Federal Emergency Management Agency

Washington, D.C.

 

Dear Citizens,

 

We live in a different world than we did before September 11, 2001.  We are more aware of our vulnerabilities, more appreciative of our freedoms and more understanding that we have a personal responsibility for the safety of our families, our neighbors and our nation.

 

Are You Ready? A Guide to Citizen Preparedness provides practical information on how your family can prepare for any disaster.  It includes up-to-date hazard specific safety tips and information about preparedness and protection.  In addition to information on most natural and technological disasters, there are new chapters on “Animals in Disaster,” “Extreme Heat­­ (Heat Wave),” “Landslide & Debris Flow (Mudslide),” “Emergency Water Shortages,” and newly updated information on terrorism.

 

We know that disaster preparedness works.  We can take action now that will help protect our families, reduce the impact an emergency has on our lives, and deal with the chaos if an incident occurs near us.  These actions are at the heart of everything we do at FEMA, and they are the reason President George W. Bush established Citizen Corps, a nationwide initiative encompassing public education, citizen training and volunteer programs.  FEMA’s vision of a nation prepared is best achieved by your participation in community and family preparedness so that we are all better protected for every disaster.

 

Contact your local emergency management office for information about specific hazards in your area and to volunteer to help make your community better prepared. 

 

We know that disaster can strike at any time. We all have a personal responsibility to be ready.

 

Sincerely,

 

Joe M. Allbaugh

Director


 

Acknowledgement

This guide has been prepared for direct dissemination to the general public and is based on the most reliable hazard awareness and emergency education information available at the time of publication, including advances in scientific knowledge, more accurate technical language, and the latest physical research on what happens in disasters.

This publication is, however, too brief to cover every factor, situation, or difference in buildings, infrastructure, or other environmental features that might be of interest.  To help you explore your interest further, additional sources of information have been compiled in the “For More Information” chapter, beginning on page 97.

 


 

 

Table of Contents

Why Prepare for a Disaster........................................................................       1

General Preparedness Information............................................................       3

      Emergency Planning and Disaster Supplies.............................................       4

            Creating a disaster plan.......................................................................      4

            Emergency planning for people with special needs........................      5
            Disaster supply kits...............................................................................      6

      Evacuation.....................................................................................................     11

      Shelter.............................................................................................................     13
            Long-term in-place sheltering.............................................................    13
            Staying in a mass care shelter.............................................................    17

      Mitigation......................................................................................................     18

      Animals in Disaster......................................................................................     20

      Recovering From Disaster...........................................................................     23
            Mental health and crisis counseling..................................................    25

Natural Hazards...............................................................................................     28

      Floods.............................................................................................................     29

      Hurricanes......................................................................................................     33

      Thunderstorms..............................................................................................     39
            Lightning.................................................................................................    40
            Tornadoes................................................................................................    42

      Winter Storms and Extreme Cold................................................................     46

      Extreme Heat (Heat Wave)..........................................................................     49
            Emergency water shortages.................................................................    51

      Earthquakes...................................................................................................     55

      Volcanoes......................................................................................................     58

      Landslide and Debris Flow (Mudslide).....................................................     61

      Tsunamis........................................................................................................     64

      Fire..................................................................................................................     66
            Wildland fires..........................................................................................    70

Technological & Man–Made Hazards.....................................................     72

      Hazardous Materials Incidents...................................................................     73
            Household chemical emergencies.......................................................    76

      Nuclear Power Plants...................................................................................     79

      National Security Emergencies...................................................................     83

            Terrorism.................................................................................................    83
            Chemical and biological weapons.....................................................    86
            Nuclear and radiological attack........................................................    89

          Homeland security advisory system......................................................... 94

For More Information............................................................................................. 97

      Citizen Corps..................................................................................................... 99

      CERT    ............................................................................................................... 99

      Disaster Public Education Websites........................................................... 100

      Independent Study Courses......................................................................... 101


 

 

Why Prepare for a Disaster?

