1 Get A Kit

Have at least three days of supplies in an easy-to-carry evacuation kit, with additional supplies on hand. Remember to check your kit and replace the stock every six months. An easy way to get your kit started is to contact the American Red Cross of Ventura County at www.arcventura.org to order an emergency preparedness kit today. If you purchase a kit or choose to build your own, check that it includes:

• Water. Have at least one gallon per person per day.

• Food. Pack non-perishable, high-protein items, including energy bars, ready-to-eat soup, peanut butter, etc. Select foods that require no refrigeration, preparation or cooking and little or no water.

• Flashlight. Hand-crank and alternative energy options are available. Include extra batteries if applicable.

• First aid kit. Include a first aid reference guide.

• Medications. Don’t forget prescription and nonprescription items.

• Radio. Include extra batteries or use a hand-crank radio.

• Tools. Gather a wrench to turn off gas if necessary, a manual can opener, screwdriver, hammer, pliers, knife, duct tape, plastic sheeting, garbage bags and ties.

• Clothing. Provide a change of clothes for everyone, including sturdy shoes and gloves.

• Personal items. Remember copies of important papers, including identification cards, insurance policies, birth certificates, passports, etc.; eye glasses, contact lenses and solution, and comfort items like toys and books, if pertinent.

• Sanitary supplies. You may need toilet paper, towelettes, feminine supplies, personal hygiene items, bleach, etc.

• Money. Have cash. (ATM’s and credit cards won’t work if the power is out.)

• Contact information. Carry a current list of family phone numbers and e-mail addresses, including someone out of the area who may be easier to reach if local phone lines are out of service or overloaded.

• Pet supplies. For each pet, include food, water, a collar, a leash / cage / carrying case, litter box or plastic bags, tags, any medications and vaccination information.

• Map. Consider marking an evacuation route on it from your local area.

Store your disaster supplies in sturdy yet easy-to-carry containers, in a place that is easily accessible. Keep a

smaller version of the kit in your vehicle. If you become stranded or are not able to return home, having some items with you will help you be more comfortable until help arrives.

2 Make A Plan

Planning ahead will help you have the best possible response to disaster.

Talk. Discuss with your family the disasters that can happen where you live. Establish responsibilities for each member of your household and plan to work together as a team. Designate alternates in case someone is absent. If a family member is in the military, also plan for how you would respond if they were deployed. Include the local military base resources that may be available.

Plan. Chose two places to meet after a disaster:

• Right outside your home, in case of a sudden emergency, such as a fire.

• Outside your neighborhood, in case you cannot return home or you are asked to evacuate your neighborhood.

Learn. Each adult in your household should learn how and when to turn off utilities such as electricity, water

and gas. Ask your local fire department to show you how to use a fire extinguisher.

Tell everyone in the household where emergency information and supplies are kept. Make copies of the information for everyone to carry with them. Keep the information updated.

Practice evacuating your home twice a year. Drive your planned evacuation route and plot alternative routes on a map in case main roads are impassible or gridlocked.

Include your pets. If you must evacuate, take your animals with you. If it is not safe for you to remain, it is not safe for them.

Support your community. Support your community plans by volunteering in the community. More than one million people in the U.S. serve their communities. They come from all walks of life and backgrounds and are of all ages. Red Cross volunteers help people in emergencies. They translate for non-English speakers so that everyone can receive Red Cross services, they teach first aid classes and they connect members of the armed forces stationed overseas with their families

during major family events. These vital community services are made possible by people like you. Contact the Santa Barbara County Chapter of the American Red Cross and ask how you can help.

The three steps below can help you to react well in an emergency

Check the scene for safety and the victim for life-threatening conditions.

Call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number and request professional assistance.

Care for the victim if you can reach the person safely.

3-Be Informed

Know what may happen and how you can help. Learn what disasters or emergencies may occur where you live, work and play. These events can vary from those affecting only you and your family, like a home fire or medical emergency, to those affecting your entire community, like an earthquake or a flood.

Identify how local authorities will notify you during a disaster and how you will get important information, whether through local radio, TV or NOAA weather radio stations or channels.

Learn what you can do to prepare for disasters by contacting your local Red Cross chapter to ask about first aid, CPR and disaster training. Learning simple first aid techniques can give you the skills and confidence to help when someone in your home, your neighborhood or workplace is injured.

When a major disaster occurs, your community can change in an instant. Loved ones can be hurt, and emergency response can be delayed. Make sure that at least one member of your household is trained in first aid and CPR and in how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED). Disaster preparedness will provide more specific information on how to prepare for disasters in your community. Contact the Santa Barbara County Chapter of the American Red Cross for details.

Share what you have learned with you family, household and neighbors and encourage them to be informed too.