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Has the water run dry in your emergency supply kit? If so, it’s time to fill ‘er up! One of the most essential components of a disaster-ready kit is water. A well maintained kit prepares you before disaster strikes.
After an emergency, clean drinking water may not be available if your usual water source is cut off or contaminated. When replenishing your supply remember that individual needs may vary depending on health, age, diet and climate. As a general rule, store one gallon of water per person per day to last for at least three days.
There are several options for building your water supply. The safest and most reliable choice is to buy commercially bottled water and open it only when you need to use it. Store the containers in a cool, dark place and note the expiration date.
If you choose to prepare your own containers of water, purchase food grade water storage containers from a surplus or camping supply store or two-liter plastic soda bottles – not bottles that contained milk or fruit juice. Keep in mind these containers must first be properly cleaned!
To learn more about maintaining your kit, click here. Information about water treatment is also available at RedCross.org.
Findings show children play an important role in disaster preparedness and are very effective at influencing others. Seventy percent of households where children brought preparedness materials home from school have an emergency plan that has been discussed. More than twice as many of these households have actually participated in an evacuation drill.
A child trained in preparedness is more resilient during disasters and can help build stronger, safer communities. To make training fun and successful:
- Incorporate interactive games and activities such as scavenger hunts and developing an emergency plan;
- Give special consideration to bilingual children who can inform those who may not fully understand English; and
- Coordinate preparedness trainings before, during and after a disaster for children with disabilities.
More information about ways to educate youth is available in the American Red Cross Masters of Disaster Kit.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has advanced the way it keeps you informed using social media.
Stay connected with the latest social media conversations about preparedness, safety and emergency management as they happen in the Social Hub, FEMA’s new one stop shop for social engagement. The Social Hub features information on popular topics and updates from the National Weather Service and other trusted sources.
For those looking for career information and company-focused messages, the FEMA LinkedIn page will now feature job postings, safety tips, workforce news and more!
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announces the appointment of ten new members and the reappointment of five members to the FEMA National Advisory Council (NAC).
The NAC is an advisory committee established to ensure effective and ongoing coordination of federal preparedness, protection, response, recovery and mitigation for natural disasters, acts of terrorism and other man-made disasters. Members represent the whole community including public health, tribal government and functional and access needs and provide recommendations on a variety of issues within emergency management to the FEMA Administrator.
FEMA received over 500 applications for these positions. Each applicant was carefully considered through an intensive review process that included a membership recommendation panel of senior government officials. Additional information on the NAC, including a list of current members, can be found at www.fema.gov/national-advisory-council.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Healthy Students and Federal partners are pleased to announce a series of upcoming webinars designed to provide an in-depth review of the “A Closer Look” section of the Obama Administration’s recently released Guide for Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans and Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Institutions of Higher Education.
The next available webinars in this series will focus on preparing for, responding to and recovering from an active shooter situation and on implementing Psychological First Aid in school and postsecondary settings. To register for the upcoming webinars, click here.
Access the PowerPoint slides and review the 90 minute overview presentation from the recent webinar, Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plan for Houses of Worship, held July 25, 2013. This webinar was presented by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Center for Faith-based & Neighborhood Partnerships, Federal Emergency Management Agency, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Education and the Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools Technical Assistance Center.
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