Disasters disrupt hundreds of thousands of lives every year.  Each disaster has lasting effects—people are seriously injured, some are killed, and property damage runs into the billions of dollars.

If a disaster occurs in your community, local government and disaster-relief organizations try to help you.  But you need to be ready as well.  Local responders may not be able to reach you immediately, or they may need to focus their efforts elsewhere.

Being prepared and understanding what to do can reduce fear, anxiety and losses that accompany disasters.  Communities, families and individuals should know what to do in a fire and where to seek shelter in a tornado.  They should be ready to evacuate their homes, take refuge in public shelters and know how to care for their basic medical needs.

People can also reduce the impact of disasters (flood proofing, elevating a home—or moving a home out of harms way, securing items that could shake loose in an earthquake) and sometimes avoid the danger altogether.

You should know how to respond to severe weather or any disaster that could occur in your area—hurricanes, earthquakes, extreme cold or flooding.  You should also be ready to be self sufficient for at least three days.  This may mean providing for your own shelter, first aid, food, water and sanitation.

This guide can help.  It was developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the agency responsible for responding to national disasters and for helping state and local governments and individuals prepare for emergencies.  It contains step-by-step advice on how to prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters.

While this guide focuses on the physical hazards of disasters, there are also the emotional effects of losing a loved one, a home, or treasured possessions.  When under stress, people can become irritable, fatigued, hyperactive, angry and withdrawn.  Children and older adults are especially vulnerable to post-disaster psychological effects.

Share this reference with your household.  Include everyone in the planning process.  Teach children how to respond to emergencies.  Give them a sense of what to expect.  Being prepared, understanding your risks and taking steps to reduce those risks can reduce the damages caused by hazards.

 

What You Should Do

First, ask your local emergency management office which disasters could strike your community.  They will know your community’s risks.  You may be aware of some of them; others may surprise you.  Also ask for any information that might help you prepare and possibly reduce                 the risks you face.  Then, refer to the appropriate chapters in this handbook.  Each chapter covers a specific hazard and describes how to prepare and what to do when the disaster occurs.

Next, review the “Evacuation,” “Shelter,” “Emergency Planning and Disaster Supplies” and “Recovering From Disaster” chapters.  These chapters apply to a range of hazards including some not specifically addressed in this publication.

Use this guide as your foundation for disaster preparedness and safety.  Since special conditions exist in every community, local instructions may be slightly               different from those described in this guide.  If so, follow local instructions.

Consider getting involved in local emergency preparedness and response activities by volunteering in your community.   One way is to participate as a Citizen Corps community volunteer.  See the “For More Information” chapter for details on Citizen Corps and FEMA’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program. 


 

General Preparedness Information

 

Emergency Planning
And DISASTER Supplies

 

Evacuation

 

Shelter

 

Mitigation

 

Animals in Disaster

 

Recovering
From Disaster


 

Emergency
Planning and  Disaster 

Supplies

 

Emergency Planning

 

Immediately after an emergency, essential services may be cut-off and local disaster relief and government responders may not be able to reach you right away.  Even if they could reach you, knowing what to do to protect yourself and your household is essential.

This chapter describes how to prepare for any kind of disaster.  It also provides specific information about emergency water and food, and a recommended disaster supply kit.

 

Creating a disaster plan

One of the most important steps you can take in preparing for emergencies is to develop a household disaster plan.

1.   Learn about the natural disasters that could occur in your community from your local emergency management office or American Red Cross chapter.  Learn whether hazardous materials are produced, stored or transported near your area.  Learn about possible consequences of deliberate acts of terror.  Ask how to prepare for each potential emergency and how to respond.

2.   Talk with employers and school officials about their emergency response plans.

3.   Talk with your household about potential emergencies and how to respond to each.  Talk about what you would need to do in an evacuation.

