SMR SAFETY FIRST
Emergency Preparedness:

It helps to be married to a Girl Scout because we are always prepared for anything and everything in our house. The very first thing I had to do when we got married was write and discuss a safety plan of action and learn how to sing the "BE PREPARED" song from the Doris Day movie IT HAPPENEND TO JANE.

If you ever have lunch with us my wife, Teri Lea, would surely ask you the following two questions:

Have you already developed a safety plan of action for yourself and your family? Do you and each of your family members know what to do in the case of an emergency?
If you answered no to either question, you'd have a written and research assignment handed to you from my retired teacher wife before she serves dessert.

Today more than ever, it's important for each of us to be prepared for home accidents, natural and national disasters and all that lies between.

Emergency preparedness is effortlessness when you follow a few easy steps to begin the SMR SAFETY FIRST habit of being prepared. If you have a Scout living in your house, you already have it made.
If no Scout lives in your house yet, here are a few helpful hints that you can share with family and friends that will help you maintain a safety first procedure.

1. Keep informed about your nation, state, city and know your neighborhood. Your local emergency preparedness office, law enforcement agency or local chapter of the American Red Cross will be happy to advise you on the concerns and disasters most commonly found in your region.

2. Learn what types of disasters might happen in your community. In addition to the American Red Cross there are many local, state and federal government agencies, as well as private organizations that can help you and your family keep prepared for emergencies.

3. It's not a bad idea to have an emergency preparedness notebook handy filled with information, helpful tips and clues to jog your memory during times when everyone is likely to forget what to do.
We have a red three ring binder notebook filled with important information and the Scout motto "BE PREPARED" printed on the front, spine and back. A smaller version is kept in the car along with an extra metro area phone book and first aid kit filled with glucose tablets (T. Lea has diabetes).

4. It will help you and your family to keep informed by contacting your local agencies, asking questions and logging the current answers in your notebook. A few example questions may be:

· What types of disasters are most common in my state, city and neighborhood?

· What is the best way to prepare for these events?

· Is there a warning signal in my neighborhood? What does it sound like?

· Is there a designated community-gathering place like a church or school in the event of a disaster?

· Where can I take pets during an evacuation?

· What's the best way to help elderly or incapacitated people?

5. You will also want to have all the emergency agency numbers listed in the front of your notebook in addition to your doctors' office and fax numbers and a list of your current medications.
If you lived at our house you would earn an SMR SAFETY FIRST merit badge for learning the emergency plans for locations you and your family frequent such as shopping centers and malls, medical buildings, hospitals, movie theaters, grocery stores and doctor offices.

6. Always make it a point to remember where the entrance/exit and emergency exits are located, especially when you are exploring a new shopping center.
Lea interrogates me about an escape route as soon as we move through the main entrance, so it really does help to go places on the buddy system.

7. Learn the emergency procedures already established at your workplace, your children's schools, child or adult day care centers, your place of worship and any other place your family members spend time.

8. Make sure your home is insured. Contact your insurance provider and make certain you are adequately covered in the event of any kind of emergency or natural disasters. Ask your agent about additional disaster coverage for the specific events that may occur in your area.
We live in Missouri and have full coverage for our home, including earthquake insurance. My wife won't ever let me forget February 7, 1812 when the largest earthquake in Missouri took place. I'm still trying to convince her it was the New Madrid Fault, not mine. Honest, I wasn't even there!

9. It's always a good idea to learn first aid and keep informed about current information. In the event of an emergency, it may be up to you alone to care for yourself or for you alone to have the responsibility of caring for the injured. Learn the basics at an American Red Cross First Aid and CPR class or find an organization near you that teaches emergency preparedness.

10. Prepare your entire family by inviting them to attend classes with you, or hold a home class and teach them what you learn. Create a Family Emergency Plan and make sure each family member knows the basics and understands them. A simplified outline in big print can be posted on the back of the doors of bedrooms, family rooms and bath rooms.

11. Get security lights for every room. These self-charging battery operated lights plug into any wall outlet and light up automatically if the power goes out. They will continue to operate four to six hours. We have flashlights hanging on hooks in every bathroom and storage area in our house.

