How to Help People with Special Needs or In-Home Care Needs Be Ready for an Emergency

If someone needs special assistance in an emergency, you should have a plan. Here are some things to consider:

v    Tell your local fire department or Emergency Management Director (EMD) about their special needs. Some towns have a registry where people who may need help during a disaster can list their names and contact info. The town will then be able to contact these individuals during an emergency to make sure they are fine, or help them if they need assistance.

v    Talk with a care provider (such as a physician or primary care provider) about what should be done in an emergency. If the person with special needs has a visiting nurse or home healthcare aide, you should also talk with them about a plan.

v    Identify a neighbor or family member who can help if a care provider cannot get to them during the emergency. In New Hampshire, where we frequently have snow storms, there may be times when a visiting nurse cannot reach a client because the roads are blocked or closed, trees and electrical wires may be down, etc. This can also be the case for an ice storm, a natural disaster such as the recent Hurricane Irene, etc. Therefore it is very important that you have a back-up plan if the visiting nurse or home healthcare aide cannot reach the person with special needs.

You may not have a family member with special needs, but one of your neighbors may. Consider helping neighbors who may have special needs or would require assistance during a disaster. It can be several days before help from the state or federal government arrives during a disaster, so helping your neighbors can make a big difference!

How to Create a Family Evacuation Plan

In some types of emergencies you may need to quickly leave your house, or your neighborhood may be evacuated. You and your loved ones will be better prepared during a disaster if you have already created a family evacuation plan.

Your family evacuation plan should include:

1) The best exits out of your home

2) A predetermined meeting place (either in your neighborhood or close by but out of harm’s way)

3) Local radio station frequency to listen for updates

4) A plan for pets in case you need to evacuate (we will write more in an upcoming post about how to create a plan for pets)

 5) The location of your grab-and-go bag, family communications plan, first aid kit, etc.

Make sure all members of your household are familiar with your family evacuation plan.

If you think your town or neighborhood might need to be evacuated, listen to the radio for more information. You should also subscribe to receive free Nixle text message alerts. To sign up for free text messages alerts, simply text the word GMPHN to 888777. You will then receive all alerts during emergencies affecting the Monadnock region. (Please note: standard text message rates do apply.)

Information for this blog post was collected from www.ready.gov and the NH “Preparing for an Emergency: The Smart Thing to Do” brochure

How to Design a Family Communications Plan

It is very important for you to design a family communications plan before a disaster strikes. If you become separated from your family, this communications plan will help you to reconnect with your loved ones.

Your family communications plan should include:

1) An emergency contact in your local area

2) A contact out-of-state in case the emergency affects your local contact

3) A neighborhood meeting place, where you can reunite with your family members in case you get separated.

You should write this information on a 3 x 5 card and give copies to all family members to keep with them. Make sure everyone in your family is familiar with this plan.

Please remember that during an emergency, cell phone lines can become “jammed” because of the increased amount of traffic on the airwaves. FEMA recommends that if you have trouble making phone calls, use text messaging (SMS) instead. You are much more likely to reach your family member with text messaging than over a cell phone call when the airwaves are busy.

If you do become separated from your family, another way to reconnect is using the Red Cross Safe and Well website http://www.redcross.org/safeandwell. You can register yourself as “Safe and Well” so people looking for you will know you are alive. Also, if you are searching for a loved one or friend, you can search registrants to see if they are safe and well. You may want to include the Red Cross Safe and Well website on your 3 x 5 family communications plan card.

Information for this blog post was collected from www.ready.gov and the NH “Preparing for an Emergency: The Smart Thing to Do” brochure

How to Create a Grab-and-Go-Bag and Car Emergency Kit

In some types of emergencies you may need to quickly leave your house, or your neighborhood may be evacuated. You can be prepared by having a grab-and-go bag and a car emergency kit.

Your grab-and-go bag should include items such as:

• One day’s clothing and shoes for each family member
• Personal care products (toothbrush, feminine hygiene products, diapers, etc.)
• Towels
• Blankets or sleeping bags
• Flashlight (preferably hand-crank or solar). If you are using a battery powered-flashlight, be sure to have extra batteries.
• Granola bars/trail mix
• An extra set of car keys
• Cash
• A prepaid phone card
• Copies of important documents (medical and prescription information, passports, birth certificates, driver’s license, insurance papers, bank account information, etc.).

If you have to leave your home quickly, don’t forget your prescription medications, eyeglasses and/or hearing aids.

If you have a car, be sure to keep your gas tank filled above halfway. In an emergency you may not be able to get fuel.

