8 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2017 The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com ARE YOU READY?

Are you ready?

A local guide to storm preparedness

Sunday, October 29, 2017

2 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2017 The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com ARE YOU READY?
ARE YOU READY? The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com
Emergency
Continued from Page 5
wrench, pliers or other tools to turn off
utilities;
can openers for any food in cans; and
local maps.
The Red Cross also suggests keeping a
seven-day supply of medications and med-
ical items, cell phones with chargers, extra
cash and copies of personal documents.
Of course, Akers added, those supply
kits will have additional supplies depending
on the individual needs of families. FEMAs
list of additional items lists supplies from ex-
tra pet food and water to infant formula and
diapers.
For a full list of additional items, go to
https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/
1390846764394 - dc08e309debe561d-
Problem
Continued from Page 6
annually to see if its working properly or if
it has water in the drip pan.
Another way, he said, is not trying to
clean up leaks yourself by just drying what
you can see.
Its not the water that you can see thats
the problem, he said. Its the water you
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2017 7
866b05ac84daf1ee/checklist_2014.pdf.
Being ready
Last of all, Akers said families should get
involved educate neighbors and other
family members on the importance of being
ready.
At the bare minimum, conducting
neighbor checks, with an added focus on
those neighbors with special needs in their
households, is a great practice, he said. I
have seen neighborhoods employ a cap-
tain system where there is a leadership
structure applied to neighborhood checks.
But that just gets back to being a good
steward and a good human being, he add-
ed.
dont. It can get behind sheet rock or under
the floor.
Adhering to these few tips, he said, can
save money and hassle.
And it can cost you thousands and
thousands of dollars if you dont, he add-
ed.
6 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2017
Keeping a small problem from becoming a big one
Tips for protecting your home
from water damage, mold
BY ZACK PLAIR
zplair@cdispatch.com
Brent Thompson has seen his share of
disasters on a grand scale homes dam-
aged by hurricanes and tornadoes, for in-
stance.
Hes also seen a slow toilet leak cost a
homeowner $50,000 in water damage.
As the owner of Paul Davis Emergency
Services in Starkville, Thompson makes his
living restoring homes damaged by water,
fire, mold and storms. Even so, he routinely
offers tips for homeowners and residents to
prevent what damage they can.
In Mississippi, Thompson said, he most
often sees water damage and mold in
homes he services, and those problems
can be easily prevented.
With winter fast-approaching, one of the
most critical preparation keys is protecting
The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com
pipes from bursting. When temperatures
are expected to drop below freezing, he
advises running your faucets on a low drip
overnight or during any time youll be gone
from home.
The older the pipes, he said, the more
prone they are to burst.
Pipes and cold weather just dont mix,
he said. If they burst, and youre lucky,
youll be home and see it. If youre like
most people, youll be gone when it hap-
pens and return to a big mess.
He advised also keeping your cabinet
doors open around pipes to expose them
more directly to the heat of your home.
I dont know if there is any scientific
proof that works, but whats it going to
hurt? he said.
Mold is a much greater issue in the sum-
mer, stemming from water mixed with heat.
A slow leak in an air conditioning unit or
water heater, for example, can rapidly grow
mold that badly damages your home.
Thompson said one way to prevent that
is having your air conditioning unit checked
See PROBLEM, 7
ARE YOU READY? ARE YOU READY?
Four-step prep for all kinds of emergencies
Extension professor offers
keys to disaster safety
BY ISABELLE ALTMAN
ialtman@cdispatch.com
Ryan Akers emphasizes four points when
it comes to being ready for natural disas-
ters or other emergency situations: aware-
ness of the unfolding crisis, planning and
communicating with friends
and family, having necessary
supplies and making sure
neighbors and others in the
community are just as pre-
pared for the disaster as you
are.
Its part of his job to em-
phasize these things: Akers Akers
is an assistant Extension pro-
fessor with Mississippi State Universitys
The combination of a slow water leak and the summer heat can cause mold to grow quick-
School of Human Sciences, and his special-
ly in your home. Brent Thompson, owner of Paul Davis Emergency Services in Starkville,
ty is emergency management programming.
advises annual professional checks of air conditioning units and hot water heaters to help
prevent the possibility of mold damage to your home. While his office helps in recovery efforts
throughout the state in the event of emer-
The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com
gency assistance, part of its role is educa-
tion and outreach.
