PREPARE NOW FOR THE 2011
HURRICANE SEASON
Tips on Creating
Your Personal Emergency Disaster Kit – Be Aware, Stay Prepared
During major emergencies such as
hurricanes, your family should be prepared to survive in your home for
three to five days while you wait for the danger to pass, or the arrival
of emergency assistance.
Now is the time to collect and
purchase items for your emergency disaster kit. Items should be
collected or purchased now, before hurricane season begins. This extra
preparation can save valuable time when the storm approaches and other
important tasks are at hand.
In addition to the provisions listed
below remember any special requirements for any elderly or disabled
persons. Store your kit in a safe, high, dry place for flood protection
and keep small items in waterproof plastic zip bags.
Water:
Store at least one gallon of water per person per day for at least a
three-day period. Store water in plastic containers such as 2-liter soda
bottles. Avoid using containers that will decompose or break, like paper
milk cartons or glass bottles.
Non-Perishable Food Items:
These items can be purchased before hurricane season and kept in a
safe, dry, place to use if necessary during a disaster. Select and store
enough to support all the members of your family for three to five days.
-
Boxes of cookies,
saltines, dry milk packets, lemonade or iced tea mix, dry cereal,
breakfast bars, granola bars, power bars
-
Six-packs of fruit
juices, juice boxes
-
Packages of dried
fruit, nuts, trail mix, meat jerky
-
Cans of tuna, canned
sausage, potted meat, pork & beans, a variety of canned fruits and
vegetables
-
Jars of peanut butter,
jelly
-
For any infants in the
family include: formula, diapers, bottles, powdered milk
First
Aid Kit and Medications:
Select what
is necessary for your family members and add to the kit. Ask your doctor
about the shelf life of your medicines and select what is safe to store
in your kit.
Tools
and Supplies:
If you are
in your home without utilities for a number of days, these items will
make your life safer and more comfortable. Select what is appropriate
for your family and add to your kit.
-
Non-electric can
opener, multi-function camping knife
-
Paper cups, plates,
and plastic utensils to reduce wasting clean water on dishwashing
-
Some cash or
traveler's checks, ATMs may not be available if electricity is down
-
Personal hygiene
items, including toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, brush, soap, contact
lens supplies, and feminine supplies
-
Toilet paper, moist
towelettes, gel hand sanitizer, paper towels
-
Soap, liquid
detergent, household bleach
-
Plastic bucket with
tight lid, plastic garbage bags, ties, adhesive tape
-
Battery-operated
weather radio (AM/FM with weather band) and extra batteries
-
Flashlights and extra
batteries
-
Reading material -
books, magazines
-
Board games, a deck of
cards
Clothing and Bedding:
Have these items stored together.
-
At least one complete
change of clothing and footwear per person
-
Blankets or sleeping
bags
-
Emergency Mylar
“space” blanket
Important Family Documents:
Keep copies of important documents in
a waterproof, portable container or plastic zip bag. Gather these items
together and store them in your kit at the start of hurricane season. If
you must evacuate, remember to bring them with you.
-
Copies of family
records, such as insurance policies, contracts, deeds, banking
information, birth certificates
-
Passports, social
security cards, immunization records
-
Inventory of valuable
household goods, important telephone numbers
Your kit should be kept in a
designated place where it can be moved quickly. All family members
should know where the kit is as well as what it contains.
FEMA manages federal
response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also
initiates mitigation activities, works with state and local emergency
managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA became
part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.
For more information on Louisiana
disaster recovery, visit
www.fema.gov or
www.ohsep.louisiana.gov.
Resources
