Emergency Tip: Make a Plan for Floods during this First Week of National Preparedness Month

This week's theme from FEMA is Flood Prep. 

September is National Preparedness Month 

 - This week's theme from FEMA is Flood Preparation. 

Did you know flooding is the most common and costly disaster in the United States? Even here in the NorthEast, flooding is a significant problem, especially during hurricane season and our winter months.

Quoting FEMA:
“Flooding is fresh on the minds of many people in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. With so much flooding during the past few months, it’s a good time to consider the true risk,” said FEMA Region VII Regional Administrator Beth Freeman. “But it’s not enough to simply realize flooding is a real threat for us all. This month, this week, today, we hope everyone will take action to develop and practice a family emergency communication plan for hazards like flooding. This year our theme is, 'Don’t wait. Communicate. Make your emergency plan today.'”

Fewer than half of Americans have taken the time to plan what they will do if there is an emergency. Sitting down and developing a communication plan with loved ones doesn’t cost a thing, but can save a lot if a flood or another disaster impacts you and your family.

IMPORTANT: See my post from last year: "It's 9/11 - Do You Have a Family Communications Plan?" for excellent advice on simple ways for your family to stay in touch during an emergency.

For more information visit Ready.gov/September or follow the campaign on Facebook, at https://www.facebook.com/readygov, on Twitter, at https://twitter.com/Readygov,  or for FEMA Region VII, www.twitter.com/femaregion7. For more information about events for America's PrepareAthon throughout September, and for National PrepareAthon! Day information, visit www.ready.gov/prepare.

Images credit: FEMA.gov

Emergency Tip: August's Do1Thing.com Prep Task - Get Involved

Get Involved! There are many ways you can help in an emergency - becoming a CERT volunteer is just one way.

Do1Thing.Com's Goal for August: Make your community stronger by getting trained and getting involved.

The police and fire department can't do it all when an emergency occurs.

Everyone in our community has a role to play when disaster strikes.

First prepare your family, then think of ways to help others in your neighborhood.

Below is a list of things the Do1Thing team recommends you can do to achieve your goal this month.
Choose at least one, and complete it!

• Get Involved : Connect with an isolated individual in your neighborhood or start a neighborhood organization.
• Get Involved : Promote emergency preparedness in your community.
• Get Involved : Become a volunteer in your community (CERT, Red Cross, Neighborhood Watch, etc.).

Learn more: The "Get Involved" fact sheet has more information about being aware of and preparing for your family’s unique needs. (This fact sheet is available in multiple languages and formats here.)

Visit this month’s Do 1 Thing topic page for fact sheets, videos and additional resources on family preparation.

Background

Do 1 Thing is a web-based, twelve-month preparedness program that focuses on a different area of emergency preparedness each month. Remember: emergency preparedness doesn’t have to be hard or expensive.

It’s as easy as:

1. Click on this month’s topic
2. Select one of the easy “Tasks”
3. Do that one thing!

So visit http://do1thing.com/ today and get started preparing yourself, your family, and your community right now!

Please see my January 2015 post about the entire Do 1 Thing program for additional information.

Image credit: FEMA.gov

Emergency Tip: July's Do1Thing.com Prep Task - Family Communication Plan

GOAL FOR JULY: Have the ability to communicate with
family members during a disaster.

It's time to think about Your Family's Communication Plan

Read my post from 9/11/14 about Family Communication Plans - Do 1 Thing amplifies my advice with some excellent tips below.

July's Do 1 Thing task is Family Communication Plans -  know how to keep in touch with family and friends during an emergency.

Today we have more ways to speak with one another than ever before. We are used to staying in touch with cell phones, internet, and email, but disasters can change things. These devices may not be available. Cell phone towers quickly become overloaded with people trying to reach friends and family. If the power is out at your home, cordless phones, internet, and email will not work either.

Below is a list of things that you can do to achieve your goal this month.
Choose at least one, and complete it!

• Have a phone with a cord and a car charger for your cell phone standing by in case of a power failure.
• Develop a plan for how your family will stay in touch during a disaster.
• Program In Case of Emergency (ICE) numbers into all family cell phones.

Learn more: The “Family Communication Plan” fact sheet has more information about being aware of and preparing for your family’s unique needs. (This fact sheet is available in additional languages and formats here.)





Visit this month’s Do 1 Thing topic page for fact sheets, videos and additional resources on family preparation.

Background

Do 1 Thing is a web-based, twelve-month preparedness program that focuses on a different area of emergency preparedness each month. Remember: emergency preparedness doesn’t have to be hard or expensive.

