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Texas
Interagency Interfaith Disaster Response
e-Buzz
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23 May 2007 |
Friend,
Today, Tuesday, May 23, 2007, you are
receiving the third installment of TIDR's public information
campaign for National
Hurricane Preparedness Week.
Today the focus will be on preparedness: developing
a family plan, creating a disaster supply kit, having
a place to go, securing your home, and having a pet
plan. Read on to learn how to prepare for yourself
and your family. "Preventing
the loss of life and minimizing the damage to property
from hurricanes are responsibilities that are shared
by all."
Tomorrow's E-buzz will deal with the forecast for this
year and how the forecast system works; Friday will focus on
what to do in the midst of an emergency.
If you need more information or have information to share,
contact us here at TIDR.
Peace,
Amy
Amy BeVille Elder, M.Div.
Executive Director, TIDR
amy@tidr.org
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BE
PREPARED!
Disaster
Prevention should include:
One
of the most important decisions you will have to make is "Should
I Evacuate?" If you are asked to evacuate, you
should do so without delay. But unless you live in a coastal
or low-lying area, an area that floods frequently, or in
manufactured housing, it is unlikely that emergency managers
will ask you to evacuate. That means that it is important
for you and your family to HAVE
A PLAN that makes you as safe as possible in your
home.
Disaster prevention includes
modifying your home to strengthen it against storms so that you
can be as safe as possible. It also includes having the supplies
on hand to weather the storm. The suggestions provided
here are only guides. You should use common sense in your disaster
prevention.
- Develop
a family plan: Your family's plan should be based
on your vulnerability to the Hurricane Hazards. You
should keep a written plan and share your plan with
other friends or family.
- Create
a Disaster Supply Kit: There are certain items
you need to have regardless of where you ride out
a hurricane. The disaster supply kit is a useful
tool when you evacuate as well as making you as safe
as possible in your home.
- Secure
your home: There are things that you can do to
make your home more secure and able to withstand
stronger storms.
- Online
Vulnerability Information: There are web sites
that can give you information about your communities
vulnerability to specific hazards. These include
hurricanes as well as other weather related hazards.
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Family
Disaster Plan
- Discuss the types of hazards that
could affect your family. Know your home's
vulnerability to storm
surge, flooding,
and wind.
- Locate a safe room or the safest areas
in your home for each hurricane hazard. In
certain circumstances the safest areas may not be
your home but within your community.
- Determine escape routes from your
home and places to meet.
- Have an out-of-state friend as a family
contact, so all your family members have a single
point of contact.
- Make a plan now for what to do with
your pets if
you need to evacuate.
- Post emergency telephone numbers by
your phones and make sure your children know how
and when to call 911.
- Check your insurance coverage--flood
damage is not usually covered by homeowners' insurance. National
Flood Insurance Program
- Stock non-perishable emergency supplies
and a Disaster
Supply Kit.
- Use a NOAA
Weather Radio. Remember to replace its battery
every 6 months, as you do with your smoke detectors.
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Disaster
Supply Kit
- Water:
at least 1 gallon daily per person for 3 to 7 days
- Food:
at least enough for 3-7 days--non-perishable packaged
or canned food / juices; foods for infants or the
elderly; snack food; non-electirc can opener; cooking
tools--fuel, paper plates and plastic utensils
- Blankets,
pillows, etc.
- Clothing:
Seasonal; rain gear; sturdy shoes
- First
Aid Kit / Medicines / Prescription Drugs
- Special
Items: for babies and the elderly
- Toiletries
/ Hygeine items / Moisture wipes
- Flashlight
/ Batteries
- Radio:
Battery operated and NOAA weather radio
- Telephones:
Fully charged cell phone with extra battery and
a traditional (NOT cordless) telephone set
- Cash
(with some small bills) and Credit Cards: Banks
and ATMs may not be available for extended periods.
- Keys
- Toys,
Books, and Games
- Important
Documents: in a waterproof container or
watertight, resealable plastic bag--insurance,
medical records, bank account numbers, Social
Security card, birth certificates, etc.
- Tools:
Keep a set with you during the storm.
- Vehicle
fuel tanks filled
- Pet
care items: proper identification, immunization
records, medication, ample supply of food and
water, a carrier or cage, muzzle or collar and
leash, litter box.
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HAVE
A PLACE TO GO
Develop
a family hurricane preparedness plan before an actual storm
threatens your area. If your family hurricane preparedness
plan includes evacuation to a safer location for any of the
reasons specified with in this web site, then it is important
to consider the following points:
If ordered to evacuate, do not
wait or delay your departure. If possible, leave
before local officials issue an evacuation order for your area. Even
a slight delay in starting your evacuation will result in significantly
longer travel times as traffic congestion worsens.
