|
E-mail this page to a friend!
Texas Senior Citizens Need to Prepare for Hurricane
Rita
Helpful information on survival safety
Sept. 21, 2005 With hurricane Rita bearing down
on the Texas coast, the state well equipped with the lessons of
Katrina is making advanced preparations. Senior citizens both
institutionalized and in the community are at high risk. This page
provides helpful information for surviving as safely as possible,
including a safety, food and communications plan.
Make a safety plan
If a hurricane threatens your area, you have to
make a decision whether to stay in your home or evacuate. Whenever local
authorities recommend evacuation, you should leave, says the Texas
Department of Insurance.
The advice of authorities is based on knowledge of
the strength of the storm and its potential for death and destruction.
If you live on the coastline or an offshore island, near a river or in a
flood plain, it΄s a good idea to leave. If you live on high ground or
away from coastal areas, it is more likely that it will be safe to stay.
In any event, you should develop a safety plan in advance to help guide
the important decisions you may have to make before a storm.
-
Map out safe routes inland or to safer areas.
If you live in a low-lying area, know where low-water crossings
might make travel to safety more difficult and plan routes that
avoid these areas.
-
Find out the location of any nearby community
shelters in case you must seek immediate shelter.
-
When a hurricane watch is issued for your area
- an alert that a storm has not yet hit, but conditions are likely
in the days or hours ahead - regularly check TV and radio for
official weather bulletins.
-
If you decide that it΄s safe for you to stay,
understand that you may be without electricity, fresh water, and
phone service for some time and prepare accordingly. Stock up on
canned goods and bottled water, check supplies of medicines and
first-aid equipment, and check batteries in radios and flashlights.
-
Work out a way for family members to
communicate in case you must leave your home or if there is a
disruption in local phone service. For instance, agree on a friend
or relative who lives outside your immediate area who can serve as a
point of contact in an emergency.
There is much more from the Texas Department of
Insurance -
click here
More helpful topics are below. You can click on
these headlines to go direct are just read down the copy.
1. Suggested Hurricane Kit Check List
2. Prepare Your
Hurricane Food Kit Now!
3. American Red Cross Encourages a 'Family
Communication Plan'
4.
Using Your Cell Phone for Emergencies
5.
Actions taken by state of Texas
Suggested Hurricane Kit Check List
Be prepared to care for your family if trapped in the
storm
This information is compiled by:
Dave H. Messinger, Uncle Dave, an Amateur Radio Operator (N4QPM),
Florida resident, Emergency Medical Technician and volunteer for Palm
Beach County Emergency Management. To go to his home page
click here
Use this list for everything you'll
need during and after a Hurricane! (and please, feel free to add "your
special items" to it)
Think ahead and be ready. If you do,
weathering the storm will be easier. Decide now if you're going to
evacuate. Talk it over with your family. If you're staying home find a
"safe room", without windows, near the center of the house.
Remember these critical points:
1 - Get a minimum 3 day, or better
still; 2-Week supply of these emergency necessities.
2 - Make your "Hurricane Kit" portable if you live in an evacuation
area.
3 - Don't forget special supplies for babies, the elderly and dependent
persons.
4 - Store clean up and repair supplies in your safe room.
Prepitory
* Full Fuel Tank in the car
* "Car Kit" inc.; tire patch or "fix-a-flat", blankets, shovel, tow
rope, etc. * Full Gas Tank for the Grill
* Bleach (without lemon or additives) 1 drop per 1 pint (8 per Gal.) of
water to purify
* Extra Cans of gas & oil (careful!)
* Fire Extinguisher (ABC rated, the bigger the better
or better still;
several)
* Turn refrigerator to coldest setting and keep door opening to a
minimum
* Water Purification tablets
* Water Jugs, 7 gallons of water per person
* Ice & lots of it! (freeze 1 or 2 liter soda bottles, 3/4 full, to
drink later )
* Lower TV and other antennas
* Remove outdoor furniture
Personal
* Change of clothes (at least 1 set for everyone in the family)
* lots of extra socks
* Flashlights (one for everyone in the family)
* Blankets, pillows
* Sleeping bags
* Soap, shampoo & toiletries
Papers
* Personal Identification (drivers license, passport, etc.)
