Get Informed

Warnings

Official warnings may be broadcast on the Emergency Alert System (AES) through local TV and radio.  Weather event warnings are broadcast on the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio (NWR).

Not all potential hazards fall within the mission of AES and NOAA / NWS.  Discuss other “triggers” with your family and members of your community.  Be alert to changing conditions in the economy and politics.

Evacuation

Circumstances may occur under which you and your family feel threatened or endangered.  You may need to leave your home, school or workplace to avoid these situations.

Identify routes which have been established by local authorities for evacuation in response to natural disasters or industrial accidents.  Record these routes on a map and keep it available.

Your reaction time to evacuate will depend on the hazard.  You may have several days advance warning for impending weather, or only hours / minutes for other types of events.

Guidelines for Evacuation:

ALWAYS	IF TIME PERMITS
Keep a full tank of gas	Gather disaster kit
Take a battery powered radio	Wear sturdy shoes and clothing
Gather family and leave early	Secure your home
Follow planned evacuation route	Let others know where you’re headed

Community Plans

 Ask friends and local officials whether community plans exist, what hazards are covered, and how to obtain copies.

Ask your employer about workplace policies regarding disasters and emergencies, including how warning and emergency information will be provided.

School Plans

Determine how the school or day care center will communicate with families during a crisis.

Ask if the school stores adequate food, water, and other basic supplies.  Find out if the school is prepared to shelter-in-place or where they plan to go if they must get away.

Emergency Plans

Escape Routes

 Ensure all family members understand how to evacuate your home.

Establish an agreed meeting location in your neighborhood and another outside the immediate area.  Examples might be  a neighbors’ driveway and a nearby store parking lot. 

Communications Plans

You and your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so plan how you will contact one another.  Think about how you will communicate in different situations.

Create a communications plan and a prepare a personal summary “wallet card” for each family member.  Have family members keep these cards in their possession at all times.  Pick a friend or relative who lives out-of-state for household members to notify when they are safe.

The wallet card should include important telephone numbers and, where the plan incorporates radio services, the radio frequencies and time of day to attempt contact.

Where radio services are anticipated, preparation and practice is VERY important in advance of an actual emergency.  The skills required for coordinated group communications are significant and range from “appliance operator” to “radio technician”.

Radio communications may take place under two very different conditions:

In times of civil order, which can include many disaster response scenarios, develop radio skills in compliance with FCC rules and regulations.  Respect the established frequencies, practices and protocols of existing radio services and operations

In times of civil disorder or disruption of the Federal government, conduct radio operations in a fashion that will facilitate the desired communications and simultaneously minimize exposure to detection

This document identifies resources for establishment of radio skills in times of civil order.  We will develop and practice our skills on the NC Freedom Nets.

Information about unlicensed and licensed radio communication services available:

General Radio Services
Amateur Radio Service

Utility Shut-off

If you evacuate your home, consider whether you should disconnect utilities. 

Emergency response agencies advise families to shut off electric and natural gas services before a natural disaster related evacuation.  Ensure you know the proper disconnect procedures for your facilities.

CAUTION: If you turn off the gas, a qualified professional from the utility company must turn it back on. 

Vital Records

Make copies of important documents such as deeds and insurance policies for your disaster supplies kit.  Ensure personal identification documents (e.g. passports) are included with medical and dental policy information.

Include an inventory of personal property with photos or video for the purpose of insurance claims.

Special Needs

 Create a network of neighbors, relatives and friends to assist you or someone with special needs.  Ensure a ready supply of specialized items such as oxygen, catheters, medication, etc.

Special preparation may be required for hearing impaired, mobility impaired, non-English speakers, special dietary needs, people without vehicles, or single working parents.

Animal Care

With the exception of service animals, pets are not typically permitted in emergency shelters.

Prepare for pets in advance of an emergency need.  Such preparation should include the location of shelter, food and medical supplies, animal ID, veterinary records, carrier and leash.

Safety Skills

Ensure all family members know the location and proper use of your home fire extinguisher(s).

The American Red Cross provides training for First Aid and CPR through the Triangle Chapter.

