With just a little dedication and an extra $8 to $10 added to your regular shopping trip each week, you’ll feel confident that you have prepared your family well for any emergency. Here is the Week 4 shopping list from the American Red Cross 21 Weeks to Prepare plan:
[aesop_image imgwidth=”500px” img=”http://www.signaltribunenewspaper.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Screen-Shot-2016-05-26-at-3.25.53-PM.png” align=”center” lightbox=”on” captionposition=”center”] Along with the Red Cross shopping list, I’d like to share another practical but essential earthquake-preparedness checklist for your home. The following list comes from daretoprepare.org and was published in the 2015 County of Los Angeles Emergency Survival Guide.
The time to prepare for an earthquake is now— not next week or after the shock. Protect your family by taking the actions on this “Before” checklist as soon as you can. It is a good idea to go through this list together as a family before you may need to Drop, Cover and Hold.
Before the earthquake
• Identify safe spots in each room of your home. Note study tables, desks and interior walls. Know your danger spots: windows, mirrors, hanging objects, fireplaces and tall, unsecured furniture.
• Conduct practice drills with your family and now the safest locations in your home.
• Decide how and where your family will reunite, if separated during and earthquake.
• Choose an out-of-state friend or relative to contact so family and friends know your status.
• Learn First-Aid and CPR and put together a First-Aid Kit.
• Learn how to shut off gas, water and electricity; it may be necessary during an earthquake.
• Check chimneys, roofs, walls and foundations for stability— make sure your house is bolted to its foundation.
• Secure your water heater and major appliances, as well as tall, heavy furniture, indoor hanging plants, mirrors and picture frames.
• Keep breakables, heavy objects and flammable or hazardous liquids such as paints, pest sprays and cleaning products in secured cabinets or on lower shelves.
• Participate in organizing your neighborhood to be self- sufficient after an earthquake. [The neighborhood plan for Signal Hill is the MYN (Map Your Neighborhood) program.] The next article will feature the “During and After an Earthquake” checklist. Disaster preparedness can seem like such a daunting task, but I am doing my best to give you small, practical ways in each article to help us all prepare a little at a time.
Our Annual Signal Hill Police Station open house was a huge success; I hope you were able to attend. We had great interest in our CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) program and our newly formed MYN (Map Your Neighborhood) program. You could be the leader in your neighborhood to help get the word out about these free training and preparedness programs. For additional information and to sign up for these programs, contact Richard Johnson, Emergency Operations Coordinator for Signal Hill, at (562) 989-7239 or rjohnson@signalhillpd.org .
For the full 21 Weeks to Prepare shopping list, visit cityofsignalhill.org or redcross.org, or download the new Go Signal Hill app. You can also have each week’s shopping list sent via text. Text “21 weeks” to (562) 477-1287.
