Page 96 - Family Resource Guide

SAFETY NORTH STATE PARENT FAMILY RESOURCE GUIDE FALL/WINTER 2021/2022
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Emergency Preparedness for Families
BY SARAH LYONS
A re you prepared if a disaster strikes? It isn’t my favorite ques- tion to consider but with chil-
dren in the house it is good to ensure that my family is ready if fire, weather, or worse affects our home and safety. How do you begin to prepare for the unexpected? Start with these simple tips:
Have a family meeting and make a plan
If your house was to catch on fire what would you do? The answer may seem obvious to you, but it might not be to children. Have a family meeting and discuss what the evacua- tion plan would be in case of an emergency. Have the kids help find exits and come up with options if they are not accessible.
Where will your family meet once they are safely outside? Designating a meeting place will help you account for any missing family members in an emergency. It’s also wise to show kids basic fire safety skills like “Stop, drop, and roll” and demonstrate what the fire alarm sounds like.
Prepare an emergency kit
Prepare an emergency kit with extra shoes, clothing, first aid kit, food and water to have on hand in case of an emergency. Include a list of contact information, on pa- per, in case you cannot get to your electronic contact list.
Have a contact person outside your area
Assign a person that lives outside of your area to be the contact you will report to in an emergency. Having someone outside the area lessens your chance that your contact will also be dealing with an emergency. In a natural disaster phone lines can be down or busy, so plan for other methods of checking in. In case of busy signals, try sending a text as it would be more likely to go through or check in with others on social media.
Prepare pets
Have pets microchipped in case they get lost in an emergency. Also consider who would temporarily house your pet if you are
displaced from your home as most shelters do not accept pets.
Check your smoke alarms
Write a note on the calendar or set an alarm on your phone to remind you to check the batteries in your alarms regularly and review the evacuation plan with your fam- ily. According to the US Fire Administration smoke detectors should be tested at least once a month and batteries should be re- placed at least twice a year.
Prepare yourself
Learn CPR and first aid, review how to use a fire extinguisher, know the exact routes of evacuation, and locate area shelters. Pre- paring yourself for the possibility of an emer- gency will help you remain calm if you are faced with one of these situations.
Prepare the kids
Make sure your kids know their address, phone number, and their parents’ names, and how and when to dial 911. Take a fire station tour or a first aid class to help them feel more prepared. Continue to discuss and practice what they have learned.
We all hope that the skills and prepara- tion done to prepare for an emergency will never be used, but it is safest to take mea- sures in case they do occur. Preparing for an emergency will help you keep yourself, your family, and your neighbors safe.
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Your Family’s Wildfire Action Plan
A Simple Checklist C From CalFire
alFire, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Manage- ment, has been helping Californians deal with wildfires for de- cades. We are thankful to the men and women who help us all
stay safe, and we are thankful to share their advice on creating your family's Wildfire Action Plan:
Each family’s plan will be different, depending on a variety of issues, needs, and situations, and all plans should be made with COVID-19 in mind. If you do need to evacuate and plan to stay with friends or relatives, ask first if they have symptoms of COVID-19 or have people in their home at higher risk for serious illness. If so, make other arrangements. Check with hotels, motels and campgrounds to learn if they are open. Also get set by learning about your community’s response plan for each disaster and determine if these plans have been adapted because of COVID-19.
Your Wildfire Action Plan Checklist
Create an evacuation plan that includes:
• Adesignatedemergencymeetinglocationoutsidethefireorhazardarea.
This is critical to determine who has safely evacuated from the affected
area.
• Severaldifferentescaperoutesfromyourhomeandcommunity.Practice
these often so everyone in your family is familiar in case of emergency.
• Have an evacuation plan for pets and large animals such as horses and
other livestock.
• A Family Communication Plan that designates an out-of-area friend or
relative as a point of contact to act as a single source of communication among family members in case of separation. (It is easier to call or message one person and let them contact others than to try and call everyone when phone, cell, and internet systems can be overloaded or limited during a disaster.)
Be Prepared
• Have fire extinguishers on hand and train your family how to use them (check expiration dates regularly).
• Ensure that your family knows where your gas, electric, and water main shut-off controls are located and how to safely shut them down in an emergency.
• AssembleanEmergencySupplyKitforeachperson,asrecommendedby the American Red Cross.
• Maintain a list of emergency contact numbers posted near your phone and in your emergency supply kit.
• KeepanextraEmergencySupplyKitinyourcarincaseyoucannotgettoyour home because of fire or other emergency.
• Haveaportableradioorscannersoyoucanstayupdatedonthefire.
• TellyourneighborsaboutReady,Set,Go!andyourWildfireActionPlan.