* Important Papers
* Insurance information
* Cash, credit cards
* Other valuable papers
* Stocks, bonds, incorporation or other company papers
* Family Photos / heirlooms
Medical
* Personal Medicines & prescriptions, extra refills. Enough for 2 weeks
* Extra Glasses or contact lenses
* Eyeglass repair kit
* First Aid Kit and Manual
(If you are not buying a commercial First Aid kit, for a good list see:
Uncle Dave's First Aid kit. or contact The Red Cross at:
www.redcross.org, Emergency Management, or your doctor.)
Food (must be "non-perishable)
* More Water
* Eat perishable food right after the storm (meats, cold cuts, etc.
within 48 hours or until they warm up)
* Canned and dry food (put dried food in zip lock bags)
* Sandwich Makings (peanut butter & jelly, cheese spreads, crackers)
* Snacks (nuts, dried fruit, potato / corn chips
low salt)
* Non-electric can opener
* Pots and Pans
* Portable cooler (the 12v condensing kind are great)
* Cooler, for water and ice
* Eating and cooking utensils
* Sponges & Paper Towels
* Aluminum foil and / or plastic wrap
* Emergency cooking facilities (grill or camp stove)
Special Needs
* Baby food, diapers & formula
* Toys (to occupy the children)
* Extra pet food (don't take your pet to any shelter!!)
Misc.
* Battery-operated radio and / or TV
* Weather band radio
* Alarm clock (wind up or battery operated)
* Batteries spare for all your TV, radios, flashlights, etc.
* Cards or a board game
* Camping lantern (electric or gas)
* Butane lighter and matches
* Pocket knife / scissors * Needle & thread * Toilet paper & towelettes
* Cellular phone (service will be off similar to your reg. phone, but
it's an alternative)
Clean Up After the Storm
* Gloves and goggles (for clean up)
* Heavy Shoes
* long sleeved shirt
* Bug spray / insect repellent
Evacuating to a Shelter
If you are evacuating to a public
shelter (a very wise idea) there are some thing you should know and
bring. Public shelters are usually set up in schools or other large open
buildings to house as many people in a space as is comfortable and
reasonable. Shelters only provide the basics for life; a roof, four
walls, shelter from the storm (literally). When possible they will
provide food, water, electricity, heat and emergency medical help. Most
shelters also provide communications thou usually this is for official
purposes only.
* No weapons or alcohol are allowed in shelters.
* Shelters do not accept pets of any kind. These are Health Dept.
regulations.
* Some food is provided
but don't count on this. Bring snacks and
sandwich makings.
* Bring your personal items; medication, toiletries, change of clothes,
etc.
* Bring bedding; a camp cot, sleeping bag, pillows and blankets.
* Bring your Identification, especially something with your address to
pass check points when returning.
* Bring a flashlight, radio and cards or a board game.
* Bring toys for the kids (to keep them occupied)
* Bring any special needs items; Baby needs, special health items
(oxygen tank, walker, wheel chair, etc.)
Other considerations
Temporary Toilet:
It has been suggested that a 5 gallon bucket can be used as a temporary
toilet. Have on hand a number of heavy trash bags and a supply of "kitty
litter". The kitty litter will absorb liquids and help contain odors.
Some sort of seat may be fashioned from an old toilet seat or bought at
marine or camping supply stores. Hay, it's better than nothing.
Pets:
Arrange for boarding well in advance. Boarding facilities will fill up
fast! It may be better to arrange with a friend out side of your home
area (affected area). This can be a reciprocal arrangement. If it looks
like a storm is threatening their area they can bring their pets to you.
Also, contact your local Human Society, Emergency Management Agency or
your veterinarian.
Boats on trailers and camping trailers:
These should be staked to the ground. If time permits, dig a shallow
hole and set the boat in it with or without the trailer. Boats should be
filled 1/3 to 1/2 with water for extra weight
but if is still on the
trailer, watch the weight limits so as not to over load the trailer. You
may also set a camping trailer in a shallow hole. This reduces the "wind
profile". If you have inside storage, all the better but make sure it is
a strong building.
