Preface The Cuyahoga County Office of Emergency Management (CCOEM) created this Emergency Emergency Preparedness Guide to provide information on what to do before, during, and after a disaster. Individual citizens must take positive action to Preparedness protect themselves and their families against threats and hazards that pose a risk to daily lives. Guide The Cuyahoga County Emergency Preparedness Guide includes tips on how to prepare for and respond to various emergencies. We hope that this information is useful, and we encourage all citizens to take the time to prepare for a disaster or emergency. Additional information is available by visiting www.ready.cuyahogacounty.us or by contacting CCOEM at [email protected] or 216-443-5700. 2 Table of Contents Emergency Notification Systems Emergency Notification Systems Pg. 4 Ready Notify: Make a Plan Pg. 8 Ready Notify is a mass notification system used by Cuyahoga County and participating municipalities Build a Kit Pg. 12 to issue emergency notifications to the public. During a Disaster Pg. 15 Ready Notify is primarily used for emergency notifications when rapid and accurate information is Typical Hazards in Cuyahoga County Pg. 18 essential for your immediate safety; however, you Power Outages Pg. 19 may choose to be notified of general Cuyahoga County Government News as well. Flooding Pg. 20 Ready Notify is used to notify citizens, residents, and Winter Weather Pg. 23 businesses of emergency situations, non-emergency events, and provide information about necessary Heat Emergencies Pg. 24 actions. Thunder and Lighting Pg. 25 Ready Notify sends warnings and alerts via: Voice/Phone Call Tornados Pg. 26 SMS/Text Message Be Alert Pg. 28 Email Fax Get Involved Pg. 29 Important Phone Numbers Pg. 30 Register to receive warning and alert messages by visiting http://readynotify.cuyahogacounty.us/ or Preparedness Links Pg. 31 contacting CCOEM at 216-443-5700. 3 4 Emergency Notification Systems Emergency Notification Systems Emergency Alert System: Wireless Emergency Alerts: The Emergency Alert System (EAS) is a national public Cell phones receive warning system for emergencies. The system also may be Wireless Emergency Alerts used by state and local authorities to deliver important (WEA) during emergency information, such as AMBER alerts and emergencies, including: weather information targeted to specific areas. The warnings of extreme radio and TV stations listed below will provide Emergency weather, local Alert System (EAS) messages that will tell you about the emergencies requiring evacuation or immediate action, emergency and what to do. AMBER Alerts, or Presidential Alerts during national emergencies. WEAs look like a text message. The WEA message will Local Primary show the type and time of the alert, any action you should take, and the agency issuing the alert. WEAs are Radio Stations: short messages designed to get your attention in a critical situation. When you receive an alert, check local Name Station Website television, radio broadcasts, or news websites for more information, or take other recommended actions as WTAM 1100 AM www.wtam1100.com needed. Visit http://www.fema.gov/frequently-asked- questions-wireless-emergency-alerts for more info. WCPN 90.3 FM www.wcpn.org You do not need to download an app or Local Primary Television Stations: subscribe to a service to receive WEA Name Channel Affiliate Website notifications. Cell phones made after 2012 WKYC 3 NBC www.wkyc.com are WEA-capable WEWS 5 ABC www.newsnet5.com Emergency Sirens: WJW 8 FOX www.fox8.com Emergency sirens are activated locally and are WOIO 19 CBS www.19actionnews.com designed to alert area residents of threatening conditions. On flat terrain with no wind, most sirens WVIZ 25 PBS www.wviz.org can be heard up to one mile away over normal background noise. Local systems are tested regularly. WUAB 43 UPN www.my43.net 5 6 Emergency Notification Systems Make a Plan Sirens are designed as an outdoor warning system It is important to have plans for how you will respond to and may not be audible in densely populated areas emergencies and disasters. or indoors. NOAA Weather Radio: Consider developing 3 plans for The National Weather Service (NWS) provides local your family: weather broadcasts via National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio. Evacuation Plan These radios are the best source of information for severe Reunification/Communications weather. They receive information directly from the NWS and can function as an alarm, warning of impending Plan hazards. Shelter-in-Place Plan NOAA Weather Radios can be purchased at most large retailers or Evacuation Plan: online. Plan how you will assemble your family and supplies, and anticipate where you will go in different situations. NOAA Weather Radios Designate places where your family will meet, both provide broadcasts of the within and outside of your immediate neighborhood. latest weather