12. Please don't forget to install smoke detectors on every floor in your home, and place smoke detectors near bedrooms and in stairwells. A carbon monoxide detector placed at the garage door entrance into the house is also a good idea. Test the detectors monthly and replace batteries once a year. We replace our batteries every year when we "spring" forward.

13. It's good to invest in an ABC-type fire extinguisher for your home. These extinguishers can fight all kinds of fires including electrical fires.

14. Talk to your neighbors. Working with neighbors in an emergency can save lives and property. If you're a member of a neighborhood organization, introduce disaster preparedness to the group. Familiarize yourself with your neighbors' special skills (i.e. medical, technical) and consider how you can help neighbors with special needs. (Make arrangements for childcare in case parents can't make it home.)

15. Plan for the worst.
Assemble a 'we'll carry on' three day Emergency Supply Checklist and a six month plan of action and emergency pantry. We hope you'll never need to use either, yet in the event of a natural or national disaster or an emergency you'll be glad you took the time to create the plan and pantry.

We recently had to use our emergency plan and pantry when a state of emergency was declared here a couple of months ago. An "ice storm" we experienced after a fierce winter storm iced power lines and trees and dumped heavy snow across Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma, knocked out our electricity, heat and other amenities we take for granted.
January 29-31, 2002 was the worst ice storm ever.

Although Lea cooked delicious bacon and eggs over Canned Heat, and we had cozy moments in our candlelit "camp area," by the third day we began feeling stress develop. It was cold, damp and dark - and pretty gosh darn spooky during the night when the crowns of oak and walnut trees cracked and fell.
Then it hit us. Were we fully prepared? No. We forgot about ice for our coolers and deep freezer. Now we keep two 40-pound bags of ice frozen hard as a rock just in case.

16. Know your home well and make sure your family knows what to do during an earthquake, fire, power outage or other catastrophe.
Don't be caught empty-handed. Make sure you have the right food, water, clothing, and tools for a temporary evacuation of your home or for any another emergency situation.

17. In case of any emergency, the following items will help you put together a kit that can meet the needs of your family for three days. A smaller version of this kit should be stored in the trunk or backseat of your vehicle.
These items should be kept in sturdy, easy-to-carry containers equivalent to backpacks, duffel bags or plastic containers with lids (like Rubbermaid containers or storage bins).

· One gallon of water per person per day (water supplies should be replaced every three months).

· Foods that won't spoil (food supplies should be replaced every six months).

· One change of clothing, sturdy shoes, rain gear and one blanket or sleeping bag per person.

· A first aid kit that includes your family's prescription medications (replace as directed).

· An extra pair of prescription eye glasses.

· Credit cards, cash, and change in coins (ATM machines will not work during a power outage).

· An extra set of car, house, post office box and safe deposit box keys.

· Paper, pens, and stamps.

· A city map and phone book.

· A battery-powered radio/television.

· A flashlight.

· Extra batteries of all sizes.

· A whistle.

· Heavy gloves.

· A Swiss army knife.

· Light sticks.

· An ABC-type fire extinguisher approved for use on regular and electric fires.

· A water-purification kit or household bleach.

· An ax, shovel, broom and tool kit (including a screwdriver, pliers, a hammer and an adjustable wrench for turning off the gas main).

· A coil of 1/2" rope.

· Large plastic trash bags.

· Tarps.

· Soap, detergent, and shampoo.

· Toothpaste and toothbrushes.

· Feminine hygiene supplies.

· Toilet paper.

· A non-electric can opener.

· Plastic utensils, paper plates, cups.

· Paper towels.

· A cooking stove, aluminum foil, and at least one small pan.

· Pet supplies: leashes, food, and water.

· Special items for infant, elderly and helpless family members.

· My wife has her whistle attached to her Girl Scout knife with an extra set of keys and an extra MedicAlert medallion hooked on the chain. When in her determined mode, and if absolutely necessary, Teri Lea can do everything with that knife and without rattling a thing.

18. Keep important family documents in an easy-to-access waterproof and fireproof container. Put copies of vital records in a safe deposit box. Consider photographing or videotaping all valuables and keeping those records in the safe deposit box as well.

