Prepare!Are You Ready?

Presented by:Deborah Tootle

Did You Know…?

• 75 tornadoes in AR in 2011 -- fourth most active year for tornadoes in Arkansas since 1950.

• Last 2 weeks of April 2011 – one of busiest periods of severe weather in recent memory

• Spring 2011 floods created record crests along Black and lower White rivers; levees along Mississippi threatened by rising waters

ARE YOU READY FOR 2012?

Preparing Makes Sense

• You CAN be prepared• FEMA, the Arkansas Department of

Emergency Management (ADEM) and UA CES recommend that everyone:– Get a kit– Make a plan– Stay informed

Get A Kit

• What’s a kit? A kit is a set of emergency supplies

• Actually need 2 kits – Sheltering at home– Evacuating

• Kits need to contain water, non-perishable foods, clothes, medications, flashlight and radio, first aid kit, sanitation supplies.

Sheltering at Home Kit

• Water – one gallon/day/person. At least 3 day supply. Extra for pets.

• Non-perishable foods, canned goods and can-opener. At least 3 day supply for each person, including infants. Pet food.

Sheltering at Home Kit

• All medications• First aid kit

Sheltering at Home Kit

• Battery powered radio, NOAA weather radio, and extra batteries

• Flashlight and extra batteries.• Cell phones and whistle (to call for help)

Sheltering at Home Kit

• Dust mask, plastic sheeting, duct tape• Sanitation supplies (hand sanitizers, garbage

bags, plastic ties)• Dry clothes and warm blanket for each person

Sheltering At Home Kit

• Extra cash• Household cleaners and bleach • Fire extinguisher• Candles and matches• Wrench and pliers • Paper products

Sheltering At Home Kit

• Store emergency supplies in large tote boxes, new garbage cans, storage bins or clean barrels

• Store water separately• Periodically check expiration dates• Keep home and financial records

in safe, waterproof boxes

Evacuation Kit

• Basics will be same as sheltering as home kit, but on smaller scale.

• “To go kits” need to contain water, non-perishable foods, clothes, medications, flashlight and radio, first aid kit, sanitation supplies. Also need maps.

• Need all home and financial records in safe, waterproof box.

Evacuation Kit

• Must be easy to carry and waterproof.

Make A Plan

• Plan NOW for what you and your family will do in emergency.

• You will need 2 plans– Make a plan for sheltering in place– Make a plan for evacuation

• Both plans must contain family communications strategies.

Make A Plan – Sheltering in Place

• When can (or should) you shelter in place?– After you have assessed the situation and you

know that it is safe to remain home.– When you are prepared and have enough

emergency supplies to last until assistance is available or the situation is no longer dangerous.

Make A Plan – Sheltering in Place

• Make sure you have a strategy in your plans for contacting friends and relatives.

Make A Plan – Evacuating

• Plan in advance where you and your family will go.

• Plan on where you and your family members will meet if you are separated.

• Choose several destinations in different directions. Be familiar with different routes.

Make A Plan – Evacuating

• Know how to get to emergency shelters in each direction.

• If you travel with pets, make sure you know in what shelters or facilities they are allowed.

Make A Plan – Evacuating

• Take your emergency evacuation kit with you.

• Let neighbors, children’s schools and employers know where you will be and how they can reach you.

• Carry emergency kit wallet cards.

Stay Informed• Use a NOAA weather radio to stay informed

about extreme weather conditions.• Follow local media – newspaper, TV, radio.• Learn more about potential threats in your

area such as flooding, tornadoes and ice storms www.ready.gov

Stay Informed

• Know how to reach local emergency contacts– Fire– Police– Sheriff– Ambulance services & hospital – Utilities services

• Know when these contacts are available – most cannot come out during disaster

Stay Informed

• Be familiar with local geography. – Know which roads and bridges may flood. – Know alternate routes through your town.

• Be aware of issues specific to you, your family and property, such as: – Family members with disabilities or special needs– Pets and livestock– Lack of fire defensible space

Stay InformedFor more information on preparedness, call your County Extension Office or the State Office in Little Rock. The mission of the Cooperative Extension Service is to provide research-based information

through non-formal education to help Arkansans improve their economic well-

being and the quality of their lives.

REMEMBERALL disasters begin and end

locally. You may be on your own for the first 72 hours.

PLAN NOW

Questions?