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“Are you ready to go? Do you have everything?
We are leaving now.” ~Rescue Personnel
Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Snowstorms, Earthquakes, And Other Natural Disasters
Put Us At Risk For Evacuating With Only A Moment’s Notice
“Are you ready to go? Do you have everything?
We are leaving now.” ~Rescue Personnel
Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Snowstorms, Earthquakes, And Other Natural Disasters
Put Us At Risk For Evacuating With Only A Moment’s Notice
Hurricane Evacuation PSA:
Make Your Evacuation Plan
1.3K
died from excessive heat events in past year
5
hurricanes, droughts and wildfires, flooding and high winds weather events leading to evacuation orders
100%
older adults at risk for evacuations, climate emergencies, and adverse impact from climate change
Ensuring your safety during unforeseen emergencies is of utmost importance. Consider embracing Emergency Alert Apps on your smartphone as a crucial step in disaster preparedness. By installing and regularly updating these apps, you empower yourself with immediate access to critical information and alerts that can make a significant difference during emergencies.
I understand that smartphone applications can be intricate, and many of us may not be familiar with their complexities. Rest assured, I am here to provide personalized assistance in navigating and customizing these apps to suit your individual preferences and capabilities. Customizing the alerts allows you to tailor them to your specific needs, creating a user-friendly and relevant experience that aligns with your unique requirements.
To enhance your familiarity with alert systems, I invite you to participate in regular workshops. These sessions serve as educational opportunities, helping you understand the functionalities of the apps, interpret various types of alerts, and practice responsive actions. Together, we can foster a proactive approach to technology, allowing you to confidently navigate emergency situations with the aid of your smartphone. This contributes to an overall sense of security and preparedness within our cherished senior community.
Ensuring your safety during emergencies is a top priority. Let’s talk about Transportation Planning to make sure you’re well-prepared. Engaging in these conversations allows you to consider transportation options proactively, creating effective evacuation strategies tailored to your needs.
Partnering with local transportation services is a crucial step. This collaboration establishes a strong network dedicated to senior evacuations, ensuring a coordinated and efficient response when it matters most. This effort reinforces our community’s resilience and assures you that support is readily available during challenging times.
I encourage you to keep an updated list of reliable transportation resources. Having a compiled and regularly updated list allows you to connect swiftly with trustworthy providers in emergencies. This proactive approach boosts your confidence in accessing reliable transportation options, fostering an overall sense of security and readiness within our cherished senior community.
Ensuring your safety and well-being within our senior center community is paramount. Let’s talk about the importance of keeping your phone number and address updated, a fundamental aspect of our preparedness for emergencies. Stressing the significance of current contact information is a proactive measure that ensures effective communication when it matters most. By maintaining up-to-date phone numbers and addresses, you can swiftly receive critical information and assistance during any unforeseen circumstances.
To maintain a cohesive and responsive network, we’ve established a systematic approach for periodic updates within our senior center community. This streamlined process encourages regular check-ins, ensuring changes in your contact information are promptly recorded. This systematic approach enhances the overall preparedness of our senior community, creating a foundation for a well-connected and supportive environment.
Empowering you with the skills to manage your information independently is crucial. That’s why we offer training sessions on updating and managing contact details on smartphones. Providing guidance on navigating smartphone settings ensures you can confidently and efficiently update your contact details, fostering a sense of self-sufficiency and technological empowerment within our close-knit senior community.
Your safety during emergencies is our top priority, and having a safe communication plan is key. Let’s work together to develop a comprehensive strategy tailored to your needs.
We will create a plan that ensures you can swiftly notify your trusted family and friends about your safety during disasters. This involves step-by-step guidance on how to initiate contact, what information to share, and how to convey your well-being effectively. Your peace of mind is our goal.
To make communication easier during stressful times, we’ll provide you with templates or guides. These resources will serve as valuable tools, offering a quick and effective way to convey essential information, reducing uncertainty and providing clarity during emergencies.
Your well-being is at the heart of our community, and by working together on a safe communication plan, we aim to empower you with the tools and knowledge needed to navigate any unforeseen circumstances confidently.
Ensuring your safety during and after emergencies is a priority, and having designated meeting places is a crucial part of our preparedness plan. Let’s work together to identify and establish these safe havens tailored to your needs.
Collaboration is key, and by working with you and fellow seniors, we’ll pinpoint meeting places that provide comfort and security during challenging times. Emphasizing the importance of clear communication regarding these locations is paramount. We’ll ensure you are well-informed on how to convey and receive information about meeting places, reducing confusion and promoting a sense of security.
To enhance your confidence and preparedness, regular drills will be conducted. These exercises will familiarize you with meeting places, ensuring that you are well-acquainted with the surroundings and procedures. This proactive approach aims to instill a sense of readiness, allowing you to navigate emergencies with confidence and clarity.
Your well-being is our utmost concern, and together, we’ll create a plan that brings peace of mind during unforeseen circumstances.
Your health is of utmost importance, and medication preparedness is a critical aspect of ensuring your well-being. Let’s work together to ensure you are equipped for any situation.
I strongly advocate for maintaining a one-month supply of your medications in their original containers. This proactive approach ensures you have access to vital medications during unforeseen circumstances, providing a safety net for your health.
Emphasizing the importance of clear prescription visibility is crucial. We’ll work together to maintain an updated list of your medications, allergies, and emergency contacts. This comprehensive list serves as a valuable resource, ensuring that your healthcare providers have all the necessary information to support you effectively.
