Emergency Preparedness Guide

Sioux Falls EMERGENCY Preparedness Guide City of Sioux Falls Emergency Management SIOUX FALLS EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS GUIDE i Sioux Falls EMERGENCY Preparedness Guide 2012 version Introduction ......................................................1 Disasters and emergencies can Be aware, be prepared, and have a plan! ...............1 strike any where and at anytime. Sioux Falls emergency preparedness .................2 Do you know what to do if an event What should you do to prepare for an emergency? ...2 were to occur that would threaten What can you do now? ........................................3 When disaster strikes .........................................6 your family or your home? Where Where should you get information? ......................6 would you go? How would your Where should you go? .........................................6 family and property be protected? What should you do . if your electrical power goes out? ..................7 if you lose heating to your home? ...................8 Please take a few moments and if your are involved in a flood situation? ..........8 if your home catches on fire? .........................8 review the information in this to escape from a burning building? .................9 guide. Knowing what to do before if you are caught in a thunderstorm? ..............9 a disaster occurs is your best if you are caught in a tornado? ....................10 if you hear outdoor warning sirens? .............11 protection during an emergency if there is a severe winter storm? ................11 event. if you become involved in a technological emergency? .........................................12 if you are involved in a terrorist event? ........13 after an emergency? ...................................16 Your family’s safety starts with Additional resources .........................................16 you. Emergency Telephone Numbers .......................17 Sioux Emergency Management, 2820 South Minnesota Avenue, Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57105 • (605) 367-8753 • www.siouxfalls.org SIOUX FALLS EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS GUIDE 1 Introduction his Emergency Preparedness Guide will assist Be aware, be prepared, and you in preparing yourself and your family to have a plan! Trespond to and recover from all types of disasters. The lives you save could be your own, because Please slow life’s hectic pace for just a few hours, sit what you don’t know can hurt you. The better you down with your family, read this booklet, and discuss prepare, the less time it will take to recover from a di- how each of you should handle an emergency situa- saster. Your preparation will also help our emergency tion. It will be quality time with your loved ones and responders do their job during an emergency. could save your life, and even your neighbors’ lives. The information in this booklet comes from many local and national experts in emergency management, and offers proven strategies for survival and recovery. We hope you keep this information as a reference tool and act on many of the suggestions found inside. Store it in your “grab and go” kit so you will always know its location and can take it with you if the need arises. If you need further information on emergency planning, contact Sioux Falls Emergency Manage- ment at 367-8753. 2 SIOUX FALLS EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS GUIDE Sioux Falls emergency preparedness here will you and your family be when di- Create your own disaster plan. saster strikes? You could be anywhere—at Wwork, school, or in the car. An emergency • Discuss with your family what actions should be can occur at anytime and without warning, leaving taken during a disaster. little or no time for you or your family to plan and • Pick two places to meet: prepare. What would you do if basic services—water, gas, electricity or telephones—were cut off? Could 1) A spot right outside your home for an emergency you evacuate at a moment’s notice? Local officials such as a fire or tornado. and relief workers will be on the scene shortly after a 2) A place outside your neighborhood in case you can't disaster occurs, but they cannot reach everyone right return home. away. It is necessary for you to learn what you need to do to be prepared—before an emergency occurs. • Choose an out-of-town contact your family can Knowing what to do is your best protection during a use to “check-in” with, in the event you become disaster. separated. • Make sure all members of your family know What should you do to these addresses and telephone numbers. prepare for an emergency? • Discuss what to do in an evacuation. Learn what hazards could affect you. Practice and maintain your plan • Your local emergency management office can Practice makes perfect! provide you a list of the hazards identified for your particular area and how to respond. • Every six months, test family members on their responsibilities. • Discuss the dangers with your family. • Conduct periodic fire and evacuation drills. • Learn your community's warning signals and evacuation plans. Know