Daily Home - The Responder

Emergency Management Preparedness For All Hazards?DAY, April ??, 2011 St. Clair Times

Responderthe

( Is having the ability to respond before, during and after a serious emergency.)

Emergency Management Preparedness For All Hazards

Responderthe

Talladega Daily Homeprovided by: TalladegaCounty EMA

Contact Talladega County EMA at (256) 761-2125 or log on to www.talladegaema.org

Paid for by the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program

TEAM TALLADEGAYou complete the team!

Located in the central portion of Talladega County your Talladega County Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Secu-rity (TCEMA/DHS) is working hard to plan, coordinate, mitigate and be ready to respond to emergencies and disasters. We continually stress the importance of community involve-ment in the process of response and preparation in case of an emergency or disaster. The combined efforts of emergency responders, agencies and citizens give everyone a sense of responsibility, commitment, pride and resilience. Everyone is essential for the outcome to be a success. As a citizen, business owner, educator, or church member, everyone is val-ued as an integral part of the team. The first step is as simple as making a commitment to be prepared in the event of a disaster or emergency.

In rural areas hit by storms or other disasters, often the first re-sponders are family and neighbors. It may be hours before emergency

responders can arrive on the scene to properly help with medical care or assistance. It’s in those initial hours that volunteers and team players will help family and neighbors by being ready, trained and willing to help. Be-ing prepared can be as simple as mak-ing a disaster kit or communicating with neighbors to make a plan. Get-ting trained in CPR, First Aid or Am-ateur Radio operations are just a few ways of being prepared and involved. Starting your own community volun-teer group is a great way to involve younger children and teenagers and educate them on safety and pre-paredness. Allowing children to help with the preparation and planning of pet care during an emergency is an easy way to encourage responsibility.

Please join with us to make Talla-dega County better prepared by get-ting involved with one of your local groups. There are many opportuni-ties for education, training and par-ticipation. Join us, be part of “Team Talladega”, where everyone matters.

For more information on volunteering opportunities contact Leigh Ann Butler at 256-761-2125 at TCEMA or one of the other

partnering agencies in your area.

This is a test, this is only a test ...

1. Do you and your family have a “Family Disaster Plan”?

2. Do you and your family practice your plan?

3. Do you know the emergency plan for church, work or school?

4. Do you have a disaster supply kit prepared?

5. Do you have an emergency alert radio?

If you answered “No” to any of the above questions, we still have work to do. Play it safe; plan, practice, prepare and be informed. It’s your Response/Ability.

beresponse/able

Wednesday, September 14, 2011


Responderthe Page 2

Wednesday, September 14, 2011Talladega Daily Home


PreParedness Calendarseptember 2011

National Preparedness Month ready.gov

October 2011

National Cyber Security Awareness Month National Animal Safety and Protection Month 9-15 National Fire Prevention Week ngpa.org 19 Fall Severe Weather Awareness Day srh.noaa.gov/bmx

november 2011 14-18 Winter Weather Awareness Week srh.noaa.gov/bmx

January 2012 National Blood Donor Month redcross.org

February 2012 Go Direct Month godirect.org/media/videos/disaster-

preparedness-video 20-24 Severe Weather Awareness Week srh.noaa.gov/bmx

March 2012 American Red Cross Month redcross.org 19-23 Flood Safety Week floodsafety.noaa.gov

Ask your parents if you can use the computer. Sit down together and visit

www.whatsyourrq.org to take the family readiness test for home and school.

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program educates citizens about disaster pre-paredness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster triage. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace fol-lowing an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. CERT members also are encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in emergency prepared-ness projects in their community.

The Talladega County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) will be hosting several classes throughout the year. If you are interested in attending a class please feel free to contact the EMA at 256-761-2125 or email [email protected]

CerTCommunity emergency response Team

Kids! You Can Help Too –Be an emergency preparedness

team leader!

For more Fun and Games go to:

www.ready.gov/kids


Responderthe Page 3

Wednesday, September 14, 2011Talladega Daily Home


The Volunteer Organization Active in Disaster (VOAD) program is designed to help local organizations share knowledge and resources throughout the disaster cycle – preparation, response and recovery – to help disaster survivors and their communities.

The Talladega County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) along with the local Red Cross, First Family Services and other organizations are working hard toward re-creating a successful volunteer organization that can assist and support the citizens of Talladega County when they have unmet needs following an emergency or disaster.