Boats in the water:
These must be moved 48 hours before landfall. Anchor in a secluded /
sheltered bay or inland area (hurricane hole). Intercoastal Waterway
bridges will be locked down for evacuation of the beach areas. For more
information contact your harbor master, marine patrol, U. S. Power
Squadron or U. S. Coast Guard.
Mobile Homes, Trailer Homes, and RV's:
Obviously this is no place to be in a hurricane! These places are
usually mandatory evacuation areas. See the information on "Evacuating
to a Shelter". You may also contact your local government, Emergency
Management Agency or FEMA for more information on evacuating or securing
these dwellings.
Communications:
After the storm (usually 72 hours) communications should be possible to
your loved ones outside of the affected area. The Red Cross, some
shelters and other "official outlets" will have access to message
passing amateur radio operators. Most often the rule is; All "health and
welfare" message (that are not urgent or a true emergency) will be held
72 hours so that the official and emergency messages may be transmitted.
Please tell your loved ones about this and that they may not hear from
you for a few days.
Other communications systems may be set up as well. Local phone
companies have been known to set up (some times for free) "emergency pay
phone trailers". These are medium to large trailers with eight or more
phones hooked in to a hastily repaired line.
Utilities:
Public Utilities (power, phone, cable TV and gas) will be repaired as
quickly as possible. Usually in the hardest hit areas first. When
waiting for your phone service (cellular too) and power to be restored
please remember; this is a large, wide spread disaster. Many people are
affected. Please be patient!
Also, service may "flicker" on and off for a while. Many people will be
trying to use the limited resources. Phone lines will be clogged and
power will be stretched.
Returning home:
If you have evacuated or have left your home for supplies and you are
returning here are some other things to keep in mind.
* Because of looters and "sight seers" you will need to produce
identification (with your address) to pass check points and get in to
some of the harder hit areas.
* You will not be allowed in to hard hit areas that are still dangerous
(broken gas mains, power lines down, dangerous debris, etc.)
* Prepare your self! As long as you and your family is safe
your home
and possessions can be replaced! If you are feeling apprehensive about
the condition of your home bring a friend for emotional support (and to
help clean up). You have survived some of Mother Nature's worst
now
it's just time to clean up and get life back "on track".
Sources of Further Information:
(most of these are in the "white pages" or "blue pages" of your phone
book)
The Federal Emergency Management Agency
(www.fema.gov).
Local City Government
Local county government
Local emergency management
The Salvation Army
The American Red Cross
Local TV and radio stations.
Also check and ask questions at:
Book stores for books on weather, hurricane survival, natural disasters,
etc.
Local libraries
The National Weather Service
Marinas, RV and camping stores
Prepare Your
Hurricane Food Kit Now!
By Lynne O'Mara, University of Florida/IFAS/Monroe
County Extension
If trapped in a
hurricane, it is vital that we have an emergency supply of food and
water. The type of food that we need to stock should be shelf stable.
That means foods that do not require refrigeration or care to sit on
your shelf.
As you go through
the grocery store consider the bread group, which includes crackers, dry
bread sticks, pretzels, melba toast, ready to eat cereal (no or low
sugar), rice and popcorn cakes. In the vegetable group there are canned
vegetables and soups of all types. Canned fruit, fruit leather (what is
fruit leather?), applesauce, dried fruits and fruit juice (not fruit
drinks or punch) are also readily available.
Be sure to include a
source of vitamin C. In the meat group there is a large assortment of
canned foods available. Some of these are canned tuna, chicken/turkey,
meat, soup with beans or meat, sardines, beans, chili with meat or
beans, ravioli/spaghetti, ham/pork, stew, Vienna sausage, peanut butter
and nuts, and commercially prepared beef or turkey jerky. Let's not
forget the milk group. There is shelf stable milk available in boxes
and this will need to be chilled after opening unless it is used all at
once. There is also canned and boxed pudding on the grocery shelves.