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training is available from Wake County CERT.

Disaster Supplies

Water

Store one gallon of drinking water per person per day.  Additional reserves are needed for cleanup and personal hygene.

Do not use bottles or jugs that previously contained milk or fruit juice for water storage.  Protein and sugars cannot be adequately removed and will facilitate bacterial growth.  Avoid cardboard if possible and sanitize all containers before use.

If you store water from a private well or other “untreated” source, add two drops of unscented chlorine bleach per gallon.

If you have an “open” water source available (creek or pond), consider inclusion of a filter-pump in your disaster kit.  These can be obtained from vendors of hiking and camping supplies.

Food

Stock canned foods, dry mixes, and other staples that do not require refrigeration, cooking, water, or special preparation. 

Basic and Medical Supplies

At a minimum, a three day stock of:

water and non perishable foods
battery powered radio and spare batteries
flashlight and extra batteries
first aid kit and manual
sanitation and hygiene items
matches in waterproof container
whistle, extra clothing
prescriptions medications
photocopies of identification cards, credit cards and medical ID
appropriate amount of cash and coin
eye glasses, contact lense solution
hearing aid batteries
cooking equipment and manual can opener

Periodically inspect all items in your stock and replace any items that are “bad” or beyond their “expiration date”.

Review your kit annually to account for changes in needs, and and update accordingly.

Maintain a Portable Disaster Kit

Since you cannot predict where you might be when an emergency occurs, prepare multiple “kits”:

Home	Work	Car
Food, water and supplies for at least 3 days	A minimal supply of food and water	A minimal supply of food, water and first aid
Cash or travelers checks in event financial institutions are affected	Small amount of cash or travelers’ checks	Small amount of cash or travelers’ checks
Packed and portable with ready access if evacuation is required	Packed in one container to “grab and go”	Packed in one container to “grab and go”
Additional: supplies to enable “shelter at home” for period of up to 2 weeks	Additional: comfortable walking shoes and clothing	Additional: flares, jumper cable, seasonal items such as blankets and tire chains

 

Defense

Definition: the act of defending oneself, one’s property or the well-being of another from physical harm.

CAUTION: The use of the “right of self-defense” as a legal justification for the use of force is available in many jurisdictions, but the interpretation varies widely.

To be aquitted of any kind of physical harm-related crime (such as assault and battery and homicide) using the self-defense justification, one must prove legal provocation, meaning that one must prove that they were in a position where not using self-defense would most likely lead to significant injury to life, limb, or property.

North Carolina law has guidelines for the escallation of force and specific restrictions on the use of deadly force. Understand your responsibilities within the law. 

NC firearms laws and the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association summary of the use of deadly force are published as PDF files:

North Carolina Firearms Laws
Concealed Handgun Permits and the Use of Deadly Force.

With a decision to defend your life, liberty and property, one must explore possible consequences.   Medical care for self and others is probably the most difficult issue for an individual or family.  The SurvivalBlog attempts to provide guidance:

http://www.survivalblog.com/2010/01/tactical_combat_casualty_care.html

 

Shelter

Choose a location that is appropriate to a specific hazard. Mass care shelters may provide water, food , medicine, and basic sanitation, but plan to take your disaster supply kit.

Mass care shelters involve living with many people in a confined space.  Avoid conflicts and cooperate with shelter managers.

Manage Water

Allow people to drink according to their needs.  Never ration water unless ordered to do so by authorities.  Drink water you know is not contaminated first.  Treat all “suspicious” water before use by boiling, chlorination or distillation.

Manage Food

DO: keep food in covered containers, keep utensils clean, keep hands clean, and keep garbage enclosed (stored outside).

DON’T: use any food from cans that are swolen, that has been contaminated with flood water, or has any unusual ordor, color or texture.

CAUTION: keep charcoal, propane and petrol stoves OUTSIDE to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.

 

Practice and Maintain Your Plan

Ask questions to ensure your family remembers meeting locations, phone numbers and other safety rules.

Conduct drills to test cooperation with the plan.  Update the plan as your circumstances change.

---