children are safe? While your family's emergency plan will be unique to you, there are a few general points that will help to best prepare you for success. Follow these 4 Steps to Safety:
- Be Prepared, Find Out What The Hazards Are
- What types of hazards can you be affected by in Grant County? Natural Hazards: Floods, Tornadoes, Thunderstorms & Lightning, Winter Storms & Extreme Cold, Drought, Extreme Heat, Severe Weather, Earthquakes, and Wildfires. We can also be impacted by Pandemics, Home Fires, and Technological & Accidental Hazards such as blackouts, hazardous materials incidents (fixed facility and transportation), household chemical emergencies, as well as Terrorist Hazards.
- Create a Family Disaster Plan
- Meet with your family and discuss why you need to prepare for disaster. Explain the dangers of the various hazards. Plan to share responsibilities and work together as a team. Discuss the types of disasters that are most likely to happen. Be sure all family members know what to do during different types of emergency situations, whether at home, work, school, or elsewhere in the community. Be sure to plan how children will be cared for if parents are not able to get home, or how disabled persons will be cared for if health personnel cannot reach them. Know what to do if you are told to Shelter in Place, Evacuate, or just stay alert for further instructions. Use the Family Emergency Plan template as a guide to help you through the process.
- Complete the Checklist
- ✓ Learn about the Emergency Alert System and determine which of the TV and radio stations you can receive in various locations in your home.
- ✓ Post your complete home address near your telephones.
- ✓ Post emergency telephone numbers by phone (fire, police, ambulance, etc.).
- ✓ Teach children how and when to call 911 for emergency help.
- ✓ Show each family member how and when to turn off the water, gas, and electricity at the main switches.
- ✓ Check if you have adequate insurance coverage.
- ✓ Teach each family member how to use the fire extinguisher (ABC type), and show them where it's kept. (If you do NOT have a fire extinguisher, you probably should!)
- ✓ Install smoke detectors on each level of your home, especially near bedrooms.
- ✓ Install CO2 detectors on each level of your home.
- ✓ Conduct a home hazard hunt.
- ✓ Stock emergency supplies and assemble an Emergency Supply Kit Ready.gov - Emergency Kit
- ✓ Take a first aid and CPR training classes.
- ✓ Determine the best escape routes from your home. Find two ways out of each room.
- ✓ Find the safe spots in your home for each type of disaster.
- ✓ Know what plans are in place at your child's school to deal with different types of emergencies during school hours. Know what actions, if any, school officials ask parents to take during these emergencies.
- Practice and Maintain Your Plan
- Quiz your family (including your children) every six months so they remember what to do.
- Conduct fire and emergency evacuation drills.
- Replace stored water every three months and stored food every six months.
- Test and recharge your fire extinguisher(s) according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Test your smoke detectors and CO2 detectors monthly and change the batteries at least once a year.