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Today's Topic
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Emergency Preparation
The nation watched with a feeling of helplessness as the victims of Hurricane Katrina struggled to survive without water, food, or shelter. What are the lessons we can learn from their horrifying experiences?
Everyone is at risk of a natural disaster. Floods, tornados, power outages, fires, and earthquakes can happen anywhere, at any time. Here are some basic steps we should all take to ensure we help ourselves and each other in an emergency:
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Bottled Water
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Water is absolutely essential to survival. Without water, a person will not survive more than 3 days. Keep enough bottled water on hand for at least 7 days. Bottled water has an expiration date, so make sure to rotate in fresh supplies periodically. Mark the bottles with the purchase date to make it easy to remember when you bought them.
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Have a Plan
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Discuss an evacuation plan with your household to understand what you need to do in an emergency. Designate a location outside of the home where everyone can safely gather. Make the plan simple enough that it can be remembered in times of great stress. Also, create a backup plan in case the original plan cannot be followed. If you live in a high rise or other large building, find out if the building owner also has an emergency evacuation plan.
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Fire Alarms
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Install fire alarms in every bedroom as well as in the kitchen.
- Periodically test the fire alarms, at least once a year. Pick a day that's easy to remember, such as January 1st and July 4th.
- Keep a small ABC type fire extinguisher available near the kitchen.
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Fireproof Box for Valuable Documents
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Items to keep in a fireproof box -- Seal all items in a plastic bag to keep out water
- Birth certificates
- Phone numbers and addresses of family, friends, doctors, and hospitals
- Emergency cash or travelers checks
- Maps of the area you live in, with emergency locations highlighted such as police departments, hospitals, and schools
- Insurance policies
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Home Emergency Kit
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Items to keep in a slightly larger box -- Seal all items in a large plastic bag to keep out water
- Emergency phone numbers
- Extra set of keys to the house and car
- First aid kit - containing bandages, tape, pain reliever, anti-bacterial soap
- Flashlight (with batteries)
- Battery operated radio (with batteries)
- Medications or emergency prescriptions provided by your doctor
- Swiss army knife / can opener
- Blanket / warm clothing / shoes
- Canned food / ready-made foods like crackers, cereal, or juices
- Bleach
- Toilet paper / paper towels
- Plastic bucket with tight lid for waste collection
- Garbage bags
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Car Emergency Kit
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- Emergency phone numbers
- Jumper cables
- First aid kit - containing bandages, tape, pain reliever, anti-bacterial soap
- Flashlight (with batteries)
- Blanket / warm clothing / shoes
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