Celebrate Disaster Day in the best way

Photo courtesy of comicvine.com

By Kassidy Ketron
Intern

Can you believe Disaster Day has already come and gone? Neither can we.

What exactly is Disaster Day, you ask? We have no idea, but we thought it would be a great opportunity to give you some tips to avoid disaster and advice on what to do when it does strike.

Our first set of advice is to Be Red Cross Ready:

• Know what emergencies or disasters are most likely to occur in your community
• Have a family disaster plan and practice it
• Have an emergency preparedness kit
• Make sure at least one member of the household is trained in first aid and CPR/AED
• Take action to help your community to prepare

In the event of a disaster, it’s important to be ready and prepared. Compile a survival kit that you can use at home or easily take with you in case of evacuation.

Here are just a few of the things we suggest you store in your kit:

• Water — one gallon per person, per day (3-day supply for evacuation, 2-week supply for home)
• Food — non-perishable, easy-to-prepare items (3-day supply for evacuation, 2-week supply for home)
• Flashlight
• Battery-powered or hand-crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio, if possible)
• Extra batteries
• First aid Kit — Anatomy of a First Aid Kit
• Medications (7-day supply) and medical items
• Copies of personal documents (medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies)
• Extra cash
• Click here to read the complete list.

Not only is it important to have a survival kit ready, but a preparedness plan can be just as vital.

To make sure you stay safe:

• Meet with your family or household members
• Identify responsibilities for each member of your household and plan to work together as a team
• If a family member is in the military, plan how you would respond if they were deployed

If separated:

• Choose two places to meet:
• Right outside your home in case of a sudden emergency, such as a fire
• Outside your neighborhood, in case you cannot return home or are asked to evacuate
• Choose an out-of-area emergency contact person. It may be easier to text or call long distance if local phone lines are overloaded or out of service. Everyone should have emergency contact information in writing or saved on their cell phones.

If you evacuate:

• Decide where you would go and what route you would take to get there. You may choose to go to a hotel/motel, stay with friends or relatives in a safe location or go to an evacuation shelter, if necessary.
• Practice evacuating your home twice a year. Drive your planned evacuation route and plot alternate routes on your map in case roads are impassable.
• Plan ahead for your pets. Keep a phone list of pet-friendly hotels/motels and animal shelters that are along your evacuation routes.

Make sure you can expect the unexpected, or at least prepare for it as much as possible, by visiting our website and educating yourself.

Now that you are all set, enjoy your day and stay safe. Next year, show Disaster Day what you’re made of.