Prepare! a RESOURCE GUIDE
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Prepare! A RESOURCE GUIDE Serving Oregon and Southwest Washington redcross.org/cascades @RedCrossCasc RedCrossCascades Introduction Disaster can strike at any time. Whether it’s a house fire at disasters with guidance on what to do before, during and 3 a.m. or a 9.0 magnitude earthquake at 3 p.m., a single after certain situations that are common in the Pacific disaster can change your physical, emotional and financial Northwest. health in a matter of seconds. And while the American Red It’s impossible to predict every emergency, but you can take Cross and other partner agencies work 365 days a year to steps right now to lessen the effects, and in many cases, prevent and respond to emergencies, disaster preparedness prevent these disasters from happening in the first place. So starts with you. take advantage of this resource. Complete the checklists This book will guide you through the steps you and your and share it with family, friends and co-workers. Keep it in a family need to follow to be self-sufficient after a major safe place with your other disaster items. Knowing what to disaster. It will inform you about your disaster risks, walk you do in a disaster situation and being able to respond calmly through making a family disaster plan and guide you step- and with confidence can save your life. by-step in creating a disaster kit. It will also discuss specific Table of Contents 1. Be informed. .3 Learn about the disasters that could happen in your area and know your local resources. 2. Make a plan. .5 Create a plan before a disaster occurs. Talk about your plan with other household members and practice. 3. Get a kit. .6 Know what supplies should go into a disaster kit and get your financial documents in order. 4. Download the Red Cross Apps . 9 Put disaster preparedness in the palm of your hand. 5. Preparing for specific disasters. .10 What to do before, during and after these disasters Residential fire Wildfire Earthquake Tsunami Winter storms Flood Landslide Medical emergencies Biological or chemical threat, terrorism or pandemic flu Volcanoes 6. Individuals with access and functional needs. .20 7. Seniors. 21 8. Your mental health. 21 9. Preparing your pet for disaster. 22 10. What you need to know about your utilities . 23 11. What you need to know about water and water storage. 24 12. Additional resources. .25 13. Be Red Cross Ready checklist. 27 14. Free smoke alarm installation . back cover American Red Cross Cascades Region 2 PREPARE! A RESOURCE GUIDE 1. Be Informed Before you make a plan and build a kit, it’s important to know what disaster risks you face. The Pacific Northwest is known for its natural beauty, but behind this beauty lays great risk. We’re all vulnerable to house fires, wildfires, earthquakes, floods and dangerous winter weather conditions. Also, depending where you live, you may be at risk for tsunamis and landslides. The content in this section provides an overview on disasters in your region and information on how local emergency agencies will notify you. Regional risks Indoor risks Below is a snapshot of some risks you may face in the In addition to knowing your external risks, it’s equally Pacific Northwest. important to look around your home and office to identify Home fires—The Cascades Region of the Red Cross problem areas. Do a “hazard hunt” in your home. Find items responds to home fires more than any other type of that might fall during an earthquake and secure them. Look disaster. Fire experts agree that people may have as little for fire hazards, such as frayed wires and overloaded outlets as two minutes to escape a burning home before it’s too and make them safe. Ask yourself questions like: late to get out. Fires kill more Americans each year than Do I know the number and location of all smoke detectors all natural disasters combined and only 26 percent of in my house? families have developed and practiced a home fire Do I know how to test them and how often to replace the escape plan. (For more information, see p. 10) batteries? Wildfire—Parts of Oregon and Washington are prone to Do I have a fire extinguisher and know how to use it? deadly wildfires. Droughts and dry conditions throughout Do I know how to identify a gas leak? the year increase wildfire risk. Careless use of fire in Do I know how to shut off our water, power and natural highly wooded areas can also dramatically increase the gas sources? chance of a wildfire, that can then quickly spread across Do I know how to properly store water? trees and dry brush and threaten homes and businesses. All of these questions and many more will be answered (For more information, see p. 11) throughout this resource guide. Earthquake—Earthquakes strike suddenly, without warning, and they can occur at any time of the year, day or night. Residents