Put together (or restock) your 72 Hour Kit/Go Bag

 Last month we finished making our general emergency plan. This month we’ll start the most important aspect of emergency preparedness, a 72-hour kit.

Week #1—Commit to Make a 72-hour Kit

During a large emergency (like a major earthquake) utilities, services, and even roads can be disrupted for an extended period of time. It can take three days for FEMA and the Red Cross to set up emergency shelters and distribute supplies.

During this time, you’ll need a 72-hour kit for each person in your household.

Ideas for what to put in kit:

-BYU Women’s Conference list: https://womensconference.byu.edu/sites/womensconference.ce.byu.edu/files/14d.pdf

- https://beready.utah.gov/family-preparedness/get-a-kit-family/

Week #2— Decide Where to Keep It

Based on your situation, decide where to store your 72-hour kit.

·       Camper or Motorhome—If you have a camper or motorhome and you store it on your property during the winter, then you could easily move into it if your home is not habitable.

·       Car—If the emergency happens while you are away from home, you will probably have your car with you. However, you need to insulate perishable items, like food and water, from hot and cold temperatures.

·       Garage or Shed—Because your home could be destroyed by fire or earthquake, you may want to keep emergency supplies in your garage or in a shed.

·       Home—Store it close to an exit, where you can quickly grab it if you need to leave in a hurry.

Week #3—Get a Backpack for Each Person

Because you may need to relocate to an emergency shelter or hotel, get a backpack, duffel bag, or suitcase for each person in your household. Make sure it is large enough for all your emergency supplies. If it is not waterproof, then store it off the floor so it will stay dry.

Week #4—Don’t Borrow from Your Kit

Have your 72-hour kit be for emergencies only. If you borrow items and forget to put them back, then you won’t have them when you need them the most.

Extra Credit—Buy a Premade Kit

If you can afford it, buying a premade 72-hour kit is a quick way to get some basic emergency supplies. If not, you can save money by making your own kit as we talk about it in the newsletters this year. However, don’t assume the kit contains everything you need, especially if it’s inexpensive. Also, make sure you know how to use all the items in your kit.

Neighborhood Radio Net: 2nd & 4th Sunday, 

Participate in a GMRS Radio Net on the 2^nd and 4th Sunday at 4 pm). Takes about 5 minutes, then you can stay on zoom for more emergency prep information. Contact Eric or Amy Dennison or Dan or DeeAnn Dodge for more information. Join us on GMRS Channel 22. 

· Zoom link: https://byui.zoom.us/s/4366630502 (Join as attendee). 

· Info about radio net: https://onesteptoprep.blogspot.com/2022/05/how-to-participate-in-gmrs-radio.html

Make a Plan- Part II- February 2024

 

Week #1—Set your Budget

Decide how much of your monthly budget will go toward emergency preparedness.  Over the next 2 years, $10 - $20 a month can make a difference! If you would like more than you can afford, tell friends and relatives you would like emergency preparedness items for birthdays and Christmas. For a 2 minute video: https://tinyurl.com/2d6tp82b

Week #2- Participate in a Neighborhood Net

https://onesteptoprep.blogspot.com/2022/05/how-to-participate-in-gmrs-radio.html

Participate in a GMRS Radio Net on the 2^nd and 4th Sundays at 4 pm. 

Zoom link: https://byui.zoom.us/s/4366630502 (Join as attendee)

Week #3 —Neighborhood Info and Emergency Alerts

·        Provide information about equipment or skills that would be useful in an emergency and about the needs of your family.

o   https://tinyurl.com/3te7zybe

·        Sign up for emergency alerts from Sandy City to get information about local hazards, severe weather and other emergencies.

o   https://sandy.utah.gov/1748/My-Alerts-Emergency-Routine-Alerts

·        Download the Red Cross Emergency app  for emergency alerts for our area and other places you care about. It has information on how to prepare for all kinds of emergencies and the location of emergency shelters.

o   https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/mobile-apps.html

·        If you are disabled, handicapped, or have special needs, use the Utah State Special Needs Registry (call 211 or visit www.SpecialNeedsUtah.org). Personal information is shared with emergency responders so they can serve you better during small emergencies. However, during large emergencies they will be overwhelmed, so make other plans too.

Week 4- Prepare Children (and grandchildren!)

During an emergency, kids need a sense of security. They will feel safer if you involve them in your emergency planning. Make sure they know how to call 911 and to only do it during a real emergency. Most important, during an emergency, stay calm and talk about positive things. This will reassure them and help them feel safe.

https://www.ready.gov/kids

Extra Credit- Plan for Pets

Most emergency shelters do not take pets. Sometimes they can accommodate them, but you should not depend on it. If you need to evacuate, will you take your pets to a friend/relative’s house, pet boarding business, or stay in a pet friendly hotel (instead of the shelter)? Because some roads may be blocked or bridges may be unstable, you should have several options.