If you are interested in participating with your local VOAD please contact the:

Talladega County EMA by calling 256-761-2125 or email [email protected]

Calling All VolunteersBefore, During and After a Disaster...We Need You!


Responderthe Talladega Daily Home


Over the last several years the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness (CSEPP) campaign has brought much needed public awareness in the area of emergency preparedness to the citizens of Talladega County. The disposal of the last chemical weapons at the incinerator in Anniston brings a close to the project but also ends the much needed funds that have been utilized by responding agencies. New issues for these agencies post-CSEPP will require innovative ways to fund the endeavors of caring for, educating, and responding to the needs of its citizens. Going forward we want to utilize the past knowledge, equipment and training while also keeping an eye on the future of emergency preparedness to keep Talladega County safe and prepared.

As part of the CSEPP planning, a project to register citizens with “special needs” allowed citizens to register themselves. “Special needs population” means that we consider the needs of specific people

that may require additional help due to physical or mental limitations, language barriers, or other limiting conditions. Self registration forms were mailed to all Talladega County residents allowing them to give personal and demographic information that would document their need for special assistance from responders in the event of a disaster.

In the next few weeks we will be doing follow up phone calls and letters to those citizens. We will be verifying information to be used in helping response efforts to Talladega County citizens. We will only be contacting those who self- registered. We encourage you to be careful giving out any personal or medical information over the phone unless you are sure you are speaking with an authorized representative of the Talladega County EMA.

If you need additional information please contact the Talladega County EMA at 256-761-2125.

Support forSpecial Needs Citizens

Page 4Wednesday, September 14, 2011




“If you are one of 77.5 million dog owners or 93.6 million cat owners* in this country one thought rings close to home - our furry friends are part of the family. Emer-gency situations affect both two and four-legged family members and it’s important to learn how to respond when the unex-pected occurs.” (www.red-cross.org)

Pets are an integral part of most homes and re-quire prior consideration and preparation before a disaster or emergency. During a disaster pets can become a complicated setback to safety if prior planning has not been exercised. Whether you are sheltering at home or forced to seek an outside agency shelter pets have special needs. Because most pets are just like a member of the fam-ily it’s imperative to plan for their needs and well being just as we do our family members.

If it is necessary to seek shel-ter or lodging, make sure the facil-ity will also accept pets. Some Red Cross shelters do not allow pets. Plan early by researching which ho-tels in the surrounding areas will al-low pets. Make a “pet survival” kit with food, water, dishes, can opener, cat litter/pan, leashes, veterinary records and first aid kit. Make sure

vaccinations are up to date and identification tags are on all pets with your address and phone num-ber. If possible carry pet in a pet car-

rier and have the pet carrier handy during times the pet may be scared or panic. The carrier will make the pet feel more secure and also keep them safe. Taking photos of your pet is a great way to help others lo-cate a missing pet and also identify the pet if he is left at a large animal control facility. The ASPCA website (www.aspca.org) offers a free stick-er to be placed on a home window to let people know there is a pet in-side the home or if the pet has been evacuated. This information would also help neighbors and rescuers in

the event they needed to enter the home following a disaster.

If you are unable to return home immediately following a disaster

pets may need to be boarded for longer periods of time. Board-ing requires that pets have up to date vaccinations and a cost will be incurred. Some veteri-nary and animal clinics will also board birds, reptiles and small animals.

Never leave animals alone or chained outside during a disaster. Animals can become frightened, injured, or aggres-sive when faced with intimi-dating circumstances. If there is no other option but to leave the pet at home when evacu-ating, make sure the pet has ample water and food and do not confine the pet to one area. Remember a pet’s behavior may change after being in a

storm or change of environment. Being sensitive to your pet’s needs requires planning and preparing for their welfare as a part of your family disaster plan.

Disaster Preparedness For Your Pet

Resources for more information:

www.fema.gov. www.aspca.org.

www.humanesociety.org

The Talladega County Volunteer Fire Association would like to remind you to have your house number posted in a location that is visible from the roadway. Your address should be visible from either your mailbox, the curb or near your front door, if it can be seen from the road. This would greatly assist all responders in helping you or your family

during an event or an emergency.

Volunteers Needed for CERT Team

For more information or to volunteer,

contact CERT coordinatorat Talladega County EMACERT is training citizens for local

community preparedness

256-761-2125or visit www.talladegaema.org for more details





Assemble a Family Disaster Kit

• A flashlight and battery-operated radio (preferably an Emergency Alert NOAA Weather Alert Radio) with fresh batteries.