4.   Plan how your household would stay in contact if you were separated.  Identify two meeting places: the first should be near your home—in case of fire, perhaps a tree or a telephone pole; the second should be away from your neighborhood in case you cannot return home.

5.   Pick a friend or relative who lives out of the area for household members to call to say they are okay.

6.   Draw a floor plan of your home.  Mark two escape routes from each room.

7.   Post emergency telephone numbers by telephones.  Teach children how and when to call 911.

8.   Make sure everyone in your household knows how and when to shut off water, gas, and electricity at the main switches. Consult with your local utilities if you have questions.

9.   Take a first aid and CPR class.  Local American Red Cross chapters can provide information.  Official certification by the American Red Cross provides “good Samaritan” law protection for those giving first aid. 

10.   Reduce the economic impact of disaster on your property and your household’s health and financial well-being.

            Review property insurance policies before disaster strikes—make sure policies are current and be certain they meet your needs (type of coverage, amount of coverage, and hazard covered—flood, earthquake)

            Protect your household’s financial well-being before a disaster strikes—review life insurance policies and consider saving money in an “emergency” savings account that could be used in any crisis.  It is advisable to keep a small amount of cash or traveler’s checks at home in a safe place where you can quickly gain access to it in case of an evacuation. 

            Be certain that health insurance policies are current and meet the needs of your household. 

11.   Consider ways to help neighbors who may need special assistance, such as the elderly or the disabled.

12.     Make arrangements for pets.  Pets are not allowed in public shelters.  Service animals for those who depend on them are allowed.

 

Emergency planning for people with special needs

If you have a disability or special need, you may have to take additional steps to protect yourself and your household in an emergency. If you know of friends or neighbors with special needs, help them with these extra precautions. Examples include:

         • Hearing impaired may need to make special arrangements to receive a warning.

         • Mobility impaired may need assistance in getting to a shelter.

         • Households with a single working parent may need help from others both in planning for disasters and during an emergency.

         • Non-English speaking people may need assistance planning for and responding to emergencies. Community and cultural groups may be able to help keep these populations informed.

           People without vehicles may need to make arrangements for transportation.

         • People with special dietary needs should have an adequate emergency food supply.

1.     Find out about special assistance that may be available in your community.  Register with the office of emergency services or fire department for assistance, so needed help can be provided quickly in an emergency. 

 2.    Create a network of neighbors, relatives, friends and co-workers to aid you in an emergency. Discuss your needs and make sure they know how to operate necessary equipment.

3.     Discuss your needs with your   employer.

 4.    If you are mobility impaired and live or work in a high-rise building, have an escape chair.

5.   If you live in an apartment building, ask the management to mark accessible exits clearly and to make arrangements to help you evacuate the building.

6.   Keep extra wheelchair batteries, oxygen, catheters, medication, food for guide or hearing-ear dogs, or other items you might need.  Also, keep a list of the type and serial numbers of medical devices you need.

7.   Those who are not disabled should learn who in their neighborhood or building is disabled so that they may assist them during emergencies.

  8.   If you are a care-giver for a person with special needs, make sure you have a plan to communicate if an emergency occurs.


 

Disaster Supply Kits

You may need to survive on your own for three days or more.  This means having  your own water, food and emergency supplies.  Try using backpacks or duffel bags to keep the supplies together.

Assembling the supplies you might need following a disaster is an important part of your disaster plan.  You should prepare emergency supplies for the following situations: 

       A disaster supply kit with essential food, water, and supplies for at least three days—this kit should be kept in a designated place and be ready to “grab and go” in case you have to leave your home quickly because of a disaster, such as a flash flood or major chemical emergency. Make sure all household members know where the kit is kept.

       Consider having additional supplies for sheltering or home confinement for up to two weeks.

       You should also have a disaster supply kit at work. This should be in one container, ready to "grab and go" in case you have to evacuate the building.

       A car kit of emergency supplies, including food and water, to keep stored in your car at all times. This kit would also include flares, jumper cables, and seasonal supplies.

