What Can You Do to Prepare?:

Start the process by talking to your friends and family about the hazards in your area and what steps you all need to take to be able to help each other in a crisis – large or small.

Ask about emergency planning at your workplace, yourschools, your place of worship, and other social settings.

Make sure that those in charge have a plan and are connected to community authorities on emergency management and planning.

Regardless of the event, disasters have several key elements in common:

They are relatively unexpected, with little or no warning or opportunity to prepare.

Available personnel and emergency services may be overwhelmed initially by demands for their services.

Lives, health, and the environment are endangered.

Shelter-in-Place:

Identify an internal room in your home, at work, or other locations where you spend a great deal of time.

If sheltering-in-place is needed, you will be in this room for only a few hours, but it is important that you be able to seal the room quickly.

Storing specific items in the room is helpful. You should have snacks and water; a battery-operated radio, a flashlight, and pre-cut plastic sheeting and duct tape to seal off vents and door and window openings.

Food Supply for Emergencies:

Even though it is unlikely that an emergency would cut off your food supply for two weeks, consider maintaining a supply that will last that long.

You may not need to go out and buy foods to prepare an emergency food supply. You can use the canned goods, dry mixes, and other staples on your cupboard shelves. Be sure to check expiration dates and follow the practice of first-in, first-out.

Select foods that require no refrigeration, preparation, or cooking and little or no water.

Possible Infrastructure Damage to Transportation:

Flow of needed supplies (food, water, etc.) is interrupted

Roads are closed and/or impassable

Ambulances prevented from reaching victims

Fire departments prevented from getting to fires

Inability to assess damage accurately

Police prevented from reaching areas of civil unrest

Assess Your Community’s Vulnerability to Hazards:

Identify the most common disasters that occur

Identify possible hazards with most severe impact

Consider recent and/or historical impacts

Identify susceptible locations in the community for specific hazards: people, buildings, infrastructure

Consider what to expect for disruption of services and length of restoration

Possible Infrastructure Damage to Fuel Supplies:

Increased risk of fire or explosion from fuel line rupture

Risk of asphyxiation

Possible Infrastructure Damage to Financial Services:

ATMs do not work

Credit card systems inoperable

To purify water:

If you have questions about the quality of the water, purify it before drinking.

You can heat water to a rolling boil for 1 minute or use commercial purification tablets to purify the water.

You can also use regular household liquid chlorine bleach if it is pure 5.25% sodium hypochlorite. (Do not use perfumed bleach!)

To purify water, use these ratios of water and bleach:

• 5 Gallons – 1/2 Teaspoon
• 1 Gallon – 8 Drops
• 1 Quart – 2 Drops

Possible Infrastructure Damage to Structures:

Damaged critical facilities (e.g., hospitals, fire stations, police precincts, airports) unable to function normally

Increased risk of damage from falling debris

All government agencies with a role in disaster response work to organize and coordinate their agencies’ activities before an emergency or disaster. The product of their work is the Emergency Operations Plan or “EOP” for that community. The EOP:

Assigns responsibility

Sets forth lines of authority

Describes how people and property will be protected

Identifies personnel,equipment, facilities, supplies, and other resources

Shelter-in-Place Room = Safe Room??

No, a safe room is NOT the same as a shelter-in-place location.

A safe room requires significant fortification in order for the room to provide protection against extremely high winds.

More information is available at http://www.fema.gov/safe-rooms

Sheltering-in-place is done to protect against contaminants in the air. To shelter-in-place, you do not need to alter the structure of the room. You are simply sealing the room with plastic sheeting and duct tape for a short period of time while the contaminants in the air dissipate.

Possible Infrastructure Damage to Utilities:

Loss of service

Increased risk of fire or electrical shock

Limited access to fuel, e.g., pumps that may not work

Loss of contact between victims and service providers

Clothing and Bedding for Emergencies:

Include at least one complete change of clothing and footwear per person (and remember to change for the different seasons!)

