Saturday, September 8, 2012
Preparedness Tip of the Day
September 8th - Teach your children how and when to call 9-1-1 or your local Emergency Medical Services number for help. Post these and other emergency telephone numbers by telephones.
Friday, September 7, 2012
Preparedness Tip of the Day
September 7th - Check your child's school web site or call the school office to request a copy of the school's emergency plan. Keep a copy at home and work or other places where you spend a lot of your time and make sure the school's plan is incorporated into your family's emergency plan. Also, learn about the disaster plans at your workplace or other places where you and your family spend time.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Preparedness Tip of the Day
September 6th -- Go through your calendar now and put a reminder on it -- every six months -- to reviewyour plan, update numbers, and check supplies to be sure nothing has expired, spoiled or changed. Also remember to practice your tornado, fire escape or other disaster plans.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
This September: Pledge to Prepare
September is National Preparedness Month (NPM). It is a time to prepare yourself and those in your care for an unexpected emergency.
If you’ve seen the news recently, you know that emergencies can happen unexpecedtedly in communities just like ours, to people like you. We’ve seen tornado outbreaks, river floods and flash floods, historic earthquakes, and even water main breaks and power outages. We’ve experienced most of them right here in Chester County.
This September, please prepare and plan in the event you must go for three days without electricity, water service, access to a supermarket, or local services for several days. Just follow these four steps:
1. Be Informed: Free information is available to assist you from federal, state, county and municipal resources. You can find preparedness information by:
ü Accessing Ready.gov or ReadyPA.org to learn what to do before, during, and after an emergency
ü Registering for emergency text alerts by texting CHESCO to 411911 or by visiting readynotifypa.org
ü Contacting your local firehouse and asking for a tour and information about preparedness
2. Make a Plan: Discuss, agree on, and document an emergency plan with those in your care. For sample plans, see Ready.gov. Work together with neighbors, colleagues and others to build community resilience.
3. Build a Kit: Keep enough emergency supplies on hand for you and those in your care – water, non-perishable food, first aid, prescriptions, flashlight, battery-powered radio – for a checklist of supplies visit Ready.gov
4. Get Involved: There are many ways to Get Involved especially before a disaster occurs. The whole community can participate in programs and activities to make their families, homes and communities safer from risks and threats. Community leaders agree the formula for ensuring a safer community consist of volunteers, a trained and informed public and increased support of emergency response agencies during disasters.
Major disasters can overwhelm first responder agencies. Police, fire and rescue may not always be able to reach you quickly, such as if trees and power lines are down or if they’re overwhelmed by demand from an emergency. The most important step you can take in helping your local responders is being able to take care of yourself and those in your care; the more people who are prepared, the quicker the community will recover.
As FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate reminds us, “Individuals and families are the most important members of the nation’s emergency management team. Being prepared can save precious time if there is a need to respond to an emergency”. For more information on National Preparedness Month and for help getting prepared visit Ready.gov or call 1-800-BE-READY, 1-888-SE-LISTO, and TTY 1-800-462-7585 for free information.
Preparedness Tip of the Day
September 5th - Dogs may be man's best friend, but due to health regulations, most emergency shelters cannot house animals. Find out in advance how to care for your pets and working animals when disaster strikes. Pets should not be left behind, but could be taken to an veterinary office, family member's home or animal shelter during an emergency. Also be sure to store extra food and water for pets. For more information, visit the Animal Safety section on www.redcross.org or visit the Humane Society web site at www.hsus.org.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Emergency Preparedness Tip of the Day
September is National Preparedness Month. During the month, each day we will post a "Tip of the Day" to help you and your family become better prepared for an emergency.
September 1st - Take a moment to imagine that there is an emergency, like a fire in your home, and you need to leave quickly. What are the best escape routes from your home? Find at least two ways out of each room. Now, write it down -- you've got the beginning of a plan.
September 2nd - Pick a place to meet after a disaster. Designate two meeting places. Choose one right outside your home, in case of a sudden household emergency, such as a fire. The second place you choose needs to be outside your neighborhood, in the event that it is not safe to stay near or return to your home.
September 3rd - Choose an emergency contact person outside your area because it may be easier to call long distance than locally after a local/regional disaster. Take a minute now to call or email an out of town friend or family member to ask him or her to be your family's designated contact in the event of an emergency. Be sure to share the contact's phone number with everyone in the family. During an emergency, you can call your contact who can share with other family member where you are; how you are doing; and how to get in contact with you.
