Nebraskans can Prepare for Disaster Before it Strikes
Release Date: July 9, 2008
Release Number: 1770-017
» More Information on Nebraska Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding
LINCOLN, Neb. -- Nebraskans know disasters can strike at any time. Floods, tornadoes, straight-line winds and torrential rains have all devastated parts of the Cornhusker State, together or separately. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Nebraska Emergency Management (NEMA) encourage all residents of Nebraska to stay informed, plan and prepare.
Preparation begins with these simple steps:
-
Prepare emergency supply kits -- one for the house, one for the car;
-
Make a family emergency plan, including communications, and be informed about the kinds of emergencies that can happen in your area and their appropriate responses. Be sure to include pets in the planning and remember many shelters do not accept pets;
-
Remember the basics of survival are: fresh water, food, clean air and warmth;
-
Know how to turn off your utilities and keep the necessary tools at hand. Make sure other members of your family know how to do this. If you turned off your gas, do not turn it back on yourself. Call the gas company;
-
Make copies of vital documents such as wills, birth certificates, financial records, insurance policies and credit card numbers. Keep the originals in a safe deposit box.
- Make a detailed inventory of your home and its contents with photographs or videotape. Store the inventory and photos or tape in a safe place.
For information and tools related to emergency preparedness, including information for persons with disabilities, many online resources are available. The following is a list of some of them:
- www.ready.gov/
- www.fema.gov/areyouready/
- www.redcross.org (click on Get Prepared)
FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
Last Modified: Thursday, 10-Jul-2008 08:22:41