emergency preparedness for farm...
TRANSCRIPT
Emergency Preparedness
for Farm workers
Robert Halman Ag/ Small farms Extension Agent
UF/IFAS Extension
Natural Disasters
flood, fire, earthquake,
tornado and windstorm affect thousands of people every year.
By learning about these specific threats, you are preparing yourself to react in an emergency.
Preparing Your Family
Target is the Founding Sponsor
of the National Emergency
Child Locater Center.
On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast, forcing an unprecedented 411,000 people to evacuate. More than 5,000 children
were separated from their families.
Within hours, the U.S. Department of Justice requested that NCMEC establish a hotline to handle calls of displaced children and adults. NCMEC also
deployed thirty Team Adam Consultants to the affected areas.
As a result of NCMEC’s efforts, the last of the 5,192 children displaced by the storm was reunited with her family in Houston, TX in March 2006.
Rembering Katrina Photo Gallery
Know the Rules...Safety Tips for Children Displaced in Natural Distasters and Their Caregivers
•Know where your kids are at all times.
•Stay together.
•Take photos of your children with you when
evacuated
•. Give children identification information to carry
with them
•E-mail digital photos of all family members.
•Photocopy important documents
• Make a plan
Battery-powered or hand crank radio and
a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
Water one gallon of water per
person per day for at least three days,
for drinking and sanitation
To determine your water needs:
Children, nursing mothers and sick people may need more water.
A medical emergency might require additional water.
In very hot temperatures, water needs can double.
Keep at least a three-day supply of water per person.
3 for 1
- Water Preparations-
Following a disaster
Clean drinking water may not be available.
How Much Water Do I Need?
One Gallon of water per person per day.
individual needs vary, depending on age, physical condition, activity, diet and climate.
Water- for
drinking and
sanitation
Children, nursing mothers and sick people may need more water.
A medical emergency might require additional water.
Preparing Your Own Containers of
Water
Use only food grade water storage
containers.
clean the containers with
dishwashing soap and water and
rinse completely so there is no
residual soap.
Do not use plastic jugs or
cardboard containers that have
had milk or fruit juice in them.
Do not use glass containers,
because they can break and are
heavy
Using old plastic bottles
Thoroughly clean the bottles with dishwashing soap and water, and rinse completely so there is no residual soap.
Sanitize the bottles by adding a solution of 1 teaspoon of non-scented liquid household chlorine bleach to a quart of water. Mix the sanitizing solution in the bottle so that it touches all surfaces. After sanitizing the bottle, thoroughly rinse out the sanitizing solution with clean water.
Fill the bottle to the top with regular tap water. If the tap water has been commercially treated from a water utility with chlorine, you do not need to add anything else to the water to keep it clean. If the water you are using comes from a well or water source that is not treated with chlorine, add two drops of non-scented liquid household chlorine bleach to the water. Let the water stand for 30 minutes before using.
Using old plastic bottles-
continued
A slight chlorine odor should be noticeable in the water, if not, add another dose of bleach and allow the water to stand another 15 minutes.
Tightly close the container using the original cap
Place a date on the outside of the container so you can know when you filled it. Store in cool, dark place.
Water storage
How Should I Store Water?
Keep bottled water in its original container and do not open until you need to use it. Observe the expiration or “use by” date. Store in cool, dark place.
Food:
Selecting Emergency Supplies
Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits, vegetables and a can opener
Protein or fruit bars
Dry cereal or granola
Peanut butter
Dried fruit
Nuts
Crackers
Canned juices
Non-perishable pasteurized milk
High energy foods
Vitamins
Food for infants
Comfort/stress foods
Food Preparation Choose foods your family will eat.
Remember any special dietary
needs.
Avoid foods that will make you
thirsty.
Choose salt-free crackers, whole
grain cereals and canned foods with
high liquid content.
. Stock canned foods, dry mixes and
other staples that do not require
refrigeration, cooking, water or
special preparation.
Be sure to include a manual can
opener and eating utensils.
Consider keeping a disaster kit
at work or in your car
Ask yourself "What could I not do without if I
were stranded at work?"
Vehicle Kits
Jumper cables
Flashlights and extra batteries
First aid kit and necessary medications in case you are away from home
for a prolonged time
Food items containing protein such as nuts and energy bars; canned fruit
and a portable can opener
Water for each person and pet in your car
AM/FM radio to listen to traffic reports and emergency messages
Cat litter or sand for better tire traction
Shovel
Warm clothes, gloves, hat, sturdy boots, jacket and an extra change of
clothes
Blankets or sleeping bags
Communication Tips
Identify a contact
Be sure every member of your family knows
the phone number and has a cell phone,
coins or a prepaid phone card to call the
emergency contact
“ICE”- In Case Of Emergency
Teach family members how to use text
messaging .
Update your skills
Take a first aid and CPR class
Official certification by the American Red
Cross provides, under the “good Samaritan”
law, protection for those giving first aid
Fire Extinguisher
Make sure you have one or more up-to-date
fire extinguishers
Everyone knows where they are kept and
how to use them.
Use Electrical Safety Awareness
During Summer Storms
Take care when stepping into flooded.