and visitors to the Pacific Northwest Know how you’ll be notified face serious risk of crustal earthquakes, including the Public safety officials will communicate with the public in threat of a high-magnitude quake caused by the several different ways depending on the situation. These Cascadia Subduction Zone, a 600-mile fault line off the communication tools may include: Oregon, Washington and California coasts. (For more The Emergency Alert System (EAS) on television, radio information, see p. 12) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Tsunamis—With the risk of earthquakes comes the risk (NOAA) weather radios; of tsunamis, a series of large ocean waves generated by Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) available on many major earthquakes beneath the ocean floor or major smartphones; landslides into the ocean. When the waves enter shallow Community emergency notification systems at the county or water, they may rise to several feet or, in rare cases, tens city level. These systems typically send messages to landline of feet, striking the coast with devastating force. (For phones and to cell phones, and email addresses to those more information, see p. 14) who opt in. Residents in the greater Portland-Vancouver Floods—Floods are among the most frequent and costly metro area and surrounding counties can sign up for their natural disasters. Conditions that cause floods include local system by visiting www.publicalerts.org; heavy or steady rain for several hours or days that saturates The local media; the ground. Flash floods occur suddenly due to rapidly Social media including Twitter, Facebook and other social rising water along a stream or low-lying area. (For more media tools; and information, see p. 16) Door-to-door notifications (in some instances). Winter storms—Heavy snowfall, ice storms or extreme cold can immobilize our entire region. Even with our mild Northwest winters, we can experience paralyzing cold. Storm results can range from isolation to major traffic hazards or icy highways. (For more information, see p. 15) PREPARE! A RESOURCE GUIDE 3 American Red Cross Cascades Region Know the difference between an advisory, watch and warning American Red Cross Cascades Region Chapters When you are alerted about a disaster, oftentimes a warning level will be associated with it. For example, a radio broadcast Northwest Oregon Chapter may announce a winter storm warning in your area, or a TV Serves the residents of Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, station may issue a wildfire watch or a tsunami advisory in Gilliam, Hood River, Lincoln, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, your zip code. It’s important to have an understanding of Sherman, Tillamook, Wasco, Washington and Yamhill what this means, and know which warning level poses the counties. most imminent threat. According to the National Weather Regional Office Service Forecast Office, these terms are defined as: 3131 N. Vancouver Ave. Portland, Oregon 97227 Advisory Tel: (503) 284-1234 An advisory is issued when a hazardous weather event is occurring, imminent or likely. Advisories are for less serious Salem Office 675 Orchard Heights Rd. NW conditions than warnings that cause significant inconvenience Suite 200 and if caution is not exercised, could lead to situations that Salem, Oregon 97304 may threaten life or property. Tel: (503) 585-5414 Watch A watch is used when the risk of a hazardous weather event Central and Eastern Oregon Chapter has increased significantly, but its occurrence, location or Serves the residents of Baker, Crook, Deschutes, Grant, Harney, Jefferson, Morrow, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa and timing is still uncertain. It is intended to provide enough lead Wheeler counties and Warm Springs Reservation. time so those who need to set their plans in motion can do so. A watch means that hazardous weather is possible. Bend Office People should have a plan of action in case a storm threatens, 815 SW Bond St. and they should listen for additional information and Suite 110 possible warnings, especially when planning travel or outdoor Bend, Oregon 97701 activities. Tel: (541) 382-2142 Warning Southwest Oregon Chapter A warning is issued when a hazardous weather or event is Serves the residents of Benton, Coos, Curry, Douglas, occurring, imminent or likely. A warning means weather Jackson, Josephine, Klamath, Lane, Lake and Linn conditions pose a threat to life or property. People in the counties. path of the storm need to take protective action. Eugene Office 862 Bethel Dr. Know your nearest resources Eugene, Oregon 97402 Tel: (541) 344-5244 Dial 2-1-1 (toll-free) if you need information about where to donate or volunteer during a disaster, how to find Medford Office transportation or evacuation routes and where to get basic 60 Hawthorne St.