Hurricane Readiness: Emergency Supplies You Will Need
While Hurricane Earl's warnings cover the Atlantic Coast of Maryland, it's always good to be reminded of hurricane readiness.Below is preparedness information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website.
You can find additional information on Earl's path here, on NOAA's website (http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/#EARL).
HIGHLIGHTS
- Stock your home with emergency supplies that you and your family may need during the emergency period.
- Make sure that you have at least a 3-5 day supply of non-perishable food and water.
- Include prescription medications, baby supplies and any additional items for special medical needs.
- Place an emergency kit in your car.
You
should stock your home with supplies that may
be needed during the emergency period. At a
minimum, these supplies should include:
- Several clean containers for water, large enough for a 3-5 day supply of water (about five gallons for each person).
- A 3-5 day supply of non-perishable food.
- A first aid kit and manual.
- A battery-powered radio, flashlights, and extra batteries.
- Sleeping bags or extra blankets.
- Water-purifying supplies, such as chlorine or iodine tablets or unscented, ordinary household chlorine bleach.
- Prescription medicines and special medical needs.
- Baby food and/or prepared formula, diapers, and other baby supplies.
- Disposable cleaning cloths, such as "baby wipes" for the whole family to use in case bathing facilities are not available.
- Personal hygiene supplies, such as soap, toothpaste, sanitary napkins, etc.
- An emergency kit for your car with food, flares, booster cables, maps, tools, a first aid kit, fire extinguisher, sleeping bags, etc.
You can find more information on emergency plans and supply kits at www.ready.gov.
More Hurricane Preparedness Information
Hurricane Preparedness Tips from AARPThe Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has a comprehensive list of hurricane preparedness information here: http://www.fema.gov/hazard/hurricane/index.shtm.
Caring for Those with Special Needs in Times of Disaster
During emergencies and disasters, it is especially important to provide assistance to those people with special needs. These include the elderly and disabled and people with limited English proficiency (LEP). The Red Cross has developed materials to assist these individuals. The following websites provide specific information.For People Who are
Elderly or Have a Disability
Disaster
Preparedness for People With Disabilities
(PDF) has
been designed to help people who have physical,
visual, auditory, or cognitive
disabilities to prepare for natural disasters
and their
consequences.
Limited English Proficiency (LEP) as
well as information in other
languages:
http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_504_,00.html
If you have diabetes and are wondering whether you're prepared for a unexpected disaster, then head for the website of the American Association for Diabetes Educators. There you'll find a Diabetes Disaster Response Toolkit that contains an abundance of information on nearly every aspect of getting prepared and helping your local diabetes community do the same. The toolkit, which was put together by the Alamo Association of Diabetes Educators in Texas, will help any educator or member of the public get ready to handle diabetes during a flood, earthquake, or any other natural or human-made disaster.
More information can also be found here, at the Diabetes Health website.