To safeguard temperature-sensitive medications, I’ll provide guidance on storage, including the use of small coolers. This ensures that your medications maintain their effectiveness even in challenging conditions, offering you peace of mind regarding your health.
Your well-being is our top priority, and by proactively addressing medication preparedness, we aim to provide you with the tools and knowledge to navigate any health-related challenges confidently.
Your comfort and well-being are paramount, especially during evacuations. Let’s discuss adaptive equipment considerations to ensure you are well-prepared for any situation.
I strongly encourage you to bring along your monitoring, mobility, and adaptive equipment during evacuations. These items are crucial for your daily comfort and health, and having them with you ensures continuity of care during challenging times.
To assist you in this process, we’ll develop a personalized checklist for essential equipment. This checklist will serve as a guide, ensuring that nothing is left behind and that you have all the necessary tools to maintain your well-being.
Furthermore, we’ll organize workshops specifically focused on packing and transporting adaptive devices. These sessions will provide practical insights and tips, empowering you to handle your equipment with confidence during evacuations.
Your comfort and peace of mind are our priorities, and by addressing adaptive equipment considerations together, we aim to ensure your safety and well-being in any circumstance.
Your preparedness is our focus, and having a packed suitcase with essentials is a key element of ensuring your comfort during unforeseen circumstances. Let’s work together on this essential aspect of your readiness.
I’ll guide you in keeping a suitcase packed with a week’s worth of clothes, toiletries, and personal supplies. This proactive measure ensures that you have everything you need readily available, reducing stress during unexpected events.
Emphasizing the importance of placing this suitcase near the most common exit is crucial for easy access. This strategic placement enables you to grab it swiftly, promoting efficiency and a sense of security.
To maintain optimal readiness, we’ll conduct regular reviews and updates of the suitcase’s contents. This ensures that your essentials align with your current needs and preferences, providing you with comfort and familiarity in any situation.
Your peace of mind is our priority, and together, we’ll create a plan that ensures you are well-prepared for whatever comes your way.
Your safety is our utmost concern, and becoming familiar with the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) is vital for your preparedness during emergencies. Let’s navigate this together to ensure your well-being.
I will provide detailed education on IPAWS, explaining its role in delivering emergency alerts efficiently. Understanding the system equips you with the knowledge needed to respond effectively to various situations.
Together, we’ll explore different alert categories, including Presidential, AMBER, and Imminent Threat alerts. Familiarizing yourself with these categories ensures you can discern the urgency and nature of each alert, contributing to a more informed and secure response.
Ensuring you understand how to respond to different types of alerts is key. We’ll work together on practical steps, empowering you to take swift and appropriate actions, fostering confidence and peace of mind during emergency situations.
Your well-being is our priority, and by navigating IPAWS together, we aim to enhance your readiness and empower you to face emergencies with confidence.
Your ongoing preparedness is crucial, and I am committed to supporting you through continuous training and drills. Together, we’ll navigate these steps to ensure your confidence and well-being during unforeseen events.
I propose establishing a continuous training program on disaster preparedness, featuring regular drills that cater to your specific needs. These exercises aim to enhance your readiness, providing practical experience and knowledge on responding to various scenarios.
Collaborating with local emergency services, we’ll conduct mock evacuation exercises. This collaboration ensures that you’re familiar with evacuation procedures and helps build a resilient community ready to face challenges collectively.
Your feedback is invaluable, and I encourage open communication after each drill. This allows us to identify areas for improvement and tailor our approach to better meet your needs, fostering a sense of community resilience.
By engaging in ongoing training and drills, we aim not only to ensure your safety but also to empower you with the skills and confidence to face any situation with resilience.
Notes from the Author
The Federal Emergency Management Agency list these important considerations because your family may not be together if a disaster strikes, so it is important to think about the following situations and plan just in case. As a result, you should consider the following questions when making a plan.
Quick Quiz
- Do you use emergency alert apps on your smartphone?
- What transportation will you use in an emergency?
- In fact, have you updated your phone number and address with your trusted family and friends?
- What is your plan for informing your trusted family and friends that you are safe when an emergency is underway?
- Lastly, what is the designated meeting place where you will meet your trusted family and friends during and after an emergency?
We recommend:
- Keep a one-month supply of medications in the original containers with the prescription clearly visible ready for evacuations. A medical identification card or bracelet is helpful in listing allergies, medications, diagnosis, and emergency contact. Be sure to store the medications as directed which may include a small cooler for items such as insulin.
- Be sure to take along any monitoring, mobility, and other adaptive equipment from. Pack up older/alternative prescription glasses, hearing aids, and other devices that may work short term in case an item is left behind.
- Keep a suitcase packed with a week of clothes, toiletries, and other personal supplies along with the medical equipment in an easy to reach location, preferably near the most common exit. This will minimize the time and energy devoted to moving things allowing for more time to concentrate on assisting people.
Organized by FEMA, the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) is the Nation’s alert and warning infrastructure. It provides an effective way to alert and warn the public about emergencies using the Emergency Alert System (EAS), Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards, and other public alerting systems from a single interface. IPAWS is used to send notifications for three alert categories — Presidential, AMBER, and Imminent Threat.
Monica Stynchula – CEO / REUNIONCare, Inc.