This is not the pudding that is in the refrigerator section.
In many of the food
groups there are instant products available. Before purchasing instant
food check to be sure your have enough water for reconstitution and a
cooking source. If the water lines are broken and the power is out you
will need an alternate source for each of these. Camp stoves and a
chafing dish with sterno can be used for cooking. Water is needed for
hygiene, drinking, washing food preparation utensils, and cooking. Plan
on at least two gallons of water per person, per day. Some of the
instant foods available are cereal, cup of noodles, soups (vegetable and
meat or bean), potatoes, rice, and milk.
To purchase for
everyone in your family all at once can be quite expensive, that is why
it is suggested that you purchase a few things every week.
Once you have
assembled your emergency food supply it needs to be stored. The best
choices for storage are the coolest cabinets away from appliances that
produce heat. If it is stored outside of the house as in a garage or
shed the heat can be too much and cans may rust or bulge, possibly
indicating spoiled contents. Outside storage may also have problems
with insects, rodents, and possible flooding.
Once hurricane
season is over use the stored food and water in your everyday meals.
Replenish as needed and your family will always be prepared for an
emergency.
Additional
information is available from University of Florida/IFAS/Monroe County
Extension, 1100 Simonton Street, Suite 2-260, Key West, Fl, 292-4501;
fax = 292-4415; email =
monroe@mail.ifas.ufl.edu or visit our web site
http://monroe.ifas.ufl.edu .
American Red Cross Encourages a 'Family
Communication Plan'
As thousands of hunker down during Hurricane Rita
in anticipation of the hurricane possibly slamming into those areas
later this week, it is important for families to have a plan in place to
keep in touch with loved ones. One simple call or e-mail message will
give those who care peace of mind about your well- being and safety. The
need to create a family communication plan is critical, and now is the
time to do so, says the Red Cross.
The necessity for such a plan was underscored three
weeks ago, during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. After that storm
hit, the American Red Cross received thousands of phone calls from
people seeking loved ones. Although many families have since been
reunited, the Red Cross urges those in potentially affected areas to
create a family communication plan.
If you are in the path of a hurricane, reach out to
those that care about you before it strikes and let them know what your
plans are, where you expect to be going, when you are leaving and how
they can stay in contact with you. By designating one person outside the
affected area that you will stay in contact with, others can call this
person to check on your well-being.
Due to widespread power and telecommunication
outages, service may not be restored for several days. During this
critical time, your family and friends may not be able to reach you.
Your initiative to establish contact quickly with a designated person
will save your loved ones from making multiple calls to reach you or you
needing to make multiple calls to reach out to those that care about
you. This one simple act can help to alleviate their anxiety. It also
helps to reduce the overwhelming number of phone calls that can often
overload the system following a disaster.
The following information will assist families in
staying connected following a disaster, and the Red Cross recommends
having the plan in place beforehand.
Evacuees maintaining contact with loved ones
inside the affected area:
*
Plan ahead for the possibility of becoming separated from your family
and
friends.
*
Because local phone lines may be out of service or overloaded after a
disaster, it's often easier to call out of the area.
*
Designate a single out-of-town contact that each family or household
member can call or email should a disaster occur. Your selected contact
should live far enough away that they would be unlikely to be directly
affected by the same event. They should be aware that they are the
chosen contact.
* All
of your loved ones should have the phone number for the contact as
well as each other's phone numbers and email addresses. Loved ones
should agree to call the out-of-town contact to report their whereabouts
and
welfare. Consider having a laminated wallet-sized card made to carry
with you at all times.
*
Many people overwhelm telephone lines when emergencies happen. Your
family and friends should know that if telephone lines are not working,
they need to be patient and try again later or try email, or text
messaging if your cell phone has that option. Sometimes e-mails, or text
messaging are able to go through when calls cannot.
*
Regular contact with your designated person will help to keep them
informed of your well-being.
* As
calls or e-mails are placed to the out-of-town contact from family
members affected by the disaster, there will be peace of mind that comes
from knowing that everyone is safe.
Evacuees maintaining contact with loved ones
outside the affected area:
*
Make an emergency contact list.
