Bring preparedness to the dinner table this Thanksgiving

It’s almost here: that moment when the turkey is stuffed and roasted, the potatoes are mashed and the cranberry sauce is plated. And then it’s quiet, as family and friends take the first bite of the meal they’ve looked forward to all year. But, if you’re like most families, that silence won’t last long. Before the football game and sales at the mall, Thanksgiving is a time for catching up, connecting and talking with those you love over a great meal.

So what will you talk about with your family at the dinner table this year? At Get Ready, we think there’s no better time to chat about preparedness. Here are some preparedness Thanksgiving questions and topics to get your family talking:

• This year, were there times that you needed to be prepared? How did it go?
• What are you thankful you knew about preparedness this year?
• Where do you and your family feel the least ready for an emergency? How can you better prepare yourself for those times?
• Did you get a flu shot?

You can also spend some time this holiday on preparedness activities. A few suggestions:

• Get Ready trivia: Make preparedness fun. Grab some of the Get Ready fact sheets and quiz your family on what to do in case of an emergency. Check out our info on winter storms, and Ebola.
• Check your stocks: You’ve already got the canned goods out from preparing a tasty meal. Take this time as a family to add any extra preparedness supplies to your emergency stockpile kit.
• Keep the kids busy with our Get Ready games and puzzles.

Get the conversation going and share with us what you learn. How will you make preparedness a part of your Thanksgiving?

Having a family communication plan is key, especially during an emergency

Disasters can strike when you least expect them, and you may not be with your family when they happen. Having a family communication plan can help you get in contact with your loved ones during an emergency.

 

In our latest podcast, APHA’s Get Ready team speaks with Jeffrey Mitchell, clinical professor of emergency health services at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County and co-founder of the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, about the importance of including communications in family emergency preparedness planning.

 

“Make sure that you don’t make the plan so complex that people are not able to follow it,” Mitchell says. “It needs to be simple; it needs to be done with some degree of speed, and it has to be very effective so it works for the family system.”

 

Social media tools and text messaging can be fast, effective ways to communicate during a disaster, and Mitchell encourages incorporating them into your plan. Facebook and Twitter can be especially useful tools if you can’t get to a phone or if phone lines are down or overloaded, he noted. For family members who don’t use social media, it’s important to have other communication plans.

 

“If you have elderly people in the family who are not on the Internet, and they rely heavily on phone communication, then that needs to be built into the process as well,” he adds.

Here are some more things to consider when developing your family’s communication plan, courtesy of the Federal Emergency Management Agency:

• Make a contact card for each family member including children. Put it in your everyday wallet, purse, briefcase or backpack.
• Identify an out-of-town relative or family friend who can be another contact for your family, especially in the event of an evacuation. Make sure every member of your family knows the emergency contact’s information.
• Make sure every family member has a cellphone, money or a prepaid phone card to use for calls.
• If you have a cellphone, program your “in case of emergency” contact into your phone.
• Teach family members how to use text messaging, which can work around network problems that prevent a phone call from going through.
• Subscribe to alert services. Many communities have systems that send emails or text messages in the event of an emergency.

For more information, listen to the podcast or read the transcript. For more family preparedness tips, visit the Get Ready Parents page on our website.

Get ready! It’s National Preparedness Month

It can be impossible to prevent disasters, particularly when it comes to something like tornadoes or earthquakes. But you can be better prepared for them. As September is National Preparedness Month, now’s a great time to get ready!

Here are a few quick steps to put you on the road to readiness this month:

• Build an emergency supply kit. Make sure to include the basics, such as at least a three-day supply of food and water. Choose foods that don’t require refrigeration and are not high in salt. Other items to include are batteries, flashlights, a manual can opener, a radio, a battery-operated cellphone charger and copies of important documents.
• Create a family communication plan so everyone knows what needs to be done before and during an emergency or in an evacuation. Review and practice the plan with all family members. If you need to evacuate, know where the nearest shelter is and how to get there safely.
• Stay informed! Keep up to date on all the information your local emergency management officials send out during an emergency. Make sure to heed all advice from local emergency officials, such as evacuation notices.