From publications, news articles and
videos to short seminars and longer, more
sustained workshops, we have some fantas-
tic subject matter experts that run the gamut
in terms of emergency preparedness, Akers
said. Whether the audience is comprised
of an agriculturally focused audience to
government and community officials to the
general public.
Awareness
The first step, he said, is be alert.
Understand the threats and hazards that
your geographic location faces throughout
the year and be ready to act in the event
that a possibility becomes a reality, he said.
For the Golden Triangle area, those
threats are primarily severe weather, he
said. Flooding is actually the most common
type of weather-related disaster in the coun-
try, and citizens should be as prepared for
floods as for hurricanes and tornadoes.
Should we have an earthquake plan or a
wildfire plan or an active shooter plan? Ak-
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2017 3
Keeping emergency supplies on-hand, such as batteries, flashlights and first aid kits, can
be key to keeping you safe during an emergency. The Mississippi State University Extension
Service, along with organizations such as the American Red Cross and the Federal Emer-
gency Management Administration, offers a wealth of informational resources to help you
best prepare for a worst-case scenario.
ers said. Absolutely. But by and large, we Youll want to be able to survive on your
tend to place more focus on what we are own for at least 72 to 96 hours, Akers said.
most likely to face ... and those fall within A dedicated emergency supply kit with
the realm of ... risks related to severe weath- carefully planned out resources will serve
er. as a great resource to you and your family.
When becoming aware those risks are im- The best places to find those are through
minent, keep phones and laptops charged, the Federal Emergency Management Ad-
and make sure youre getting up-to-date in- ministration and the American Red Cross,
formation from sources that are both local he said.
and official, Akers said. He recommended FEMAs emergency supply list for basic
having a working NOAA Weather Radio. families includes:
gallon of water per person per day for
Communication at least three days (The Red Cross actually
Secondly, he said, is to have a communi- recommends a three-day supply for evacua-
cation plan for the whole family. tion and a two-week supply for home);
Make sure to write down contact in- a three-day supply of nonperishable
formation for immediate family members food;
and out-of-town family. Keeping those in battery-powered or hand crank radio
a phone wont necessarily be enough, he and a NOAA weather radio with extra bat-
added during disasters, cell phone net- teries for both;
works may become overwhelmed. flashlights with extra batteries;
Texting information is usually better than first aid kits;
making calls because its less taxing on cell whistles to get the attention of first re-
networks, he added. sponders or others who can help;
Keep the contact information in a safe dust masks;
place with insurance and medical infor- plastic sheeting and duct tape to con-
mation so that you can easily grab it if you struct or repair shelter;
need to evacuate, Akers said. moist towelettes, garbage bags and
plastic ties to keep yourself and your space
clean;
Supplies
Third, keep emergency supply kits handy. See EMERGENCY, 7
4 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2017
Situational awareness
starts with good lighting
CPD assistant chief offers tips for personal, property safety
BY ISABELLE ALTMAN
ialtman@cdispatch.com
General safety
Many emergencies, from being hit by
cars to mugged in a parking lot, can be
avoided by taking simple precautions. Co-
lumbus Police Department Assistant Chief
Fred Sheltons biggest pre-
caution: Keep close to the
light.
We know people who
commit crimes dont like to
do it in the light; they like to
do it in the dark, he said.
Its also easier for people
to see you if youre walking Shelton
or biking alongside traffic in the daytime
rather than after dark, Shelton said. Thats
why if you have a choice, run your errands,
walk your dog or exercise all during the day.
Be in familiar areas where its well-lit
and well-traveled, he said.
If you do end up out at night, wear re-
flective clothing something that stands
out so that drivers and other people can
see you more easily, he said. Those out and
about should also have a cell phone, flash-
light and ID and should keep to less traf-
fic-heavy areas.