Your car emergency kit should include items such as:

• Bottled water
• Food (granola/energy bars)
• First aid kit
• White distress flag
• Flashlight (preferably hand-crank or solar). If you are using a battery powered-flashlight, be sure to have extra batteries.
• Flares/light sticks
• Blanket or sleeping bag
• Emergency reflective blanket
• Jumper cables
• Tire jack and spare tire
• Fix-a-flat
• Shovel
• Maps

Information for this blog post was collected from www.ready.gov and the NH “Preparing for an Emergency: The Smart Thing to Do” brochure

How to Make a Home Emergency Kit

September is National Preparedness Month! The Greater Monadnock Public Health Network is encouraging everyone to make sure they are prepared for an emergency. Over the next few days, we'll be posting information about how you and your family can be ready for an emergency by taking a few simple steps, including 1) making a home emergency kit, 2) creating a grab-and-go bag and a car emergency kit in the event you need to leave your house quickly, 3) designing a family communications plan, and 4) creating a family evacuation plan.

During a disaster, it can be several days before help from the state or federal government arrives, so it is very important that people are prepared to take care of themselves for the first few days.

Today we’re sharing information on what should be included in your home emergency kit, in the event you need to “shelter in place” or stay in your home for an extended period of time.

Your home emergency kit should include:

• 1 gallon of water per person per day for at least three days
• A 3-day supply of food (canned, dried or non-perishable)
• Non-electric can opener
• Battery-powered / hand-crank / solar radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert capabilities
• Flashlight (preferably hand-crank or solar)
• Battery-powered lantern
• ABC-type fire extinguisher
• First aid kit
• Whistle to signal for help
• Moist towelettes
• Garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
• Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
• Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors
• Prescription medications
• Wired telephone (not cordless)
• If you have an infant: 3-day supply of baby food and formula

Stay tuned for more emergency preparedness tips!

Information for this blog post was collected from www.ready.gov and the NH “Preparing for an Emergency: The Smart Thing to Do” brochure

Movie "Contagion" Opens During National Preparedness Month

The movie Contagion opens today. "Warner Bros. Pictures feature film, Contagion, fictionalizes the world’s emergency response to a novel respiratory disease outbreak. The movie, partially filmed at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Headquarters in Atlanta, follows the process to investigate and respond to the unfolding outbreak. CDC’s work and professionals are prominently depicted by major actors in the film." (Quotation from http://www.cdcfoundation.org/content/how-cdc-saves-lives-controlling-real-global-disease-outbreaks)

Do you want to learn more about how the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention track emerging infectious diseases and combat outbreaks? There are several websites you can visit to learn more.

• Contagion official website — Directed by Steven Soderbergh, the movie stars Kate Winslet, Matt Damon, Jude Law, Marion Cotillard, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Lawrence Fishburne
• Contagion and CDC — A website created by the CDC Foundation to help separate fact from fiction and to highlight CDC’s role in preparedness and response
• CDC 24/7 — A CDC website that includes information you may find useful on how public health protects Americans from outbreaks
  

Additionally, you can visit the following websites:

• CDC Emergency Preparedness and Response Site: http://emergency.cdc.gov/
• Emergency Preparedness for You Site: http://emergency.cdc.gov/preparedness/
• Flu Prevention information from the CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/preventing.htm

NH DHHS press release (09.08.11) "DHHS Issues Food Safety Advice Regarding Flooded Crops"

Source: http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/media/pr/09082011crops.htm

Contact:

Public Information Office

(603) 271-4051

Twitter: NHDHHSPIO

Publish Date:

September 8, 2011

Concord, NH - In conjunction with the NH Department of Agriculture which advised farmers to destroy or discard all crops with edible portions that have come in contact with flood waters after Tropical Storm Irene, the NH Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Division of Public Health Services is advising people with home gardens that were flooded to follow U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance.

The FDA guidance includes the following information: “If the edible portion of a crop is exposed to flood waters, it is considered adulterated and should not enter the human food channels. There is no practical method of reconditioning the edible portion of a crop that will provide a reasonable assurance of human food safety. The FDA recommends that these crops be disposed of in a manner that ensures they are kept separate from crops that have not been flood damaged to avoid adulterating ‘clean’ crops. In addition, crops and other food commodities exposed to flood waters would not be acceptable for use in animal feed.”

Flood waters, from rivers or streams that have overflowed their banks, are likely to contain contaminants. These may come from upstream farms and rural septic systems, urban lawns and roadways, industrial sites, or overflow from municipal sewage systems and may include raw manure or feces, agricultural chemicals, heavy metals or other chemical contaminants. Microbial pathogens that could be in floodwaters include bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Situations where normal pooling of water has occurred from heavy rains, rather than flowing water, are typically not a concern.

“It is best not to take any chances with illness around contaminated food and to reduce such risk when feasible,” said Dr. José Montero, DPHS Director. “When in doubt, throw it out.”