Stay away from downed power lines and anything
touching them.
If you see someone who is in contact with a downed
power line, do not touch the person. You could become
the next victim. Instead, call 911.
Do not drive over downed power lines.
Keep the generator dry and do not operate it in enclosed
or partially enclosed areas.
Do not use electrical wiring or equipment that has been
wet..
Use Electrical Safety Awareness
During Summer Storms
To avoid lightning strikes, go indoors during electrical storms and stay away from windows.
If outdoors during electrical storms, move to a low point. Stay away from metal items, including sports equipment, buildings, clotheslines, poles and fences. Avoid trees.
During electrical storms, do not use corded telephones except for emergencies.
Avoid contact with water and plumbing during electrical storms.
.
Water shut off
Before an emergency happens, locate the shut-off valve for the water line that enters your house and label this valve with a tag for easy identification.
Make sure all household members know where it is located.
Cracked lines may pollute the water supply to your house. It is wise to shut off your water until you hear from authorities that it is safe for drinking.
The effects of gravity may drain the water in your hot water heater and toilet tanks
Do: Keep food in covered containers.
Keep cooking and eating utensils clean.
Keep garbage in closed containers and dispose outside, burying garbage if necessary.
Keep your hands clean by washing them frequently with soap and water that has been boiled or disinfected.
Food safety
Discard any food that has come into contact
with contaminated floodwater.
Discard any food that has been at room
temperature for two hours or more.
Discard any food that has an unusual odor,
color or texture
Food Safety - Don’t: Eat foods from cans that are swollen, dented
or corroded, even though the product may
look safe to eat.
Eat any food that looks or smells abnormal,
even if the can looks normal.
Let garbage accumulate inside, both for fire
and sanitation reasons.
“When in doubt, throw it out.”
Note: Thawed food usually can be eaten if it
is still “refrigerator cold.” It can be re-frozen if
it still contains ice crystals.
Alternative cooking
To heat food in a can:
Remove the label.
Thoroughly wash and disinfect the can. (Use a diluted solution of one part bleach to ten parts water.)
Open the can before heating.
Charcoal grills and camp stoves are for outdoor use
only.
Commercially canned food may
be eaten out of the can without warming.
When the Power Goes Out:
Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors
closed as much as possible.
The refrigerator will keep food cold for about
4 hours if it is unopened.
Refrigerators should be kept at 40° F or
below for proper food storage
Dry Ice
Under normal circumstances you should not keep dry ice in your freezer.
Twenty-five pounds of dry ice will keep a 10-cubic-foot freezer below freezing for 3-4 days.
Use care when handling dry ice, wear dry, heavy gloves to avoid injury
Also consider:
A fully-charged cell phone and phone charger
Flares or reflective triangle
Baby formula and diapers if you have a small child
Be prepared for an emergency by keeping your gas tank full and if you find yourself stranded, be safe and stay in your car, put on your flashers, call for help and wait until it arrives.
Warning Systems & Signals
The Emergency Alert System (EAS)
can address the entire nation on very
short notice in case of a grave threat or
national emergency
Wireless Emergency Alerts
(WEA
What types of WEA messages will the National Weather Service send? Tsunami Warnings Tornado and Flash Flood Warnings Hurricane, Typhoon, Dust Storm and Extreme Wind Warnings Blizzard, Ice Storm, and Lake Effect Snow Warnings
Recovery
- returning home- Outside
Walk carefully around the outside and check for loose power lines, gas leaks and structural damage..
Use the phone only to report life-threatening emergencies.
As you return home, watch for fallen objects; downed electrical wires; and weakened walls, bridges, roads and sidewalks.
Returning Home after a
disaster
Natural gas. If you smell gas or hear a hissing or blowing sound, open a
window and leave immediately.
Turn off the main gas valve from the outside, if you can.
Call the gas company from a neighbor’s residence
Returning Home after a
disaster
Water and sewage systems..
Pump out wells
Have the water tested by authorities before drinking.
Do not flush toilets until you know that sewage lines are intact.
Food and other supplies.
Returning Home after a
disaster
Appliances. If appliances are wet, turn off the
electricity at the main fuse box or circuit breaker.
Open cabinets. Be alert for objects that may fall.
Returning Home after a
disaster
Clean up household chemical spills. Disinfect
items that may have been contaminated by raw
sewage, bacteria, or chemicals. Also clean
salvageable items.
Call your insurance agent. Take pictures of
damages.
Keep good records of repair and cleaning costs.
Doghouses are not safe from
lightning. Chained animals
can easily become victims of
lightning. Take insurance
papers, vaccines, medicines,
etc.
Don’t forget pets during
thunderstorms.
Caution: Animals and
Disasters
Do not corner wild animals or try to rescue
them.
Call your local animal control office or wildlife
resource office.
Wild animals often seek higher ground which,
during floods
Caution: Animals and
Disasters
Do not approach wild animals that have taken refuge in your home.
Do not attempt to move a dead animal.
.
References
www.electrical-safety.org
RedCross.org
Recommended Supply list
http://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/docu
ments/files/checklist_1.pdf
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio
(NWR)
Video travelling
http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/media_rec
ords/5546#share_player