what they sound like and • Post emergency telephone numbers by the what to do when you hear them. phones and teach children how to call for help and in what situations. • Find out how to help the elderly or disabled, if needed. • Stock emergency supplies and assemble a Disas- ter Supplies Kit. • Determine what you will do for animal care, as evacuation shelters will not accept pets due to • Install smoke detectors and fire extinguishers health regulations. throughout your home and make sure each member of your family knows how to use them. • Get copies of disaster plans for your workplace, child’s school, and other places where your fam- • Take a Red Cross first aid and CPR class or take ily spends time. Sioux Falls Fire Rescue CERT training. • Teach your family members how and when to turn off the water, gas, and electricity at the main switches. DTP/H615001.indd SIOUX FALLS EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS GUIDE 3 What can you do now? Prepare a disaster supplies kit Assemble a Disaster Supplies Kit before disaster strikes. You should gather food, water, and supplies and be ready in the event you must evacuate or go without basic services for an extended period of time. The kit can be put into five-gallon buckets, duffel bags, or backpacks for quick loading during an emergency. Water Five days’ supply, replace every six months. o One gallon per person per day. Store in sealed, unbreakable containers. o 2- and 3-inch sterile roller bandages Food o Scissors Three to five days’ supply of nonperishable, packaged or canned o Tweezers food per person. Replace every six months. o Needles o Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits, and vegetables o Sunscreen o Soups or dried soups in a cup o Safety razor blade o Juices, powdered or canned o Cotton swabs o Milk, powdered or canned o Syrup of Ipecac o Stress foods; e.g., sugar cookies or candy o Moistened towelettes o Smoked or dried meats such as beef jerky o Antiseptic spray or cream o Vitamins o Nonbreakable thermometer o High-energy foods; e.g., peanut butter, nuts, trail mix o Latex gloves o Sugar, salt, pepper, and seasonings o Petroleum jelly o Cereals, pasta, crackers, or rice o Assorted sizes of safety pins o Cleansing agent; e.g., soap, alcohol, or peroxide Clothing & bedding o Tongue blades and wooden applicator sticks Include at least one complete change of clothing and footwear o Diarrhea medications per person. o Water purification tablets o Sturdy shoes or work boots o First aid manual o Warm socks o Thermal underwear Tools & supplies o Blankets, sleeping bags, pillows, mats o Mess kits, plastic cups, plastic utensils o Hats, gloves, extra warm clothing o Flashlights, extra bulbs, extra batteries o Sunglasses, rain gear, jackets o Battery-operated radio, extra batteries o Wooden matches in waterproof container First aid kit o Aluminum foil, plastic storage bags o Sterile adhesive bandages o Signal flares o 3-inch sterile gauze pads (8–12) o Paper, pencils, notebooks o Triangular bandages (3) o Needles, thread, cloth patches o 2-inch sterile gauze pads (8–12) o Shovels, axe, crowbar, assorted tools o Hypoallergenic adhesive tape 4 SIOUX FALLS EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS GUIDE Sanitation Water o Personal hygiene items; e.g., soap, deodorant, etc. o Plastic bucket with tight lid Water is the most important resource to have avail- o Spray disinfectant able. Dehydration can occur in as quickly as 36 hours without it. Therefore, having plenty of water available Special items for each member of your family is crucial. o Prescription medications (rotate stock) • Do not ration water o Aspirin, allergy tablets, cold medicine supplies unless in- o Hydrogen peroxide, household bleach structed to do so. Have o Denture needs, contact lens solution adequate amounts on o Extra eyeglasses hand to support your o Entertainment pack (games, books, photos, toys) household for three to o Baby formula, juice (powdered) five days. As a rule of o Diapers, wipes thumb, at least one gal- o Bottles lon per person per day o Powdered milk should be stored. o Cell phone with extra batteries o Prepaid phone card • For planning purposes, o Checkbook treat each pet as an individual family member. Important family documents • Store water in clean, sealed, unbreakable con- Keep copies in a waterproof, sealed container or plastic bag. tainers. o Important phone numbers o Wills and insurance policies • Store containers on shelves or pallets to keep o Contracts, deeds, stocks, and bonds them off concrete surfaces. Concrete can cause o Passports, social security cards container failure, which could result in possible o Immunization records contamination of the contents within. o Family records (birth, marriage, death) • Replace your stock of stored water every six o Inventory of valuable household goods months. o Special photographs, pictures • Water treated commercially, such as city tap Immediately after an emergency or disaster, essential water, does not require any additional treatment services may be cut off and you may have to survive prior to storage.

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