It's Hurricane Season ... Have You Checked Your Emergency Supply Kit?

We’ve all seen it on the news: long lines at the grocery stores; empty shelves at home supply warehouses as the hurricane bears down on coastal communities. The time to prepare for a hurricane is well in advance, before you hear the warnings from your local media.

Have you inventoried your emergency supply kit lately?  If not, now is a good time to check its contents.  The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) has provided the hurricane preparedness checklist on the following pages.  Additional information on how to cope with any disaster, including a hurricane, is available at www.eap4you.com.

HOME EMERGENCY KIT

Keep items in an airtight bag and put your disaster supply kits into one or two easy-to-carry containers such as a plastic box with lid and handle, a duffel bag, or a backpack. Update your kit each year and rethink your needs at that time.  Check off supplies when added to your kit:

  Food and water
  Manual can opener
  Utensils
  First Aid Kit
  Flashlight
  Battery-operated Radio
  Batteries – AAA, AA, C, D, other
  Cash in small denominations and coins
  Unscented liquid household bleach (for water purification)
  Personal hygiene articles: toilet paper, Handi-wipes, soap, feminine supplies
  Sturdy shoes
  Heavy gloves
  Warm clothes, a hat, rain gear
  A local map

  Extra eye glasses, hearing aids, other vital personal items
  Plastic sheeting, duct tape, utility knife (for covering broken windows)
  Tools including pliers, a shut-off wrench (for turning off utilities, if needed)
  Blanket or sleeping bag

  Extra keys to your house or vehicle
  A copy of important documents and phone numbers
  Paper towels, aluminum foil
  Fire extinguisher
  Paper, pencils, pens
  Various sizes of plastic bags for waste and sanitation
  Diapers and other items for babies and children (if needed)
  Special-needs items for family members with mobility problems, such as an extra cane or manual wheelchair in case there is no power for recharging

  Tent or tarp for shelter
  Matches in a waterproof container
  Pet supplies – food, litter, disposable waste bags, pet medication (if needed)
  Plastic storage container
  Signal flare
  Needles and thread

FIRST AID KIT

  2 pairs of disposable gloves 
  Sterile dressings
  Gauze bandages
  Cleansing agent – soap and antibiotic towelettes
  Antibiotic ointment
  Adhesive tape – 2-inch width
  Eye wash solution, eye drops
  Scissors and tweezers
  Over-the-counter medicines i.e. aspirin, pain reliever, laxative, anti-diarrhea, antacids
  Daily prescriptions (insulin, heart medicine, asthma inhalers)
  Prescribed medical supplies (glucose monitor, blood pressure equipment)

PET CARE

  For each pet, get a carrier or crate large enough for the pet to stand up; turn around inside.
  Have a leash or muzzle on hand to help control your dog.
  Newspapers, plastic bags, cleansers, and kitty litter and disinfectant available for waste 
  Sufficient amounts of pet food, water, and special medications on hand
  Be sure your pet’s rabies and other vaccinations are current. The collar should have a license tag. 

  Gather your pet’s ID and medical records and store in a waterproof package. Include a recent photo of you and your pet with a description and copy of current vaccinations. 

  Ask local shelters if they provide emergency shelter or foster care for pets in a disaster.

FOOD

Store enough emergency food to feed your family for at least three days:

  Ready-to-eat canned proteins or meats, fruits, vegetables
  Canned or boxed juices, milk, soup
  High-energy foods i.e. peanut butter, jelly, crackers, granola bars, trail mix 
  Comfort foods such as hard candy, sweetened cereals, candy bars, cookies

  Dried foods (avoid high salt content)

  Instant meals that do not require cooking or water
  Portable propane stove and propane bottles
  Vitamins
  Protein or fruit bars, nuts
  Storage sacks with zip locks and utensils such as a picnic knife
  Food and water shelf life: write the date you store the food/water on each container. 

• Use within 6 months: powdered milk in a box, dried fruit in a metal container, dry crispy crackers in a metal container, potatoes
• Use within 1 year: canned condensed meat and vegetable soups, canned fruits, fruit juices and vegetables, ready-to-eat cereals, peanut butter and jelly, hard candy and canned nuts, and vitamin C
• May be stored indefinitely (in proper containers): wheat, vegetable oils, dried corn, baking powder,soybeans, instant coffee, tea and cocoa, salt, non-carbonated soft drinks, white rice, boulion products, dry pasta, powdered milk (in nitrogen-packed cans)         

                                                                         WATER

  Store 1 gallon of water per person and per pet per day
  Seal containers tightly in a clean food grade plastic container, label with a date and store in a cool, dark place.

  Rotate water supplies every 6 months (water can develop bacteria or algae from microscopic cracks in containers).

  Keep a small bottle of unscented liquid bleach to purify water. (Add 8 drops of bleach to one gallon of water.  Shake or stir and allow to stand 30 minutes).

IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS

  Birth certificates, adoption papers
  Marriage certificate
  Social Security cards
  Military discharge
  Health insurance ID cards
  Life insurance policies
  Auto registration/ownership papers, auto insurance policies
  Naturalization documents
  Power of attorney
  Will 
  Passport
  Real estate deeds
  Previous year tax returns 
  Contact info of your attorney
  Inventory of valuables with photographs and videotapes

MAINTAINING CONTACT

  Determine the best two escape routes from your home. 
  Plan where to meet if your home becomes unsafe. Choose two places --- one just outside your home and one outside your neighborhood. 
  Designate a contact person far enough away not to be affected by the same emergency.  Instruct family members to call this person and tell them where they are. 
  If you have a cell phone, include an emergency contact in your phone book. Put the letters “ICE” for “In Case of Emergency” before a person’s name to let rescuers know whom to contact.  
  Have a cell phone charger available if there is power. Some radios have cell phone chargers via battery.

  If your area code is overloaded, you can contact your cell phone company and get an area code of the locale to which you evacuated. Calls should be forwarded and thus allow you to get a call.

  Keep a list of toll-free and local phone numbers for help when posted on TV or radio.
  Start a file system for contacts made with insurance, police, etc. 
  Consider battery-powered walkie-talkies

  Carry Change of Address Cards and complete as soon as possible, if needed.

EVACUATION BAG

Have an easy-to-carry bag with an ID tag for each member of the family for use for an evacuation.  Include: 

  Some water, food, and manual can opener
  Flashlight and batteries 
  Battery-operated radio 
  Whistle 
  Personal medications and prescriptions 
  Extra keys to your house and vehicle
  Walking shoes, warm clothes, a hat, and rain gear
  Extra prescription eyeglasses, hearing aid, or vital personal items 
  Toilet paper, plastic bags, and other hygiene supplies 
  Dust mask
  Pocket knife
  Paper, pens, and tape for leaving messages 
  Cash in small denominations
  Copies of insurance and ID cards
  A recent picture of your family and pets
  In your child’s bag include a favorite toy, game or book and emergency card with reunification location and contact information.

USPS Employee Assistance Program
Free * Confidential * Private * Professional

1-800-EAP-4-YOU   (1-800-327-4968)

TTY 1-877-492-7341

www.eap4you.com