The following information is
provided by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the
American Red Cross
Additional Materials can be
found by clicking on one of the listed publications. (Requires
Adobe Acrobat Reader)
Personal Safety and Terrorism
Terror Threats and Anxiety
http://www.ready.gov
for emergency preparations.
Terrorism—Preparing for the Unexpected
Devastating acts, such as the terrorist attacks on the
World Trade Center and the Pentagon, have left many concerned
about the possibility of future incidents in the United States
and their potential impact. They have raised uncertainty about
what might happen next, increasing stress levels.
Nevertheless, there are things you can do to prepare for the
unexpected and reduce the stress that you may feel now and
later should another emergency arise. Taking preparatory
action can reassure you and your children that you can exert a
measure of control even in the face of such events.
What You Can Do to Prepare
Finding out what can happen is the first step. Once you
have determined the events possible and their potential in
your community, it is important that you discuss them with
your family or household. Develop a disaster plan together.
1. Create an emergency
communications plan.
Choose an out-of-town contact your family or household will
call or e-mail to check on each other should a disaster occur.
Your selected contact should live far enough away that they
would be unlikely to be directly affected by the same event,
and they should know they are the chosen contact. Make sure
every household member has that contact's, and each other's,
e-mail addresses and telephone numbers (home, work, pager and
cell). Leave these contact numbers at your children's schools,
if you have children, and at your workplace. Your family
should know that if telephones are not working, they need to
be patient and try again later or try e-mail. Many people
flood the telephone lines when emergencies happen but e-mail
can sometimes get through when calls don't.
2. Establish a meeting place.
Having a predetermined meeting place away from your home will
save time and minimize confusion should your home be affected
or the area evacuated. You may even want to make arrangements
to stay with a family member or friend in case of an
emergency. Be sure to include any pets in these plans, since
pets are not permitted in shelters and some hotels will not
accept them.
3. Assemble a disaster supplies
kit.
If you need to evacuate your home or are asked to
"shelter in place," having some essential supplies
on hand will make you and your family more comfortable.
Prepare a disaster supplies kit in an easy-to-carry container
such as a duffel bag or small plastic trash can. Include
"special needs" items for any member of your
household (infant formula or items for people with
disabilities or older people), first aid supplies (including
prescription medications), a change of clothing for each
household member, a sleeping bag or bedroll for each, a
battery powered radio or television and extra batteries, food,
bottled water and tools. It is also a good idea to include
some cash and copies of important family documents (birth
certificates, passports and licenses) in your kit.
Copies of essential documents-like powers of attorney,
birth and marriage certificates, insurance policies, life
insurance beneficiary designations and a copy of your
will-should also be kept in a safe location outside your home.
A safe deposit box or the home of a friend or family member
who lives out of town is a good choice.
For more complete instructions, ask your local Red Cross
chapter for the brochure titled Your
Family Disaster Supplies Kit (stock number A4463).
4. Check on the school emergency
plan of any school-age children you may have.
You need to know if they will they keep children at school
until a parent or designated adult can pick them up or send
them home on their own. Be sure that the school has updated
information about how to reach parents and responsible
caregivers to arrange for pickup. And, ask what type of
authorization the school may require to release a child to
someone you designate, if you are not able to pick up your
child. During times of emergency the school telephones may be
overwhelmed with calls.
For more information on putting together a disaster plan,
request a copy of the brochure titled Your
Family Disaster Plan (A4466) from your local American Red
Cross chapter. You may also want to request a copy of Before
Disaster Strikes . . . How to Make Sure You're Financially
Prepared (A5075) for specific information on what you can
do now to protect your assets.
If Disaster Strikes
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Remain
calm and be patient. |
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Follow
the advice of local emergency officials. |
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Listen
to your radio or television for news and instructions. |
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If
the disaster occurs near you, check for injuries. Give
first aid and get help for seriously injured people. |
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If
the disaster occurs near your home while you are there,
check for damage using a flashlight. Do not light
matches or candles or turn on electrical switches. Check
for fires, fire hazards and other household hazards.
Sniff for gas leaks, starting at the water heater. If
you smell gas or suspect a leak, turn off the main gas
valve, open windows, and get everyone outside quickly. |
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Shut
off any other damaged utilities. |
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Confine
or secure your pets. |
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Call
your family contact—do not use the telephone again
unless it is a life-threatening emergency. |
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Check
on your neighbors, especially those who are elderly or
disabled. |
A Word on What Could Happen
As we learned from the events of September 11, 2001, the
following things can happen after a terrorist attack:
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There
can be significant numbers of casualties and/or damage
to buildings and the infrastructure. So employers need
up-to-date information about any medical needs you may
have and on how to contact your designated
beneficiaries. |
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Heavy
law enforcement involvement at local, state and federal
levels follows a terrorist attack due to the event's
criminal nature. |
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Health
and mental health resources in the affected communities
can be strained to their limits, maybe even overwhelmed. |
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Extensive
media coverage, strong public fear and international
implications and consequences can continue for a
prolonged period. |
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Workplaces
and schools may be closed, and there may be restrictions
on domestic and international travel. |
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You
and your family or household may have to evacuate an
area, avoiding roads blocked for your safety. |
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Clean-up
may take many months. |
Evacuation
If local authorities ask you to leave your home, they have a
good reason to make this request, and you should heed the
advice immediately. Listen to your radio or television and
follow the instructions of local emergency officials and keep
these simple tips in mind-
- Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants and sturdy shoes so
you can be protected as much as possible.