The following checklists will help you assemble disaster supply kits that meet the needs of your household. The basic items that should be in a disaster supply kit are water, food, first-aid supplies, tools and emergency supplies, clothing and bedding, and specialty items. You will need to change the stored water and food supplies every six months, so be sure to write the date you store it on all containers. You should also re-think your needs every year and update your kit as your household changes. Keep items in airtight plastic bags and put your entire disaster supply kit in one or two easy-to carry containers such as an unused trash can, camping backpack or duffel bag.

 

Water: the absolute necessity

1.   Stocking water reserves should be a top priority. Drinking water in emergency situations should not be rationed. Therefore, it is critical to store adequate amounts of water for your household.

           Individual needs vary, depending on age, physical condition, activity, diet, and climate.  A normally active person needs at least two quarts of water daily just for drinking. Children, nursing mothers, and ill people need more.  Very hot temperatures can double the amount of water needed.

           Because you will also need water for sanitary purposes and, possibly, for cooking, you should store at least one gallon of water per person per day.

2.   Store water in thoroughly washed plastic, fiberglass or enamel-lined metal containers.  Don't use containers that can break, such as glass bottles. Never use a container that has held toxic substances.  Sound plastic containers, such as soft drink bottles, are best.  You can also purchase food-grade plastic buckets or drums.

            Containers for water should be rinsed with a diluted bleach solution  (one part bleach to ten parts water) before use. Previously used bottles or other containers may be contaminated with microbes or chemicals. Do not rely on untested devices for decontaminating water.

            If your water is treated commercially by a water utility, you do not need to treat water before storing it.  Additional treatments of treated public water will not increase storage life. 

            If you have a well or public water that has not been treated, follow the treatment instructions provided by your public health service or water provider.

            If you suspect that your well may be contaminated, contact your local or state health department or agriculture extension agent for specific advice.

            Seal your water containers tightly, label them and store them in a cool, dark place.

            It is important to change stored water every six months.

For water purification for immediate or near term use, please read the “Shelter chapter of this guide.

 

Food: preparing an emergency supply.

1.   If activity is reduced, healthy people can survive on half their usual food intake for an extended period or without any food for many days.  Food, unlike water, may be rationed safely, except for children and pregnant women.

2.   You don’t need to go out and buy unfamiliar foods to prepare an emergency food supply.  You can use the canned foods, dry mixes and other staples on your cupboard shelves.  Canned foods do not require cooking, water or special preparation. Be sure to include a manual can opener.

3.   Keep canned foods in a dry place where the temperature is fairly cool.  To protect boxed foods from pests and to extend their shelf life, store the food in tightly closed plastic or metal containers.

4.   Replace items in your food supply every six months.  Throw out any canned good that becomes swollen, dented, or corroded.  Use foods before they go bad, and replace them with fresh supplies.  Date each food item with a marker.  Place new items at the back of the storage area and older ones in front.

5.   Food items that you might consider including in your disaster supply kit include: ready-to-eat meats, fruits, and vegetables; canned or boxed juices, milk, and soup; high-energy foods like peanut butter, jelly, low-sodium crackers, granola bars, and trail mix; vitamins; foods for infants or persons on special diets; cookies, hard candy; instant coffee, cereals, and powdered milk.

You may need to survive on your own after a disaster.  Local officials and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster, but they cannot reach everyone immediately. You could get help in hours, or it may take days. Basic services, such as electricity, gas, water, sewage treatment and telephones, may be cut off for days, even a week or longer. Or you may have to evacuate at a moment’s notice and take essentials with you. You probably won’t have the opportunity to shop or search for the supplies you’ll need. Your household will cope best by preparing for disaster before it strikes.

