Do One Thing a Month to Prepare – Month 3

First Aid

An emergency can happen at any time and any place. Many public places have a first aid kit, oxygen, or an AED (automated external defibrillator) to treat people. These items can only save lives if someone knows how to use them. Actions you take in the first few minutes after an injury or other medical incident may save someone’s life.

Know what to do while waiting for an ambulance to arrive.

Call 911 instead of trying to take an injured or ill person to the hospital yourself. It seems like waiting for an ambulance will make it take longer to get help, but ambulance crews can start providing care as soon as they arrive. They can get the patient to hospital quickly, legally, and more safely.

1. Stay on the line with 911 and follow emergency instructions.
2. Stay calm and try to keep the patient calm.
3. Don’t move a patient who was injured in an automobile accident or fall, or who was
found unconscious.
4. If the patient is cold, cover them with a blanket.
5. Don’t give an injured person anything to eat or drink (unless instructed by the 911 dispatcher).
6. Have someone watch for the ambulance and show the crew how to get to the patient.
(This is especially important in an apartment or office building, or if your address is
hard to see from the street).

Make or buy first aid kits for your home and car.

• Adhesive Tape
• Antiseptic Ointment
• Band-Aids
(assorted sizes)
• Blanket
• Cold Pack
• Disposable Gloves
Some items that should be included in a basic first aid kit are:
• Gauze Pads & Roller Gauze
(assorted sizes)
• Hand Sanitizer (liquid or wipes)
• Plastic Bags
• Scissors and Tweezers
• Small Flashlight and Extra Batteries
• Triangular Bandage

For ideas and products, you can shop at the Open Concepts Get Ready Store!

Take training in first aid, CPR, AED, or pet first aid.

Helping others in a medical emergency isn’t as hard to learn as you might think. Knowing how to apply a bandage, identify the signs and symptoms of shock, perform CPR or use an automatic external defibrillator (AED) can save a life.

First responders may not be on the scene for five minutes or more. It is up to individuals like you to be ready to help someone who is injured. The person whose life you save may be someone that you love.

Many American Red Cross chapters now offer training in pet first aid. Training may also be available through your local humane society, kennel club, or pet store. Check with your veterinarian to see what special items you may need to include in a first aid kit for your pets. If you travel with your pet, or if they are service or hunting animals, you may want to make a travel-sized pet first aid kit as well.

Contact your local fire department or American Red Cross chapter to learn what first aid classes are available in your area. Ask your employer if they will sponsor a class for your workplace, or take a class with your family or on your own. Many classes are offered free of charge. Courses may also be offered at your place of worship, school, or community organization. Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training also includes first aid training.

For more useful information and to browse timely preparedness tools, please visit www.open-concepts.com.

 

Do One Thing a Month to Prepare – Month 2

Get Involved

The goal to getting involved is to make your community stronger by training.  During an emergency it takes more than fire, EMS and police to respond.  It takes people who are committed to their churches, community, and neighborhood.  When people work together for each other, communities grow stronger.

People who are involved are key for a resilient community.  The people who are involved are willing and able to look out for themselves and others so that police, EMS, and fire rescue and help others.  A resilient community is one that can withstand a disaster and get back to normal quickly.

Promote emergency preparedness in your community

Scout troops, service clubs, residential associations, communities of faith—almost any organization you belong to can become a partner in emergency preparedness. Organizations that promote emergency preparedness make their community more able to withstand and recover from disaster. Here are some suggestions for involving your organization:
• Include a Do 1 Thing preparedness topic in newsletters or on bulletin boards each month.
• Talk to your scout troop leader about how Do 1 Thing activities can be used toward a
preparedness badge.
• Get a group together to make emergency kits for seniors or kids who stay home alone.
• Visit www.open-concepts.com  website to see how other organizations are promoting preparedness in their communities.
The Red Cross, Ready.gov, and many other organizations also promote preparedness. Find the materials that will work best for your organization and become a partner in preparing
your community!
Become a volunteer in your community (CERT, Red Cross, Neighborhood Watch, etc.)

