Are You Prepared?

Hand in hand with buying your new home, another topic enters into reality. How do your fair in being prepared for an emergency? What if a power outage occurred during a storm and you were without electricity? Besides trying to eat up all the ice cream in your freezer, would you know what to do next?

An emergency can occur at anytime in your area. The extent of an emergency can range from those situations that affect only you and your family, which could include a home fire or a medical emergency, or loss of job. An emergency could also be a situation that affects your entire community like an earthquake or flood.

Here is a basic list of what you should know:

• Know how your local authorities will communicate during a disaster…where will you get information? Such means could be through local radio, TV, weather radio stations or channels or NOAA or local emergency non-profit organizations like the Red Cross.
• Know the difference between weather warnings and watches and what action should be taken in each situation.
• If and when a major disaster occurs... your community, as you know it, can change in an instant. You or your loved ones could be hurt and emergency response could be delayed.
• Know basic first aid. You or a member of your household should be trained in first aid and CPR and know how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED). Any training is useful in emergency situations.
• Know what is needed for basic food survival and start working on basic storage such as water, water pill purifiers, basic first aid kit, temporary means of lighting, heating (candles, propane lanterns, cooking stove (outside use only) , matches, lighters, etc), warm coats, blankets, enough basic food staples for a 3-months; beans, rice, sugar, honey, grains, etc. Dehydrated and packaged foods are great!
• Inform your family, friends and neighbors of what you have learned and encourage them to also be prepared.

You can get an Emergency Contact Card for All Household Members available at http://www.redcross.org/prepare/ECCard.pdf.

• Print out one card for each family member.
• Fill out the card and write all contact information for each household member; work school and mobile phone numbers.
• Keep the card with you so it is available in case of a disaster or other emergency

Here is a basic emergency Check List:

• Water supply (one-gallon for one person per day) store water in sealed, unbreakable containers. Identify storage date and replace every six months
• A supply of no-perishable packed or canned food
• Non-electric can opener
• A change of clothes, warm coat, rain gear and sturdy shoes, warm socks
  
• Blankets or sleeping bags
• A first aid kit and prescription medication
• An extra pair of glasses
• A battery powered radio
• Flashlight
• Plenty of extra batteries various sizes
• Credit cards and cash
• Extra set of car keys
• List of family physicians
• List of important family information; the style and serial number of medical devices such as pacemakers
• Special items for infants, elderly or disabled family members
• Mylar blanket