7-DAY FAMILY DISASTER PLANNING GUIDE
7-DAY FAMILY DISASTER PLANNING GUIDE
O P E R A T I O N B L E S S I N G D I S A S T E R R E L I E F S E R V I C E S
A 7-Day Guide to Creating Your Family Disaster Plan
Operation Blessing International 977 Centerville Turnpike • CSB #322
Virginia Beach, VA 23463 Phone 800.730.2537 • Fax 757.226.3657
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Operation Blessing is a non-profit agency that specializes in delivering disaster relief in “real time.” Operation Blessing was founded in 1978 and currently has bases in 22 countries outside the United States.
Operation Blessing’s capacity to respond to disasters continues to grow in strides. Our United States Disaster Relief Team is on site within 24 hours of a disaster providing thousands of hot meals, delivering tens of thousands of pounds of supplies with our fleet of semi trucks, coordinating volunteers, providing specialized heavy equipment, and more. However, as we help people who have been completely devastated by natural disasters, one theme continues to resound, “How can we help people to better prepare?”
In an effort to answer this question, Operation Blessing launched our first “Operation Blessing: Prepared Kids” program with a focus on educating students at a young age and motivating them to talk to their parents about creating a Family Disaster Plan. We believe if we empower kids to be catalysts of preparedness in their homes, this small investment of time could truly make the difference between life or death for hundreds of families across the United States.
Today, we presented “Operation Blessing: Prepared Kids” to your child’s school and we encouraged them to talk with their parent/guardian about these three steps: PLAN – Create a (Disaster) Plan, PREPARE – Prepare an Emergency Kit and PROTECT – Protect Your Family
is booklet is designed to help you create a 7-day plan for your family. By investing seven days with your family, you can help to prepare for the entire hurricane season and create a heritage of “preparedness” that can be passed through your family for generations to come. Setting aside two hours per night for one week can easily accomplish both building your family’s disaster plan and preparing your very own “Family Emergency Go Kit.” As a result, this will help protect your family in the event of a local disaster whether you are waiting out the storm at home, in a shelter, or evacuating to a neighboring city.
We invite you to sit down with your family, look through this booklet, prepare a plan for what your family will do if a hurricane threatens your community. We believe that with your help, Hampton Roads families can be prepared for this next hurricane season.
Blessings,
Letter from the Director
1-757-226-3401 Fax: 1-757-226-3411 http://www.operationblessing.org
Discuss the importance of preparing for a disaster and why it is important to "Create a Plan."
Create a Plan that contains: 1. When will you stay? vs. When will you leave? 2. Evacuation route and location 3. Create a document full of contact information to send to friends and family before you evacuate to inform others of your plan.
Continue to create & collect documents that contain important contact information for your family.
For Example: Insurance information, contact phone numbers, medication list, and birthcertificates, etc.
Create a shopping list which includes three days of food/water that your family can eat in the event that your home/community is without electricity (such as canned meats, canned fruits, crackers, etc.).
Create a shopping list for general emergency supplies such as flashlights, batteries, sleeping bags, first aid kits, etc.
7-DAY FAMILY PLANNER7-DAY FAMILY PLANNER
Shopping Day 1: Go shopping for your food/water and supplies as a family. It is best to see what you have at home and then buy within a budgeted price (recommended amount is 3 days of food for each member of your family).
When you return home, put your food in Ziploc bags or plastic containers as this will be placed in your "Family Emergency Go Kit" later in the week.
Shopping Day 2: Buy a large duffle bag, vacuum seal bags, and a plastic file box to serve as your "Family Emergency Go Kit."
Gather and shop for emergency supplies, such as flashlights, batteries, weather radios, first aid kits, toiletries, garbage bags, etc. (Note: Some states, such as Virginia, set aside one week prior to hurricane season that is tax-free on preparedness items.)
Organize supplies in plastic containers, Ziploc bags, and vacuum bags (Vacuum bags are a great way to pack sleeping gear such as sleeping bags and pillows into a small space).
