Hope for the Best, Plan for the Worst

Aug. 11, 2023

midnight

Preparing for natural disaster emergencies will give you and your family the upper hand on calamity

Over the past months and years, in our own communities, we have experienced homes blown away by tornadoes; we’ve read accounts of communities evacuated as fires raged, watched as people fled their homes and cities as floodwaters rose. Some of us have taken precautions to prepare for unexpected and unspeakable disasters. Some of us prefer to think about those issues tomorrow, or next week, or...

Kasey Thomas, Public Information Officer with Anne Arundel County’s Office of Emergency Management, acknowledges the stress created for us as we try to plan for emergencies. She points to the very present pandemic as an emergency that has stretched the resources of our national, regional, and local government agencies, as it has individuals and families. If there is a silver lining to the pandemic, Thomas points out, it is that our counties work more closely now with the State of Maryland to expand the help they can offer to community residents. Over the past two-and-a-half years, government-directed emergency preparedness has become better coordinated and more robust.

Maryland and its counties are better prepared to help citizens deal with emergencies—tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, and fires. Individually, however, we can be safer if we make our own plans for emergencies, plans that use what the State and Counties have to offer.

Planning for emergencies caused by natural disasters is stressful. There’s a lot to think about. It’s easy to procrastinate; there’s so much to do. Don’t wait; plan.

Organize your plans under the following categories:

INDIVIDUAL | FAMILY: CHILDREN | PETS | NEIGHBORS | RELATIVES

Here are some checklists and resources that can help you prepare for emergencies, and do so with a bit less stress.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: There are two types of information you will want to have on hand if you must leave your home; Contacts and Financial. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has some useful checklists and templates online that can be printed and filled in. Basically, here’s what’s useful:

A list of Contacts should be included in each person’s “GO” backpack: adult, child, pet. If families are separated, those names, addresses, and numbers will be useful. If there is a key contact for everyone, be sure to note that on your list. Be sure to identify childcare phone numbers, physicians, and veterinarians, if appropriate.

Rendezvous Plan

Prepare a simple, clear document in THREE parts:

Where to meet if you are fleeing your house (fire/flood/gas leak). Make a simple escape map that a child could follow from bedroom to exit. Where should everyone gather, outside the house? (On the lawn of which neighbor? At the edge of the vegetable garden?)
Where to meet if you must leave your home, but not your town or city. A local church, community center, or designated mass-care shelter.
Where to meet out-of-state. Is there a home or cottage of a relative or family friend that everyone knows? Include the address and simple directions.

Remember: Power outages, downed cellphone towers, dead batteries all can keep you from communicating with family and friends. Have a specific safe-site, a place where everyone can reunite and regroup, away from the disaster area.

For the Financial Sheet you can decide what level of detail you’ll need. Bank accounts with Customer Care 800-numbers would seem basic. Also, your insurance company’s 800-number and your policies’ numbers. Copies of Wills, Titles, Deeds may save you trouble later.

Individual Backpacks

It can be fairly simple to gather a “Go Pack.” One is needed for each member of your household: each adult, each child, each pet. Remember, someone must carry each pack, so watch the weight and plan accordingly. Put those Go Packs in a handy place, like the coat-closet near the door or a locked dock-box on the back porch or deck.

Change of Clothing: simple items that suit for a variety of weather conditions.

Sanitary Supplies: as appropriate and only a short-term supply.

Pair of Glasses/Contacts: put the date inside the case so you can replace with newer prescriptions when possible.

Electronics: a flashlight (perhaps rechargeable), a phone charger, an iPad with charger

First Aid Kit: a simple, compact package containing antibacterial wipes, band aids, antibiotic ointment, aspirin, gauze, and tape as space allows.

Blanket, preferably a thin-but-warm variety, such as a “Space Blanket.”

Contacts and Financial Lists, if appropriate. (You may not want the financial list in a child or pet’s backpack.)

List of Medications, if necessary for health. Your doctors might be willing to provide an undated prescription to include with the list for filling in an emergency evacuation. Include the pharmacies and phone numbers where these prescriptions are filled. If you pack actual medications, be sure to cycle the meds out and fresh doses into your pack.

Last-Minute Pouch

(bright colored or otherwise notable): put a reminder card inside listing:

Keys
Credit cards
Cash
Identification: Driver’s License, Passport. Vaccination Card(s)

You’ll refer to that little list and toss these important day-to-day necessities into that pouch just before leaving your home. If you have a wallet with all these items inside, make sure the pouch is large enough to hold that wallet. You may not have room or strength to hold onto a purse as well as that backpack, so rely on the backpack for all the essentials. If you must discard something as you go, it won’t be the backpack.

Food & Water: As space and weight permit, include canned and soft-packaged edibles, such as energy bars and tuna packages, and some water. You’ll see what you have room for and can carry.

Personal Toiletries: as space allows—a small toothbrush and toothpaste, a comb and brush, a razor, small package of fresh wipes or similar cleaning product.

Child's Backpack

Dependent on the child’s age and strength.

Change of clothes

Back-up pair of glasses or contacts

Electronics: phone and charger, iPad and charger

Medical Info: (retain medications in adult backpack unless the child is mature enough to handle the medications)

Money: a small quantity of money in a simple pouch or small purse

Blanket (perhaps a favorite, small one)

Pictures: a small collection of pictures of parents, siblings, pets with names and contact information on the reverse of each picture. (Small, plastic photo albums are sold at most drugstores.)

Favorite toy and a book that can remain stashed in the backpack. (tricky)

Contacts list: very important. Note any names and numbers that might be helpful if you and your child were separate.

Personal toiletries

Favorite snacks individually packed.

Pet Pack

Preferably one pack for all pets.

Collar(s) and Leash(es)

Contact information: owner’s name and contact, pet’s name, copies of pertinent vaccinations (update yearly).

Medications: as appropriate (again, a list with veterinarian’s name and phone number might be best; include a photo(s) of each pet with the pet’s name and approximate birthdate on the back.

A favorite toy

Snacks and water bottle: wait to fill the bottle and pack individual servings of snacks in sealed plastic bags

Carrier(s): Be sure everyone knows where the pet carrier(s) are stored. If there is a threat of danger, put the carrier(s) with the backpacks for quick departure.

IF YOU CANNOT TAKE YOUR PET WITH YOU WHEN YOU EVACUATE: The Office of Emergency Management recommends:

Place the pet in an inside room away from windows. (Do not tie the pet up inside or outside.)

Provide water and a self-feeder that can supply your pet for 3–5 days.

Put some towels and blankets (preferably with familiar family odors) on the floor.

Leave a large note on the front and back doors explaining what animals are inside and where they are located. Be sure to include the owner’s contact information on the note.

When you have completed your plans and prepared your Go Packs, you may want to make some simple plans and arrangements with elderly neighbors and relatives. Help them prepare their own Go Packs and consider how you might assist them to evacuate, if that becomes necessary.

This seems like a great deal of work, certainly. But the peace of mind you’ll provide for your family and yourself will be worth the time and energy you’ve expended. We all hope we’ll never need to use our Emergency Preparedness Plans.