Disaster Preparedness
Four tips to reduce injury or save your life
I’m taking a course to become C.E.R.T. (Community Emergency Response Team) trained. The course materials are developed through F.E.M.A. The local team is under the county sheriff. I highly recommend everyone take the training. We respond to disasters with the mission of doing the most good for the most people. As I learned helping with the Goldilocks Revolution, the way to do the most good for the most people is to minimize harm. It all starts with you. We are being trained to be rescuers and not on the treatment list. Be prepared. Here are four tips that I am changing in my house.
I keep a pair of shoes under my bed. The most common injury after a disaster is to feet. There may be broken glass on the floor. Windows, picture frames, televisions, mirrors, aquariums, and pots for plants, may be broken and on floor. Having shoes under your bed helps you be prepared to quickly evacuate.
Make sure you have two exits out of every room of your home in case of fire. One of my sons is a general contractor. I think bedrooms are required to have a window as an escape route. I have two bedrooms upstairs. We have ordered two ladders to keep under the beds. I will be training guests to use them.
Most of us have smoke detectors. Carbon monoxide detectors are now required. I thought they had to be low. Turns out the new detectors can be nearly anywhere. My son sold a home with detectors on the ceiling. Some detectors may detect both smoke and carbon monoxide. Make sure detectors have good batteries.
Fire extinguishers. Yes, we have several. No, they are not easy to find. I plan to buy three more fire extinguishers. I’ll put one upstairs and one on the front and back of my home.
Those are four quick tips. Knowing is only half the battle. We never know when disaster may strike.