Select an evacuation destination
that is nearest to your home, preferably in the same county,
or at least minimize the distance over which you must travel
in order to reach your intended shelter location. In
choosing your destination, keep in mind that the hotels and other
sheltering options in most inland metropolitan areas are likely
to be filled very quickly in a large, multi-county hurricane
evacuation event.
If you decide to evacuate to
another county or region, be prepared to wait in traffic. The
large number of people in this state who must evacuate during
a hurricane will probably cause massive delays and major congestion
along most designated evacuation routes; the longer the storm,
the greater the probability of traffic jams and extended travel
time.
If possible, make arrangements to stay with the friend or relative
who resides closed to your home and who will not have to evacuate. Discuss
with your intended host the details of your family evacuation
plan well before the beginning of the hurricane season.
If a hotel or motel is your
final intended destination during an evacuation, make reservations
before you leave. Most hotel and motels will fill
quickly once evacuations begin. The longer you wait to
make reservations, even if an official evacuation order has not
been issued for your area or couty, the less likely you are to
find hotel/motel room vacancies, especially along interstate
highways and in major metropolitan areas.
If
you are unable to stay with friends or family and no hotel/motel
rooms are available, then as a last resort go to a shelter. Remember,
shelters are not designed for comfort and may not accept pets. Bring
your disaster supply kit with you to the shelter. Find pet
friendly hotels and motels.
Make sure you
fill your car with gas before you leave.
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Pet
Plan
Don't
forget your pet when preparing a family disaster plan.
Contact your veterinarian or local humane
society for information on preparing your pets for an emergency.
Before the disaster
- Make sure that your pets are current
on their vaccinations. Pet shelters may require
proof of vaccines.
- Have a current photograph.
- Keep a collar with identification on
your pet and have a leash on hand to control your pet.
- Have a properly-sized pet carrier for
each animal--carriers should be large enough for the
animal to stand and turn around.
- Plan your evacuation strategy and don't
forget your pet! Specialized pet shelters, animal
control shelters, veterinary clinics and friends and
relatives out of harm's way are ALL potential refuges
for your pet during a disaster.
If you plan to shelter your pet, work in into
your evacuation route planning.
During the disaster
- Animals brought to a pet shelter are
required to have: Proper identification collar
and rabies tag, proper identification on all belongings,
a carrier or cage, a leash, an ample supply of food,
water and food bowls, any necessary medications, specific
care instructions and news papers or trash bags for
clean-up.
- Bring pets indoor well in advance of
a storm--reassure them and remain calm.
- Pet shelters will be filled on a first
come, first served basis. Call ahead to determine
availability.
After the
disaster
- Walk pets on a leash until they become
re-oriented to their home - often familiar scents and
landmarks may be altered and pets could easily be confused
and become lost. Also, downed power lines, reptiles
brought in with high water and debris can all pose
a threat for animals after a disaster.
- If pets cannot be found after a disaster,
contact the local animal control office to find out
where lost animals can be recovered. Bring along
a picture of your pet if possible.
- After a disaster animals can become
aggressive or defensive - monitor their behavior.
Pet Disaster
Supply Kit
- Proper identification including immunization
records
- Ample supply of food and water
- A carrier or cage
- Medications
- Muzzle, collar, and leash
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Secure
Your Home
Retrofitting
your home
The
most important precaution you can take to reduce damage
to your home and property is to protect the areas where
wind can enter. According to recent wind technology research,
it's important to strengthen the exterior of your house
so wind and debris do not tear large openings in it.
You can do this by protecting and reinforcing these five
critical areas:
A
great time to start securing - or retrofitting - your house
is when you are making other improvements or adding an
addition.
Remember: building codes reflect the lessons experts have learned
from past catastrophes. Contact the local building code official
to find out what requirements are necessary for your home improvement
projects.
Flood
Insurance
The National Flood Insurance Program, is a pre-disaster
flood mitigation and insurance protection program designed
to reduce the escalating cost of disasters. The National
Flood Insurance Program makes federally backed flood insurance
available to residents and business owners.
Flood damage is not usually covered by homeowners insurance. Do
not make assumptions. Check your policy.
For more information, call 1-888-CALL-FLOOD ext. 445, TDD# 1-800-427-5593,
or check the National
Flood Insurance Program website. |
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Texas Interagency Interfaith Disaster Response
~an inclusive community collaboration~
5207 Airport Blvd. Austin, TX 78751
www.tidr.org
info@tidr.org
512.458.8848 |
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