Organize an Emergency Pack

September 2009 is the sixth annual National Preparedness Month (NPM) sponsored by the Ready Campaign. It is a nationwide effort to increase awareness and encourage individuals, businesses and communities to take action and prepare for emergencies of all kinds. The campaign encourages folks to get a kit, make a plan and stay informed.

National agencies like the Red Cross and the Center for Disease Control, big companies like Wal-Mart and Target, and small businesses like Key Transitions join a coalition to promote national readiness in case of emergency. As coalition members we commit to establish preparedness in our own companies and to reach out to the community. Information about the coalition and detailed information about what you need to do in case of emergency can be found at www.ready.gov.

Last year our company worked with small businesses to get ready for emergencies. This year, we are working with senior adults in independent living situations. One of the concerns of this population is how to put together a “to go” emergency pack that meets their needs and is light enough for them to manage.

Here are a few things for everyone, especially older adults, to consider as they stock their “to go” emergency pack.

Choose a container for your kit that is lightweight and that you can manage. One of our favorites is a fabric insulated cooler on wheels with external pockets that we picked up in the sports section of Wal-Mart. It has a telescopic handle and rolls easily. Another alternative is to buy the ready-made backpack kit from www.redcross.org. It costs about $75 with shipping and weighs about 12 pounds.

Carry adequate water. Try creating water packs by putting water in a one-gallon bag and double sealing by putting it upside down in another plastic bag. Supplement the packs with individual serving bottles of water. Juice and other liquids also aid hydration.

Choose foods that are individually packed and are in lightweight containers. Peanut butter in individual plastic containers and tuna in foil pouches rather than cans are some examples. Remember to pay attention to dietary restrictions when selecting foods and choose products with extended expiration dates.

Pack tools to assist you in opening the containers you pack. If you cannot grip and operate a manual can opener consider packing a one-step battery operated model. Don’t forget to pack extra batteries. If necessary, include scissors for opening zip lock bags that won’t cooperate and include a marker to date the items when you open them.

Keep a list of important contacts in the pack. Include family and friends you want to notify as well as important providers like oxygen companies or transportation vendors.

Keep important documents ready to go. A list of important documents to consider can be found at www.ready.gov. If you scan documents to disc for easy transportation, remember to label it in ways that obscure its true content.

Remember your medications and dosing tools like syringes, medicine droppers and applicators. Also include things you need to keep your necessary medical supplies functioning-like batteries for hearing aids and repair kits for dentures and glasses.

The Red Cross (www.redcross.org) and other coalition sites have lists for emergency pack contents, outlines for communication plans and suggestions for staying informed. Have a look and make it a priority to “Get Ready Now”.

Beverly and Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

Getting Organized for the Big Storm

In our last blog, we talked about getting organized to evacuate in case of a weather emergency. Although that might happen in this coastal area, the most likely scenario is that we will wait out the storm in our homes. The kit that you have prepared in case of an evacuation will stand you in good stead by allowing you to have the documents and basic clothing you need available and protected fort eh elements. But the minimal evacuation supplies won’t see you through the preparation, endurance and aftermath of the storm. Many of you will remember when Isabel ripped through Hampton Roads leaving a path of destruction and many of us without power for over a week.

The American Red Cross website at http://www.redcross.org/ has a detailed list of suggested items for hurricane survival. We suggest you organize you supply gathering and storage into three separate phases.

Preparation for the Storm
Enduring the Storm
Aftermath of the Storm and Clean-Up

Preparation for the Storm

Communicate your plans to your household and solicit cooperation in maintaining the supplies. (Tell Junior it is not permissible to deplete the candy and granola bars.)

Have gas, cash and ice on hand, since they are often in short supply after a storm.

Charge your cell phone and any extra batteries.

Assemble your survival kit and update it before the big storm. The kit should include.
Ÿ Two weeks supply of prescription medicines
Ÿ Two weeks supply of non-perishable food. (remember special dietary needs)
Ÿ Manual can opener
Ÿ Drinking water (one gallon per person per day)
Ÿ Water for hygiene purposes (another gallon per person, fill up the bathtub and other containers)
Ÿ Flashlights and batteries for each person
Ÿ Portable radio and supply of batteries
Ÿ First aid book and kit
Ÿ Zipper seal bags and trash bags
Ÿ Paper products for eating and disposable utensils
Ÿ Premoistened towelettes, toilet paper and paper towels or absorbent rags
Ÿ Disinfectant and/or disinfectant wipes
Ÿ Chlorine bleach or water purification tablets
Ÿ Mosquito repellent and citronella candles
Ÿ Clothing and blankets (from evacuation kit)
Ÿ Documents (from evacuation kit)
Ÿ Tarps, hammer and nails
Ÿ Games and books to entertain children
Ÿ Special needs items for infants, children and elderly
Ÿ Pencil and paper in a protective plastic bag
Ÿ Multipurpose tool or tool kit

We suggest separating the supplies into three containers: medical and immediate need supplies, food supplies and non-food supplies. This can be accomplished by placing in large plastic bags or trash bags inside a larger container or using separate waterproof containers for each category. If using a single large container, remember to pack the heavier items and canned foods on the bottom. Medical supplies and the flashlights, radio and batteries should be easily accessible.