 

First aid supplies

Assemble a first aid kit for your home and for each vehicle:

       The basics for your first aid kit should include:

              First aid manual

              Sterile adhesive bandages in assorted sizes

              Assorted sizes of safety pins

              Cleansing agents (isopropyl alcohol, hydrogen peroxide)/soap/germicide

              Antibiotic ointment

              Latex gloves (2 pairs)

              Petroleum jelly

              2-inch and 4-inch sterile gauze pads (4-6 each size)

              Triangular bandages (3)

              2-inch and 3-inch sterile roller bandages (3 rolls each)

              Cotton balls

              Scissors

              Tweezers

              Needle

              Moistened towelettes

              Antiseptic

              Thermometer

              Tongue depressor blades (2)

              Tube of petroleum jelly or other lubricant

              Sunscreen.

       It may be difficult to obtain prescription medications during a disaster because stores may be closed or supplies may be limited. Ask your physician or pharmacist about storing prescription medications. Be sure they are stored to meet instructions on the label and be mindful of expirations dates­—be sure to keep your stored medication up to date.

       Extra pair of prescription glasses or contact lens.

       Have the following nonprescription drugs in your disaster supply kit:

              Aspirin and nonaspirin pain reliever

              Antidiarrhea medication

              Antacid (for stomach upset)

              Syrup of ipecac (use to induce vomiting if  advised by  the poison control center)

              Laxative

              Vitamins.

 

Tools and emergency supplies

It will be important to assemble these items in a disaster supply kit in case you have to leave your home quickly. Even if you don't have to leave your home, if you lose power it will be easier to have these item already assembled and in one place.

       Tools and other items:

              A portable, battery-powered radio or television and extra batteries (also have a NOAA weather radio, if appropriate for your area)

              Flashlight and extra batteries

              Signal flare

              Matches in a waterproof container (or waterproof matches)

              Shut-off wrench, pliers, shovel and other tools

              Duct tape and scissors      

              Plastic sheeting

              Whistle

              Small canister, A-B-C-type fire extinguisher

              Tube tent

              Compass

              Work gloves

              Paper, pens, and pencils

              Needles and thread

              Battery-operated travel alarm clock

       Kitchen items:

              Manual can opener

              Mess kits or paper cups, plates, and plastic utensils

              All-purpose knife

              Household liquid bleach to treat drinking water

              Sugar, salt, pepper

              Aluminum foil and plastic wrap

              Re-sealing plastic bags

              If food must be cooked, small cooking stove and a can of cooking fuel

       Sanitation and hygiene items:

              Washcloth and towel

              Towelettes, soap, hand sanitizer, liquid detergent

              Tooth paste, toothbrushes, shampoo, deodorants, comb and brush, razor, shaving cream, lip balm, sunscreen, insect repellent, contact lens solutions, mirror, feminine supplies

              Heavy-duty plastic garbage bags and ties­­—for personal sanitation uses—and toilet paper

              Medium-sized plastic bucket with tight lid

              Disinfectant and household chlorine bleach  

              Consider including a small shovel for digging a latrine

       Household documents and contact numbers:

              Personal identification, cash (including change) or traveler's checks, and a credit card

              Copies of important documents: birth certificate, marriage certificate, driver's license, social security cards, passport, wills, deeds, inventory of household goods, insurance papers, immunizations records, bank and credit card account numbers, stocks and bonds. Be sure to store these in a watertight container.

              Emergency contact list and phone numbers

              Map of the area and phone numbers of place you could go

v      An extra set of car keys and house keys.

 

Clothes and bedding

     One complete change of clothing and footwear for each household member. Shoes should be sturdy work shoes or boots. Rain gear, hat and gloves, extra socks, extra underwear, thermal underwear, sunglasses.

     Blankets or a sleeping bag for each household member, pillows.

 

Specialty items

Remember to consider the needs of infants, elderly persons, disabled persons, and pets and to include entertainment and comfort items for children.

     For baby

     For the elderly

     For pets

     Entertainment: books, games, quiet toys and stuffed animals.