Be walking on Seventh Street as op-
posed to (Highway) 45, he said.
The Columbus Riverwalk is a good place
to walk dogs or ride bikes, he added. In
addition to being specifically designed for
those activities, its monitored 24 hours a
day by security cameras that feed to CPD.
Officers also occasionally patrol the area.
For pedestrians or bikers on streets
alongside cars, Shelton said, go against traf-
fic. Bicycles have to obey all the same traffic
laws as motor vehicles from stopping at
stop signs and red lights to using signals to
communicate with other bikes and vehicles
except theyre supposed to travel oppo-
site of traffic so that drivers can see them,
Shelton said.
Property safety
Lighting also goes a long way toward
keeping your home and possessions safe,
The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com
too, Shelton said. So its important to keep
your home well-lit even when youre not
there.
This is the time of year where it gets
darker a little faster, he said.
If you know youre going to be out late,
Shelton said, keep front lights on. He also
suggested investing in a motion-detecting
light, which will come on when you or
someone else is in the yard.
If an area isnt well-lit or a street light is
out, he added, its easy enough to get the
pole number from the nearest pole and
turn it over to Mayor Robert Smiths office,
where employees can then turn it over to
Columbus Light and Water.
CLW can also install lights on private
property for personal use, Shelton said.
(My neighbor and I) share a security
light, he said. They pay half and I pay half,
and it shines right in the middle of the prop-
erty.
The same goes for going to and from ve-
hicles. Most people have remote keys, and
using those to unlock the doors from a few
steps away illuminates the car. Check in and
around the car before getting into it, Shelton
said.
Other tips included not opening the
doors for solicitors after dark in Colum-
bus, solicitors have to get permission from
the city to go door-to-door and they have
a certain time of day theyre supposed to
stop knocking, Shelton said. Some people
will pretend to be selling something so they
have an excuse to get in a house or even
just peer through the door to see whats in-
side and if its worth coming back later and
taking something. If you have any questions
about the validity of someone going door-
to-door, call CPD.
Dont leave boxes that large, expensive
items were shipped in where people can
easily see them, Shelton added. If a criminal
sees a box for a large-screen television, he
or she is going to know you have something
worth stealing, and they may try to break in
when youre not home.
Other tips included installing chain locks
or peepholes and keeping your lawn and
bushes trimmed, so criminals dont have
any place to hide.
ARE YOU READY? ARE YOU READY?
Power companies urge customers to prepare for worst
Treat power lines with care;
inform power company if
using generators
BY ALEX HOLLOWAY AND ZACK PLAIR
aholloway@cdispatch.com; zplair@cdispatch.com
When it comes to general emergency
preparedness, Columbus Light and Water
General Manager Todd Gale said he recom-
mended people keep basic
supplies, such as flashlights,
batteries, a weather radio and
water, ready for emergency
situations.
Gale also suggested hav-
ing smoke detectors and car-
bon monoxide detectors, and
to check regularly to ensure Gale
their batteries are working.
Its all going to be about the standard
stuff, Gale said. When the time changes
in the fall and the spring would be a good
time to remind yourself to check all those
The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com
things.
Gale further recommended making a call
list of local emergency agencies to contact
in the event of an emergency.
Starkville Utilities Department Manag-
er of Customer Service and Administration
Stan Acy said his family keeps simple sup-
plies, such as the ones Gale mentioned,
on hand for emergency situations. He also
recommended having a generator, in case
power goes down for an extended time.
SUD prepares itself makes preparations
as a department for bad weather, Acy said.
That primarily comes in the form of keep-
ing tree branches clear of the departments
main power lines to prevent outages.
We always try to be proactive with tree
trimming along our primary power lines to
prevent lines from going down, he said.
Of course if theres a big storm, you might
get that anyway, but thats probably our
main effort.
Gale said CLW checks to make sure the
department has materials and manpower
on-hand to deal with emergencies when se-
vere weather is bearing down on the area.
Preparations can vary, depending on the
A downed power line can still be live and very dangerous to touch. Area power company
representatives urge customers to report downed power lines and stay away from them.
time of year. Crews can prepare for any-
thing, from fixing downed power lines to
cutting off water during hard freezes to keep
pipes from bursting.