Put all of your important documents in Ziploc bags in your plastic file case (i.e. Birth certificates, insurance policies, etc.).
Put all supplies into your duffle bag(s). You may choose to have one bag for your family or a bag for each member--packed and ready to go.
7-DAY FAMILY PLANNER7-DAY FAMILY PLANNER
DAY 4 Prepare
DAY 5 Prepare
DAY 4 Prepare
DAY 5 Prepare
a Kit (Putting It All Together)
FAMILY EMERGENCY GO KIT CHECKLIST Assemble this now. You can check off the items listed below as you obtain the items according to the 7-Day Family Planner, and place them in your kit. Put these items aside in a plastic bin sealed with duct tape in a specific location such as the garage.
Practice and review your plan. Learn how to monitor the weather through television and weather radios.
Establish a specific location to keep your “Family Emergency Go Kits.” It is best to place your kit in one location and encour- age the family not to remove items from the bag during the season.
7-DAY FAMILY PLANNER7-DAY FAMILY PLANNER
DAY 7 Protect
Protect Your Family
(Practice Your Plan)
Extra batteries
Toilet paper & moist towelettes
Clean change of clothes, rain gear, sturdy swamp boots you won't mind throwing away later
Food & water (enough for 3-5 days for each member of your family)
Non-perishable food
Wrench/pliers (for disconnecting utilities at the the request of local authorities)
Hand sanitizer
Pet supplies
Infant supplies/diapers
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BREAKFAST Cold Raisin Oatmeal (recipe below) 100% orange juice, 6.75-ounce pouch Instant coffee or tea
Cold Raisin Oatmeal - Serves 2 Ingredients:
2 packets instant oatmeal 1/3-cup dry milk 1 cup water ½-cup raisins, or other dried fruit 2 teaspoons sugar
Directions: Mix all ingredients and let stand for five minutes. Divide oat- meal into two bowls.
LUNCH Speedy Southwest Chicken (recipe below) Peaches, canned in juice, 4 ounces Pudding, canned, 4-ounce cup
Speedy Southwest Chicken - Serves 2 Ingredients:
5-ounce can of chicken breast*, drained 8 ½-ounce can corn, drained 8 ½-ounce can diced tomatoes w/ green chili (or herbs and seasoning of your choice), drained
Directions: Mix all ingredients, divide meal in two, enjoy.
EVENING MEAL Quick & Hearty Ham Goulash (recipe below) Crackers, 6 Dry milk, 1/3 cup, mixed w/ 1 cup water
Quick & Hearty Ham Goulash - Serves 2 Ingredients:
5-ounce can chunked ham* 8 ½-ounce can baked beans, undrained 8 ½-ounce can mixed peas and carrots, drained
Directions: Mix all ingredients, divide meal in two, enjoy. *Can be substituted with canned fish, poultry, or meat of your choice
***Menu Content Courtesy of NOAA, the National Hurricane Center and http://www.baynews9.com
GROCERY SHOPPING LIST (Items used in sample menu on previous page)
Food item Amount Whole grain cereal 16-ounce box Instant oatmeal 2 packets 100% Juice 6 pouches (6.75 ounces each) Instant coffee 4-ounce jar Nutritional shake 2 cans (8 ounces each) Raisins 4 boxes (1.5 ounces each) Mixed nuts 2 bags (1 ounce each) Peaches 6 pack (4-ounce cans) Dry milk 9.6-ounce box Applesauce 6 pack (4 ounce cups) Peanut butter 18-ounce jar Graham crackers 1 box (16 ounces) Vegetarian chili 15-ounce can Chicken breast, canned 2 cans (5 ounces each) Chunked ham, canned 5-ounce can Tuna, canned 5-ounce can Salmon, canned 5-ounce can Whole kernel corn, canned 8.5-ounce can Diced tomatoes w/ green chili, canned 10-ounce can Baked beans, canned 8.5-ounce can Mixed peas and carrots, canned 8.5-ounce can No-salt herb seasoning 2.5-ounce container Mayonnaise 4 single serving packets Walnuts 1/2 cup bag Apple jelly 2 single serving packets Crackers, dry, crisp 1-pound box Green beans, canned 8.5-ounce can Pudding 6 cups (4 ounces each) Chocolate chip cookies 4 pack Granola bar 2 bars Sweet potatoes, canned 15-ounce can Cut yellow squash, canned 15-ounce can Butter beans, canned 15-ounce can Vegetable juice 4 cans (6 ounces each) Crackers with cheese filling 6 sandwich crackers (1 travel-size pack) Water 6 gallons
*To serve these meals hot, you may want to consider keeping a camping stove on hand.
