Betas Get Ready!Tornadoes in Brooklyn, earThquake on The easT CoasT…

wiTh naTural Phenomenon seeminGly on The rise The quesTion is…are you PrePared?

34 * El Girasol * October 2011

By Madeline M. Taverez, Epsilon Chapter, Spring 2005

This year the United States has been affected by a number of natural disasters, including blizzards, flooding, eathquakes, and hurricanes. With so many sisters living in areas that have been affected, it was important to provide some resources to better prepare ourselves and our loved ones? Do you have a “Go Kit?” An evacuation route? Do you know the shelters in your area? Do theses shelters accept pets? If you do not have a plan, you are not alone. Many people in our communities are ill prepared for an emergency. However, following some simple and helpful tips can help minimize losses and safeguard the well being of you and your family.

In May of this year, I visited Chile as part of my Masters program’s international component for my degree in Emergency and Disasters Management. For those of you who may remember, last year Chile was struck by an 8.8 earthquake and a tsunami that affected the Maule and Biobío regions. I was fortunate enough to talk to a few community members within the affected regions.

One of the most shocking realizations was that most institutions such as hospitals, supermarkets, transportation companies, did not have Emergency Plans; those that did, failed to communicate any of those plans to their staff.

Families were excommunicated and institutions couldn’t reach local authorities. Critical infrastructures were destroyed leaving many without food, water, or electricity. Resources were scarce but the community’s resilience is nothing less than admirable citizens reported for duty and helped

each other through the time of need. Thus, debunking the myth that mass hysteria breaks out during a disaster.

A nurse at one of the clinics that we visited shared her story with me. She was the head nurse on duty that night when the earthquake struck. She explained how she ran out of the building like many of her colleagues with whatever patient they could move till the shaking subsided. The clinic had sustained interior damage, but the walls were still up. The staff entered the clinic and moved the patients to the most structurally sound areas of the facility.

She worked through the night knowing that her skills as a nurse were needed, but the reality of not knowing about her daughter and mother, whom she left home the day before, pained her. She watched as the families of some of her colleagues arrive at the hospital and how others received messages from there families letting them

know all was well. However, she was not one of them. Around 8:00 in the morning, a fellow nurse told her to take off and check on her family. It took her almost two hours to get home because the streets were impassable. Fortunately, her mother and daughter were uninjured and were waiting for her at their predetermined gathering site… their home, she recalled with tears in her eyes.

Disasters can occur at any place, any time and they do not discriminate. Hearing real life accounts made me understand how important being prepared is. Not only is it important to have a plan at the work place, but also to plan for our own families. Most companies do have plans to handle natural disasters, but they fail to practice and share with their staff. Below you will find a series of steps that you can take to prepare for emergencies as well as links to some education materials.

some reCommended links:

72 hour.orG http://72hours.org/index.html

CenTer for disease ConTrol

www.bt.cdc.gov

deParTmenT of healTh and menTal hyGiene

http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/browse/ browse-emergency.shtml

federal emerGenCy manaGemenT aGenCy

www.fema.gov

new york offiCe of emerGenCy manaGemenT

www.nyc.gov

readynyhttp://www.ready.gov/america/getakit/index.html

yahoo.Com http://news.yahoo.com/hurricane-preparedness--5-things-you-can-do-to-keep-safe.html

October 2011 *El Girasol * 35

Designate an out-of-area contact person

Try to select someone that is far enough away to not be affected by the same emergency. Provide this person with the names and

Step 1: Create a Planthe following steps cAn be useful in prepAring for Any emergency:

trust, and in your emergency kit. Documents may include: passport, drivers license, social security card, wills, deeds, financial statements, insurance information, marriage license and prescriptions

Make a household/family plan. Involve all members in the planning

Make sure everyone knows where to the Emergency kits are located

Plan where to meet after a disaster if your home becomes unsafe. Choose two places, one just outside your home and one outside your neighborhood in case you are told to evacuate

Determine the best escape routes from your home. Try to identify two escape routes

Make sure each member knows who your family’s out-of-state contact is and instruct them to call this person and tell him/her where they are

Practice your evacuation routes, Drop, Cover & Hold and Stop, Drop & Roll drills

Teach each member of your family how to use a fire extinguisher

Create emergency response cards for each of your family members (full name, address, phone number, parent’s work number and out of state contact)

mAke your home sAfe:• Install smoke detectors on

each level of your home and change batteries every 6 months

• Move beds away from windows

• Move mirrors and heavy pictures away from couches or places where people sit

• Clear hallways and exits for easy evacuation

• Store heavy items on the lowest shelves

• Strap down your water heater and fit all gas appliances with a flexible gas supply line

• Store flammable or highly reactive chemicals (such as bleach, ammonia, paint

thinners) securely and separate from each other

• Secure pictures and wall hangings and use restraints to secure heavy items such as bookcases and file cabinets

• Know how and when to switch off your utilities

• Ensure that all window safety bars have emergency releases

• Be sure your home number is visible from the street so emergency vehicles can find you

• When planning, consider the special needs of children, seniors or people with disabilities, family members that don’t speak English and pets

contact information of the people you want to keep informed of your situation. Instruct family members to call this person and tell them where they are. Long distance phone service is often restored sooner than local service Create emergency response cards for each of your family members (full name, address, phone number, parent’s work number and out of state contact)

Duplicate important documents and keep copies

(Keep items either in a safety deposit box, with someone you

36 * El Girasol * October 2011

• Water and food (ready to eat or requiring minimal water)

• Manual can opener and other cooking supplies

• Plates, utensils and other feeding supplies

• Flashlight • Radio – battery operated • Batteries • Whistle • Pocket knife • Emergency cash in small

denominations and quarters for phone calls

• Sturdy shoes, a change of clothes, rain gear for each family member

• Permanent marker, paper and tape • Photos of family members and pets

for re-identification purposes

• List of emergency point-of -contact phone numbers

• Local map

• List of allergies to any drug (especially antibiotics) or food

• Copy of health insurance and identification cards

• Toothbrush and toothpaste • Extra keys to your house and vehicle • First Aid kit and prescription

medications or supplies (glasses, hearing aid)

• Heavy work gloves • Disposable camera • Unscented liquid household bleach and an

eyedropper for water purification • Personal hygiene items including toilet

paper, feminine supplies, hand sanitizer and soap

• Blanket or sleeping bag • Large heavy duty plastic bags and a

plastic bucket for waste and sanitation • Any special-needs items for children,

seniors or people with disabilities, and pets

Step 2: Build your Emergency Kits your bAsic emergency kit should include:

If you are home, remember that you should be self sufficient for a recommended time frame of three days. It is also recommended that you keep some additional supplies in your car and at work, considering what you would need for your immediate safety.Spread the message and take the necessary precautions to safeguard yourself and family. It’s time to reach out and educate our community on how to be prepared.

Soleil…

October 2011 *El Girasol * 37