Remove any items on your property that might become flying hazards in high winds and board up expansions of glass.

Assemble a clean-up kit including:
Ÿ Mop and pails
Ÿ Broom
Ÿ Rake
Ÿ Shovel
Ÿ Cleaning disinfectant
Ÿ Tool kit
Ÿ Towels or absorbent rags

We suggest grouping these supplies together prior to the storm, so that they are easily accessible after the storm dissipates.

Enduring the Storm

While the storm rages, you and your family should find shelter in an interior room and have blankets handy to shelter yourselves from any flying debris. You might also want to have cycling helmets to protect your head if that becomes necessary. Make sure to carry your cell phone, flashlights and radio with you along with a change of batteries, some water and a little food. Take you prescription drugs and first aid kit. It is also a good idea to have a few items to entertain children and distract adults. You can access more extensive supplies when the storm has passed.

Aftermath and Clean-Up

When the storm is over and you survey the situation, remember to proceed in a systematic way to assess the damage and prepare to manage it.

Assess the physical condition of the people in your household. Are they unhurt, physically well, hydrated and nourished? Have they taken schedule medication? Do they need dry clothing or a diaper change?

Assess the interior of the house. Is there leaving, interior flooding, broken window panes? Is the electricity on and the telephone working? Note any hazards (broken glass for example) and remove them if possible. List any damage using your stored pencil and paper.

Assess the exterior of the house. Do not go outside until a reliable source says it is sage. Remove hazards, if it is possible to do so. List damages as your discover them.

Use your stored products to clean up and stay dray and comfortable until this return to pre-storm conditions.

A little preparation and organization can give you peace of mind during this hurricane season and help you endure a weather emergency should one occur.

Beverly and Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

Emergency Preparedness

Hurricane season is here. The newscasters keep reminding us, the internet blasts out headlines every time we open the web and newspapers print articles on what to gather in case of emergency. A couple of weeks ago, our local department of transportation initiated traffic snarls in an effort to practice reversing traffic direction on the interstate in case of an emergency requiring evacuation. I have decided that if that happens around here I will just put on my running shoes and travel on top of the cars that will surely be bumper to bumper on every available exit route. In the meantime, we should all heed the warnings and get our stuff ready to evacuate or sit tight and endure the aftermath of high winds and pounding rains. Andrew, Katrina and lesser storms should have jolted us all out of any complacency we might have felt about these powerful forces of nature.

The American Red Cross has a very good website at redcross.com/services that lists the various supplies that should be gathered for evacuation and disaster.

For evacuation they suggest:
Medicines and medical supplies
Bedding and clothing to include sleeping bags and pillows
Bottles water
Battery Operated Radio and extra batteries
First Aide kit
Flashlight
Car keys and maps
Documents including driver’s license, social security card, proof of residence, insurance policies, wills, deeds, birth and marriage certificates and tax records.

If you are driving, we also suggest a car emergency kit that includes emergency tire propellant and flares with the usual equipment to change tires and perform minor repairs. It is also a good idea to include rain gear in the clothing that you take along and some insect repellent.

When I read this list I had two thoughts. The first was “Can everyone put their hand on the documents suggested?” The second was, “When you put all this stuff in the car or other transport, will there be room for the folks you are trying to evacuate?” The answer to those questions are “probably not” and “there is room if you organize.”

The first step to getting ready is to gather all the important documents into one place. We suggest a watertight portable safe. If that is not a plausible solution, place the documents in leak proof plastic bags and put them in a sealed plastic container or tote box. A small tool box or cooler chest may serve the purpose. If there are just a few documents to transport, a document portfolio will work.

The second step is to organize the other supplies so that they can be easily carried. You could of course pack a suitcase, back pack or duffle bag for each family member and put it away until emergency travel was imminent. A more practical solution is to store the necessary supplies in the giant zipped seal bag available at discount stores and super markets. When time comes to take a trip just grab the bag for each family member. It has the added benefit of protecting the items from dampness. Bulky items like linens and sleeping gear can be stored in the plastic pouches that allow you to expel the air and compress the contents. That will save a lot of packing space. Also remember to place medicines and medical supplies in protective bags to prevent spillage and wetness.

Packing flashlights, radio, batteries and water in a small insulated cooler will allow you to keep cold and hot items that may be available at the evacuation sites. Taking these steps now will help you to be prepared if evacuation becomes necessary.

Next time we will explore how to organize materials and supplies for waiting out the hurricane at home. Stay safe and get organized so you will have worked out all the bugs just in case you have to bug out.

Beverly and Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net