10 Ways Prepare for Disasters

When disaster strikes...
will you and your family be ready?
Do you know what to do?
Do you have a plan?

Get ready today by following these 10 preparedness tips.

 

“In California, WE Prepare for disasters by having a plan and being ready to take care of ourselves,
our families and our communities. I urge all Californians to get ready.”

California First Lady
Maria Shriver

 

 

1. Identify Our Risks

Identify dangers where you live and work, and where your children go to school. Find out what natural or man-made disasters pose a risk for you and your family. Do you live or work in a flood plain, near a major earthquake fault or in a high-fire danger area?

• Contact your local Office of Emergency Services (OES) or local chapter of the American Red Cross, and get informed.
• Check with your insurance company to see if your home is in a high-risk area for fire, flood or earthquakes. Make sure your insurance coverage is up to date on an annual basis.

 

2. Create a Family Disaster Plan

• Designate a meeting place outside of your home. This is where family members can go if you have to evacuate.
• Identify an out-of-state “family contact.” It is often easier to call long-distance following a disaster.
• Know and understand your plan. Involve all members of your household in the creation of your plan, especially children.
• Learn how to get important information in your community and how to talk to family members, if you become separated.
•Take care of your family pets. Store food and water for them in your disaster supply kit and keep their tags up to date.

 

3. Practice Our Disaster Plan

After working with your family to develop your plan — practice it. Start by having family members meet at a designated spot outside your home. Know how to respond in a disaster — whether to stay put indoors, or whether to evacuate your neighborhood.

 

4. Build a Disaster Supply Kit for Our Home and Car

In order to be self-sufficient until help arrives, you need to have a disaster supply kit. Your home kit should have at least the following items and be kept in containers that can be easily carried such as backpacks, plastic totes or wheeled trash cans. Carry a smaller kit in your car.

•Have at least a three-day supply of nonperishable and canned food, and water for all family members. Replace water every six months. Don’t forget to restock food items.
•First aid kit
• Battery-powered flashlight, portable radio and extra batteries. (Replace batteries on a regular basis.)
•Change of clothing and footwear, and one blanket or sleeping bag for each family member.
•Extra set of car keys, a credit card and cash.
•Extra medications.
•Sanitation supplies (such as soap, cleaning supplies, shampoo, toilet tissue, etc.)
•Extra prescription glasses.
•Keep important family documents in a waterproof container.

 

5. Prepare Our Children

The more informed and involved children are in disaster planning, the more prepared they will be. Talk to your kids about risks and what your family will do if disaster strikes. Empower your children to help develop your family plan, build your disaster supply kits and lead practice drills.

 

6. Keep in Mind Unique Needs

Remember to prepare for unique needs that you or your family members have. Do you have small children or are there seniors or individuals with disabilities in your family? Make sure you have infant supplies, medications or durable medical equipment that you or your family members may need. Have enough supplies to last at least three days. Contact the National Council on Disability at www.ncd.gov for more information.

 

7. Learn CPR and First Aid

Contact your local chapter of the American Red Cross today and get trained on first aid and CPR. Your training could save the life of a loved one or neighbor following a disaster.

 

8. Secure Our Space at Home and the Workplace

Secure the contents of your home or office to reduce potential dangers, especially during shaking from an earthquake or an explosion. Strap large electronics, anchor tall furniture, secure cabinet doors and overhead objects such as ceiling fans and pictures. Find out how you can make your home fire safe by contacting your local fire department or CalFire.

 

9. Understand Threats of Man-Made Disaster

There are many types of disasters. Some are natural occurrences, such as earthquakes and floods. Others are man-made and can range from chemical spills and power outages to terrorist attacks. WE Prepare by understanding and being ready for both types of disasters.

 

10. Serve

In California, one way WE Prepare is by helping others. There are many ways you can get involved to help make sure your community is ready for disasters. Log on to www.CaliforniaVolunteers.org and Volunteer Now! In the search by interest box select Public Safety & Disaster Preparedness to find out where to donate blood or how join a local Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), the American Red Cross, Fire Safe Council or other volunteer organizations in your area.

 

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD "10 WAYS TO PREPARE FOR DISASTER" PDF

 

 

 

CaliforniaVolunteers FACT SHEET

CaliforniaVolunteers
Disaster Preparedness Initiative

CaliforniaVolunteers

The mission of CaliforniaVolunteers is to increase the number and impact of Californians engaged in service and volunteering. One area of focus is disaster preparedness.

CaliforniaVolunteers is the lead oversight agency for the California Citizen Corps Program, which was created post 9/11 to coordinatevolunteer activities to make our communities safer, stronger and better prepared to respond to any emergency. CaliforniaVolunteers ensuresthe coordination of volunteer activities related to disaster response and recovery, including necessary training, equipment, and transportation provisions. CaliforniaVolunteers also manages donations to the state for disaster relief.

The California Citizen Corps Program includes Citizen Corps Councils, Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), Medical Reserve Corps, Neighborhood Watch, Volunteers in Police Service and Fire Corps. In partnership with the Governor's Office of Emergency Services the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security, Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster and other state and local organizations, CaliforniaVolunteers works to strengthen the state’s readiness for and ability to respond to large-scale disasters.

California Volunteers educates Californians about the need to prepare for disasters that may strike our state. Whether they are natural – floods, fires and earthquakes – or man-made disasters, we all must have a disaster plan that includes our family, friends and neighbors.

Since 1950, 255 states of emergency have been proclaimed in California. And since 1989, there have been 27 major declared disasters. Although these numbers are staggering, statistics show that less than half of California families do not have a family disaster plan.

CaliforniaVolunteers created a disaster preparedness pilot program in the greater Los Angeles area to encourage moms to prepare their families for disaster. CaliforniaVolunteers received a federal grant from the Office of Homeland Security for this pilot program. The initiative encourages moms to go online, identify their risk, develop a family disaster plan, practice their plan and prepare their children for disaster.

 

CaliforniaVolunteers created the following tools to help Californians become disaster prepared:

1. Online disaster preparedness assessment

2. Personalized family disaster plan that can be printed out in a variety of formats for disaster supply kit, wallet-sized emergency contact cards, etc.

3. Customized children’s story designed to teach children how to be disaster prepared in a fun, non-threatening way

4. 10 Ways WE Prepare for Disasters tips and links to other resources

CaliforniaVolunteers created a “Moms Brigade,” a group of more than 100 mom advocates to spread the word to other moms about the importance of being disaster prepared. These moms are encouraging their family, friends, neighbors and colleagues to visit www.CaliforniaVolunteers.org and complete a family disaster plan.

CaliforniaVolunteers has also partnered with KOST radio and Univision to encourage Californians to be disaster-prepared. The partnership includes public service announcements, online banners and other public education outreach.

 

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD "CALIFORNIA VOLUNTEERS FACT SHEET" PDF

 

 

 

EMERGENCY CHECKLIST

California Governer's Office of Emergency Services

Can You Go It Alone for Three days?

The first 72 hours after a major emergency or disaster are critical. Electricity, gas, water, and telephones may not be working. In addition, public safety services such as police and fire departments will be busy handling serious crises. You should be prepared to be self-sufficient able to live without running water, electricity and/or gas, and telephones — for at least three days following a major emergency

 

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD "EMERGENCY CHECKLIST" PDF

 

 

Contact Information

CaliforniaVolunteers
1110 K Street, Suite 210
Sacramento, CA 95814
916-323-7646
916-323-3227 fax
www.CaliforniaVolunteers.org