Family Preparation for Natural Disasters in Four Easy Steps | DC Metro Area Personal Injury Law Blog

Keeping your family safe and getting your life back to normal following a natural disaster depends on advance planning and time and energy devoted to preparation.  The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has developed The Injury Prevention Program (TIPP) — four comprehensive steps to prepare your family for disasters, prevent personal injuries and promote safety readiness.  Taking time as a family to prepare for the unexpected not only helps to ensure everyone’s safety, but models responsibility.  Use the following tips in your own preparation, courtesy of the AAP:

1. Find out what the risks are in your area.

Find out from your local emergency management office, health department, or American Red Cross chapter

• What types of disasters are likely to happen and how to prepare for each
• What your community’s warning signals sound like and what to do if you hear them
• How to help the elderly and people with special needs

2. Create a family disaster plan.

Hold a family meeting; keep it simple and work as a team.

Plan Talk about the dangers of the disaster(s) with your family.

• Have a plan in case you are separated. – Choose a place outside your neighborhood in case you cannot go home (A). – Choose someone out of town to be your family contact (B). Each family member and any babysitter must know the address and phone number for A and B.
• Fill out the local emergency phone numbers and child identification cards. Fill out an Emergency Information Form (EIF) for each child with special health care needs. (See http://www.aap.org/advocacy/emergprep.htm).
• Become familiar with the specifics of your child’s child care or school disaster plan as you could be separated from your child during a disaster.
• Plan what to do if you are asked to evacuate.
• Plan several escape routes.
• Plan how to take care of your pets.

What to Tell Children

It is important to educate children about disasters without overly alarming them. Use the following guidelines:

• Tell children that a disaster is something that could hurt people or cause damage. Explain that nature sometimes provides “too much of a good thing” – fire, rain, and wind.
• Explain how important it is to make a family disaster plan.
• Teach children – How to call for help – When to call each emergency number – To call the family contact if separated – To keep personal identification information in their possession at all times

Evacuation

If you are told to evacuate, take these steps:

• Leave right away if told to do so.
• Listen to your battery-powered radio for instructions from local officials.
• Wear protective clothing and shoes.
• Shut off water, gas, and electricity if told to do so.
• Leave a note telling when you left and where you are going.
• Call your family contact to tell him or her where you are going.
• Take your family emergency supplies (listed below).
• Lock your home.
• Use routes suggested by officials.

3. Complete this checklist.

___ Put emergency phone numbers by each phone.

___ Show everyone how and when to turn off the utilities.

___ Make sure you have enough insurance coverage (for example, flood, fire,   earthquake).

___ Do a home hazard hunt for items that can move, fall, break, or cause a fire.

___ Stock enough emergency supplies to last 3 days.

___ Take a Red Cross first aid and CPR class.

___ Plan home escape routes – 2 from each room.

___ Find safe places in your home for each type of disaster.

___ Make 2 copies of important documents and keep the originals in a safe-deposit box. Keep 1 copy on hand and give the second to your out-of-town contact.

4. Practice and maintain your plan.

Every month… Test your smoke alarms.

Every 6 months… Go over the family disaster plan and do escape drills. Quiz children. Replace stored food and water.

Every year… Replace the batteries in smoke alarms (unless your smoke alarm uses long-life batteries).

Neighbors Helping Neighbors Meet with neighbors to plan how you can work together during a disaster.

• Talk about who has special skills (eg, medical, technical).
• Make plans for child care in case parents cannot get home.

Utilities Do the following so you will be ready if told to turn off your utilities:

• Find the main electric fuse box, water service main, and natural gas main.
• Learn how and when to turn these off, and teach family members.
• Keep a wrench and flashlight near gas and water shut off valves.
• If you turn the gas off, you will need a professional to turn it back on.

Important Documents Make 2 copies and keep the originals of the following in a safe-deposit box or waterproof container:

• Wills, insurance policies, contracts, deeds, investments
• Passports, social security cards, immunization records, EIF
• Bank account numbers/credit card account numbers
• Inventory of valuable household goods
• Family records (eg, birth and marriage certificates) and photos
• Documentation to assist in identifying children who may be separated from their parents (eg, photos, adoption records, birth certificates)

Emergency Supplies List

• Signal flare
• Map of the area and important phone numbers
• Special items for infants and the elderly (diapers, formula, medication)
• Three gallons of water per person
• Three-day supply of ready-to-eat canned or packaged food
• Manual can opener
• Paper cups, plates, and plastic utensils
• Blankets or sleeping bags
• Toiletries (10 day supply of prescription medication, hand sanitizer)
• Cell phone batteries and/or phone charger
• A change of clothing, rain gear, and sturdy shoes for each family member

Put the following supplies in an easy-to-carry waterproof container:

• Battery-powered radio, flashlight, and extra batteries
• First aid kit and manual and prescription medications
• A credit card and cash
• Personal identification
• An extra set of car keys
• An extra pair of eyeglasses
• Matches in a waterproof container

Visit the US Department of Homeland Security Website (www.ready.gov) and AAP Children, Terrorism & Disasters Website (www.aap.org/terrorism) for more information.

Previously on the DC Metro Area Personal Injury Law Blog, we have posted articles related to:

• A study demonstrating that even post-Katrina, most Americans are unprepared for natural disasters
• Recommended contents for a disaster preparedness kit
• Basic disaster preparation tips

For information about your legal rights, please click here or call the law firm of Regan Zambri & Long, PLLC at (202) 463-3030.