We check to see whos going to be in
town and who we can contact as far as
making sure all of our guys are on standby,
Gale said. We fuel all of our trucks, where
we have plenty of gas. If its a winter weath-
er situation, well make sure we have chains
for trucks and ice.
Rural customers
In rural areas, damage from natural disas-
ters can be widespread and power can be
much more time-consuming to restore, ac-
cording to 4-County Electric
Cooperative public relations
and marketing manager Jon
Turner.
Not only does Turner ad-
vise customers to keep the
aforementioned necessities
on-hand, he also urges them
to keep an eye on weather Turner
forecasts and act safely in the aftermath of
storms that cause outages.
Many people, for example, turn to gen-
erators during power outages especially
long outages or those during extreme hot or
cold weather. He said sometimes customers
dont let 4-County know they are running a
generator, which can be dangerous for the
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2017 5
customer and power employees alike.
If your generator isnt properly island-
ed meaning its set up to where its not
putting power back into the system then
youre basically putting power on a line our
guys think is dead, he said. That can cause
a lot of problems.
During cold weather outages, Turn-
er said, people are sometimes tempted to
bring generators or other devices inside for
a quick heating solution, a practice that can
cause carbon monoxide poisoning.
We see that kind of thing more than you
think, he said. And God forbid you bring a
grill or something in your house (to heat it).
Thats a good way to get killed.
Lastly, Turner said, rubbernecking
however well-intentioned can be dan-
gerous. Often, people will go out and look
at storm damage, sometimes cleaning up
what they can, and accidentally touch live
power lines.
Everybody thinks when they see a
downed line that its dead, but nothing can
be further from the truth, he said. Treat
them like theyre live until we get out and
tell you otherwise.
For any assistance from 4-County, in-
cluding help setting up a generator, Turn-
er advises customers call 800-431-1544.
4-County personnel even offer what they
call hot line demonstrations upon request
to teach customers about power line safety.
4 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2017
Situational awareness
starts with good lighting
CPD assistant chief offers tips for personal, property safety
BY ISABELLE ALTMAN
ialtman@cdispatch.com
General safety
Many emergencies, from being hit by
cars to mugged in a parking lot, can be
avoided by taking simple precautions. Co-
lumbus Police Department Assistant Chief
Fred Sheltons biggest pre-
caution: Keep close to the
light.
We know people who
commit crimes dont like to
do it in the light; they like to
do it in the dark, he said.
Its also easier for people
to see you if youre walking Shelton
or biking alongside traffic in the daytime
rather than after dark, Shelton said. Thats
why if you have a choice, run your errands,
walk your dog or exercise all during the day.
Be in familiar areas where its well-lit
and well-traveled, he said.
If you do end up out at night, wear re-
flective clothing something that stands
out so that drivers and other people can
see you more easily, he said. Those out and
about should also have a cell phone, flash-
light and ID and should keep to less traf-
fic-heavy areas.
Be walking on Seventh Street as op-
posed to (Highway) 45, he said.
The Columbus Riverwalk is a good place
to walk dogs or ride bikes, he added. In
addition to being specifically designed for
those activities, its monitored 24 hours a
day by security cameras that feed to CPD.
Officers also occasionally patrol the area.
For pedestrians or bikers on streets
alongside cars, Shelton said, go against traf-
fic. Bicycles have to obey all the same traffic
laws as motor vehicles from stopping at
stop signs and red lights to using signals to
communicate with other bikes and vehicles
except theyre supposed to travel oppo-
site of traffic so that drivers can see them,
Shelton said.
Property safety
Lighting also goes a long way toward
keeping your home and possessions safe,
The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com
too, Shelton said. So its important to keep
your home well-lit even when youre not
there.
This is the time of year where it gets
darker a little faster, he said.
If you know youre going to be out late,
Shelton said, keep front lights on. He also
suggested investing in a motion-detecting
light, which will come on when you or
someone else is in the yard.