It’s as easy as:

1. Click on this month’s topic
2. Select one of the easy “Tasks”
3. Do that one thing!

So visit http://do1thing.com/ today and get started preparing yourself, your family, and your community right now!

Please see my January 2015 post about the entire Do 1 Thing program for additional information.

Image credit: http://do1thing.com/

Sharing Info from MEMA's 2015 Hurricane Preparedness Conference

Welcoming Remarks by Kurt N. Schwartz,
 Director, Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency

MEMA's 2015 Hurricane Preparedness Conference

Late last month - Thursday, May 28th - I had the privilege to attend the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency's 2015 Hurricane Preparedness Conference in Norwood, MA.

I'm still digesting all the information and files I received from this conference, but I wanted to share the agenda plus presentation links with you today.

This information is not just for the professionals. Each of us in the North East should have a thorough understanding of hurricane preparation practices.

Important: If you are interested in future MEMA training courses, seminars, and conferences - visit the MEMA site and log into their Training Registration System. You will receive email alerts for training opportunities plus view calendars of upcoming courses offered across Massachusetts.

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2015 Hurricane Preparedness Conference Agenda

Speaker Biographies 

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8:00 AM - 8:30 AM

Welcoming Remarks by MEMA Director Kurt N. Schwartz

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8:30 AM - 9:30 AM

National Hurricane Center Products and Seasonal Outlook   file size4MB

Local Office Hurricane Products and Services   file size6MB

Bob Thompson, Meteorologist-in-Charge, National Weather Service, Taunton, MA

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9:45 AM - 10:35 AM

Public Response to Hurricane Threats in Massachusetts   file size2MB

Dr. Earl J. “Jay” Baker, Associate Professor, Florida State University

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10:35 AM - 11:05 AM

Debris Overview   file size1MB

Scott MacLeod, Mitigation & Disaster Recovery Section Chief, Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency

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11:05 AM - 11:50 AM

Media and Hurricane Preparedness   file size2MB

Matt Noyes, Chief Meteorologist, New England Cable News

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12:15 PM - 1:00 PM

Re-Entry and Rebuilding After a Disaster   file size6MB

Amy Grzybowski, Town Manager, Town of Westerly, Rhode Island

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1:00 PM to 2:00 PM

Preventing Further Harm: Practical Insights   file size4MB

Lisa Crowner, Statewide Health Educator/Trainer, Massachusetts Department of Public Health

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2:15 PM - 3:00 PM

                Emergency Power; Fuel supply chain after a Hurricane and Power Restoration  file size1MB

Mike McCallan, Director of Emergency Planning, National Grid

A Fuel Retailer’s Perspective on Hurricane Preparedness   file size1MB

Tom Cacciola, Vice President of Facilities Support, The Cumberland Gulf Group

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3:00 PM - 3:20 PM

HURREVAC Overview   file size1MB

Paul Morey, Hurricane Program Manager, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Region I

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3:20 PM - 3:45 PM

Know Your Zone   file size1MB

Kurt N. Schwartz, Undersecretary for Homeland Security and Emergency Management, Executive Office of Public Safety and Security; Director, Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency

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For additional hurricane preparation info plus general emergency planning resources, visit the MEMA site at http://www.mass.gov/eopss/agencies/mema/.

Image credit: Patrick O'Connor

Emergency Tip: June's Do1Thing.com Prep Task - Unique Family Needs

GOAL FOR JUNE: Be aware of and prepare for your

 family’s unique needs.

It's time to think about Your Family's Unique Needs

June's Do 1 Thing task is Unique Family Needs -  know how to ensure you plan for your family's unique needs during an emergency.

Every household is different. Is there an infant or young child in your home? Does someone in your family have a medical condition that requires medication? Do you have a pet? Before disaster strikes, talk to your family about your household’s unique needs. Make a list of special items you may need in a disaster.

Below is a list of things that you can do to achieve your goal this month.
Choose at least one, and complete it!

• Talk with family members to identify your household’s unique needs.
• Make a plan to make sure pets are taken care of in a disaster.
• If you or someone in your household has a disability, create an evacuation plan that works for them.

Learn more: The “Unique Family Needs” fact sheet has more information about being aware of and preparing for your family’s unique needs. (This fact sheet is available in additional languages and formats here.)

Visit this month’s Do 1 Thing topic page for fact sheets, videos and additional resources on family preparation.

Background

Do 1 Thing is a web-based, twelve-month preparedness program that focuses on a different area of emergency preparedness each month. Remember: emergency preparedness doesn’t have to be hard or expensive.

