EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

IT HAS TO BE YOUR PLAN …

The term Emergency Preparedness refers to the many steps that you take to ensure that your home and your car are safe places before, during and after an emergency situation occurs. We never know when our lives will be disrupted by a natural disaster or a man-made life-threatening situation. The EPC group of Friendly Valley want you to be prepared as best as possible, for any of these emergency situations.

EPC wants you to know how you can lessen the effect that these situations have on your life. We want you to know the difference between a “stay-in-place order” and a “mandatory evacuation order”.

What is a “Stay-In-Place” shelf/box/closet and what is a “GO-BAG”?

We want you to be ready to evacuate with your pet as smoothly as possible with the least trauma to you or your pet. Your pets need a “GO-BAG” and a safe carrier to protect them in an evacuation. Pets are lost in every disaster situation and are never reunited with their families because of missed opportunities. The pet was not licensed, not microchipped or not wearing a collar with identification.

We want your first aid kit to contain fresh, sterile supplies to be immediately available when you need it. We can help you assemble an economical kit from dollar store/grocery store purchases… just one item at a time, placed in a zip-lock bag or a zippered cosmetic case.

We want you to know how to administer your own first aid or provide assistance to your injured neighbor before the professional first-responders arrive.

We want you to know how to prevent fires and how to use a fire blanket or a fire extinguisher, if needed.

Seniors with disabilities are especially vulnerable in disaster situations. Utilities such as electricity, gas, water and phone services may suddenly terminate. Do you have sufficient food and water available?

ARE YOU AWARE THAT OUR LOS ANGELES COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT SERVICES OUR SANTA CLARITA COMMUNITY OF 400,000 RESIDENTS WITH ONLY 6 PARAMEDIC SQUADS AND A DOZEN FIRE STATIONS?

IN THE EVENT OF A CATASTROPHIC SITUATION IN THIS COMMUNITY, THE FIRST RESPONDERS ALWAYS GO FIRST TO THE PLACES WHERE THEY CAN DO THE MOST GOOD, FOR THE MOST PEOPLE.

OUR PUBLIC SERVICE WORKERS ADDRESS THEIR ACTIONS ACCORDING TO PRIORITIES. POLICE RESPOND TO THE INCIDENCES OF GRAVE PUBLIC SAFETY, PARAMEDICS (EMS) ADDRESS SEVERE INJURIES AND THE FIRE PROFESSIONALS SUPPRESS THE MOST DANGEROUS FIRE SITUATIONS.

SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS, NURSING HOMES, CHURCHES AND LARGE BUSINESSES WHERE THERE ARE MANY INJURIES CONCENTRATED IN AN AREA, ARE THE SITUATIONS THAT REQUIRE THEIR IMMEDIATE INTERVENTION.

FRIENDLY VALLEY RESIDENTS MUST KNOW HOW TO RESPOND APPROPRIATELY TO OUR COMMUNITY BEING CUT OFF FROM OUTSIDE SUPPORT.

OUR LOS ANGELES COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS WARNED US THAT IN A MAJOR DISASTER SITUATION, EACH RESIDENCE MUST BE ABLE TO

“SELF-SUPPORT” FOR 3-5 DAYS….
also known as “SHELTERING IN PLACE”.

“R-U-READY” TO DO THAT?

OUR FIRST RESPONDERS WILL EVENTUALLY ARRIVE TO ASSIST US, BUT THE RESPONSIBILITY TO “SELF-SUPPORT” IS ON EVERY INDIVIDUAL HOUSEHOLD FOR FOOD, WATER, FIRST AID AND SHELTER.

IF THE THREAT INVOLVES A RAPIDLY MOVING FIRE, OUR FIRST RESPONDERS WILL ATTEMPT TO ALERT AND EVACUATE EACH AREA, USING A PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT MESSAGE FROM THE SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT PATROL CAR, CIRCLING THE COMMUNITY STREETS.
(See the article in the EPC Resource Library called “10 Minutes To Evacuate”.

HOWEVER, IF THE SITUATION APPEARS DANGEROUS TO YOU, GET OUT!
DO NOT WAIT FOR AN OFFICIAL EVACUATION ORDER.

IF YOU MOVE SLOWLY DUE TO PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS, GO WHEN YOU FEEL THAT YOU NEED TO LEAVE. DON’T WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO INSTRUCT YOU TO GO.

YOUR CAR RADIO IS A GOOD SOURCE OF INFORMATION WHEN THERE IS NO POWER - LOCAL RADIO STATIONS CAN HELP GUIDE YOU OUT OF A DANGEROUS SITUATION.

DO NOT LEAVE YOUR PET BEHIND. YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED BACK INTO AN EVACUATED AREA. YOUR PET MUST DEPEND ON YOU TO PLAN AHEAD.

CHECK OUT THE “READY-ROSIE” AREA OF THIS WEBSITE FOR DISASTER PREPARATIONS IF YOU HAVE A HOUSEPET (CAT OR DOG).

BUDDY SYSTEM

We want you to develop a “buddy system” with a “trusted neighbor” who will have your house key and know where your pet hides and where your written medical records and your medications are kept in case of an event where you need assistance, and you cannot speak for yourself. Make mutual agreements to care for each other’s pets. You will have a sense of peace that you have done all that you can to prepare for the care of that animal if you are unable.

The American Red Cross calls this arrangement “YOUR PERSONAL SUPPORT NETWORK”. Only you can decide who that person should be and only you can make those arrangements. Share that information with your family members.

If you have a flip-top mailbox, the fire department suggests that you write a message “my house key is held by this phone number” and post that note on the inside of your mailbox lid. That phone number belongs to your trusted partner in your “personal support network”.