If an area isnt well-lit or a street light is
out, he added, its easy enough to get the
pole number from the nearest pole and
turn it over to Mayor Robert Smiths office,
where employees can then turn it over to
Columbus Light and Water.
CLW can also install lights on private
property for personal use, Shelton said.
(My neighbor and I) share a security
light, he said. They pay half and I pay half,
and it shines right in the middle of the prop-
erty.
The same goes for going to and from ve-
hicles. Most people have remote keys, and
using those to unlock the doors from a few
steps away illuminates the car. Check in and
around the car before getting into it, Shelton
said.
Other tips included not opening the
doors for solicitors after dark in Colum-
bus, solicitors have to get permission from
the city to go door-to-door and they have
a certain time of day theyre supposed to
stop knocking, Shelton said. Some people
will pretend to be selling something so they
have an excuse to get in a house or even
just peer through the door to see whats in-
side and if its worth coming back later and
taking something. If you have any questions
about the validity of someone going door-
to-door, call CPD.
Dont leave boxes that large, expensive
items were shipped in where people can
easily see them, Shelton added. If a criminal
sees a box for a large-screen television, he
or she is going to know you have something
worth stealing, and they may try to break in
when youre not home.
Other tips included installing chain locks
or peepholes and keeping your lawn and
bushes trimmed, so criminals dont have
any place to hide.
ARE YOU READY? ARE YOU READY?
Power companies urge customers to prepare for worst
Treat power lines with care;
inform power company if
using generators
BY ALEX HOLLOWAY AND ZACK PLAIR
aholloway@cdispatch.com; zplair@cdispatch.com
When it comes to general emergency
preparedness, Columbus Light and Water
General Manager Todd Gale said he recom-
mended people keep basic
supplies, such as flashlights,
batteries, a weather radio and
water, ready for emergency
situations.
Gale also suggested hav-
ing smoke detectors and car-
bon monoxide detectors, and
to check regularly to ensure Gale
their batteries are working.
Its all going to be about the standard
stuff, Gale said. When the time changes
in the fall and the spring would be a good
time to remind yourself to check all those
The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com
things.
Gale further recommended making a call
list of local emergency agencies to contact
in the event of an emergency.
Starkville Utilities Department Manag-
er of Customer Service and Administration
Stan Acy said his family keeps simple sup-
plies, such as the ones Gale mentioned,
on hand for emergency situations. He also
recommended having a generator, in case
power goes down for an extended time.
SUD prepares itself makes preparations
as a department for bad weather, Acy said.
That primarily comes in the form of keep-
ing tree branches clear of the departments
main power lines to prevent outages.
We always try to be proactive with tree
trimming along our primary power lines to
prevent lines from going down, he said.
Of course if theres a big storm, you might
get that anyway, but thats probably our
main effort.
Gale said CLW checks to make sure the
department has materials and manpower
on-hand to deal with emergencies when se-
vere weather is bearing down on the area.
Preparations can vary, depending on the
A downed power line can still be live and very dangerous to touch. Area power company
representatives urge customers to report downed power lines and stay away from them.
time of year. Crews can prepare for any-
thing, from fixing downed power lines to
cutting off water during hard freezes to keep
pipes from bursting.
We check to see whos going to be in
town and who we can contact as far as
making sure all of our guys are on standby,
Gale said. We fuel all of our trucks, where
we have plenty of gas. If its a winter weath-
er situation, well make sure we have chains
for trucks and ice.
Rural customers
In rural areas, damage from natural disas-
ters can be widespread and power can be
much more time-consuming to restore, ac-
cording to 4-County Electric
Cooperative public relations
and marketing manager Jon
Turner.
Not only does Turner ad-
vise customers to keep the
aforementioned necessities
on-hand, he also urges them
to keep an eye on weather Turner
forecasts and act safely in the aftermath of
storms that cause outages.
Many people, for example, turn to gen-
erators during power outages especially
long outages or those during extreme hot or
cold weather. He said sometimes customers
dont let 4-County know they are running a
generator, which can be dangerous for the
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2017 5
customer and power employees alike.