There are many places to volunteer in your community. Many police and fire departments use volunteers to help with special projects, events, or program. The American Red Cross, Salvation Army, and other organizations train volunteers to work in disasters.
If you are interested in helping in your community or other communities during a disaster, become a volunteer for your local Red Cross or Salvation Army chapter. But don’t wait for disaster to strike—volunteer now. These organizations won’t send untrained volunteers into disaster areas.
Many communities also have a volunteer center or a Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP). These programs can find ways for you to help in your community that will fit your schedule and abilities.  If you are already a member of a volunteer organization, consider getting your volunteer group involved in VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster). VOAD is a national program that helps volunteer groups work in their community during a disaster.  Scout troops, service clubs, residential associations, communities of faith—almost any organization you belong to can become a partner in emergency preparedness. Organizations that promote emergency preparedness make their community more able to withstand and recover from disaster. Here are some suggestions for involving your organization:

• Talk to your scout troop leader about how Do 1 Thing activities can be used toward a
preparedness badge.
• Get a group together to make emergency kits for seniors or kids who stay home alone.

The Red Cross, Ready.gov, and many other organizations also promote preparedness. Find the materials that will work best for your organization and become a partner in preparing
your community!

Do you need preparedness supplies?  Visit my affiliates supply store.

 

Do One Thing a Month to Prepare – Month 1

Do One Thing A Month

Let’s break up the big job of becoming prepared into 12 smaller ‘things to do’ or topics. By breaking down how to prepare into 1 “thing to do” each month for 12 months, you CAN feel confident in what to do to help yourself and your family.

MONTH 1:  Buy a three-day emergency food supply for household
Put aside a three-day supply of food for disasters. You probably have a better idea than anyone else how much food you and your family members would need for three days. Follow the BUS rule to help you. BUS stands for balance, usability, and shelf-life
.
1. BALANCE
You may already buy food that provides a balanced diet for your family. A balanced
diet includes a variety of foods from each of the basic food groups. This is especially important for people with certain health conditions. Also include high energy foods (such as nuts and protein bars) and comfort foods (such as graham crackers or chocolate

2. USABILITY
Choose items that don’t need to be cooled, heated, or need a lot of water. Examples
include canned or dried meat, dry cereal, canned vegetables, and Meals-Ready-To-Eat (MREs). Make sure you have a manual can opener if you plan to use canned goods.

3. SHELF LIFE
Look at the expiration date listed on the food item. Use and replace foods before
the expiration date.

During an extended power outage, temperatures in your fridge and freezer will begin to rise, even if the doors stay closed. As the temperature rises, harmful bacteria may begin to grow on your food.  If the temperature in your fridge stays above 41 degrees Fahrenheit for more than four hours, perishable food items (milk, lunch meat, mayonnaise based salads, poultry items, leftovers, etc.) may be unsafe to eat.
If the temperature in your freezer stays above 41 degrees Fahrenheit for more than one to two days, food may be unsafe to eat. Food that still contains ice crystals should be safe. Always check the color and odor of food, particularly meat when it is thawed. If it is questionable throw it out (make sure it is discarded where animals can’t get to it).

TAKE STEPS NOW TO MAKE SURE YOUR PERISHABLE FOOD REMAINS AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE:

• Install a thermometer in your fridge and freezer.
• If you anticipate a power outage, such as a winter storm, reduce the temperature of your fridge and freezer. The colder your food is the more time it takes to thaw.
• Keep containers of ice in your freezer to keep the temperature down.
WHEN THE POWER GOES OUT:
• Cover the fridge or freezer in newspapers and blankets to help insulate. Keep vents clear in case the freezer starts operating again.
• Avoid opening the door to the fridge or freezer.
• Use dry ice, if available. Identify a source for dry ice in advance and remember that if the power outage is widespread, there may be a lot of competition for this resource.
If you don’t know the temperature of your fridge or if the fridge was off for more than four hours, the food should be discarded. Eating perishable food that has not been kept cold can cause food poisoning, even if it is refrozen or cooked.

When in doubt, throw it out!