- Take your disaster supplies kit.
- Take your pets with you; do not leave them behind.
Because pets are not permitted in public shelters, follow
your plan to go to a relative's or friend's home, or find
a "pet-friendly" hotel.
- Lock your home.
- Use travel routes specified by local authorities—don't
use shortcuts because certain areas may be impassable or
dangerous.
- Stay away from downed power lines.
Listen to local authorities.
Your local authorities will provide you with the most accurate
information specific to an event in your area. Staying tuned
to local radio and television, and following their
instructions is your safest choice.
If you're sure you have time:
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Call
your family contact to tell them where you are going and
when you expect to arrive. |
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Shut
off water and electricity before leaving, if instructed
to do so. Leave natural gas service ON unless local
officials advise you otherwise. You may need gas for
heating and cooking, and only a professional can restore
gas service in your home once it's been turned off. In a
disaster situation it could take weeks for a
professional to respond. |
Shelter-in-place
Fact Sheet (Fact
Sheet PDF file)
If you are advised by local officials to "shelter in
place," what they mean is for you to remain inside your
home or office and protect yourself there. Close and lock all
windows and exterior doors. Turn off all fans, heating and air
conditioning systems. Close the fireplace damper. Get your
disaster supplies kit, and make sure the radio is working. Go
to an interior room without windows that's above ground level.
In the case of a chemical threat, an above-ground location is
preferable because some chemicals are heavier than air, and
may seep into basements even if the windows are closed. Using
duct tape, seal all cracks around the door and any vents into
the room. Keep listening to your radio or television until you
are told all is safe or you are told to evacuate. Local
officials may call for evacuation in specific areas at
greatest risk in your community.
Additional Positive Steps You Can Take
Raw, unedited footage of terrorism events and people's
reaction to those events can be very upsetting, especially to
children. We do not recommend that children watch television
news reports about such events, especially if the news reports
show images over and over again about the same incident. Young
children do not realize that it is repeated video footage, and
think the event is happening again and again. Adults may also
need to give themselves a break from watching disturbing
footage. However, listening to local radio and television
reports will provide you with the most accurate information
from responsible governmental authorities on what's happening
and what actions you will need to take. So you may want to
make some arrangements to take turns listening to the news
with other adult members of your household.
Another useful preparation includes learning some basic
first aid. To enroll in a first aid and AED/CPR course,
contact your local American Red Cross chapter. In an emergency
situation, you need to tend to your own well-being first and
then consider first aid for others immediately around you,
including possibly assisting injured people to evacuate a
building if necessary.
People who may have come into contact with a biological or
chemical agent may need to go through a decontamination
procedure and receive medical attention. Listen to the advice
of local officials on the radio or television to determine
what steps you will need to take to protect yourself and your
family. As emergency services will likely be overwhelmed, only
call 9-1-1 about life-threatening emergencies.
First Aid Primer
If you encounter someone who is injured, apply the emergency
action steps: Check-Call-Care. Check the scene to make
sure it is safe for you to approach. Then check the victim for
unconsciousness and life-threatening conditions. Someone who
has a life-threatening condition, such as not breathing or
severe bleeding, requires immediate care by trained responders
and may require treatment by medical professionals. Call
out for help. There are some steps that you can take, however,
to care for someone who is hurt, but whose injuries are
not life threatening.
Control Bleeding
Care for Shock
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Keep
the victim from getting chilled or overheated. |
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Elevate
the legs about 12 inches (if broken bones are not
suspected). |
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Do
not give food or drink to the victim. |
Tend Burns
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Stop
the burning by cooling the burn with large amounts of
water. |
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Cover
the burn with dry, clean dressings or cloth. |
Care for Injuries to Muscles, Bones and Joints
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Rest
the injured part. |
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Apply
ice or a cold pack to control swelling and reduce pain. |
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Avoid
any movement or activity that causes pain. |
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If
you must move the victim because the scene is becoming
unsafe, try to immobilize the injured part to keep it
from moving. |
Be Aware of Biological/Radiological Exposure
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Listen
to local radio and television reports for the most
accurate information from responsible governmental and
medical authorities on what's happening and what actions
you will need to take. The Web sites referenced at the
end of this brochure can give you more information on
how to protect yourself from exposure to biological or
radiological hazards. |
Reduce Any Care Risks
The risk of getting a disease while giving first aid is
extremely rare. However, to reduce the risk even further:
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Avoid
direct contact with blood and other body fluids. |
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Use
protective equipment, such as disposable gloves and
breathing barriers. |
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Thoroughly
wash your hands with soap and water immediately after
giving care. |
It is important to be prepared for an emergency and to know
how to give emergency care.
More Information
All of these recommendations make good sense, regardless of
the potential problem. For more information on how to get
ready for disaster and be safe when disaster strikes, or to
register for a first aid and AED/CPR course, please contact
your local American Red Cross chapter. You can find it in your
telephone directory under "American Red Cross" or
through our home page at www.redcross.org
under "your local chapter."
For information about your community's specific plans for
response to disasters and other emergencies, contact your
local office of emergency management.
For information on what a business can do to protect its
employees and customers as well as develop business continuity
plans, you may want to get a copy of the Emergency
Management Guide for Business and Industry and/or Preparing
Your Business for the Unthinkable from your local American
Red Cross chapter or see http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/beprepared
For more information about the specific effects of chemical
or biological agents, the following Web sites may be helpful:
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