If your generator isnt properly island-
ed meaning its set up to where its not
putting power back into the system then
youre basically putting power on a line our
guys think is dead, he said. That can cause
a lot of problems.
During cold weather outages, Turn-
er said, people are sometimes tempted to
bring generators or other devices inside for
a quick heating solution, a practice that can
cause carbon monoxide poisoning.
We see that kind of thing more than you
think, he said. And God forbid you bring a
grill or something in your house (to heat it).
Thats a good way to get killed.
Lastly, Turner said, rubbernecking
however well-intentioned can be dan-
gerous. Often, people will go out and look
at storm damage, sometimes cleaning up
what they can, and accidentally touch live
power lines.
Everybody thinks when they see a
downed line that its dead, but nothing can
be further from the truth, he said. Treat
them like theyre live until we get out and
tell you otherwise.
For any assistance from 4-County, in-
cluding help setting up a generator, Turn-
er advises customers call 800-431-1544.
4-County personnel even offer what they
call hot line demonstrations upon request
to teach customers about power line safety.
6 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2017
Keeping a small problem from becoming a big one
Tips for protecting your home
from water damage, mold
BY ZACK PLAIR
zplair@cdispatch.com
Brent Thompson has seen his share of
disasters on a grand scale homes dam-
aged by hurricanes and tornadoes, for in-
stance.
Hes also seen a slow toilet leak cost a
homeowner $50,000 in water damage.
As the owner of Paul Davis Emergency
Services in Starkville, Thompson makes his
living restoring homes damaged by water,
fire, mold and storms. Even so, he routinely
offers tips for homeowners and residents to
prevent what damage they can.
In Mississippi, Thompson said, he most
often sees water damage and mold in
homes he services, and those problems
can be easily prevented.
With winter fast-approaching, one of the
most critical preparation keys is protecting
The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com
pipes from bursting. When temperatures
are expected to drop below freezing, he
advises running your faucets on a low drip
overnight or during any time youll be gone
from home.
The older the pipes, he said, the more
prone they are to burst.
Pipes and cold weather just dont mix,
he said. If they burst, and youre lucky,
youll be home and see it. If youre like
most people, youll be gone when it hap-
pens and return to a big mess.
He advised also keeping your cabinet
doors open around pipes to expose them
more directly to the heat of your home.
I dont know if there is any scientific
proof that works, but whats it going to
hurt? he said.
Mold is a much greater issue in the sum-
mer, stemming from water mixed with heat.
A slow leak in an air conditioning unit or
water heater, for example, can rapidly grow
mold that badly damages your home.
Thompson said one way to prevent that
is having your air conditioning unit checked
See PROBLEM, 7
ARE YOU READY? ARE YOU READY?
Four-step prep for all kinds of emergencies
Extension professor offers
keys to disaster safety
BY ISABELLE ALTMAN
ialtman@cdispatch.com
Ryan Akers emphasizes four points when
it comes to being ready for natural disas-
ters or other emergency situations: aware-
ness of the unfolding crisis, planning and
communicating with friends
and family, having necessary
supplies and making sure
neighbors and others in the
community are just as pre-
pared for the disaster as you
are.
Its part of his job to em-
phasize these things: Akers Akers
is an assistant Extension pro-
fessor with Mississippi State Universitys
The combination of a slow water leak and the summer heat can cause mold to grow quick-
School of Human Sciences, and his special-
ly in your home. Brent Thompson, owner of Paul Davis Emergency Services in Starkville,
ty is emergency management programming.
advises annual professional checks of air conditioning units and hot water heaters to help
prevent the possibility of mold damage to your home. While his office helps in recovery efforts
throughout the state in the event of emer-
The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com
gency assistance, part of its role is educa-
tion and outreach.
From publications, news articles and
videos to short seminars and longer, more
sustained workshops, we have some fantas-
tic subject matter experts that run the gamut
in terms of emergency preparedness, Akers
said. Whether the audience is comprised
of an agriculturally focused audience to
government and community officials to the
general public.
Awareness
The first step, he said, is be alert.
Understand the threats and hazards that
your geographic location faces throughout
the year and be ready to act in the event
that a possibility becomes a reality, he said.