September 4th - Complete an emergency contact card and make copies for each member of your family to carry with them. Be sure to include an out of town contact on your contact card. It may be easier to reach someone out of town if local phone lines are out of service or overloaded. You should also have at least one traditionally wired landline phone, as cordless or cellular phones may not work in an emergency. Visit www.redcross.org or www.ready.gov for sample emergency contact cards.
September 1st - Take a moment to imagine that there is an emergency, like a fire in your home, and you need to leave quickly. What are the best escape routes from your home? Find at least two ways out of each room. Now, write it down -- you've got the beginning of a plan.
September 2nd - Pick a place to meet after a disaster. Designate two meeting places. Choose one right outside your home, in case of a sudden household emergency, such as a fire. The second place you choose needs to be outside your neighborhood, in the event that it is not safe to stay near or return to your home.
September 3rd - Choose an emergency contact person outside your area because it may be easier to call long distance than locally after a local/regional disaster. Take a minute now to call or email an out of town friend or family member to ask him or her to be your family's designated contact in the event of an emergency. Be sure to share the contact's phone number with everyone in the family. During an emergency, you can call your contact who can share with other family member where you are; how you are doing; and how to get in contact with you.
September 4th - Complete an emergency contact card and make copies for each member of your family to carry with them. Be sure to include an out of town contact on your contact card. It may be easier to reach someone out of town if local phone lines are out of service or overloaded. You should also have at least one traditionally wired landline phone, as cordless or cellular phones may not work in an emergency. Visit www.redcross.org or www.ready.gov for sample emergency contact cards.
Friday, August 24, 2012
Hurricane Season is Here !!!!
Tropical Storm Issac is threatening to visit Chester County next week. Are you prepared ?? With some planning now, may reduce the devastation of a hurricane. Homes, businesses, public buildings, roads and power lines may be damaged by high winds and flood waters. Roads and bridges may be washed away by flooding or blocked debris. We all witnessed this last year with Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee.
The first thing that you need to do is be informed about the storm. Listen to your radio and television for the projected storm path. Once the storm has reached the Hurricane Watch level, preparation needs to begin.
A Hurricane Watch means there is a threat of hurricane conditions within 24-36 hours. Hurricane Warning means that a hurricane is expected to strike your area within 24 hours or less with sustained winds of 74 mph or more.
Having on hand flashlights with fresh batteries and a battery-operated radio with fresh batteries and an extra supply of batteries will be crucial to you and your family should your power go out. Other items you might want to have on hand are a first-aid kit, non-perishable food - don't forget the non-electric can opener - bottled water and your essential medicines. You need to be prepared to live on your own for an extended period of time.
Before the Hurricane Warning is issued you should bring in any outdoor furniture, toys or garden items. If they can't be brought indoors, anchor these objects so that the high winds can't toss them around.
If you are in an area proned to flooding, be prepared to leave the area if officials tell you to evacuate. Keep you family cars fueled. Pack a bag of clothing, essential medicines, extra cash, flash lights and batteries. Make arrangements now for your pets. Most emergency shelters will not allow pets.
For more information on planning for a hurricane go to www.FEMA.gov or www.pema.pa.gov or the American Red Cross at www.redcrossphilly.gov
The first thing that you need to do is be informed about the storm. Listen to your radio and television for the projected storm path. Once the storm has reached the Hurricane Watch level, preparation needs to begin.
A Hurricane Watch means there is a threat of hurricane conditions within 24-36 hours. Hurricane Warning means that a hurricane is expected to strike your area within 24 hours or less with sustained winds of 74 mph or more.
Having on hand flashlights with fresh batteries and a battery-operated radio with fresh batteries and an extra supply of batteries will be crucial to you and your family should your power go out. Other items you might want to have on hand are a first-aid kit, non-perishable food - don't forget the non-electric can opener - bottled water and your essential medicines. You need to be prepared to live on your own for an extended period of time.
Before the Hurricane Warning is issued you should bring in any outdoor furniture, toys or garden items. If they can't be brought indoors, anchor these objects so that the high winds can't toss them around.
If you are in an area proned to flooding, be prepared to leave the area if officials tell you to evacuate. Keep you family cars fueled. Pack a bag of clothing, essential medicines, extra cash, flash lights and batteries. Make arrangements now for your pets. Most emergency shelters will not allow pets.
For more information on planning for a hurricane go to www.FEMA.gov or www.pema.pa.gov or the American Red Cross at www.redcrossphilly.gov
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