Creating A Culture Of Preparedness

Utah Department of Public Safety

Division of Emergency Management

Be Ready Utah

What is a “DISASTER”?

Disaster

“A destructive occurrence that overwhelms the resources of individuals, families, and communities.”

- FEMA

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Personal & Family Safety

• Become informed of the risks
• Have a plan
• Learn about available resources
• Know what to do, get prepared, and act appropriately in an Emergency

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FEMA Strategic Plans

2018 – 2022

Build Culture of Preparedness

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2022 – 2026

Promote and Sustain a ready FEMA and prepared Nation

Shared Responsibility

“FEMA is part of a larger team… that share responsibility for emergency management and National preparedness. Those closest to impacted areas are the true first responders during any emergency or disaster – individuals, families, neighbors, and local communities.”

– Strategic Plan

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Culture of Preparedness

“ A national effort to be ready for the worst disasters – at the Federal, state, local, tribal, territorial, community, family, and individual levels.”

– Strategic Plan

Any time is a good time…

• Mental
• Physical
• Financial
• Community

• Eat preparedness
• Drink preparedness
• Breathe preparedness
• Dream preparedness
• Act preparedness

Before, during, & after a disaster,

who is responsible for your family’s safety?

YOU

ARE!

• Winter Storms
• High Winds
• Lightning Strikes
• Wildland Fires
• Landslides
• Floods
• Earthquakes
• Tornados
• Thunderstorms
• Drought

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• Pandemic
• Structure Fires
• Hazardous Materials Incidents
• Biological Contamination
• Other Technological Threats
• Financial Crisis
• Terrorism
• Active Shooter

Risks

Family Disaster Plan

Protective Actions

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“If you don’t know how to survive the disaster,

then the rest of your plans don’t really matter.”

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Protective Actions: Evacuation

• Know names of roads, highways where you live

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• Be flexible & follow instructions

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• Be patient

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• Take disaster supply kits

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• Keep gas tank at least half full

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• Access and functional needs

neighbors

• Pets

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Protective Actions: Evacuation

• Decide now what items you can’t live without

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• Make list of 15 items to grab in evacuation

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• Get container to carry those listed items

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Protective Actions: Shelter-in-Place

• Go Indoors
• Close doors and windows
• Turn off HVAC
• Seal pre-selected room with precut plastic and duct tape
• Turn on battery-operated radio
• Leave room when instructed
• Include access and functional needs, neighbors, and pets

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Other Protective Actions

• Stand-by:

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• Clothing Fire:

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• Flooding:

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• Lightning:

Listen to EAS

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Stop, Drop, & Roll

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Turn Around, Don’t Drown

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When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors

Other Protective Actions

• Pandemic:

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• Tornado:

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• Structure Fire:

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• Active Shooter:

Hygiene, Distance, Isolation

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Shelter in a low place (basement)

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Get Low & Go

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Run, Hide, Fight

Other Protective Actions

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• Earthquake:

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Drop, Cover, and Hold On

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Family Disaster Plan

• Know protective actions
• Home hazard hunt

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Family Disaster Plan

• Know protective actions
• Home hazard hunt
• Get disaster supply kits

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Disaster Supply Kit

• Portable container in easy-access location, close to an exit
• Kit for each family member
• Items susceptible to water damage should be in plastic bags
• Check kit twice a year, replace expired or broken items

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• Special documents scanned, stored on flash drive
• Add additional items to fit individual needs as necessary

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Disaster Supply Kit�12 Areas of Emergency Preparedness

1. Shelter & Fire
2. Water
3. Food
4. Sanitation & Hygiene
5. Light & Power
6. First Aid
7. Communications

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8. Safety & Security
9. Clothing, Tools, & Personal Items
10. Cooking
11. Important Documents & Money
12. Transportation

Water and Food

• Water is essential
• One gallon per person per day
• Boil questionable water for 3 min.

