September is National Preparedness Month and 2010 marks the seventh anniversary of this campaign. This year the Ready Campaign and the Ad Council, the companies that produce PSAs (public service announcements), are focusing on FEMA’s second step to being prepared, “Make a Plan.” The thought is that if families and businesses make an emergency preparedness plan, they will then take the steps to prepare an emergency disaster kit.
Events during September’s National Preparedness Month include a webinar on its Private Sector Preparedness Certification Program. The webinar will encourage businesses to make a preparedness planthat promotes business continuityso they can help the private sector get back in business quickly after a disaster. FEMA is also encouraging public and private sector organizations to become a NPM Coalition member and individuals to join the Citizen Corps.
While it is important to be prepared for a disaster, it is also important to remember to be prepared to recover. When making an emergency disaster plan for your home or business, include the steps you need to take to get back on your feet.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) confessed on Tuesday, June 15, 2010 that it does not have an emergency plan in place for those who have special needs, including those who are elderly, disabled and institutionalized. In their defense, officials stated it too difficult for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Office of Disability Integration and Coordination to create a rescue plan effectively with a $150,000 budget and four people on staff. The Miami Heraldreports, “Rep. Laura Richardson, D-Calif…said the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 improved emergency preparedness by directing FEMA to appoint a Disability Coordinator, but she added that the disability office’s meager funding has restricted its ability to perform well.”
Possible Solutions
In an attempt to address this issue, FEMA has suggested creating a list of individuals with special needs;. However, many feel this answer is ineffective and creates a false sense of security, as officials must consider when the next disaster may strike, not when. Instead, Marcie Roth, director of the disability office, states citizens need to take more responsibility and community-wide emergency trainings should be implemented.
In an effort to provide services to individuals with limited access to a computer, radio and/or television, FEMA now offers a mobile website to smart-phone users. The site, m.fema.gov, is simple, straightforward and easy to use. FEMA administrator Craig Fugate states, “Smart phones are becoming more prevalent, affordable, reliable and more viable to locate and obtain information and assistance. The service will provide yet another avenue for the sharing of important information that is so critical to ensuring the public is prepared for emergencies.”
Features of FEMA’s Mobile Website
FEMA’s mobile site has two sections: “How Can I Find Assistance?” and “What Should I do in a Disaster?” The assistance section provides FEMA’s phone number (1-800-621-3362) and links about applying for FEMA aid or assistance. It also includes information about how to keep your family and others safe.
The disaster section of the mobile site provides tips on what do to in the event of a flood, tornado, hurricane, earthquake, terrorism, thunderstorm, tsunami, wildfire and winter storms. The natural disaster tips tell individuals what to do before, during and after an event. The terrorism tips include information about what to do before, during and after an explosion, chemical or biological threats, a nuclear blast or a radiological dispersion device (RDD) event.
“FEMA officials are planning technical improvements to the site, including interfaces with other federal, state and local agencies and private nonprofit organizations, such as the Coordinated Assistance Network; integrating additional controls for waste, fraud and abuse during emergencies; and surge capability through a federal cloud solution.”
This user-friendly mobile site offers a wealth of information at a smart-phone user’s fingertips. During an unthinkable event, anyone who bookmarked this site on his or her phone’s mobile browser will not regret it. Learn more about emergency preparedness.
With the warmer weather are the increased chances of a wildfire. By following a few suggestions, you can improve the chances that your family and home will survive a wildfire with minimal damages.
Create a Defense Shield: Fire-Resistant Landscaping
When landscaping your property keep in mind how fire-resistant it is. Establish “zones” for every 0–30 feet, 30–100/300 feet, and 100/300+ feet. The 0 – 30-foot-zone should be sparsely planted with lawns, small shrubs and low-fire-potential trees.
When planning the second zone, or the “transition zone’, determine its length by taking into consideration any slopes on the property. If your house is on a slope, the second zone should extend up to 300 feet. Homes on level property can extend their zone to 100 feet. The transition zone should be thinned of natural vegetation. By planting fire-resistant species of flora, you can also create an effective secondary fire buffer zone.
Finally, the third zone is generally comprised of the natural landscape.
There are many federal, state, and private websites that provide excellent information on how to accomplish fire-resistant landscaping, and provide excellent lists of vegetation that is resistant to fire.
Know How to Escape
Begin making a wildfire preparedness plan by creating a family evacuation plan. Having an evacuation plan that the entire family knows will help get everyone out of the home quickly and safely. Make sure everyone know the main route to get out of a home from their bed room, along with an alternate route. Also plan exits the family should use if they are in a different area of a home when a fire breaks out. By having multiple evacuation paths planned, your family will be less likely to panic when trying to escape. In your wildfire preparedness plan, include a plan for recovery.
Also plan driving routes with your family and keep detailed maps in every car. Talk to your local firefighters in advance to see what they suggest would be good driving routes, and what streets are more likely to be closed. In this plan, designate a meeting point for your family to go to should they be separated when there is an emergency.
Nothing can be more annoying than sitting down to relax and hearing the phone ring. If the phone call is from your best friend to see how you are, that’s not so bad. But if the person on the other end of the line is a stranger asking you personal questions, one’s blood pressure can instantly rise. However, residents of Madison County, Kentucky (and surrounding counties) are going to all have their phones ring on Tuesday, January 26, 2010 in an event planned by the county Emergency Management Agency/Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program.
A Madison County EMA/CSEPP public information officer will be calling homes to conduct a survey about how well the residents know about the EMA/CSEPP’s services and how to access them should a disaster strike. The Richmond Register states the survey, which was conducted 5-years-ago, will help raise awareness about how the county can help its residents and see how much they know about emergency preparedness. The information gathered in the survey, which should only take a few minutes, will also help the EMA/CSEPP build upon their outreach and educational efforts.
For more information about this survey, call the Madison County EMA/CSEPP office at 624-4787.
