Personal Disaster Planning By Bob MacDonald, CMAC, AMS, PCAM
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ugust 22, 1992, all was quiet in the Florida Keys but a hurricane was approaching from the east—one named Andrew. It was not supposed to hit the mainland but it did. And, unfortunately, my wife and I were not totally prepared for what was about to occur two days later. So, we packed up early on the morning of August 23 and headed to Homestead where we unfortunately stayed in a home that ended up being in the direct path of the eye of the storm. Unfortunately, like so many others, we were not totally prepared for the pending disaster. As a Community Association Manager in South Florida, I was told that I should have the following mindset when it came to Hurricane Season; don’t plan as “if ” a hurricane might hit land. Rather, think about “when” it will happen. The reality was and is this; a hurricane will, at some point in time, make landfall anywhere you live in South Florida. It’s inevitable and every family needs a plan. When Mary and I evacuated for our first hurricane, Andrew, we were not properly prepared. This did not happen again and we evacuated the Keys a couple of times a year over the 9 years that we lived in Key Largo. Everyone needs to be prepared for the unexpected and the unexpected will occur here in Minnesota. Count on it! Your friends and family may not be together when disaster strikes. How will you find each other? Will you know if your children or parents are safe? You may have to evacuate or be confined to your home. What will you do if water, gas, electricity or phone services are shut off? Bottom line, you will need a plan, one developed before a disaster occurs, not in the midst of the storm. After Hurricane Andrew passed and some sort of stability returned to our lives the first thing Mary and I did was to put together a “disaster supply kit.” The purpose of this article is to encourage each of you to do the same. In Minnesota we are faced with a number of varying seasonal disasters such as tornadoes, flooding and blizzards; remember the Halloween Blizzard of 1991? Clearly, this was a disaster.
Whether a person lives in Florida or Minnesota a basic emergency supply kit should contain the following1: • Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation • Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food • Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both • Flashlight and extra batteries • First aid kit • Whistle to signal for help • Dust mask to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place • Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation • Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities • Manual can opener for food • Local maps • Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger • Disposable diapers if you have young children • And, from personal experience, a tire repair kit and a pump (After Hurricane Andrew, the streets were strewn with roofing nails that flattened innumerable tires) • Candles • Matches • And finally, since we are Minnesotans, some SPAM We who love Minnesota are not too concerned about being affected by a hurricane, but we face tornadoes and major winter events that often involve lots of snow and the loss of power in frigid weather. Each year, hundreds of Minnesotans find themselves stranded on the roadside during the winter. Winter weather can kill in mere minutes an unprepared person exposed to the elements. Although this might not rise to the same threat level as a hurricane, death from exposure is a reality. Knowing this, winter disaster preparedness is a must. In fact, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety annually reminds us to carry a variety of items in our car such as booster cables, a shovel, scraper, sleeping bag, warm clothing, basic tools and flares. For more information on making a winter driving survival kit, go to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Homeland Security and Emergency Management website. 2 Besides having an emergency supply kit it is recommended that copies of all important documents be placed in one briefcase, 1 http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/prepare/ready.php 2 https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/hsem/weather-awareness-preparedness/Documents/ WinterSurvivalInYourCar.pdf
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Minnesota Communit y Living