Federal Emergency Management Agency
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
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
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