Fires to the west, hurricanes to the east, tornados – even freak snowstorms. Late summer, early fall marks a period when many parts of the United States see an increase in natural disasters and extreme weather events. So, it’s only fitting that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has named September National Preparedness Month.
According to the National Safety Council, “Over the last five years, weather-related deaths are up 20% from 2019 and injuries have increased 120%, while the number of weather events have increased 11%. In 2023, 75,104 weather events resulted in 877 deaths and 3,857 injuries. Heat, wildfires, and tornadoes were responsible for the most deaths during 2023.”
Are you ready for the unexpected? Can you keep your workplace and home safe?
To protect yourself, your home or your workforce, you should assess possible dangers such as the location of trees and powerlines, develop a preparedness plan and assemble an emergency kit. If you are an employer, it is your job to guide employees through the emergency and then plan for recovery.
The Plan
To start with, get your emergency plan in place and make sure that everyone in your home or workplace is aware of it.
Everyone should know the following:
- In the home, assign one person to be the leader during an emergency and communicate about the emergency. In the workplace, determine who the point person is and how emergency alerts and instructions will be provided.
- Have evacuation and shelter-in-place details mapped out.
- Assemble an emergency preparedness kit and periodically check it to make sure that it is stocked with everything that could be needed. Let everyone know where it is.
- Have someone in the home or workplace complete first aid and CPR training.
The Kit
An emergency kit should go beyond being just a first aid kit. It should be to go and easy to access. It should be in a single, easy-to-carry container in case you are evacuated.
Here is a standard emergency kit checklist:
- Food – Include enough non-perishable food to sustain you for at least one day. Select foods that require no refrigeration, preparation or cooking, and little or no water such as granola and energy bars, canned juices and ready-to-eat canned or bagged food.
- Water – At a minimum, have a gallon of water packed in sturdy, leak-proof plastic containers.
- Battery-powered radio
- Flashlight with extra batteries
- Whistle – to signal for help
- Medications – Non-prescription pain relievers, stomach remedies, allergy medication, etc. (When a severe weather event is forecast, you will also want to ensure that everyone has necessary prescription medications accessible in case of an evacuation.)
- First aid supplies – A good first aid kit should have what you need. Here are some of the essentials:
- (20) adhesive bandages, various sizes
- (1) 5″ x 9″ sterile dressing
- (1) conforming roller gauze bandage
- (2) triangular bandages
- (2) 3 x 3 sterile gauze pads
- (2) 4 x 4 sterile gauze pads
- (1) roll 3″ cohesive bandage
- (2) germicidal hand wipes or waterless alcohol-based hand sanitizer
- (6) antiseptic wipes
- (2) pair large medical grade non-latex gloves
- Adhesive tape, 2″ width
- Antibacterial ointment
- Cold pack
- Scissors (small, personal)
- Tweezers
- CPR breathing barrier
Other Supplies and Tools
- Emergency blankets
- Paper plates and cups, plastic utensils
- Non-electric can opener
- Plastic garbage bags
- Duct Tape
- Wrench/pliers (to turn off utilities)
- Cleaning supplies
- Face masks
Every emergency kit should be customized according to your family’s or company’s needs and the emergencies that are most likely to happen in your area. When you review the kit with your family or employees, encourage them to consider their individual special needs and the supplies they should always have ready to go (allergy medications, prescription drugs, etc.)
If you would like additional guidance on how to prepare for an emergency and how to recover after, give TSS a call at (877) 225-1431.877) 225-1431