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• Food is necessary
• Non-perishable, easy to prepare
• Include sweets

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Family Disaster Plan

• Know protective actions
• Home hazard hunt
• Get disaster supply kits
• Have out-of-state telephone contact

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Out-of-State Contact

• Have plug-in phone
• Texting is most reliable

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• A relative or close friend
• Family members must know contact phone numbers
• Everyone checks-in during emergency
• Contact relays information
• Reciprocate

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Family Disaster Plan

• Know protective actions
• Home hazard hunt
• Get disaster supply kits
• Have out-of-state telephone contact
• Two meeting places

Two Meeting Places

• One outside your home
• In case of house fire, gas leak, earthquake
• One outside your neighborhood
• In case of evacuations, road blocks

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• Everyone should know where & how to get there

Family Disaster Plan

• Know protective actions
• Home hazard hunt
• Get disaster supply kits
• Have Out-of-state Telephone Contact
• Two Meeting Places
• Know how to receive emergency messages

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Warning Systems

• Sirens
• Emergency Alert System
• Cell Phone (WEA)
• Highway Message Boards
• Tone Alert Radios
• Route Alerting
• Telephone Trees
• Social Media

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Family Disaster Plan

• Know protective actions
• Home hazard hunt
• Get disaster supply kits
• Have out-of-state telephone contact
• Two meeting places
• Know how to receive emergency messages
• Power Outage

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Power Outage

• Check breakers, first
• Report outage (RMP at 877-508-5088)
• Turn off electrical equipment
• If on life support have back-up system and action plan
• Source: Rocky Mountain Power “Being Storm Ready”

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Power Outage Light and Heat

• Lighting: Flashlight, solar lights, yard lights, glow sticks, extra batteries
• Heat: blankets, dress in layers, dome tent indoors
• Cell phone charging units

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Power Outage Food and Water

• Bottled water
• Ready-to-eat food
• Manual can opener
• Fridge will keep food for 2-3 hours
• Keep freezer closed, food will last about two days

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Power Outage Safety

• Avoid candles
• Only use kerosene/propane heaters with proper ventilation
• Only run generators outside
• Plug appliances directly into generator
• Don’t exceed load rating

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Family Disaster Plan

• Know protective actions
• Home hazard hunt
• Get disaster supply kits
• Have out-of-state telephone contact
• Two meeting places
• Know how to receive emergency messages
• Power Outage
• Sanitation

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Sanitation

• Plan for non-flushing toilets
• Bucket w/ Lid
• Garbage bags, cat litter, TP, sanitizer, wet wipes
• Separate liquids and solids
• Bury, mark human waste
• 1 ft deep, 200 ft away from water
• Wash hands frequently to avoid disease

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Family Disaster Plan

• Know protective actions
• Home hazard hunt
• Get disaster supply kits
• Have out-of-state telephone contact
• Two meeting places
• Know how to receive emergency messages
• Power Outage
• Sanitation
• Know gas, water, and electricity shut-offs

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Pop Quiz

Always turn your natural gas off after an earthquake.

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True or False?

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Pop Quiz

FALSE.

ONLY shut-off your gas if you see,

hear, or smell a leak, OR if your

home is off it’s foundation.

Have a professional turn it back on.

Fire Extinguisher Use

P-

A-

S-

S-

pull the pin

aim the nozzle

squeeze the trigger

sweep back and forth at base of fire

Family Disaster Plan

• Know protective actions
• Home hazard hunt
• Get disaster supply kits
• Have Out-of-state Telephone Contact
• Two Meeting Places
• Know how to receive emergency messages
• Power Outage
• Sanitation
• Know gas, water, and electricity shut-offs
• Pets

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Pets

• Make a plan for pets
• Include food and water
• Identify boarding location (Pets aren’t allowed in ARC shelters)
• Have a leash & cage
• Vaccinations

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Family Disaster Plan

• Know protective actions
• Home hazard hunt
• Have disaster supply kits
• Have Out-of-state Telephone Contact
• Two Meeting Places
• Know how to receive emergency messages
• Power Outage
• Sanitation
• Know gas, water, and electricity shut-offs
• Pets
• Practice

Practice, Practice, Practice

• Hold fire drills
• Hold evacuation drills
• Hold earthquake drills (Utah ShakeOut)
• Hold tabletop exercises
• Hold disaster supply kit dinner

Take it one piece at a time.

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Remember:

In a disaster,

you don’t rise to the occasion,

you sink to your level of preparedness.

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Are You

Ready?

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Be Ready Utah Team

BeReadyUtah@utah.gov

BeReadyUtah.gov

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