UP Public Safety - Make a Plan

The Nisqually Earthquake struck at 10:54 AM on February 28th, 2001.  Where were you when it happened?  Most likely many of you were at work, school, running errands, etc.  I suspect that nobody was sitting around underneath a sturdy desk with their entire family, waiting for the earthquake.   This true-life scenario perfectly exemplifies the reason to have a disaster plan.  Why, you ask?  Why should you plan for an event that you can’t predict?  What’s the point?

Perhaps I should rephrase the question to, “what is really important?”  For most of us, the answer is family.  We plan so that we can protect that which we value most.  Of course, as disasters are entirely unpredictable not just in time, but in nature and scope as well, in-depth planning for the average family is a bit of an exercise in futility. Therefore, plans should have just one basic goal: reuniting the family so that you can face the challenges of the aftermath of a disaster together.

Quiz time!  What does KISS stand for, in reference to plans?

1. Keep It Simple, Sweetie
2. Kangaroos In Southern Sydney
3. KISS?  Wasn’t that like, you know, a band my dad used to like, with a guy who kept sticking out his tongue and they all painted their faces more than even Lady Gaga, and whoa… these guys actually planned something besides a rockin’ backstage party?

This one isn’t hard.  The answer of course, is Keep It Simple, Sweetie.  (OK, OK, for you military folks out there, this isn’t exactly how you remember your sergeant describing the acronym to you back in the day, but my wife kindly suggested that I use the kinder, gentler version.)  It is a fine time-tested principle for developing plans.  So what should go into your KISS emergency plan?  The basics:

1. Names and contact information for every member of the household
2. Addresses and phone numbers for locations family members will be at throughout the typical day (work, school, home, grandma’s house, etc.)
3. Emergency meeting locations

That’s it.  Names and numbers, likely locations, and places to meet.  Why so simple?  That’s easy enough to answer.  Anything more complex won’t be remembered in the heat of the moment, and likely won’t work anyway. 

FEMA has a good fill-in-the-blank plan at:

http://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/documents/files/Family_Emegency_Plan.pdf

When you look at this plan, note that it asks for additional information such as insurance agents, doctors, pharmacists, kennels, etc.  This is good to have available in your kit, especially if you find yourself in a place away from your personal files.

Note that it also asks for an out-of-town contact.  This may sound a little counterintuitive, but sometimes it is easier to make a long-distance call than a local one in the immediate aftermath of a disaster.  Local lines tend to get tied up very quickly as people call to check on family members, while long-distance lines are less used.  When you are trying to make contact with family members after a disaster you might actually have a better chance relaying information through your Uncle Fred in Tulsa than trying to connect directly.

Cell phone lines also tend to max out pretty quickly.  Sending texts takes up a lot less bandwidth than trying to make a call, so if you need to let somebody know you are OK, just send a quick text.  For you teenagers out there, make sure you send your text in a language that your parents can understand…

The FEMA template also includes some handy-dandy cut-out contact cards for each member of the family.  Yes, I know that everyone has a contacts list in their cell phone, but a paper backup isn’t a bad idea.  This is also good information to stick in the backpacks of your children who are young enough to not yet have their own cell phone.

At the risk of deviating from KISS, consider what additional information you would want in your plan based on your situation.  Does a relative require specialized transport needs due to disability?  How long will that special medical equipment work once the power goes out?  Finally, consider in your plan not just what you and your family need, but what you can give or contribute.  Do you have an elderly neighbor who might need assistance?  A friend who doesn’t speak very good English?  Do you have a cord of firewood available to share?  A future blog will look at developing networks of neighbors to care for each other in the immediate aftermath of a disaster – not the next one, though.  The next blog is Stay Informed.

That’s it for this week.  Make a plan.  NOW.

My last blog discussed making a kit in preparation for a disaster.  I KNOW that all of you avid readers out there rushed out and made a kit as instructed.  If not, it is not too late.  Look up the old blog on UP Patch (type “make a kit” in the search box and it should pop right up), and build that kit!

CALENDAR

May 16th – UP Police and Fire are taking over Joeseppi’s Ristorante

June 2nd – Public safety open house (10:00 AM – 2:00 PM)

June 20th – next meeting of the Public Safety Commission (6:00 PM) – May meeting is canceled

August 7th – National Night Out