Sturdy shoes or boots

Rain gear

Blankets or sleeping bags

Hat and gloves

Thermal underwear

Sunglasses

Storing Water:

Store water in plastic containers such as soft drink bottles. Look for the triangular recycling symbol with a number 1 on the bottom of the bottle as those are best for water storage.

Avoid using containers that will decompose or break, such as plastic milk jugs or glass bottles

Wash the bottle with soap and warm water, fill with water from your tap, and store in a cool, dark area away from direct sunlight.

Replace your emergency water every 6 months by repeating the process; like food and batteries, water does expire!

A CERT member’s first responsibility is personal and family safety.

Only after personal and family safety is secured is it possible and pertinent to respond in a group capacity to do what is necessary for the community as a whole.

CERT personal protective equipment (PPE):

Hard hat

Protective eyewear (safety goggles)

N-95 mask

Leather work and non-latex exam gloves

Long-sleeved shirt

Reflective vest

Long pants

Sturdy shoes or boots

Food for Emergencies:

Check food and water expiration dates biannually.

Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits, and vegetables

Canned juices, milk, soup (if powdered, store extra water)

Staples: sugar, salt, pepper

High-energy food: peanut butter, jelly, crackers, granola bars, trail mix

Foods for infants, elderly persons, or persons on special diets

Comfort and stress foods: cookies, hard candy, sweetened cereals, lollipops, instant coffee, tea bags

Non-Structural Hazards:

Gas line ruptures from water heaters or ranges displaced by shaking, water, or wind

Damage from falling books, dishes, or other cabinet contents

Risk of injury or electric shock from displaced appliances and office equipment

Fire from faulty wiring, overloaded plugs, frayed electrical cords

Possible Infrastructure Damage to Water Service:

Medical facilities hampered

Inadequate water flow, which results in notice to boil water and hampered firefighting capabilities

Increased risk to public health

Non-structural Hazard Mitigation:

Anchor heavy furniture

Secure appliances and office equipment

Install hurricane storm shutters

Secure cabinet doors with childproof fasteners

Locate and label gas, electricity, and water shutoffs

Secure water heaters and have flexible gas lines installed

How Much Water to Store:

Having an ample supply of clean water is a top priority in an emergency. A normally active person needs to drink at least two quarts (half gallon) of water each day. People in hot environments, children, nursing mothers, and ill people will require even more.

You will also need water for food preparation and hygiene. Store at least one gallon per person, per day.

Consider storing at least a two-week supply of water for each member of your family. If you are unable to store this quantity, store as much as you can.

If supplies run low, never ration water. Drink the amount you need today and try to find more for tomorrow. You can minimize the amount of water your body needs by reducing activity and staying cool.

Three Kinds of Disasters:

Natural (earthquakes, wildfires, floods, extreme heat, hurricanes, landslides, thunderstorms, tornadoes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, winter storms)

Technological (hazardous material spill, nuclear power plant accident)

Intentional (terrorism using chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or explosive weapons)

Community Preparedness:

Learn about community alerts, warnings, and plans

Learn about appropriate protective actions

Develop household plans and conduct drills to practice

Assemble disaster supplies in multiple locations

Reduce hazards in the homes

Encourage others to prepare and volunteer to help your community

Kitchen Items for Emergencies:

Manual can opener

Mess kits or paper cups, plates, and plastic utensils

All-purpose knife

Household liquid bleach to treat drinking water

Aluminum foil and plastic wrap

Resealable plastic bags

If food must be cooked, small cooking stove and a can of cooking fuel

Possible Infrastructure Damage to Communication Systems:

Victims unable to call for help

Coordination of services is hampered

Families and friends cannot communicate

Independent Study (IS) courses:

IS-100.a Introduction to Incident Command System

IS-200.a ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents

IS-700.a National Incident Management System (NIMS), An Introduction

IS-800.c: National Response Framework, An Introduction

For a complete listing and access to FEMA Independent Study courses, visit http://www.training.fema.gov/is/crslist.aspx.