*
Write contact information including name, home, work and cell phone
numbers and e-mail address. Be sure to include the out-of-town contact
on
the card as well.
*
Make a card and copy the card for each loved one to carry with them in
the
event of a disaster or other emergency when you will want to contact
each other.
*
Place a call to family and friends before a disaster strikes to let them
know your plans and as soon as possible after disaster strikes to let
them know your whereabouts and your well-being.
>>> For more information regarding how individuals
and families can prepare for disasters, visit
http://www.redcross.org/.
Using Your Cell Phone for Emergency
Communications
Verizon Wireless offers residents
these additional tips for using a cell phone to help them be safer
during storms and other times of crisis:
* Keep wireless phone batteries charged -- in case
local power is lost
-- well before warnings are issued.
* Have additional charged batteries and car-charger
adapters available
for back-up power.
* Keep phones, batteries, chargers and other
equipment in a dry,
accessible location.
* Maintain a list of emergency phone numbers --
police, fire, and rescue
agencies; power companies; insurance providers;
family, friends and
co-workers; etc. -- and program them into your
phone.
* Distribute wireless phone numbers to family members
and friends.
* Forward your home phone calls to your wireless
number if you will be
away from your home for an extended period or have
to evacuate.
Additional tips for Hurricane Rita
include:
* Send brief TXT messages rather than voice calls, to
help keep networks
clear.
* Limit non-emergency calls to conserve battery power
and free-up
wireless networks for emergency agencies and
operations.
* Keep up with weather and news reports using
internet-connected
wireless phones when power is out.
"Verizon Wireless technicians
prepare for emergencies year-round," said Luis M. Cruz, president of the
Central Texas region for Verizon Wireless. "Planning for emergencies is
an important part of our commitment to build the most reliable wireless
network for all of Texas."
Actions taken by
state of Texas:
Gov. Perry today
issued a disaster declaration in anticipation of landfall in Texas and
has asked President Bush to approve the disaster declaration and 100
percent reimbursement for Texas communities responding.
Gov. Perry has
recalled Texas National Guard, Texas Task Force 1, and all other
emergency personnel and equipment from Louisiana to prepare for
potential landfall of Hurricane Rita in Texas.
Gov. Perry ordered
the activation of 5,000 Texas Army National Guard personnel to support
preparation efforts, including 3 Ch-47 Chinook Helicopters, 6 UH-60
Blackhawk Helicopters and 2 OH-58 Kiowa support Helicopters.
Gov. Perry has
suspended the collection of state and local Hotel and Motel Taxes.
Law enforcement
teams including Texas State Troopers will begin pre-staging along
evacuation corridors to be sent into the area as soon as the storm has
past.
Texas is
pre-positioning water, ice and other essentials in San Antonio and the
Dallas-Fort Worth area so they can rapidly be sent to the affected area
as soon as it is safe to do so.
The State Operations
Center is holding regular conference calls several times a day with
local, state and federal officials.
The Governor's
Emergency Management Council has been placed on Level One alert status,
the highest level since the shuttle disaster.
Arrangements are
being made to move Louisiana evacuees away from all Texas coastal areas.
They are being moved via bus and air. Some are moving to other inland
Texas locations; 4,000 are being moved to Fort Chafee, Arkansas and
3,000 to Tennessee and 250 to Nebraska.
500 Texas State
Guard members are being activated to assist the American Red Cross with
shelter management.
The SOC is currently
preparing to activate Special Needs Shelters in Waco, Temple and Tyler.
Plans are also in progress for opening pre-identified public shelters in
San Antonio, Austin, Bryan-College Station, Lufkin, Nacogdoches and
other areas if needed.
Texas is preparing
immediate care strike teams consisting of the American Red Cross, the
Salvation Army and the Texas Army National Guard, that can move rapidly
into the area where the storm strikes.
The SOC is also
preparing for potential inland flooding by pre-positioning water rescue
teams, and for the potential for tornadoes, which can strike inland
areas hundreds of miles away.
Click to More Senior News on the
Front Page
Copyright: SeniorJournal.com |