Your organization or business can become a part of National Preparedness Month by joining the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Preparedness Community. Members — who include APHA’s Get Ready campaign! — pledge to promote preparedness and have access to free resources and a planning toolkit.

For more preparedness tips and tools, check out our Get Ready fact sheets, perfect to hand out at community events, on campus or at work and to share with those you care about.

‘Hey, where is everyone?’ Communicating with your family during disasters

Family making an emergency plan / FEMA

Have you ever planned an event with your friends or family? You decide where to meet and how to reach one another if someone is late or gets lost. You also pick someone to be in charge of transportation. Having plans in place ahead of time helps create a successful gathering.

Getting your family ready for an emergency is kind of like organizing a family activity. There are many similar things to think about: Do you have a plan if something goes wrong? Do you have supplies? Do you know where to meet or how to contact one another?

Chances are not all family members will be together when a disaster strikes, so it’s important to plan ahead. Talk to your family about what to do in advance of a disaster. This will help reduce fear and anxiety when things are tough.

Here are a few key tips for communicating with your family before and during disasters:

1. Meet with your family about why you need to prepare for disasters.
2. Talk about the types of disasters that are most likely to occur in your area.
3. Pick three places to meet based on each situation.
4. Develop a communications plan in case family members are separated from one another. Complete a contact card for each family member and place it in their wallet, purse, book bag or backpack.
5. Communicate with text messages during a disaster, as cell phone service may be out. Text messages often go through when a phone call might not.
6. Program your cell phone with your “ICE” contact, short for “in case of emergency.” Emergency workers will check for ICE contacts if something bad happens.  If you have put a lock on your phone, you might want to think about putting a sticker with your ICE contact on the back of your phone.

Everybody’s needs are different, but we can each take important steps to prepare our families for disasters. And communication is key.

For more information on preparing families for disasters, check out  American Red Cross’s Get a Kit. Make a Plan. Be Informed, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Develop a Family Disaster Plan and the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Family Emergency Plan Template.

APHA’s Get Ready campaign also offers a fact sheet for parents in English and Spanish to help your family make a plan.

Helping your neighbors in a disaster

Are you prepared to help your neighbors during an emergency? According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, in 95 percent of emergencies, the victim or a bystander provides the first immediate assistance. Being ready and knowing how to react can make a big impact and even save lives, as this week’s attack in Boston showed.

Here are some quick tips for helping those in need during an emergency:

Neighbors helping neighbors in a flood.
Photo By DAVE SAVILLE/ FEMA News Photo

• Start by making sure that you and your family are prepared. Keep your emergency kits stocked and in a safe, accessible place. Have a plan for where your family will meet and how to contact each other if phones or electricity are down. It will be hard to help others if you are too worried about yourself and your loved ones. 
• Get to know your neighbors. Learn more about them and spread the word about preparedness. Keep an eye out for those who will be able to assist you in helping those with disabilities, special needs or physical limitations. If there are caretakers or family who visit regularly, be sure to say hello to them as well. You could be a vital lifeline in the event they are not able to visit for several days. 
• Prepare for company. When creating your emergency kit, add some extras in case you need to take in your neighbors or your in-laws happen to be in town that weekend. That includes food, water, blankets and other necessities, such as toilet paper. Don’t forget entertainment, either. While adults might get by with a deck of cards, kids without TV may need something to stay occupied. Activities that don’t waste batteries and are suitable for groups will work best.
• Get certified in CPR and first aid. According to the American Heart Association, 88 percent of cardiac arrests occur in the home, but less than a third of Americans are properly prepared to administer CPR. Check with your local American Red Cross chapter or volunteer center for CPR classes.
• Volunteer with National Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster, Community Emergency Response Team, Red Cross or other organizations active in emergency response and preparedness. Such groups offer numerous free training opportunities ranging from CPR and basic preparedness to shelter management and urban search and rescue. Commitment levels can also vary based on skills and your availability.

See our fact sheets on building a stockpile, activities and information for kids, and preparedness tips for people with disabilities to learn more about how you can help your neighbors in a disaster.