Make a Plan The reality of a disaster situation is that you will likely not have access to everyday conveniences. To plan in advance, think through the details of your everyday life.
Develop a Family Emergency Plan.Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so plan how you will contact one another and review what you will do in different situations.
Consider a plan where each family member calls, or e-mails, the same friend or relative in the event of an emergency. It may be easier to make a long-distance phone call than to call across town, so an out-of-town contact may be in a better position to communicate among separated family members. Depending on your circumstances and the nature of the attack, the first important decision is whether you stay put or get away. You should understand and plan for both possibilities.
Watch television and listen to the radio for official instructions as they become available.
Create a Personal Support Network: If you anticipate needing assistance during a disaster, ask family, friends and others to be part of your plan. Share each aspect of your emergency plan with everyone in your group, including a friend or relative in another area who would not be impacted by the same emergency who can help if necessary. Include the names and numbers of everyone in your personal support network, as well as your medical providers in your emergency supply kit. Make sure that someone in your personal support network has an extra key to your home and knows where you keep your emergency supplies. If you use a wheelchair or other medical equipment, show friends how to use these devices so they can move you if necessary and teach them how to use any lifesaving equipment or administer medicine in case of an emergency. Practice your plan with those who have agreed to be part of your personal support network. Inform your employer and co-workers about your disability and let them know specifically what assistance you will need in an emergency. Talk about communication difficulties, physical limitations, equipment instructions and medication procedures. Always participate in trainings and emergency drills offered by your employer.
Consider Your Service Animal or Pets: Whether you decide to stay put or evacuate, you will need to make plans in advance for your service animal and pets. Keep in mind that what’s best for you is typically what’s best for your animals. If you must evacuate, take your pets with you, if possible. However, if you are going to a public shelter, make sure that they allow pets. Some only allow service animals. Fire Safety: Plan two ways out of every room in case of fire. Check for items such as bookcases, hanging pictures or overhead lights that could fall and block an escape path.
Create a Plan to Shelter-in-Place: There are circumstances when staying put and creating a barrier between yourself and potentially contaminated air outside, a process known as sheltering-in-place and sealing the room can be a matter of survival. If you see large amounts of debris in the air, or if local authorities say the air is badly contaminated, you may want to shelter-in-place and seal the room. Consider precutting plastic sheeting to seal windows, doors and air vents. Each piece should be several inches larger than the space you want to cover so that you can duct tape it flat against the wall. Label each piece with the location of where it fits. Immediately turn off air conditioning, forced air heating systems, exhaust fans and clothes dryers. Take your emergency supplies and go into the room you have designated. Seal all windows, doors and vents. Understand that sealing the room is a temporary measure to create a barrier between you and contaminated air. Listen to the radio for instructions from local emergency management officials.
Create a Plan to Get Away: Plan in advance how you will assemble your family and anticipate where you will go. Choose several destinations in different directions so you have options in an emergency. Become familiar with alternate routes as well as other means of transportation out of your area. If you do not have a car, plan how you will leave if you have to. If you typically rely on elevators, have a back-up plan in case they are not working. Talk to your neighbors about how you can work together.
You may want to consider evacuating with help of Evacuteer.org. This resource is designed to help New Orleans residents safely evacuate. As travel around the city, you will notice the addition of 14-foot sculptures in your neighborhood. These art pieces resembling waving figures are the culmination of art and functionality. These are designated evacuation pickup points (EvacuSpots) across the city. In the event of an evacuation, these EvacuSpots will be run by Evacuteers who will register and assist evacuees with luggage and pets at each of the locations.
photo courtesy Kirsten & Allie Kirsten & Allie said, Its pose seems symbolic as much as aesthetic, drawing people to it as if to say, “stick with me and I will guide you.” And that’s exactly what the statue does, because it marks an ‘EvacuSpot.’ Check out their article about EVACUTEER at: http://adaptationstories.com/2013/07/18/new-orleans-gives-evacuation-plan-an-artists-touch/
Evacuteer.org recruits, trains, and manages evacuation volunteers who assist with New Orleans’ mandatory evacuations.
During an activation, volunteers work to move 30,000+ citizens without access to reliable transportation. Evacuteers work at each one of the 17 EvacuSpots, at the Union Passenger Terminal for evacuee processing, and at City Hall to assist with the 311 Call Center.
Whether it’s a boil water advisory or hurricane alerts, you need to be ready… NOLA READY! Learn more by visiting the links below.
On the Web – http://new.nola.gov/ready/
Via Email – http://new.nola.gov/ready/emergency-alerts/
On Twitter – https://twitter.com/nolaready
On Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/NOHSEP
Readiness starts with you
Whether manmade or natural, every emergency situation is different, and requires both citizen and City to be prepared. From the Final Four to the Super Bowl, all-hazards alerts to hurricane evacuations, 24/7, 365 days a year, agencies across the City of New Orleans work to keep you safe and our city prepared for any event or emergency.
For our City to be ready, our citizens must be ready.
We must take all take important steps to prepare for an emergency. At NOLA Ready, we provide all the information residents need to travel their own road to being ready, including how to:
City-Assisted Evacuation
City-Assisted Evacuation assists Orleans Parish residents and/or tourists who cannot self-evacuate during a mandatory City-wide evacuation by providing transportation from designated City evacuation pick-up points to the Union Pacific Terminal bus station, for outbound transportation to State and Federal shelters. Learn more here.
A CHECKLIST OF ITEMS FOR HURRICANE PREPARATION
- Prescription medication for a month
- Aspirin and non-prescription medicine
- FIRST AID KIT
- Antibiotic ointment
- CASH
- Drinking water (2 gallons per day per person)
- Containers for storing water
- Non-perishable food
- Eating utensils, paper plates and towels
- Baby supplies (up to 3 weeks)
- Non-electric can opener
- Battery powered TV or radio
- TOILET PAPER
- Boards for your windows
- Matches
- Fire Extinguisher
- Flashlight with extra batteries
- Lantern with extra fuel
- Fuel for your generator or saw
- Aluminum foil
- INSECT REPELLENT
- Month’s supply of pet food
- Cat litter
- Tools and shovel
- Latex and regular work gloves
- SIGNAL LIGHT
- AX IN ATTIC
- Rope or heavy cord
- DISINFECTANT
- Toiletries and feminine supplies
- Soap and liquid detergent
- Household bleach without lemon
- GARBAGE BAGS
- Sturdy work shoes or work boots
- RAIN GEAR AND A CHANGE OF CLOTHES
- Have a plan of action for your pets. Many shelters will not take them. Call the SPCA for more information to help you prepare for evacuating your pets… (504) 368-5191.
- http://www.la-spca.org
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