ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. – National Preparedness Month serves as a reminder to make a plan so you and your family know what to do in the event of an emergency.
According to www.ready.gov/plan, there are three steps in the planning process: collect, share and practice. During a disaster, communication networks could be unreliable, so it is important that family members know how to reach out to each other and where to meet up during an emergency.
“Talk to your friends and family about how you will communicate before, during and after a disaster,” said Installation Emergency Manager Essie Washington-Bennett. “Make sure to update your plan based on the Centers for Disease Control recommendations due to the coronavirus.”
Collect
Visit https://www.ready.gov/plan to download and fill out a Family Emergency Communication Plan or use it as a guide to create your own. During this step collect important contact numbers like medical facilities or schools. It is also important to establish an out-of-town contact who can serve as a central point to help your family reconnect. In a disaster it might be easier to make a long-distance phone call than calling locally, because phone lines could be jammed.
During the collection phase, discuss the following:
- How will I receive emergency alerts and warnings? (www.ready.gov/alerts has information on warning alerts and how to get them.)
- What is my shelter plan?
- What is my evacuation route? (Identify several places you could go in an emergency such as a relative’s home in another town or a motel.)
- What is my family/household communication plan?
- Do I need to update my emergency preparedness kit?
Additionally, keep in mind some of these factors:
- Different ages of members within your household
- Responsibilities for assisting others
- Locations frequented
- Dietary needs
- Medical needs including prescriptions and equipment
- Disabilities or access and functional needs including devices and equipment
- Languages spoken
- Cultural and religious considerations
- Pets or service animals
- Households with school-aged children
- Check with the Centers for Disease Control and update my emergency plans due to coronavirus.
- Get masks (for everyone over 2 years old), disinfectants and check your sheltering plan.
Share
Ensure every family member has a paper copy of the emergency plan to carry in their wallet, purse or backpack. Post the document in a central place in your home.
Another helpful practice is to store at least one emergency contact in your mobile phone as “In Case of Emergency” or ICE. This will help someone identify your emergency contact if needed. Inform your emergency contact of any medical issues or requirements you may have.
Practice
Have regular conversations with your family members about your Family Emergency Communication Plan. Memorize important phone numbers. Make sure everyone, including children, knows how and when to call 911.
‘Text is Best’
According to www.ready.gov/, if you use a mobile phone to make contact during an emergency, a text message may get through when a phone call will not. This is because a text message requires far less bandwidth than a phone call. Text messages may also save and then send automatically as soon as capacity becomes available. If you make a phone call, keep it brief to minimize network congestion.
Editor’s note this month, the APG News will publish a series of articles that focus on the four weekly themes on the www.ready.gov website: Make a Plan; Build a Kit; Low Cost, No Cost Preparedness; and Teach Youth about Preparedness.
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