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Winter 2002 Volume 4 Number 2

CERT PREPARED *C. Edward Harris KE4SKY, Virginia State RACES Training Officer* Preparedness is the phase of Emergency Management where every volunteer must become involved. Without adequate preparedness, mitigation is only an empty word. Unprepared volunteers are unable to respond as CERT members or to assist their communities later in recovery to disasters. Virginia RACES conducts Saturday training workshops around the state, which teach fundamentals of 2-way radio communications, personal preparedness and safety. Whenever our organization conducts a live training session the presenter asks a few basic preparedness questions and requests a show of hands. The results are usually revealing: "Of those attending here today, how many of you have discussed your family disaster plan at home within the last six months? How many of you have a first aid kit, flares or reflectors, a blanket, emergency drinking water and a fire extinguisher in the vehicle you drove here today? How many of you have your street address posted on your telephone?
	The most important part of disaster preparation is to HAVE a plan! It isn't good enough just to think about it and dance around the "what-ifs." All family members need to be involved. You need to explain and practice the plan as well as update it regularly.
Apathy is the enemy of preparedness. An American Red Cross survey of coastal communities indicated that barely one third of families plan for hurricanes or inland flooding. Only one fifth have a stocked disaster supplies kit and an evacuation plan. The Virginia Department of Emergency Management indicates that most hurricane-related deaths in the state resulted from inland flooding far from coastal areas, not from storm surge. Hazardous material releases and transportation accidents may occur anywhere and require evacuation of residential areas and opening of shelters.
Apathy is the enemy of preparedness. An American Red Cross survey of coastal communities indicated that barely one third of families plan for hurricanes or inland flooding. Only one fifth have a stocked disaster supplies kit and an evacuation plan. The Virginia Department of Emergency Management indicates that most hurricane-related deaths in the state resulted from inland flooding far from coastal areas, not from storm surge. Hazardous material releases and transportation accidents may occur anywhere and require evacuation of residential areas and opening of shelters.
Has your organization discussed your local risk assessment with Emergency Management? You should discuss likely hazards in your community and the sequences of events, which could follow, clarify the appropriate response for your volunteer organization and then develop and work through likely scenarios. What if your community experienced a disaster during the day? How many volunteers could you mobilize in your neighborhood on a weekday within an hour? Do you have home, work and cellular telephone numbers for all of your volunteers? How many of that volunteers live or work in high-risk areas likely to be affected by the most common hazards? Since September 11, 2001, all Americans are aware that we live in a dangerous world. We must all be vigilant, report suspicious activity, be aware of potential hazards, act prudently and be prepared. Knowing what can happen, what you can do without endangering yourself or others, how to notify authorities and team members, and knowing ahead of time where to go, and what standing assignments should be taken care of first is the framework of a family or neighborhood disaster plan. If family members are at work or school and can't get home, they need a safe place to go, and someone they can call to family members know that they are safe, if no one else can be reached. If your family need to evacuate, the process is less upsetting when you have discussed the plan and everyone knows what to do ahead of time. If you have young children, elderly relatives, animals or any other special needs, you must plan for these as well. The Virginia Department of Emergency Management http://www.vdem.state.va.us has a variety of useful references in its Planning for Disaster series of publications, which are available on its web site.
	Fire is the most common home and neighborhood emergency. Everyone should learn and practice the fundamentals of Exit Drills In The Home or EDITH. When your smoke alarm goes off: Crawl LOW to avoid smoke Exit the door Meet outside
Have everyone meet in a pre-arranged assembly area at least 100 feet away from the house, clear of overhead limbs and power lines, if available. You should also identify a refuge within easy walking distance, such as a neighbors', out of the weather. Kids should know this is a safe place to go if they can't get home for reason. Elderly living alone need a relative or neighbor to check on them daily and whom they can contact for help in an emergency.
You also need to identify a "farther away friend" in your family emergency plan. If public safety officials instruct your neighborhood to evacuate and your "nearby neighborhood refuge" is not an option, family members will be more at ease if they know somewhere safe and comfortable to go instead of a public shelter. When local telephone service is out, long distance may work. Designate an out of area contact, such as a friend or relative out of your local calling area whom family members can call to let others know where they are, if they need help or are safe and OK. Is your street address posted near your telephone? Would visitors to your home be able to tell a public safety dispatcher where they were? If telephone service is out, do you know where the nearest fire or police station and hospital emergency room are? Do you have a portable telephone, which will work when a tree falls across your service line? You don't have to live in a flood plain to be eligible for the National Flood Insurance Program. Did you know that if your gutters and downspouts are clogged with leaves and your basement floods during a storm because they overflow, that your insurance company will probably deny your claim? Contact your insurance agent, cooperative extension service or local emergency management office for more information. If your family ever needs to evacuate you must turn off utilities to reduce the risk of fire, water damage and contamination. Are the main utility shut-off in your home plainly marked? Do you have a wrench nearby and in plain sight of your gas meter?
RACES and CERT team members must ensure that family members are self reliant and prepared to cope with common emergencies, otherwise they will not be able to respond effectively as team members. Each family member should have their own backpack to carry a 3-day supply of extra clothing, comfort and personal items. Food, shelter, first aid and other supplies should be stored in a watertight, easily transported container, which you can take with you to a public shelter, if needed. The VDEM pamphlet "Your Family Disaster Supplies Kit" contains a list of essentials.

As a disaster volunteer you should keep your own supplies and safety equipment ready and packed in your vehicle, so that they are always ready. A basic list is: Drinking water, 1 gallon minimum per person / day, 3 gallons recommended. 3 days pre-packaged food which can be eaten cold, without further preparation 3 day supply of personal medications and hygiene items Extra dry socks and underwear Hard hat Safety glasses Leather work gloves Sturdy boots with lugged traction sole and safety toe (not athletic shoes) Dust mask Rain suit or poncho Extra warm clothing layer Blanket First Aid Kit Cellular or PCS telephone, extra battery and mobile charger. Auxiliary local communications FRS, or amateur radio.
Family Radio Service or FRS is an unlicensed service created by the FCC for use by families and groups. Despite claims of up to two mile range, a more realistic expectation is 1/2 to 3/4 mile under typical conditions. FRS enables neighborhood communication between team members for safety and to save your cellular telephone battery. s. Cellular and PCS may not always "work" during an emergency because the system design capacity may be exceeded when everyone tries at once to make phone calls when landline systems are out.

Your local Emergency Management can help identify RACES amateur radio operators able to assist your CERT team with auxiliary communications.


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