Prepare! a Resource Guide
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Prepare! A Resource Guide Cascades Region Serving Oregon and Southwest Washington redcross.org/cascades @RedCrossCasc RedCrossCascades RedCrossCascades Be Two Weeks Ready Central and Eastern Oregon Chapter Serving the residents of Baker, Crook, Deschutes, Grant, Being prepared for 72 hours is a good start and helpful Harney, Jefferson, Morrow, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa and in the event of short-term power outages or temporary Wheeler Counties and Warm Springs Reservation. evacuation. In the case of a large earthquake and tsunami, many of the Pacific Northwest’s transportation routes Bend Office will be destroyed. Individuals will need to count on each 815 SW Bond St., Ste. 110 other in the community, workplace and at home to be safe Bend, OR 97701 until responders can reach you. Emergency management 541-382-2142 agencies and the Red Cross encourage people to be Southwest Oregon Chapter prepared to be on their own for a minimum of two weeks. Serving the residents of Benton, Coos, Curry, Douglas, Prepare! A Resource Guide provides actions that Jackson, Josephine, Klamath, Lane, Lake and Linn Counties. individuals and households can take to increase their Eugene Office readiness to be two weeks ready. 440 E Broadway, Ste. 200 Eugene, OR 97401 Getting Trained 541-344-5244 Would you know what to do in a cardiac, breathing or first Southwest Washington Chapter aid emergency? Red Cross First Aid/CPR/AED courses Serving the residents of Clark, Cowlitz, Klickitat, Pacific, give you the skills to save a life. At least one person in your Skamania and Wahkiakum Counties. household should learn these lifesaving skills. Vancouver Office Call 1-800-RED CROSS to sign up for a class or visit 5109 NE 82nd Ave. redcross.org/take-a-class. Vancouver, WA 98662 360-693-5821 Contacting Your Local Red Cross Additional Preparedness Resources Online: redcross.org/cascades Go to: redcross.org/PrepareCascades Northwest Oregon Chapter Serving the residents of Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Gilliam, Hood River, Lincoln, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Sherman, Tillamook, Wasco, Washington and Yamhill Counties. Regional Headquarters Office 3131 N Vancouver Ave. Prepare! A Resource Guide was created and produced by the American Red Cross Cascades Region. This book or any portion thereof Portland, OR 97227 may not be reproduced or used without consent of the American Red Cross 503-284-1234 Cascades Region. Mission The American Red Cross prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors. 1 Prepare! A Resource Guide Introduction Disaster can strike at any time. Whether it’s a home fire at 3 It’s impossible to predict every emergency, but you can take a.m. or a 9.0 magnitude earthquake at 3 p.m., a single disaster steps right now to lessen the impact and, in many cases, can change your physical, emotional and financial health in prevent these disasters from happening in the first place. a matter of seconds. While the Red Cross and other partner Take advantage of this resource. Complete the checklists agencies work 365 days a year to prepare for and respond to and share it with family, friends and coworkers. Sharing emergencies, disaster preparedness starts with you. this information and what you are doing with others will This book will guide you through the steps you and your family encourage them to build their own preparedness. Keep your should take to be self-sufficient after a major disaster. It will information in a safe place with your other disaster items. inform you about your disaster risks, walk you through making Knowing what to do in a disaster situation and being able to a family disaster plan and guide you step-by-step in creating respond calmly and with confidence can save your life. a disaster kit. It will also discuss specific types of disasters with guidance on what to do before, during and after certain situations that are common in the Pacific Northwest. Contents 1. Be Informed 3 Learn about the disasters that could happen in your area and what to do before, during and after. • How You’ll Be Notified • Earthquake • Volcano • What You Need • Emergency • Tsunami • Medical to Know About Your Utilities Evacuation Levels • Winter Storm Emergencies • What You Need to • Residential Fire • Flood • Biological or Chemical Emergency Know About Water • Wildfire • Landslide Disaster Preparedness Calendar: A Week by Week Guide Centerfold 2. Make a Plan 19 Create a plan before a disaster occurs. Talk about your plan with other household members and practice. • Seniors • Individuals with • Preparing Your • Your Mental Health Access and Animals for Disaster Functional Needs 3. Build a Kit 23 Know what supplies are recommended for a disaster kit and get your financial documents in order. 