Hurricane Irene Resources

Delaware 911 Voluntary Registry

From http://www.de911assist.delaware.gov/ : ‘911’ and DEMA in collaboration with other agencies, both state and non-state, have developed this Voluntary Registry to help you prepare for an emergency event before it happens. Emergencies and disasters sometimes happen with no warning and you need to be ready.  Read more on our blog.

Tips for preparing pre-evacuation

• Preparing at home before you leave...
• In addition to the usual tips like bringing in the lawn furniture and boarding up, you may want to consider these:
• Place the food remaining in your refrigerator in a large plastic bag and tie it closed. If the power goes out and the food spoils, the plastic bag will keep it from exploding on the inside of the refrigerator and ruining it. Just toss the bag when you get back.
• Place a bowl of ice cubes in the freezer.     When  you come back check them right away.  If the power went out and then came back on, you  will see that the cubes refrozein a block.  If it didn't go out, the cubes won't be melted or refrozen solid.
• Print an notice of your name, evacuation address and contact information on a sheet of paper. Place it in a large ziplock bag and seal it tightly. Tape it to an inside wall close to the front door so emergency responders know no one was in the home and don't search the house and can contact you regarding your property if need be.
• Identify one out of town person for all to contact and include their info on the contact info sheet for the inside of the house.
• Turn off all utilities before you go.
• Exchange contact information with neighbors and their locations so whomever gets back first can give damage reports and updates.
• Collect the website address of your emergency operations center and city government. They should be posting information on safe return and damage assessments.
  

Tips for Evacuation

1. Pack kids snacks/games and car amusements in their school backpack so they can identify their own bag easily. Let them control that in the car. Let them munch on snacks when they want and be independent in getting their own things so you can concentrate on the road, not digging around for the bag with the snacks.
2. Let kids help pack. Giving them something to contribute helps decrease their anxiety and yours.
3.  Pack things for entertaining kids once at your destination. Throw the board from your board games in the bottom of the suitcase and put the game markers in a zip lock... takes up virtually no room. We keep our son's DVD's (his pride and joy) in a book we can zip up and go with an inexpensive portable DVD player.
4. Bring items you might need in a shelter, even if you're evacuating to a hotel. Most states have laws that you can't kick someone out of a hotel if they've evacuated for an emergency, but they do it anyway. Bring blankets (it's cold in shelters), pillows, air mattresses if you can.
5. Bring flashlights and canned food supplies and water if you can. Very possible that unless you evacuate to Las Vegas, you could have power outages even far inland.
6. Bring cash and hand-crank can openers. Things that don't work without power. Look for battery powered cell phone chargers and remember your charger cords for electronic gadgets.
7. ALL kids need breaks from sitting in the car. Kids with special needs need more breaks. Take breaks and let them walk around. It eases their stress and yours. Keep a ball in the car that they can throw around at a rest stop and play a little to release some energy and anxiety.
8. Bring comfort items. Whatever makes you or the kids feel better whether it's a pillow pet or your favorite soft blanket. It's those little things that reduce stress.
9. Scan or copy your IEP, 504 plan, health plan, plan of care, evaluation and/or behavior plan and bring them with your important papers. It's a lot easier to have that with you if you have to enroll in another area. If you can't get home or are doubled up with another family or grandma for any length of time due to the storm destruction, loss of your house, etc, you can enroll your child in any school of your choice under the McKinney Vento Homeless Act.
10. When you get to your destination, don't keep the tv running with the weather channel providing constant updates and scenes of destruction. After Katrina and 911 people reported having post traumatic symptoms from watching video footage and news reports over and over. Turn the TV off and just check it once in a while. Go hit the pool at the hotel, see a sight or play a board game with the kids. We all learned this the hard way in New Orleans.
11. f you have a child with special health needs and are on Medicaid, you may want to stay within your state to evacuate so you don't have an issue seeking care in another state for your child.

Riding Out the Storm

Everyone should leave but not everyone can. My husband has to stay in town for his job as a newspaper reporter. Here's what we did to prepare for his stay. We have 2 emergency kits.