You will need vet records, pet carrier, leash, and pet food. You should have your phone number on their collar, an implanted pet chip, and a current picture of your pet. For a 3 minute video, click here. https://tinyurl.com/269yyvb3

Make a Plan (Part I)

 Make a Plan (Part 1)

The best resource we have during an emergency is each other as neighbors. The biggest roadblock we have to being prepared and being able to help each other is feeling overwhelmed.

This monthly newsletter will help you complete small steps to become prepared for an emergency. The challenge for the week may take as little around 5–15 minutes. If you complete the challenge step each week, in two years your home and family will be better prepared for an emergency.

Here are the first few steps for this month. Let’s do this together so our neighborhood will be prepared!

Week #1—Decide to Prepare

Disasters can strike at any time without warning. The more you prepare, the better off you’ll be. Discuss the importance of emergency preparedness with your family and commit to spend a few minutes each week preparing. Talk about what you can accomplish if you spend a little time each week, and how good it will feel to be prepared!

 

Week #2—Choose your family meeting spot

Talk about where you’ll meet in the case of an emergency.

Pick two meeting places—one right outside your home for when your home isn’t safe and another a little farther away for when our neighborhood isn’t safe.

If you have children in school, talk with them about what they should do if you are not able to get to the school to pick them up. Plan a designated route for them to walk home.

Bonus: Plan a designated route for family members who commute to work, so you’d know where to find them as needed.

 

Week #3—Create a Family PACE Plan

Determine your family communication PACE plan: Primary, Alternate, Contingency and Emergency communication. How will you communicate if there is no cell service?

Week #4—Emergency Contact Card

Fill out and print the Emergency Contact Card for each family member. Have each family member put the card in their wallet, purse, backpack, etc.

https://www.redcross.org/content/dam/redcross/National/m4240194_ECCard.pdf

 

Extra Credit 1: Fill out the Family Emergency Communication Plan from Ready.gov:

https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/2021-04/family-emergency-communication-plan.pdf

Extra Credit 2: Sign up for CERT training

-        Sandy City: https://sandy.utah.gov/1362/CERT

o   $15, meets over several weeks

o Tuesday nights, January 30-February 27, 6-8:30 pm

December 2023- Winter Car Kit and Emergency Prep for Christmas

Now that the weather has turned cold, make sure you have the essentials in your car:

- cell phone charger
- water and snacks
- flashlight
- warm clothing, including boots, mittens and a hat
- jumper cables
- tire chains or snow tires
- emergency flares
- bag of sand or cat litter
- shovel, ice scraper and snow melt
- tow rope
- blanket
- and, keep your gas tank full!

Here are some other ideas for emergency-prep related Christmas gifts:

1. First Aid Kit- for home or car

2. Fire blanket. These blankets hang on the wall in a small pouch ready to pull and use in an instant. Extinguish small fires quickly and easily with no mess (unlike fire extinguishers). Perfect for smothering stovetop fires, campfires and even to wrap someone whose clothing has caught fire.

3. Plug-in-flashlights. Plug into a wall socket and when power goes out the flashlight comes on. Some models come with a motion detector making them perfect for use as a night light. Another feature to look for is the ability turn off the flashlight if your outage is during the day saving the charge for use at night.

4. Portable phone charger or solar powered phone charger.

5. Manual can opener.

6. Emergency radio. More info about radios here: https://onesteptoprep.blogspot.com/2022/05/recommended-frs-and-gmrs-radios.html

November 2023 – Important Documents (Part II)

 

Last month we started collecting emergency information into one safe place. This month we’ll gather the rest of our vital information so we can get our lives back to normal faster after an emergency.

Week #1—Collect Identity Documents

Make two copies of the following documents. Keep them in the primary and backup locations selected last month.

·       Driver licenses (both sides)

·       Social Security cards

·       Birth certificates

·       Marriage certificate

·       Passports (picture page)

·       Current picture of each family member

Week #2—Collect Medical Information

Make two copies of the following information. Keep them in the primary and backup locations selected last month.

·       Health insurance and prescription cards (both sides)

·       Prescriptions (drug names and dosages)

·       Doctor, pediatrician, and pharmacy (name and phone)

·       Allergies for each family member

Week #3—Collect Financial Information

Make two copies of the following information. Keep them in the primary and backup locations selected last month.

·       Credit/debit cards (both sides)

·       Checking/savings account numbers

·       IRA, 401K, and investment account numbers

·       Tax returns (last 3 years)

Week #4—Collect Legal Documents

Make two copies of the following documents. Keep them in the primary and backup locations selected last month.

·       Car titles

·       Mortgage and loan documents

·       Wills, trusts, power of attorney

·       Health Care Directive

 

Extra Credit—Succession Plan

Compile a list of computer User IDs and Passwords so that if you are lost, unconscious, or deceased your family can access your smart phone, computer, email, social media, and other accounts. This is especially important if you receive bills and notices electronically.

Important Documents- Part 1

 

Week #1—Decide Where to Keep Emergency Info

You probably keep important information in several places. This can be a problem if your home is destroyed by fire or earthquake. Decide to keep all your information together in one safe, easily accessible place.

