Safety Tips

The following are excerpts from the Citizen's Preparedness Guide published by the Attorney General's Office of the U.S. Department of Justice.

In Your Home and Neighborhood

• Make a list of important local phone numbers
• Write down phone numbers and contact information for your family in case they are separated
• Make your house easy to find (street numbers are large and illuminated)
• Organize an emergency preparedness kit containing:
  • A three-to-five day supply of water (one gallon per day per person)
  • Food that will not spoil and requires no cooking (enough to last 72 hours)
  • A first aid kit and needed medicines
  • Emergency tools like a radio, cell phone, flashlight and extra batteries
  • A portable emergency generator if possible
  • Alternate cooking source (camp stove or barbeque with fuel)
  • Extra blankets, clothing, shoes and money
  • Remember that banks may be shut down and ATM machines inoperative
• Develop a home evacuation plan and practice with your family and neighbors
• Plan how to take care of your pets
• Learn how to shut off utilities such as gas, electricity, and water. Keep an adjustable wrench on hand to shut off utilities
• Teach your children how to stay in touch
  • Make sure they can contact you at work
  • Make sure they know their address
  • Work with neighbors to find places that are safe for children to go in case of emergency
  • Explain 9-1-1 to your children
• Maintain easily accessible inventory list of property and important documents

At Work

• Learn about your company's emergency plans and practice them
• Know the exit nd emergency routes
• Have a designated post evacuation meeting location
• Make plans for co-workers who are disabled
• Know the location of fire extinguishers and medical kits
• Gather personal emergency supplies in a desk drawer
• Put together an office phone tree
• Make plans to help each other

In Your Community

• Develop a list of emergency services and their phone numbers and addresses
• Find out about community emergency plans
• Make sure schools and workplaces have updated contact information for your family
• Make plans to meet with family members if an emergency happens while your family is separated
• Plan for what you may need if you're away from home during an emergency
• Be prepared to help others
• Join or start a neighborhood group
• Share the information you learn

Pets and Livestock

Before a disaster strikes:

• Pre-plan where to take your animals in the event of an evacuation (fairgrounds, private farms, stables, etc.)
• Be familiar with evacuation routes to your destination
• Be sure animals will load
• If you don't have your own vehicle, make arrangements with someone before the disaster strikes
• Prepare a disaster kit, which should include:
  • your name, address, and phone number
  • your vet's name, address, and phone number
  • vaccination records
  • medications
  • water buckets
  • plastic trash barrel with lid
  • non-nylon leads, halters, and shanks
  • food and water
  • special dietary/medical instructions
  • horse blanket or sheet
  • photo of animal
  • fly spray
  • leg wraps
  • hoof pick
  • wire cutters
  • sharp knife

During a disaster:

• Listen to the Emergency Alert System and evacuate when advised. If you choose to remain, at least evacuate your animals along with the disaster kit.
• Animal behavior changes during disasters
• Upon a warning notification, ready your animals - bring them in from fields, put halters on, etc.
• Evacuate your horses/livestock early, if possible, to insure their safety and reduce stress
• Take all vaccinations, medical records, and enough hay and water for three days
• Call you destination to make sure that it is still available
• If possible, use roads not in use for human evacuation when transporting livestock

If you cannot evacuate your livestock:

• Leave them in a pre-selected area appropriate for the type of disaster. Call the Sheriff's Animal Regulations Unit and request the Animal Evacuation Team.

If you lose your livestock:

• Contact your animal shelter, human society, veterinarians, brand inspectors, stables, surrounding ranches/farms or other facilities.
• Listen to the Emergency Alert System for groups that may be accepting lost animals.
• When you find your animal, use caution when handling it. They may panic or be in pain. Examine them thoroughly and seek medical attention, if needed.
• Call the shelters and let them know your animal has been located. They will take them off their list of lost animals.

After a disaster:

• Check fences to ensure they are intact
• Check pastures for sharp objects that could injure livestock
• Look for downed power lines and trees
• If you find someone else's livestock, call our local shelters. Isolate the animal until it can be returned to its owner or examined by a vet.