KIT 1: Go bag

My husband's go bag is a large heavy duty duffle with supplies he'll take in the field when he is out after the storm and which he'll take on location when he's imbedded with the emergency operations center as the storm hits.

Contents include:

1. A ridiculous amount of baby wipes. This tip came from reporters inMiami after Hurricane Andrew. Water supplies are precious after a major storm. Baby wipes are great for personal hygiene and washing up.
2. First Aid kit
3. pain relievers (including aspirin).
4. Betadyne
5. Chapstick
6. Sunblock
7. Paper plates, cups and plastic utensils
8. toilet paper
9. trash bags, zip lock bags
10. safety goggles, gloves
11. food and water supply.
12. Hand sanitizer
13. flashlights and radio (solar powered if possible)
14. bug spray

KIT 2: Attic Kit

This kit is for attic survival if water levels are too high to remain on the ground level. This kit contains all of the items in Kit #1 and a hatchet to chop through the roof if need be.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is urging all residents in East Coast states to take steps now to prepare their families and businesses for severe weather as Hurricane Irene moves toward the United States. People with disabilities and others should have emergency kits and supplies ready, and learn how to prepare for potential flash flooding, power outages and other emergencies. Visit Disability.gov's Emergency Preparedness section for more information about preparing for hurricanes and other disasters. 

The Aftermath

FEMA Info on Filing Claims and Types of Assistance available

http://www.fema.gov/rebuild/index.shtm

FEMA Info on First 48 hours after the storm: what to do

http://www.fema.gov/rebuild/recover/return.shtm

Helping Children Cope with Disaster

http://www.fema.gov/rebuild/recover/cope_child.shtm

Mold Prevention in Aftermath of Hurricanes/Floods

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5508a1.htm

CDC Mold Website: http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/mold/

Flood Cleanup Fact sheet

http://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/floodCleanup.html

Generator Safety:

Video: Carbon Monoxide Poisoning... Is your generator too close?

http://www.youtube.com/user/usnistgov#p/f/13/jkO9PK4JvJI

Carbon Monoxide Educational Materials in English/Spanish/Vietnamese

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/co-materials.asp

Cleaning and Sanitizing with Bleach after an Emergency

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/bleach.asp

Cleaning up Safely

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/floods/cleanupwater.asp

All CDC Clean up Safely Educational Materials in 3 languages:

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/cleanup/

Preventing Chain Saw Injuries

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/chainsaws.asp

Chain Saw Safety Printables:

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/pdf/disasters-chainsaws.pdf http://www.wst.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/76902/safe_chainsaws.pdf

http://www.health.state.ny.us/publications/3233.pdf

Stray Animals in Hurricane Disaster Areas

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/pdf/hurricaneflyer-straydogs.pdf

Electrical Hazards

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/electrical.asp

REFERENCE POINTS:  Emergency Preparedness Resources

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS THIS SEPTEMBER:  A TIME TO REMEMBER. A TIME TO PREPARE.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Ready Campaign has new Web tools to help individuals and organizations join the 2011 National Preparedness Month (NPM) coalition. NPM is held each September and encourages Americans to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies.  The Ready Campaign website also has specific emergency preparedness information for people with disabilitieshttp://www.ready.gov/america/getakit/disabled.html 
http://www.ready.gov/america/npm11/_downloads/NPM_Factsheet_20110620.pdf 

FEMA & NATIONAL DISABILITY RIGHTS NETWORK (NDRN) SIGN AGREEMENT TO STRENGTHEN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COLLABORATION
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and NDRN have signed a memorandum of agreement to make sure that the needs of people with disabilities are taken into account in planning for, and responding to, disasters. This agreement will help FEMA prepare for the emergency planning and response needs of the entire community, including people with disabilities, young children, seniors and others. Visit Ready.gov for more emergency preparedness resources. http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=53928  

DISASTER SAFETY & PREPAREDNESS GUIDE FOR SENIORS & PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES 
People of every age and ability need a plan of action in case of an emergency. Planning ahead provides an opportunity to feel more confident about being ready for an emergency, whether it is a house fire, power outage, hurricane or attack on the community. These preparation tips have been developed by the NY Red Cross.http://www.nyredcross.org/?nd=disaster_safety_guide_for_seniors_and_people_with_disabilities 