The best place to keep emergency information is on your smart phone. If the disaster happens while you are away from home, you’ll probably have your phone with you. Use a strong, secure password to protect your personal information.

If you don’t have a smart phone, you can keep it in your car (probably with you during the emergency, but not secure), or fire safe (secure, but not quickly accessible).

Week #2—Decide How to Backup Emergency Info

If your smart phone is stolen or breaks, you’ll need a backup of your information. Copy it to the Internet or another electronic device. Some websites can automatically copy files to all of your devices, but don’t assume this works. Simulate accessing your information while the Internet is down by putting your device in “Airplane Mode”.

If you don’t have a smart phone, make copies of important documents and keep them at work or a relative’s house.

Week #3—Collect Contact Information

Collect the phone numbers and email addresses of your out-of-state contact, family members, friends, work, schools, and childcare. Make a backup copy.

Week #4—Collect Insurance Information

Collect contact information for your home, auto, and life insurance policies. Include policy numbers and claim phone numbers. Make a backup copy.

To provide proof of loss, take photos or videos of your valuables and all the rooms of your house.

Extra Credit—Insurance Coverage Review

Review your insurance coverage with your agent. Because they are not covered by basic policies, consider adding earthquake and flood insurance. For a 4 minute video, click here.

September- Home Fire Safety

 

Neighborhood Emergency Preparedness

September 2023 – Home Fire Safety

Week #1—Teach Children Fire Safety

Review basic fire safety with your children and grandchildren so they will know how to…

·       Call 911 (only in an emergency)

·       Stop, Drop, and Roll (if clothes catch fire)

·       Crawl on floor to avoid smoke

·       Recognize what fire alarms sound like

For a free 16 page fire safety activity book, click here.

Week #2—Smoke and CO Detectors

Install smoke detectors at top of stairs, by bedrooms, and in basement. Install carbon monoxide detectors by your kitchen and furnace.

·       Check batteries twice a year

·       Replace detectors every 10 years

If an alarm sounds, move quickly outside or to an open window. Call for help and stay by fresh air until help arrives.

Week #3—Fire Extinguishers

Have large fire extinguishers that handle ABC fires (wood, gas, electrical) in kitchen, garage, and bedrooms. Know how to pull the pin. Aim retardant at the base of fire in a sweeping motion.

Check the fullness gage every year. Dispose of empty fire extinguishers at a toxic material drop off (locations).

Week #4—Check for Fire Hazards

Inspect your home for fire hazards and resolve any issues found. For a 3-minute video click here.

·       Pick an outdoor meeting place

·       House number is easy to see at night

·       Inspect and clean furnace, chimney, and wood stoves

·       Fire escape plan, with two ways to exit every room

·       Photograph valuables for insurance and store them offsite

·       Cooking Safety:

o   Stay nearby while cooking

o   Supervise children while cooking

o   Keep cookware handles pointing in over stove

·       Combustible Safety:

o   Keep matches, lighters, candles out of reach of children

o   Store flammable liquids away from your home

o   Stack firewood away from your home

·       Space Heater Safety:

o   Keep three feet away from anything that can catch fire

o   Use non-glowing electric heaters with auto shut-off

o   Turn off when you leave the room

·       Electrical Safety:

o   Do not overload power outlets

o   Covers on all electrical outlets

o   No exposed wiring

·       Smoking Safety

o   Most home fires are caused by negligent smoking

o   Do not smoke in bed, while drowsy, or medicated

o   Do not smoke where oxygen is used

o   Use deep, sturdy ashtrays

Home Fire Survival Guide

Keep the following information in your 72-hour kit or on your cell phone so you can easily find it during an emergency.

·       Yell, “Fire!” several times to alert others.

·       Get out fast. Do not stay inside to fight the fire or collect valuables.

·       Stay low and crawl on the floor to avoid breathing smoke. Smoke is much more dangerous than flames. This is because there is so much toxic plastic in homes these days.

·       If a doorknob is hot, do not open it.

·       If you cannot get out, close the door, cover the bottom of the door with a towel, and call for help from a window.

·       Call 911 after you are outside.

·       Go to your meeting area.

·       Do not go back inside for any reason. Many people are overcome by smoke trying to rescue others, pets, or possessions. Let firefighters rescue anyone who needs help.

·       Do not reenter a damaged home, until you are told it is safe to do so.

·       If your clothes catch fire...

o   STOP what you are doing.

o   DROP to the ground and cover your face.

o   ROLL over and over until the flames go out.

·       Cool burned skin with water for 3 – 5 minutes.

·       Seek medical treatment for burns and smoke inhalation.

·       Remain calm. Get adequate rest.

·       Eat healthy. Stay hydrated.

·       Feeling tired, frustrated, sad, worried, and having trouble sleeping are normal.

·       Set priorities, pace yourself, and stay positive.

·       While cleaning up, wear long pants, long-sleeved shirt, good boots, work gloves, and a face mask.

·       Discard food, beverages, and medicine exposed to heat.

·       Document damage for insurance.