It is important for you to be ready, wherever you may be when disaster strikes. With the checklists above you can now put together an appropriate disaster supply kits for your household:

       A disaster supply kit kept in the home with supplies for at least three days;

       Although it is unlikely that food supplies would be cut off for as long as two weeks, consider storing additional water, food, clothing and bedding other supplies to expand your supply kit to last up to two weeks.

       A work place disaster supply kit. It is important to store a personal supply of water and food at work; you will not be able to rely on water fountains or coolers. Women who wear high-heels should be sure to have comfortable flat shoes at their workplace in case an evacuation require walking long distances.

       A car disaster supply kit. Keep a smaller disaster supply kit in the trunk of you car. If you become stranded or are not able to return home, having these items will help you be more comfortable until help arrives. Add items for sever winter weather during months when heave snow or icy roads are possible—salt, sand, shovels, and extra winter clothing, including hats and gloves.


 

Evacuation

Evacuations are more common than many people realize.  Hundreds of times each year, transportation and industrial accidents release harmful substances, forcing thousands of people to leave their homes.  Fires and floods cause evacuations even more frequently.  And almost every year, people along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts evacuate in the face of approaching hurricanes.

When community evacuations become necessary, local officials provide information to the public through the media.  In some circumstances other warning methods, such as sirens or telephone calls, are also used. Government agencies, the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, and other disaster relief organizations provide emergency shelter and supplies.  To be prepared for an emergency, you should have enough water, food, clothing and emergency supplies to last at least three days.  In a catastrophic emergency, you might need to be self-sufficient for even longer.

The amount of time you have to evacuate will depend on the disaster.  If the event can be monitored, like a hurricane, you might have a day or two to get ready.  However, many disasters allow no time for people to gather even the most basic necessities.  This is why you should prepare now.

 

Planning for evacuation

1.  Ask your local emergency management office about community evacuation plans.  Learn evacuation routes.  If you do not own a car, make transportation arrangements with friends or your local government.

2.  Talk with your household about the possibility of evacuation.  Plan where you would go if you had to leave the community.  Determine how you would get there. In your planning, consider different scales of evacuations. In a hurricane, for example, entire counties would evacuate, while much smaller area would be affected by a chemical release.

3.     Plan a place to meet your household in case you are separated from one another in a disaster.  Ask a friend outside your town to be the “checkpoint” so that everyone in the household can call that person to say they are safe.

4.     Find out where children will be sent if schools are evacuated.

 5.    Assemble a disaster supplies kit.  Include a battery-powered radio, flashlight, extra batteries, food, water and clothing.  See the “Emergency Planning and Disaster Supplies” chapter for a complete list. 

6.   Keep fuel in your car if an evacuation seems likely.  Gas stations may be closed during emergencies and unable to pump gas during power outages. 

7.   Know how to shut off your home’s electricity, gas and water supplies at main switches and valves.  Have the tools you would need to do this (usually adjustable pipe and crescent wrenches).

 

What to do when you are told to evacuate

Listen to a battery-powered radio and follow local instructions.  If the danger is a chemical release and you are instructed to evacuate immediately, gather your household and go.  Take one car per household when evacuating. This will keep your household together and reduce traffic congestion and delay. In other cases, you may have time to follow these steps:

1.   Gather water, food, clothing, emergency supplies, and insurance and financial records.  See the "Emergency Planning and Disaster Supplies" chapter for important information.

2.   Wear sturdy shoes and clothing that provides some protection, such as long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and a cap.

3.   Secure your home.  Close and lock doors and windows.  Unplug appliances.  If a hard freeze is likely during your absence, take actions needed to prevent damage to water pipes by freezing weather, such as:

            Turn off water main.

            Drain faucets.

           Turn off inside valves for external faucets and open the outside faucets to drain.

  4.   Turn off the main water valve and electricity, if instructed to do so.

5.     Let others know where you are going.

 6.    Leave early enough to avoid being trapped by severe weather.

 7.    Follow recommended evacuation routes. Do not take shortcuts.  They may be blocked. Be alert for washed-out roads and bridges.  Do not drive into flooded areas.  Stay away from downed power lines.