• A three-day supply or more of drinking water, which consists of one gallon per person per day.

• Pet food and portable cages for family pets. • Bedding. Wool blankets or good sleeping bags work well.• Comfort items such as books, crayons, toys and hard candy. • A three-day supply or more of non-perishable, ready-to-eat

foods and a manual can opener.• Clothing for each family member. Rotate the clothing with the

seasons, and as children grow in sizes.• Hygiene products such as soap, feminine supplies, toothpaste,

toothbrushes, toilet paper, diapers, etc.

• A Class ABC fire extinguisher is designed to be used safely on any type of fire, including electrical, grease, gas and combustibles.

• First aid kit. Include medications you need including prescriptions, and spare contacts and eyeglasses.

• Money. During a disaster, cash is generally the accepted form of payment. Some businesses may not accept checks, credit or debit cards. If the power is interrupted, your ATM might not work.

• Tools and supplies. An adjustable wrench for turning off gas and water utilities if it becomes necessary. Also matches, whistle, pocket knife, pliers, scissors, sewing kit, hammer, rope or string, duct tape, etc.

• Copies of important documents such as insurance papers, wills, deeds, drivers license, social security cards, etc.

A disaster supply kit, which includes the items below as well as other emergency supplies, can be invaluable to you and your family in the days following a disaster. Personalize your kits with the things you need daily. In a sturdy, portable container, have the following on hand:





Facebook has over 500 million registered users. More than 50% of those are active users every day! Users spend collectively over 700 billion minutes a month on Facebook. The average user is connected to over 80 com-munity pages, groups, or events. More than 30 billion pieces of content are shared each month. That makes Facebook the largest social media outlet in history! It

would be a great advantage to have the use of Facebook in a time of crisis to reach all the population. Using these new methods is exactly what the Tal-ladega Emergency Management Agency is striving for. We now have over 1,500 followers on our Facebook page, and we have sucessfully tested this outlet as a means to relay important emergency information as it pertains to Talladega County.

Twitter is another outlet that has been used to relay public information as well. Twitter is a basic “What are you doing?” sharing application. Instead of friendships and groups, you can follow the status of someone with-out them following you. The EMA has also utilized Twitter to relay information quickly to our many follow-

ers. Twitter, like Facebook, reaches citizens instantly and without cost to either the EMA, or the subscribers. The EMA currently has over 700 Twitter followers.

Nixle is another form of information dispensing that has proved invaluable in times of immediate information release. Nixle is a way to reach citizens

via their cell phones to convey any type of local, community or emergency announcement. Unlike Facebook and Twitter, Nixle is used as a text alert and email program only. There is no website to socially interact or group to follow. Nixle is used primarily by local and state organizations to disperse information that is specific to that organization. Register to get free, vital community information directly to your phone or email at nixle.com or text your zip code to 888777.

Your EMA is prepared to send important information to the people of Talladega County when an emergency arises using any and all means avaialble. We understand the importance of the right information at the right time could help save lives, and that’s our goal!

If you want to know more about how to connect to the Talladega County Emergency Management Agency through any one of these social outlets, please log on to our website at www.talladegaema.org or call our office at 256-761-2125. (Each one of these services is free of charge, however regular text rates may apply for cell phones. Please check with your cell phone provider for details on your cellular plan.)

Talladega County EMA

Utilizing Social Media as Communication Tool

These services are reliable and free for our agency to use. We utilize these tools to keep the public informed about emergency situations and weather alerts, and to offer emergency preparedness tips.

Follow Talladega County EMA on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with the latest public information. You can find the EMA on Facebook at www.facebook.com/readytalladega and on Twitter @readytalladega.

Social media is playing an increasingly important role in helping people prepare for and respond to emergencies. The Talladega County EMA Facebook page was a vital communication tool before, during, and

after the tornadoes of April 27, 2011.

If you are not familiar with these services, here is a brief explanation:


Emergency Management Preparedness For All Hazards?DAY, April ??, 2011 St. Clair Times

Responderthe


Responderthe

Talladega Daily Homeprovided by: TalladegaCounty EMA

“Talladega County First Responders, Medical Personnel, and Volunteers wish to thank the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program and every one of the citizens of Talladega County for their faithful support in providing a much safer community in which to live, work, and play. The funding supplied by CSEPP over the years has greatly enhanced the response capability of all of us. It has pro-vided us the additional tools for keeping you the public safer.”

beresponse/able



Documents

Daily Home - The Responder