FOOD SUPPLIES LIST (Items to support your family for 3-5 days)
Water: 2 quarts to 1 gallon per person (get a week's supply)
Shelf-packaged juice and milk boxes
Canned and powdered milk
Prepared foods (canned soups, beef, spaghetti, tuna, chicken, ham, packaged pudding)
Canned vegetables and fruits
Snack spreads (peanut butter, cheese spreads, jelly)
Cereal
Extra formula, baby food
FUN FAMILY ACTIVITIES Bring Out the Board Games Dust off the old Monopoly and Battleship boxes and enjoy a family board game competition. This is great because you don't need electricity to enjoy it.
Play Charades! Have everyone write down many ideas, characters, movies, etc. onto small pieces of paper and place them into a bucket. Each family member takes a turn drawing a piece from the bucket and acting out what is on the paper. It's free and you don't need many materials to have hours of fun.
Fun for the Little Ones Keeping young children under control during any storm can be rough, especially during a major storm that has probably left you without any power. Crafts work as a great way to keep them occupied. You can find simple household items to keep them entertained. If you have craft sticks (such as Popsicle) and paper, then they can color and create stick puppets. Have them put on a play afterwards--this can keep the entire family happy and entertained.
Curl Up with a Good Book Most people procrastinate from reading; even though a book may look intriguing, we always give ourselves excuses as to why we don't have the time. Well, now is that time, so curl up next to a candle and indulge. You might find yourself getting lost for hours.
Courtesy of Aya Chin--“Fun Things to Do During a Hurricane”
PROTECT YOUR FAMILY Review and practice your plan regularly.
Stay informed by monitoring the weather by television and weather radios.
Establish a set location to keep your “Family Emergency Go Kit.” It is best to keep them in one location and encourage the family to not remove any items during the off season.
Don’t lose your roof to high winds! Have hurricane straps installed to keep the roof attached to the walls.
Use storm shutters to protect windows and glass. Use them when severe weather is coming. The storm shutters protect against flying debris like trees and shingles or other things carried by strong winds. (It is best to have all shutters, straps and screws stored in one easily accessible location prior to hurricane season.)
Find out the best evacuation route and plan out where your family will to go in case of evacuation.
If told to leave, grab your “Family Emergency Go Kit” and go immediately to the designated shelter or your pre-planned location. Be sure to follow the recommended evacuation routes.
Never take shortcuts.
Become familiar with your community’s hurricane warning system. Every member of your family should know what to do when a hurricane warning or watch is announced.
If in a mobile home, get out and seek shelter elsewhere.
HOW TO TRACK HURRICANES The National Hurricane Center, which is part of the National Weather Service, tracks tropical storms and hurricanes.
Hurricane watches and warnings are issued when the storms get close to the United States. You can track the progress of storms by listening to the longitude and latitude coordinates given by your television meteorologists. Just match up the coordinates on your very own map that is located on the following page and track the hurricane season yourself! You may want to use a different color for each hurricane to make it easier to read.
Example (Chart the first 2 coordinates and then connect them by a line…repeat until complete):
Step 1: Step 2:
ANDREA
BARRY
CHANTAL
DEAN
ERIN
GABRIELLE
HUMBERTO
INGRID
TEN
JERRY
LORENZO
NOEL