For the Golden Triangle area, those
threats are primarily severe weather, he
said. Flooding is actually the most common
type of weather-related disaster in the coun-
try, and citizens should be as prepared for
floods as for hurricanes and tornadoes.
Should we have an earthquake plan or a
wildfire plan or an active shooter plan? Ak-
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2017 3
Keeping emergency supplies on-hand, such as batteries, flashlights and first aid kits, can
be key to keeping you safe during an emergency. The Mississippi State University Extension
Service, along with organizations such as the American Red Cross and the Federal Emer-
gency Management Administration, offers a wealth of informational resources to help you
best prepare for a worst-case scenario.
ers said. Absolutely. But by and large, we Youll want to be able to survive on your
tend to place more focus on what we are own for at least 72 to 96 hours, Akers said.
most likely to face ... and those fall within A dedicated emergency supply kit with
the realm of ... risks related to severe weath- carefully planned out resources will serve
er. as a great resource to you and your family.
When becoming aware those risks are im- The best places to find those are through
minent, keep phones and laptops charged, the Federal Emergency Management Ad-
and make sure youre getting up-to-date in- ministration and the American Red Cross,
formation from sources that are both local he said.
and official, Akers said. He recommended FEMAs emergency supply list for basic
having a working NOAA Weather Radio. families includes:
gallon of water per person per day for
Communication at least three days (The Red Cross actually
Secondly, he said, is to have a communi- recommends a three-day supply for evacua-
cation plan for the whole family. tion and a two-week supply for home);
Make sure to write down contact in- a three-day supply of nonperishable
formation for immediate family members food;
and out-of-town family. Keeping those in battery-powered or hand crank radio
a phone wont necessarily be enough, he and a NOAA weather radio with extra bat-
added during disasters, cell phone net- teries for both;
works may become overwhelmed. flashlights with extra batteries;
Texting information is usually better than first aid kits;
making calls because its less taxing on cell whistles to get the attention of first re-
networks, he added. sponders or others who can help;
Keep the contact information in a safe dust masks;
place with insurance and medical infor- plastic sheeting and duct tape to con-
mation so that you can easily grab it if you struct or repair shelter;
need to evacuate, Akers said. moist towelettes, garbage bags and
plastic ties to keep yourself and your space
clean;
Supplies
Third, keep emergency supply kits handy. See EMERGENCY, 7
2 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2017 The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com ARE YOU READY?
ARE YOU READY? The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com
Emergency
Continued from Page 5
wrench, pliers or other tools to turn off
utilities;
can openers for any food in cans; and
local maps.
The Red Cross also suggests keeping a
seven-day supply of medications and med-
ical items, cell phones with chargers, extra
cash and copies of personal documents.
Of course, Akers added, those supply
kits will have additional supplies depending
on the individual needs of families. FEMAs
list of additional items lists supplies from ex-
tra pet food and water to infant formula and
diapers.
For a full list of additional items, go to
https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/
1390846764394 - dc08e309debe561d-
Problem
Continued from Page 6
annually to see if its working properly or if
it has water in the drip pan.
Another way, he said, is not trying to
clean up leaks yourself by just drying what
you can see.
Its not the water that you can see thats
the problem, he said. Its the water you
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2017 7
866b05ac84daf1ee/checklist_2014.pdf.
Being ready
Last of all, Akers said families should get
involved educate neighbors and other
family members on the importance of being
ready.
At the bare minimum, conducting
neighbor checks, with an added focus on
those neighbors with special needs in their
households, is a great practice, he said. I
have seen neighborhoods employ a cap-
tain system where there is a leadership
structure applied to neighborhood checks.
But that just gets back to being a good
steward and a good human being, he add-
ed.
dont. It can get behind sheet rock or under
the floor.
Adhering to these few tips, he said, can
save money and hassle.
And it can cost you thousands and
thousands of dollars if you dont, he add-
ed.
8 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2017 The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com ARE YOU READY?

Are you ready?

A local guide to storm preparedness

Sunday, October 29, 2017