It’s as easy as:

1. Click on this month’s topic
2. Select one of the easy “Tasks”
3. Do that one thing!

So visit http://do1thing.com/ today and get started preparing yourself, your family, and your community right now!

Please see my January 2015 post about the entire Do 1 Thing program for additional information.

Image credit: http://do1thing.com/

Emergency Tip: Time to Brush Up on Water Safety

Always swim with a buddy & wear a PFD when boating!

It's time to think about Water Safety

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! As this weekend is the unofficial kick-off to our summer season, and National Safe Boating Week just wrapped up (May 16-22), it's time to really think about water and boat safety.

Here's some excellent points and facts to focus on - not to scare you, but to better prepare you for making Summer 2015 as fun and safe as possible for you and your family.

Water Safety

 - Highlights

• Swim in designated areas supervised by lifeguards.
• Always swim with a buddy; do not allow anyone to swim alone. Even at a public pool or a lifeguarded beach, use the buddy system!
• Ensure that everyone in the family learns to swim well.
• Actively supervise kids whenever around the water—even if lifeguards are present. Do not just drop your kids off at the public pool or leave them at the beach—designate a responsible adult to supervise.
• Even if you do not plan on swimming, be cautious around natural bodies of water including ocean shoreline, rivers and lakes. Cold temperatures, currents and underwater hazards can make a fall into these bodies of water dangerous.
• If you go boating, wear a life jacket! Most boating fatalities occur from drowning.

 - Pools

• Install and use barriers around your home pool or hot tub. Safety covers and pool alarms should be added as additional layers of protection.
• Ensure that pool barriers enclose the entire pool area, are at least 4-feet high with gates that are self-closing, self-latching and open outward, and away from the pool. The latch should be high enough to be out of a small child’s reach.
• If you have an above-ground or inflatable pool, remove access ladders and secure the safety cover whenever the pool is not in use.
• Remove any structures that provide access to the pool, such as outdoor furniture, climbable trees, decorative walls and playground equipment.
• Keep toys that are not in use away from the pool and out of sight. Toys can attract young children to the pool.

 - Emergencies

• If a child is missing, check the water first. Seconds count in preventing death or disability.
• Know how and when to call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number.
• If you own a home pool or hot tub, have appropriate equipment, such as reaching or throwing equipment, a cell phone, life jackets and a first aid kit.
• Enroll in Red Cross home pool safety, water safety, first aid and CPR/AED courses to learn how to prevent and respond to emergencies.

Boating Safety

 - Safety Stats

• In 2014, the Coast Guard was notified of 4,064 boating accidents that resulted in 610 people killed, 2,678 injuries and approximately $39 million of damage to property.
• 78% of fatal boating accident victims drowned. 
• 84% percent were not wearing a life jacket, the single most important piece of safety equipment you can have on.
• Eight out of every 10 people who drowned in 2014 were reported using boats less than 21-feet in length.

 - Staying Safe

• Always wear a PFD when boating.
• Planning to Paddle? Know Your Limits!
• Have your boat safety inspected.
• Make sure you have the correct safety equipment and know how to use it.
• Important: Make sure a friend or family member knows where you will be boating, when you'll return and what to do if you are overdue.

Additional Resources

• http://www.redcross.org/prepare/disaster/water-safety
• http://www.uscgboating.org/
• http://coastguard.dodlive.mil/2015/05/national-safe-boating-week-2015-safety-equipment/

Image credit: The National Guard

Emergency Tip: May's Do1Thing.com Prep Task - Work, School and Community

GOAL FOR MAY: Make sure the people who count on you
 are prepared for a disaster.

It's time to think about Your Community

May's Do 1 Thing task is Work, School and Community Planning -  know how to make sure you and your loved ones are safe in a disaster, no matter where you are.

Below is a list of things that you can do to achieve your goal this month.
Choose at least one, and complete it!

• Make sure emergency procedures are in place for your workplace or school.
• Give emergency kits to people who count on you (college students, elderly parents, etc.).
• Know how others in your community will respond in a disaster.

Learn more: The “Emergency Supplies” fact sheet has more information about making emergency kits for work and school.

Visit this month’s Do 1 Thing topic page for fact sheets and additional resources on sheltering.

Background

Do 1 Thing is a web-based, twelve-month preparedness program that focuses on a different area of emergency preparedness each month. Remember: emergency preparedness doesn’t have to be hard or expensive.

It’s as easy as:

1. Click on this month’s topic
2. Select one of the easy “Tasks”
3. Do that one thing!

So visit http://do1thing.com/ today and get started preparing yourself, your family, and your community right now!

Please see my January 2015 post about the entire Do 1 Thing program for additional information.

Image credit: http://do1thing.com/