It was early in the evening when the hurricane hit. The storm was horrendous. The trees bent almost to the ground, the wind howled, and a solid sheet of rain battered the house. We thought the windows might break and didn’t know if the roof would hold. Our family huddled in the basement, just in case. The power went out, so we lit Shabbos candles. The kids were too upset and scared to play board games. My wife and I cuddled the younger ones.
The storm ended about two o’clock
that night. We all went upstairs to see what was broken. Baruch Hashem, the roof and the windows were intact. We slept on
our own beds that night. The power did not come back on for two weeks, however,
and there was no gas in the stove. Still, we were lucky, compared to other
families. Trees had fallen on roofs, and windows were blown out. A major bridge
nearby was washed away.
This situation didn’t really
happen to us – but it could have. In fact, it didn’t have to be a storm. If you
use your imagination, many other possible disasters come to mind. What would
you do if, G-d forbid, if your house were destroyed and you needed to escape?
Where would you go, and what would you do? Considering the horrible events that
took place in New Orleans, during Hurricane Katrina*, it is prudent for every
family to consider making emergency preparations.
Chazal tell us, “Shemor es nafshecha me’od – take great
care with your life.” Although the world is full of dangers, we are instructed
to minimize life’s risks, where possible, and maximize our preparations for
foreseeable emergencies. This article is a short guide on what to do before,
during, and after an emergency.
Where Will You Be?
There are different kinds of
foreseeable emergencies, categorized by the response. They are “shelter in
place,” “evacuate by vehicle,” and “evacuate by foot.” In a “shelter in place”
emergency, you should stay where you are, usually your home, although you may
be at work or school. Depending on the amount of warning time, you may be able
to get home to shelter, or you may be stuck at work, school, or even shopping.
Should your shelter become unsafe,
you may have to evacuate by vehicle or by foot. If you are able to travel by
car or other vehicle, that would be preferable, because you can take more
emergency supplies and use the vehicle for shelter. It is better to take
supplies with you than to rely on supplies being available at your new
location. If you evacuate by foot, you should also take supplies with you.
Remember that, when whole communities are on the move, resources like food and
shelter may or may not be in sufficient supply.
Before an emergency happens, you
should create plans for each of the three categories, then prepare and
practice. The best plans are for naught without preparations, and even good
plans and preparations can be made better with emergency practice drills. Let’s
call them the three Ps: plan, prepare, and practice.
Planning with the Family
Determine what channels of
communication you will use to receive warning information. Will it be
television, radio, or some other signal? How will you contact your family
members if a warning is given? If the warning comes days in advance, as with
hurricanes, you may be able to collect your family members at home in time. In
other situations – like tornados or terrorist attacks – you may not have much
time at all. You may not be able to use cell phones or standard telephones in
these times of high usage. Radio and television stations have tested plans for
informing the public regarding emergencies, and they are reliable. Rumors may
or may not be reliable. To improve the reliability of information, it is
important to quote its source.
You should meet with family
members to discuss your plans, reassuring them that the possibility is remote
that these plans would ever be necessary. Discuss the possible dangers of fire,
severe weather, hazardous chemical spills, terror attacks, injuries, power
outages, and other events. Make plans as to how you and your family will
respond to each possible situation. Post emergency phone numbers by the
telephones, and enter these into the speed dial of phones and cell phones.
Young children should know how and when to dial 911 or Hatzalah for assistance,
and how to phone relatives. During an emergency, phone access may be limited,
and family may be separated. Calling a relative who is outside the affected
area may be better than calling one who is nearby, because the relative in the
affected area may not have phone service. Children should be aware that they
should turn on the radio for information. Two meeting places should be
arranged, one near the home and one outside the local area, to be used if the
emergency covers a wider area. Important family records should be kept in a
fireproof and waterproof safe place.
All adults should know how to turn
off water, electricity, and gas in the home. If gas is turned off, you should
not try to restore gas service yourself but should call the gas company.
Staying at Home
Often, in emergencies, you lose
utilities like electricity, water, gas, and telephone. No electricity means no
air conditioning. It may also mean no heat, if your home furnace, like most, is
controlled by electric power from the grid. Some gas water heaters do not need
electric power to run, but if the gas is stopped, the water will be cold.
If the power is off, the lights
will be off, and plug-in devices – like radio, television, and computers – will
not work. Battery powered radios and flashlights, as well as candles will
provide light at night and news at all times. Check the batteries and have
spares.
If the water is off, you will not
be able to get drinking water from the tap or flush your toilet (after the
first time). A good idea, if you use bottled water, is to order a few of the
five-gallon bottles for your cooler. Rotate the bottles; when the service
delivers, use the older ones first. A person drinks at least a liter (quart) of
water per day, and uses about a gallon per day for other needs, such as
washing. You should store at least a three-day supply of drinking water for
each person in the family. A possible source would be your hot water heater.
Find out how to turn off the input and drain the contents, to get the 30 to 50
gallons of water inside. If toilets are not useable, you should know how to
bury wastes outside, and why this is important.
