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Consumer Advisories

Ready for an Emergency? Get a 'Go Bag.'

9/8/2011

Tags: emergencies | flooding | water damage

Emergency 'Go Bag'In August 2011, the area experienced a series of vicious thunderstorms with high-velocity winds, heavy rain and hail that leveled crops, broke windows and caused severe damage to houses and other structures from Omaha’s Eppley Airfield to Maryville, MO.

“In College Springs, the chain saws started buzzing at daybreak Friday, and they were still going strong this evening," posted one person on wowt.com. "Roofs gone, fences torn out, crops look like they were shredded. Our power was out for 26 hrs."

“There was barely a tree, plant, or even blade of grass standing," wrote another. "Sidney Iowa has an unbelievable amount of damage to structures and trees. No power since last night."

You, too, may feel like you’re in a constant state of alert.

Are you ready for an emergency? Ready.gov has been alerting Americans of the need to be adequately prepared for emergencies since 2003. Their message is a 1-2-3 approach:

  1. Get a Kit.
  2. Make a Plan.
  3. Be Informed.

Get a kit. Your kit should include enough non-perishable food and water to sustain each family member for three days. It should also contain a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, extra flashlights and batteries, a First Aid kit, a whistle to signal for help, dust mask, plastic sheeting and duct tape, moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation, wrench or pliers to turn off utilities, local maps, cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger.

Ready.gov also suggests preparing a portable kit - a “Go Bag”- and keeping it in your car. It should include:

  • Copies of prescription medications and medical supplies
  • Bedding and clothing, including sleeping bags and pillows
  • Bottled water
  • A battery-operated radio and extra batteries
  • A first aid kit
  • A flashlight
  • Copies of important documents: driver's license, Social Security card, proof of residence, insurance policies, wills, deeds, birth and marriage certificates, tax records, etc.

Learn more at ready.gov.