4. Download the Red Cross Apps 26 Put disaster preparedness in the palm of your hand. 5. Emergency Contacts 27 6. Home Fire Escape Plan 28 Free Smoke Alarm Installation Back Cover American Red Cross Cascades Region 2 1. Be Informed Before you make a plan and build a kit, it’s important to know what disaster risks you face. We’re all vulnerable to house fires, wildfires, earthquakes, floods and dangerous winter weather conditions. Depending where you live, you may also be at risk for tsunamis and landslides. This section provides an overview of disasters which may occur in the Pacific Northwest and information on how local emergency agencies will notify you in case of those emergencies. How You’ll Be Notified Level 2 Public safety officials will communicate with the public in A Level 2 evacuation means Be Set to evacuate. several different ways depending on the situation. These YOU MUST PREPARE TO LEAVE AT A MOMENT’S communication tools may include: NOTICE: This level indicates there is significant danger to • The Emergency Alert System (EAS) on television, radio your area and residents should voluntarily relocate outside and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the affected area or, if choosing to remain, be ready to (NOAA) weather radios. evacuate at a moment’s notice. Residents MAY have time to gather necessary items, but doing so is at their own risk. • Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) available on many smartphones. THIS MAY BE THE ONLY NOTICE THAT YOU RECEIVE. Emergency services cannot guarantee • Community emergency notification systems at the county that they will be able to notify you if conditions rapidly or city level. These systems typically send messages to deteriorate. Area media services will be asked to landline phones, cell phones and email addresses of those broadcast periodic updates. who opt in. Reach out to your city or county emergency management organization to learn how to sign up. Level 3 • Local news media. A Level 3 evacuation means Go. Evacuate NOW. • Social media, including Twitter and Facebook. LEAVE IMMEDIATELY! Danger to your area is current or • Door-to-door notifications (in rare circumstances). imminent, and you should evacuate immediately. If you choose to ignore this advisement, you must understand • NOTE: In many cases, in order to receive emergency that emergency services may not be able to assist you notifications, individuals must visit websites of alerting further. DO NOT delay leaving to gather belongings or agencies and opt-in to receive emergency alerts. make efforts to protect your home. Emergency Evacuation Levels THIS WILL BE THE LAST NOTICE THAT YOU During emergencies, public safety officials may determine RECEIVE. Entry to evacuated areas may be denied that it is unsafe for residents to remain in their homes and until conditions are safe. Area radio stations, television order them to evacuate. Become familiar with the following stations and social media are asked to broadcast evacuation levels: periodic updates. Level 1 A Level 1 evacuation means Be Ready for potential evacuation. BE AWARE: Residents should be aware of the danger that exists in their area, monitor emergency services websites and local media outlets for information. This is the time for preparation and precautionary relocation of persons with access and functional needs, mobile property and (under certain circumstances) pets and livestock. If conditions worsen, emergency services personnel may contact you via an emergency notification system. 3 Prepare! A Resource Guide Residential Fire Did you know that 60 percent of home fire deaths occur in homes without working smoke alarms? The most effective way to protect yourself and your home from fire is to identify and remove fire hazards. During a home fire, working smoke alarms and a regularly practiced fire escape plan can save lives. Know the most common causes of home fires. In many cases, the cause is preventable. Cooking • Keep combustible and flammable liquids away from any source of heat, sparks or flame. • Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of • Use portable generators outdoors in well ventilated areas at time, remember to turn off the stove. least five feet from all doors, windows and vent openings. • Wear short, close-fitting or tightly-rolled sleeves Before when cooking. • Make a home fire escape plan that identifies two ways to • Position barbecue grills at least 10 feet away from siding escape every room (see p. 28). and deck railings and do not place them under eaves or overhanging branches. • Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home. Smoking • Replace disposable batteries at least once a year. • If you smoke, use only fire-safe cigarettes. • Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old. • If you smoke, smoke outside. • Windows with security bars, grills and window guards should • Extinguish cigarette butts and ashes in water or sand have easy-to-use, quick-release devices from inside the home.