National Preparedness Month Tips of the Day
There are a few simple steps you and your family can take to become better prepared for an emergency: Get a Kit, Make a Plan, Be Informed and Get Involved. This September, during National Preparedness Month, please follow these "Tips of the Day" from the American Red Cross and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to help you and your family get started today!
- 9/30 Bioterrorism
- 9/29 Explosions and Fire
- 9/28 Chemical Hazards
- 9/27 Floods - even shallow water can be deadly
- 9/26 Shake, rattle and roll
- 9/25 Recovering Financially
- 9/24 Understand Shelter-in-place and Evacuation
- 9/23 Know how to turn off utilities
- 9/22 Treat contaminated water
- 9/21 Surf the Net
- 9/20 Know your home
- 9/19 Car Kit
- 9/18 What's in Your Kit? (cont'd)
- 9/17 What's in YOUR kit? (cont'd)
- 9/16 What's in YOUR kit?
- 9/15 Water, water anywhere?
- 9/14 First Aid
- 9/13 Food for thought, or think food
- 9/12 Prepare your kit
- 9/11 What's the plan, boss?
- 9/10 Work together
- 9/9 Practice Makes Perfect!
- 9/8 Get Emergency Help
- 9/7 Is school in or out when disaster strikes?
- 9/6 Make it a habit
- 9/5 Man's best friends
- 9/4 Emergency Contacts
- 9/3 Make a connection
- 9/2 Oh, the places you'll go
- 9/1 Best Way Out
9/16 Tip Of The Day - What's in YOUR kit?
One of the easiest ways you can prepare for emergencies is to keep some supplies readily available. Every kit is unique and can be tailored to meet the specific needs of your family, but below is a general list of supplies you may want to consider:
Tools and Supplies
(Essential Items are Marked with an Asterisk *)
- Mess kits, or paper cups, plates and plastic utensils
- Emergency preparedness manual and a copy of your disaster plan, including your emergency contacts list
- Battery-operated radio and extra batteries*
- Flashlight and extra batteries*
- Cash or traveler's checks, change*
- Non-electric can opener, utility knife*
- Fire extinguisher: small ABC type stored near where fires are likely to occur such as a kitchen, or near a fireplace. It should not be kept in the disaster supplies kit.
- Tube tent
- Duct Tape*
- Compass
- Matches in a waterproof container
- Aluminum foil
- Plastic storage containers
- Signal flare
- Paper, pencil*
- Needles, thread
- Medicine dropper
- Shut-off wrench or pliers, to turn off household gas and water
- Whistle*
- Plastic sheeting*
- Map of the area (for locating shelters and evacuation routes)
(Continued tomorrow!)
