personal preparedness empowering yourself for disasters
TRANSCRIPT
Personal PreparednessPersonal Preparedness
Empowering yourself for disasters
Why Prepare?Why Prepare?• There are 10 natural disasters that occur
in WA State.
• The Government cannot be everywhere.
• Just In Time (JIT) inventory practices.
• YOU are the best qualified person to develop your preparedness.
• Your preparedness begins and ends with YOU.
Some Disaster ExamplesSome Disaster Examples• Earthquakes
• Volcanoes
• Wind Storms
• Ice Storms
• Tsunamis
• Seiches
• Mud Slides
• Blizzards
•Tornadoes
•Flooding
•Black Outs
•Wildfires
•Man-made Hazards
•Terrorism
•Pandemic Outbreak
Disaster in the MediaDisaster in the Media
Disaster in the MediaDisaster in the Media
Disaster in the MediaDisaster in the Media
Level of PreparednessLevel of Preparedness
CommonCommon
StereotypesStereotypes
UNDUE BURDEN ON US SCARES THE NEIGHBORS
The BalanceThe Balance3 or more days3 or more days
• Water first• Shelter• Light• Heat • Critical meds/first aid• Communication• Transportation• Food• Training
Areas of PreparednessAreas of PreparednessHomeHome
– Insurance– Financial (direct-deposit, rainy-day and petty cash)– Hazard reduction– Know how to turn off your utilities– Have an evacuation plan for your home.– Non-structural mitigation– Pets– 72+ Hours kit – Food Storage– Special needs items– Vital records protection– Heat, light, power alternatives
Sample Evacuation Plan
Smoke Detector
Escape Route
Bedroom
Bath
Bedroom
Living Room
Family RoomKitchen
Dining Room
Meet Here
Water Shut-Off
Label for Quick identification
The water shut-off indicates:a counter-clockwise turn of the
valve to shut off and clockwise turn to turn on
(rightie tightie, lefty loosie)
Pull-out cartridge fuses
Electrical Shut-Off
Circuit Breaker
The electrical shut-off procedure shows both a circuit box and a fuse box and shows two steps.
Step 1 is to shut off the main circuit (or main fuse switch). Step 2 is to turn off all individual breaker (or unscrew fuses).
Gas Meter and Shut-Off Valve
Gas Meter and Shut-Off Valve
Have a wrench stored in a specific location where it will be immediately available
Areas of PreparednessAreas of Preparedness
Car/CommuteCar/Commute– 72+ hours kit– Full tank– Road side emergency kit– Cell phone– First aid kit– Maps of local area– Light
Areas of PreparednessAreas of Preparedness
WorkWork– 72+ hours kit– Special needs items– Personal Hygiene kit– Extra water– Extra food– Sleeping bag– Extra clothing– Light
Special Topics In PreparednessSpecial Topics In Preparedness
An Unfortunate Pink Flamingo Mass Casualty Incident…..
Bird-Flu ExplanationBird-Flu Explanation
Bird Flu Host
H5N1
Human Flu Host
Patient 0
New Pandemic Flu
Pandemic Flu FactsPandemic Flu FactsLarge Pandemics have occurred in:
– 1918 (Spanish Flu H1N1)– 1957 (Asian Flu H2N2 )– 1968 (Hong Kong Flu H3N2)
Pandemic outbreaks are natural
They average about every 30 years
A new outbreak means that a new virus or new mutation in an existing virus has occurred.
At the outbreak, there is no vaccine
Vaccines will take about 6 months
Pandemic PrecautionsPandemic Precautions
• Plenty of Rest• Proper diet• Wash your hands• Cover your coughs/sneezes• Stay home when sick• Other standard preparedness
steps as usual• DON’T PANICDON’T PANIC
Just like mom always said……….
Plastic and Duct TapePlastic and Duct Tape
Short-Term Sheltering in PlaceShort-Term Sheltering in Place
• Plastic and Duct Tape are used to reduce the possibility of outside contaminates entering the temporary shelter.
• Appropriate only for short-term (few hours) and only with certain substances under certain conditions.
Example DiagramExample Diagram
Personal Disaster RecoveryPersonal Disaster RecoveryRobert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act
(Stafford Act)
• Personal assistance from FEMA limited to $28,200 for Federal Fiscal Year 2007 – Not including SBA loans. – Adjusted annually based on the consumer price index for all
consumer goods.• Most disaster victims do NOTNOT get this much. • In WA, the average is $6,000• Small Business Administration (SBA) loans
– Must be qualified for– Have an interest rate applied – Limited by law to $40,000 for contents and $200,000 for
structure.
The Harsh RealitiesThe Harsh Realities
• FEMA/Government will NOTNOT pay to replace a house.• They usually will not deliver food and will not buy
generators.• Your mortgage company will still want to get paid, even if
the house is totaled.• Public shelters are not the best place to weather a
disaster.• Stores and banks work in a “Just In Time” (JIT) business
model for re-supply.• Even mild disruption of local infrastructure will close
businesses and services.• Public disaster assistance from the Red Cross and other
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) is limited
Empowerment…..Empowerment…..
Mark Inglis was the first double-amputee to summit Mt. Everest in 2006.
The Bright SideThe Bright Side
Knowledge is POWER!• NOW is the best time to plan and prepare• Insurance is one of the best ways to
ensure financial recovery.• Take advantage of FREE information and
training to get ready.• Personal Preparedness is affordable and
do-able by just about everyone.