information from local NWS offices. Become familiar with alternate routes and other means Weather messages are of transportation out of your area. Choose several repeated every 4-7 minutes, destinations in different directions so you have options or more frequently in rapidly in an emergency. changing local weather, or if a nearby hazardous environmental condition exists. Plan to take one car per family to reduce congestion This service operates 24 hours a day. and delay. Look at smart phone apps too. The If you do not have a car, plan how you will leave if you have to. Make arrangements with family, friends, or FEMA Emergency your local government. Preparedness App is a great, free tool! 7 8 Make a Plan Make a Plan Reunification/Communication Plan: Shelter-In-Place (cont.): This plan will help you make and maintain contact with Choose a room in advance for your shelter. The best family members. room is one with as few windows and doors as possible. Identify meeting locations and times. A large room, preferably with a water supply is best. Designate a person(s) outside of the local area that Contact your workplaces, your children's schools, each family member can contact in the event of an nursing homes where you may have family, and your emergency. local town or city officials to find out what their plans Text Messages are more likely to process than voice are for shelter-in-place. phone calls. Find out when warning systems will be tested. When Prepare communications wallet cards which list tested in your area, determine whether you can hear contact numbers for each family member and or see sirens and/or warning lights from your home. designate a family member or friend as an out-of-town Develop a plan so that every family member knows contact. what to do. Practice it regularly. Program a contact as ICE (In Case of Emergency) in See page 15 for more shelter-in-place information. your cell phone. (e.g. ICE-Mom, ICE-Jim) Additional Planning Considerations: Shelter-In-Place Plan: Your plans should address any functional and access needs for family members including those who are Local authorities may instruct you to shelter-in-place if deaf or hard of hearing; have low vision or are blind; hazardous contaminants are released into the seniors, children, and infants; those with limited English environment. Shelter-in-place means to take immediate proficiency; people without vehicles; people with shelter where you are: at home, work, school, or in special dietary needs, amongst others. between. It may also mean "seal the room" by taking steps Other needs to consider: to prevent outside air from coming in. It is important to listen to TV or radio to understand whether the authorities • Possible need for manual wheelchair as backup for a wish you to merely remain indoors or to take additional motorized chair; additional oxygen tanks, catheters, or steps to protect yourself and your family. other medical supplies; know your prescriptions in case they are lost. • Labeling equipment or laminating instructions. • Provisions for refrigerated medications. • Have extra items for infants: formula, diapers, etc. • Acquiring transportation to a shelter. 9 10 Make a Plan Build a Kit In a large emergency, be prepared to get by without Don’t forget pets. Make a disaster plan that will work power, gas, water, or sewage services and without access for both you and your pets. to grocery stores, pharmacies, and ATMs for several days. Make a back-up emergency plan in case you are unable to care for your animals yourself. Make a supply kit for your pet: Consider creating two kits: • Food, water, medicine, pet carrier and leash, kitty litter, Home Preparedness Kit: toys, and other supplies. Everything you will need to stay where you are and Additional emergency planning information support yourself for at least is available at: three days. Ready Cuyahoga: http://ready.cuyahogacounty.us/ Evacuation Kit: A lightweight, smaller version that you can FEMA: http://fema.gov take with you if you have to leave your home Ready.gov: http://www.ready.gov/ immediately. Basic Supplies for Both Kits: Water: one gallon of water per person, per day. A three-day supply of non-perishable food. Week supply of medications and medical supplies. At least one flashlight and extra batteries. Warm coats, gloves or mittens, hats, boots, blankets. Battery-powered or hand crank radio. Infant formula and diapers. Pet food and water. redcross.org Cash, checks, and change. Have low denominations too. 11 12 Build a Kit Build a Kit Important documents: Vehicle Kit: • Insurance policies, identification, and bank account You may also want to keep emergency supplies in your vehicle in case you become stranded or are away from records in waterproof container or flash drive home when an emergency happens. Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Sand, rock salt, or non-clumping kitty litter to provide Warm clothing.