19. Plan ahead for family members with special needs. If you have family members with disabilities or special needs, make sure their needs will be taken care of in an emergency. Make your home and community fire safe.
I work from home, so I'm with my wife 24/7 and can assist her in walking out the nearest exit if there ever is a fire. We believe in fire prevention and hope you will make it a habit for yourself and family.

20. The elderly, in addition to people with challenges and those taking medications, may have difficulty moving after a disaster. Plan to have someone help them evacuate, and make sure this person knows where to find any special equipment, food or medication your loved one may need. Special provisions include the list above in addition to at least one-week worth of medication or other special provisions.

21. If a family member uses life support equipment, make sure it is fastened securely to prevent it from falling over. If electricity is required to operate the equipment, buy a generator or battery pack surge protector to use in case of a power outage. Use caution when operating an alternate energy source, we don't want the cure to be what kills.

22. If a family member has difficulty hearing, install a fire alarm system with flashing strobe lights that will get their attention.

23. For those who use a wheelchair, walker, crutches, or cane, make sure it is nearby at all times. If possible, keep extra walking aids in different locations throughout your home.
We keep a walker and a four-prong cane in our bedroom in addition to canes in the family room and near the garage door and car.

24. If a family member, friend or neighbor does not speak English, prepare an emergency card written in English and in their native language that lists their name, address and any special needs. Also include emergency contact information where you know bilingual help is immediately available.

25. Always keep updated and informed to current situations and procedures that will make life easier for you, the people you love and those around us locally and nationwide.

26. My wife and I support The American Red Cross and their motto, "Together, we can save a life."
It is true that United We Stand.

SMR tries to thoroughly search the Internet to bring you some of the most informative and credible sites we can find.

We have included a number of sites that are updated periodically to help keep you on top of breaking safety issues and health news that includes alternative and conventional practices.
You will also find monthly articles and updates in our SMR Wellness Center.

Homeland Security:  The Administration's approach to homeland security is based on the principles of shared responsibility and partnership with the Congress, state and local governments, the private sector, and the American people.

USA Freedom Corps:  While government cannot fulfill the need for kindness, for understanding, and for love in our communities, through the USA Freedom Corps, government can support the momentum of millions of acts of kindness and decency that are changing America one heart at a time.

AmeriCorps:  AmeriCorps is a network of national service programs that engage more than 50,000 Americans each year in intensive service to meet critical needs in education, public safety, health and the environment.

Senior Corps:  Senior Corps is a network of programs that tap the experience, skills, and talents of older citizens to meet community challenges. Through its three programs – Foster Grandparents, Senior Companions, and RSVP (the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program) – more than half a million Americans age 55 and over assist local nonprofits, public agencies and faith-based organizations in carrying out their missions.

Citizen Corps:  This broad network of volunteer efforts will harness the power of the American people by relying on their individual skills and interests to prepare local communities to effectively prevent and respond to the threats of terrorism, crime or any kind of disaster.

National Safety Council:  The National Safety Council, founded in 1913 and chartered by the United States Congress in 1953, is the nation's leading advocate for safety and health.  

Federal Emergency Management Agency:  FEMA is an independent federal agency with more than 2,600 full time employees. They work at FEMA headquarters in Washington D.C., at regional and area offices across the country,at the Mount Weather Emergency Operations Center, and at the FEMA training center in Emmitsburg, Maryland. FEMA also has nearly 4,000 standby disaster assistance employees who are available to help out after disasters. Often FEMA works in partnership with other organizations that are part of the nation's emergency management system.

Center for Disease Control and Prevention:  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is recognized as the lead federal agency for protecting the health and safety of people - at home and abroad, providing credible information to enhance health decisions and promoting health through strong partnerships.

Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Prevention:  Organized in 1985.

National Fire Protection Agency:  The mission of the international nonprofit NFPA is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating scientifically-based consensus codes and standards, research, training and education.

The American Red Cross:  Together we can safe a life.

Stay Safe Online:  Securing your personal computer plays a crucial role in protecting our nation's Internet infrastructure. This web site is designed to give you the information needed to secure your home or small business computer.