Personal PreparednessPersonal Preparedness

Personal Disaster PlansPersonal Disaster Plans

All Hospital staff are relied upon All Hospital staff are relied upon and expected to fulfill responsible and expected to fulfill responsible roles during disaster situationsroles during disaster situations

But little is known about the But little is known about the needs or concerns that staff needs or concerns that staff experience when they meet experience when they meet expectations and function as expectations and function as disaster responders. disaster responders.

Of primary importance to staff Of primary importance to staff are Family Safety, are Family Safety,

Pet Safety,Pet Safety,

and Personal Safety while at and Personal Safety while at work. work.

Secondary concerns include Secondary concerns include basic needs such as personal basic needs such as personal medication, food, water, sleep, medication, food, water, sleep, shelter, and rest. shelter, and rest.

Make a PlanMake a Plan

Many disasters happen without Many disasters happen without warning. Take the time to plan warning. Take the time to plan how to protect and provide for how to protect and provide for yourself, your family, and your yourself, your family, and your pets in the event of an pets in the event of an emergency or disaster.emergency or disaster.

Your Role for Patient SafetyYour Role for Patient Safety

Be sure that your family Be sure that your family understands that in an understands that in an emergency, you will likely be emergency, you will likely be needed at the Hospital and will needed at the Hospital and will need to report, perhaps for an need to report, perhaps for an extended period of time. extended period of time.

A family plan should include at A family plan should include at least these three important things least these three important things

A Meeting PlaceA Meeting Place - Pick a - Pick a location within walking location within walking distance of your home where distance of your home where your family members can your family members can meet in case you get meet in case you get separated or have to separated or have to evacuate. For example, a evacuate. For example, a local park or playground.local park or playground.

An Out of Area ContactAn Out of Area Contact - During - During a disaster, you may not be able to a disaster, you may not be able to make local phone calls, but you make local phone calls, but you might be able to call out of the might be able to call out of the area. Pick a family member or area. Pick a family member or friend to serve as your family's friend to serve as your family's Out-of-Area contact. You can call Out-of-Area contact. You can call your Out-of-Area contact and tell your Out-of-Area contact and tell them you're safe, where you are, them you're safe, where you are, and where you are going. All and where you are going. All family members should have the family members should have the phone number of your Out-of-Area phone number of your Out-of-Area contact with them at all times.contact with them at all times.

An Emergency Supply Kit An Emergency Supply Kit - - enough supplies to last you enough supplies to last you three days at a minimum, but three days at a minimum, but for even longer is better! Build for even longer is better! Build a kit for your home, for your a kit for your home, for your car, and for your work. And car, and for your work. And remember to make sure your remember to make sure your child is prepared at school. child is prepared at school.

Practice, practice, practice! Practice, practice, practice! The more you practice your The more you practice your emergency plan, the more emergency plan, the more likely you are to remember it likely you are to remember it in times of disaster. in times of disaster.

Remember, emergency Remember, emergency supply kits should be supply kits should be designed to fit your needs designed to fit your needs

Put together small versions for the Put together small versions for the office, school and caroffice, school and car1. Extra clothes w/sturdy shoes 1. Extra clothes w/sturdy shoes 2. Flashlight w/extra batteries 2. Flashlight w/extra batteries 3. Whistle3. Whistle4. First Aid kit with three-day 4. First Aid kit with three-day supply of prescription drugs supply of prescription drugs 5. Entertainment items like a deck5. Entertainment items like a deck of cards of cards 6. Shelter-in-Place supplies like6. Shelter-in-Place supplies like duct tape and plastic duct tape and plastic 7. Cash: ATMs won't operate if 7. Cash: ATMs won't operate if power is out power is out

You are vitally important to You are vitally important to the hospital if a disaster the hospital if a disaster

occurs. occurs.

Have a plan if called back to the Have a plan if called back to the hospital:hospital:

Family safetyFamily safety

Prepare a “grab bag” for workPrepare a “grab bag” for work

Personal safetyPersonal safety

Agencies with helpful Agencies with helpful informationinformation

Red Cross Red Cross http://www.redcross.org/services/prepare/

FEMA FEMA http://www.fema.gov/areyoureadyhttp://www.fema.gov/areyouready