WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Sept. 16, 2015) -- Virginia isn't known for large earthquakes, but at 1:51 p.m., Aug. 23, 2011, one struck.
While the magnitude 5.8 temblor wasn't large by West Coast standards, it surprised many residents, who are not used to being rolled and shaken.
On the day of the quake, Virginia Army National Guard Sgt. Maj. Joel Fix was in Afghanistan. As he tells it, before he learned there were no known deaths and relatively few injuries as a result, he was scared, wondering if his wife and two children were okay.
But Fix and other like-minded individuals had a plan - and that offered some reassurance.
Fix - who is the emergency management program manager for the Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army - and others, disclosed that plan at the Emergency Preparedness Fair in the Pentagon Courtyard, Sept. 16. Soldiers and other first responders had information booths set up and were eager to chat about it.
THE PLAN
The first part of the plan is to have a plan. The second part of the plan is to have a kit. And, the third part of the plan is to get involved, said Maj. Anthony Kazor, who is chief of the Army Emergency Management Branch.
Everyone's plan will be different, Kazor said. It should be tailored to the needs of the individual and his or her family and their surroundings.
By surroundings, he said there are some installations and communities that are more prone to flooding, wildfires, tornadoes, earthquakes and other events. Likely events should be factored into the plan, which could include maps, evacuation routes and storm shelters.
Besides natural disasters, there are other kinds of events that are just as deadly, he said. For instance, there are chemical and fertilizer plants close to some installations. Knowing what to do or where to go in the event of a fire or explosion at the plant would be part of the plan.
Another kind of disaster might be technological, he said, for example: the power grid going offline. A good plan would address what to do without electricity. Perhaps a backup generator and a way to start a fire to keep warm and cook.
Then there are active-shooter and terrorist attacks. A plan would cover this too, he said, and would address escape and evasion, places to hide and items that could be used as weapons as a last resort.
THE KIT
Every plan should come with a kit, Kazor said. Like the plan itself, the kit would be tailored to the needs of the individual.
The key point about having a kit is to have it all in one place, perhaps in a bag or suitcase that's easily accessible. The kit could include:
- food and water, including water purification tablets or filter
- first aid kit
- hand-cranked or battery-operated radio (with spare batteries) to hear news and weather
- flashlights, candles
- fire-starters for heat, cooking
- tools
- maps, money
- important documents in case a fast evacuation is required
- medications
- food for pets
- rope, tape, plastic bags
In addition to the kit, family members should have a rendezvous point, where they assemble if their neighborhood is destroyed by a blast, fire or tornado, Kazor said. Typically, parents would be at work and kids in school and if the neighborhood is gone, they'd need alternate assembly sites to link up.
Family members should also have a list and phone numbers of people to call such as friends, family, police, fire, etc.
Fix advised having more than one kit. He said one kit could be in the home and a smaller kit could go in the truck of the car. Being stuck in a remote desert or snowy area without extra clothing, food or water could be deadly. A kit at work might be prudent as well.
GET INVOLVED
Getting involved means sharing the plan with members of the family or in the case of work, with co-workers, Kazor said. Everyone needs to know what to do in the event of different types of emergencies. As well, family members should familiarize themselves with items in the kit and know how to use them.
Installation commanders too can get involved by holding emergency preparedness exercises and ensuring Soldiers are made aware of the importance of a kit and a plan.
"Some Soldiers will listen to the message because they want to be prepared," he said. "Others may think that in times of an emergency, everything will be provided for them, which isn't the case. That's why it's imperative we get the message out."
Fix, who is still in the Guard, said he coaches his Soldiers about having an emergency plan and kit.
He cited an event he witnessed that took place recently, where there was a plan in place, but people hadn't practiced using it. It involved a fire in an office building, where people evacuated according to plan, but panicked as well. Some fell and bones were broken. Practicing to evacuate ahead of time might have prevented the injuries. The entire incident is still under investigation so Fix said he was not authorized to provide more specifics.
Kazor said having a plan and a kit doesn't constitute being a survivalist like some who have appeared on the reality TV show "Doomsday Preppers." Kazor admits he's watched the show and has been entertained by it, but he doesn't have a fallout shelter - at least not yet.
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