PREPAREDNESS: TIPS FOR PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
A fact sheet from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment that has emergency preparedness tips and resources for persons with special medical needs and their families.  Details how to make sure that necessary medications and electrical equipment (feeding tubes, oxygen) are part of the emergency planning process.  Discusses making an emergency plan to share with relatives, neighbors and coworkershttp://www.cdphe.state.co.us/epr/Public/medneeds.pdf 

RESOURCES FROM THE CDC ON PREPARING FOR EMERGENCIES
Resources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on preparing for emergencies. Includes information about supply kits, making preparations for pets and service animals and sheltering-in-place.http://www.bt.cdc.gov/preparedness/kit/ 

NEW TOOLKIT OF PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY TEXT MESSAGES AVAILABLE 
A new toolkit of prepared cell phone text messages advising people how to protect their health after a disaster is now available through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. These messages support state and local emergency managers in disaster response. Residents should contact their local emergency management agency to find out it text message alerts are available in their area and to register. For more information go to http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2011pres/06/20110609b.html 

SUMMARY REPORT ON USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR EMERGENCIES BY PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
From October 2010 through January 2011, the Wireless RERC conducted its "2010-2011 Emergency Communications Survey" to better understand how people with disabilities communicate during emergencies. More than 1100 people with disabilities responded to the survey.  The age range was 18-91, with the average age 52. The survey sample included people with all types of disabilities, including sensory, physical, and cognitive disabilities.  http://www.wirelessrerc.org/publications/emergency-communications-and-people-with-disabilities/Survey%20Results-Social%20Media%20and%20EC.doc/view 

ACCOMMODATING INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES IN THE PROVISION OF DISASTER MASS CARE, HOUSING AND HUMAN SERVICES
Reference guide from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides information on disability related guidelines for use by those who serve individuals with disabilities in emergency preparedness and disaster relief. To access the Guide go to  http://www.fema.gov/oer/reference/ 

FUNCTIONAL NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES: A GUIDE FOR EMERGENCY MANAGERS, PLANNERS & RESPONDERS 
This guide is for emergency planners, managers and first responders to help them plan and prepare for emergency situations that address the needs of people with disabilities. It includes information on how to involve people with disabilities in planning, the need for accessible temporary housing, and how to evacuate persons with disabilities, including those with service animals and pets. The guide covers all phases of preparedness from planning to rescue to evacuation to recovery.  http://www.nod.org/assets/downloads/Guide-Emergency-Planners.html 

GUIDANCE ON PLANNING FOR INTEGRATION OF FUNCTIONAL NEEDS SUPPORT SERVICES IN GENERAL POPULATION SHELTERS
"Functional Needs Support Services Guidance", or FNSS, offers recommendations to state governments to help them provide emergency sheltering services to meet the needs of the whole community, including people with disabilities.  The guidance is intended to help communities act in compliance with existing federal laws designed to prevent discrimination on the basis of disability. Text version http://www.fema.gov/txt/about/odic/fnss_guidance.txt PDF version http://www.fema.gov/pdf/about/odic/fnss_guidance.pdf 

PREPARING THE WORKFORCE FOR EVERYONE 
This resource provides guidelines that individuals, employers and emergency managers can use to create inclusive emergency preparedness plans for their workplace.  Developed by an interagency council of federal agencies, the guide includes some of the best methods being used in the federal government to ensure that the needs of all individuals are considered during an emergency. http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/ep/preparing2.htm

NEW PUBLICATIONS ON EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH DISABILITIES AND FOR EMPLOYERS
The Minnesota State Council on Disability announces two new educational publications on emergency preparedness. "Emergency Preparedness: Addressing Disability Issues in the Workplace Took Kit" is designed to assist employers to develop a plan that incorporates disability issues. "Emergency Preparedness: A Guide for People with Disabilities" contains information on how being prepared can save lives. For more information go to  http://www.state.mn.us/portal/mn/jsp/home.do?agency=MSCOD and scroll down to "Everybody Needs a Plan"