Although one can go without food
for many days, you would not want to do this. Therefore, gather a three- to
five-day supply of nonperishable food items for your family. Canned or packaged
goods are fine. So are dried beans, rice, oatmeal, matzas, peanut butter and
jelly, and other staples. Since cans and boxes of food have a limited shelf
life, you should rotate these supplies every six months or so, using the old
and replacing with the new.
Be aware that if gas and electric
are out you may not be able to cook. A camping-style stove would come in handy.
Remember that some camp stoves create dangerous fumes like carbon-monoxide, and
should only be used outdoors. Your current food supplies may suffice for
emergency stocks. Remember your pets. They get hungry, too!
Prepare a first aid and medical
kit. Start with common first-aid supplies like bandages, tape, ointment for
cuts and burns, and so on. Medicines and prescriptions for family members
should be included. Try to get extra supply of medications, if possible.
Remember extra prescription eyeglasses or contacts, with solution, as well as
hearing aid batteries. Insert a note with the family doctor’s name and number,
important medical information for family members, and information on special
medical devices such as pacemakers. Insert special items for infants, the
elderly, or family members with disabilities. People with complicated medical
problems should talk to their doctor and pharmacist to help with emergency prep
plans.
Get copies of important papers,
including insurance and credit cards, also copies of house and car keys. Credit
card numbers can be entered by hand; you do not need the actual card to make a
purchase. In this regard (need it be mentioned?), you should also have a store
of cash.
You should know where your tools
are. Useful tools are screwdrivers, cutters, scissors, duct tape, matches, a
fire extinguisher, flares, needle and thread, pen and paper, and laundry bleach
(to disinfect drinking water). In case of a hurricane, you may need to board up
windows. Consider preparing window covers ahead of time to beat the rush to
Home Depot.
Schools
Talk to the administrator of your
child’s school regarding school emergency plans. Know how the school will
contact you in case of an emergency, and how and in what circumstances you
should contact them. Keep school contact information up to date: Make sure the
school has your current home, cell, and work numbers, and that you have the
school phone numbers. The school administration will decide whether to send
children home or have them shelter in place, depending on the situation.
Shuls
Members of community synagogues
and community organizations can also plan for emergencies. Working with
neighbors in an emergency can save lives and property. Shuls should make some
of the same preparations that individuals do, and store food, water, and other
supplies. Shuls and community buildings are strong and may survive events that
destroy private homes, and thus should be made available in emergencies.
Preparing to Go
Traveling in an emergency
situation is more difficult than sheltering in place but is required in some
situations. The best option would be to travel from your home to a place that
meets all of your living needs, such as a relative’s home outside the area
affected by the emergency. Next best would be a hotel or other public
accommodations. Sometimes it might be necessary to stay in a public shelter and
rely on officials for your needs.
Prepare an emergency Go-Kit.
First, consider who will travel with you and in which vehicle or vehicles you
will travel. Do you have enough room for everyone, including water, food,
clothing, and supplies? How far will you travel? Do you have maps, and have you
worked out a number of alternate routes to your destination, in case the
primary route is not available or is blocked or jammed? A little planning makes
the actual event much easier.
Here are some things to include in
your Go-Kit: Keep a three-day supply of water, at least one gallon per person,
per day; a three-to five-day supply of nonperishable packaged or canned food
(with a can opener!); a change of clothing, underwear, socks, etc.; rain coats
or overcoats in winter; blankets or sleeping bags; extra glasses or contact
lenses; a list with your doctor’s name and number, and important medical
information; special items for infants and the elderly; battery powered radio
and flashlights; and identification, credit cards, cash, and photocopies of
important family documents, including insurance. If you own a tent, it wouldn’t
hurt to bring it. Tools, like a screwdriver, pliers, work knives, and
waterproof matches, flares, needle and thread, pen and paper, garbage bags, and
laundry supplies would also come in handy.
Remember the medical needs of your
family. Especially important are those who depend on prescription medicines or
have other special needs. Carry these with you if you can. Talk to your
physician regarding how to travel in an emergency.
Don’t think that you would not
need all of this, and that you could simply stop and get anything you need on
the way. Sure, you have always found places to stay and food to buy when you
traveled in the past. But in an emergency, when entire cities are evacuated,
you might not find all of your needs. The Holiday Inn will be full.
Leaving on Foot
You may need to evacuate without
your vehicle. When you do have to walk away from your home, you would probably
have to carry what you take. If you have ever tried backpacking, you know how heavy
things get when you carry them over a distance. If you are carrying your
supplies, remember to travel light. You should consider and reconsider
everything you take with you. All the items mentioned above regarding the
vehicle evacuation also apply to the walking evacuation, except that you are
even more limited in what you can take.
Conclusion
Planning and preparing for an
emergency is both prudent and part of the Jewish philosophy of living
correctly. Although certain types of emergencies seem remote, it is still a
worthwhile activity to consider and prepare for them. It is better to prepare
and not need it than to need it and not have prepared. We pray that we should
never need to evacuate or have other emergencies, but only the One above knows
what is in store for us.
* This article was published in the Where What When in 2007.