        Disaster situations can be intense, stressful, and confusing.  Should an evacuation be necessary, local authorities will do their best to notify the public, but do not depend entirely on this.  Often, a disaster can strike with little or no warning, providing local authorities scant time to issue an evacuation order.  Also, it is possible that you may not hear of an evacuation order due to communications or power failure or not listening to your battery-powered radio.  Local authorities and meteorologists could also make mistakes, including underestimating an emergency or disaster situation.  In the absence of evacuation instructions from local authorities, you should evacuate if you feel you and your household are threatened or endangered.  Use pre-designated evacuation routes and let others know what you are doing and your destination. 


 

Shelter

Taking shelter is often a critical element in protecting yourself and your household in times of disaster. Sheltering can take several forms. In-place sheltering is appropriate when conditions require that you seek protection in your home, place of employment, or other location where you are located when disaster strikes. In-place sheltering may either be short-term, such as going to a safe room for a fairly short period while a tornado warning is in effect or while a chemical cloud passes. It may also be longer-term, as when you stay in your home for several days without electricity or water services following a winter storm. We also use the term “shelter” for Mass Care facilities that provide a place to stay along with food and water to people who evacuate  following a disaster.

The appropriate steps to take in preparing for and implementing short-term in-place sheltering depend entirely on the emergency situation. For instance, during a tornado warning you should go to an underground room, if such a room is available. During a chemical release, on the other hand, you should seek shelter in a room above ground level. Because of these differences, short-term in-place shelter is described in the chapters dealing with specific hazards. See the chapters on “Thunderstorms” and “Hazardous Materials Incidents” for more information. The remainder of this chapter describes steps you should take to prepare for long-term in-place sheltering and for staying in a mass care shelter if you evacuate.

 

Long-term in-place sheltering

Sometimes disasters make it unsafe for people to leave their residence for extended periods. Winter storms, floods, and landslides may isolate individual households and make it necessary for each household to take care of its own needs until the disaster abates, such as when snows melt and temperatures rise, or until rescue workers arrive. Your household should be prepared to be self-sufficient for three days when cut off from utilities and from outside supplies of food and water.

1. Stay in your shelter until local authorities say it’s okay to leave.  The length of your stay can range from a few hours to two weeks.

2.   Maintain a 24-hour communications and safety watch.  Take turns listening for radio broadcasts.  Watch for fires.

3.   Assemble an emergency toilet, if  necessary.

           Use a garbage container, pail or bucket with a snug-fitting cover.  If the container is small, use a larger container with a cover for waste disposal.  Line both containers with plastic bags.

           After each use, pour or sprinkle a small amount of regular household disinfectant, such as chlorine bleach, into the container to reduce odors and germs.

 

Managing water supplies

Water is critical for survival.  Plan to have about one gallon of water per person per day for drinking, cooking and personal hygiene.  You may need more for medical emergencies.

1.   Allow people to drink according to their need.  The average person should drink between two and two-and-one-half quarts of water or other liquids per day, but many people need more.  This will depend on age, physical activity, physical condition and time of year.

2.   Never ration water unless ordered to do so by authorities. Drink the amount you need today and try to find more for tomorrow. Under no circumstances should a person drink less than one quart of water each day. You can minimize the amount of water your body needs by reducing activity and staying cool.

3.   Drink water that you know is not contaminated first.  If necessary, suspicious water, such as cloudy water from regular faucets or muddy water from streams or ponds, can be used after        it has been treated.  If water treatment is not possible, put off drinking suspicious water as long as possible, but do not become dehydrated.

4.   In addition to stored water, other sources include:

           Melted ice cubes.

           Water drained from the water heater faucet, if the water heater has not been damaged.

           Water dipped from the flush tanks (not the bowl