Destroy or discard all crops with edible portions that have come into contact with flood waters.
Discarding of crops in proximity to, or exposed to, a lesser degree of flooding but where the edible portion of the crop has NOT come in contact with flood waters may need to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Grains and similar products stored in bulk can also be damaged by flood waters. These flood-damaged products should not be used for human or animal food. Fresh fruits and vegetables that have been inundated by flood waters cannot be adequately cleaned and should be destroyed.

State Agricultural Commissioner, Lorraine Merrill said, “We encourage home gardeners to utilize information resources available to them such as the University of New Hampshire’s Cooperative Extension Education Center and Info Line. Home gardeners can get tips on garden clean up and preparing the site for next year—1-877-EXT-GROW or answers@unh.edu.”

For more information visit the Food and Drug Administration at www.fda.gov/Food/FoodDefense/Emergencies/FloodsHurricanesPowerOutages/ucm112723.htm, the Division of Public Health Services at www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/fp/index.htm, and the NH Department of Agriculture at www.nh.gov/agric/index.htm.

Flood Warning for Cheshire County

There is a flood warning in effect for Cheshire County, NH, until 1:30 PM today. The following is from the National Weather Service:

"A flood warning means that flooding is imminent or has been reported. Stream rises will be slow and flash flooding is not expected. However, all interested parties should take necessary precautions immediately…..Excessive runoff from heavy rainfall will cause elevated levels on small creeks and streams, and ponding of water on country roads and farmland along the banks of creeks and streams."

Please see www.weather.gov for more information.

 

NH DHHS press release (09.02.11) "DHHS Urges Residents to Continue Precautions in Irene’s Aftermath"

Source: http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/media/pr/09012011hurricane.htm

Contact:

Public Information Office

(603) 271-4051

Twitter: NHDHHSPIO

Publish Date:

September 1, 2011

Concord, NH - The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Division of Public Health Services, reminds all Granite Staters that while some people remain without power and because of flooding in the State it is important to continue to be vigilant about prevention of illness and injury.

Food Safety in Restaurants

Some food establishments have been without power at some point because of the storm. Food establishments are reminded that they should cease operation and contact the Food Protection Section when they have experienced a disruption of water service or interruption of electrical service for longer than 2 hours, have a contaminated water supply or failed sewer system, or experience flooding in the establishment or any other event that could result in contamination of the establishment or the food supply. The Food Protection Section will approve the resumption of operations when an imminent health threat no longer exists or when the establishment has offered a plan to mitigate all threats to health and safety. Retail establishments with questions about safe food handling during a power outage or flood can get a copy of the Emergency Action Plan at www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/fp/documents/emergency/pdf. Consumers or establishments can reach the Food Protection Section at 603-271-4589.

Well Water Safety

If you have a private well that was flooded because of Tropical Storm Irene, it needs to be tested and disinfected before it is safe to use the water again. Heavy precipitation tends to mobilize bacteria and thus highlight conditions of poor well construction. The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (DES) urges all private well owners whose well has been flooded to boil their water for drinking and to have their well water quality tested after the floodwaters have receded. Make sure your drinking water is safe by disinfecting and testing your wells after the floodwaters recede:

• To request a test container from the DES Laboratory (www2.des.nh.gov/OneStop/Homeowner_Container_Request.asp), please contact 271-3445.

• For information on disinfection of private wells, please go to Disinfecting A Private Well (DES Fact Sheet; http://des.nh.gov/organization/commissioner/pip/factsheets/dwgb/documents/dwgb-4-11.pdf).

West Nile Virus and EEE

Mosquitoes need standing water to breed and flood waters can provide the perfect habitat.

Infected mosquitoes can spread West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) to people by biting them. Residents are asked to be sure to eliminate standing water left over from rain or flooding on their property, such as in tires, flowerpots, bird baths, and gutters. Also be sure to wear an insect repellent used according to manufacturer’s directions if you are outside and mosquitoes are biting. WNV/EEE season lasts until at least the first hard frost across the State.

Asthma and Mold

The recent impact of tropical storm Irene has left many homes with water related damage that can have an impact on health. Flooding can affect asthma and other respiratory diseases. The resultant moisture, dampness and mold in homes and other private and public buildings can result in poor indoor air quality and may make asthma and other respiratory illnesses worse. For more information visit: www.epa.gov/iaq/flood/, www.fema.gov/hazard/flood/index.shtm,

www.epa.gov/iedmold1/moldguide.html and http://nchh.org/Portals/0/Contents/FloodCleanupGuide_screen_.pdf . For more information related to Tropical Storm Irene visit www.nh.gov/readynh. For FEMA Disaster Assistance call 1-800-621-3362. For general flood insurance questions call the NH Insurance Department at 1-800-852-3416. To report damage call 211.