Emergency Preparedness Committee: Updated Contact Information

WOW, is it August already? Although there’s still plenty of summer and fall to enjoy, don’t forget to keep in mind the precautions for hot weather, sunburn, beach and pool safety, crazy traffic, and so forth.
AND, I hate to remind you, as if you didn’t know already, but back-to-school is just around the corner. In addition to getting supplies and some new duds for your book worms, why don’t you make sure to update all the contact information you need for their schools, and if they are old enough to have cell phones, any numbers they should have for emergency contacts. If they need to have an annual check-up at the doctor’s office now’s the time to make that appointment.
AND, don’t forget to be extra careful driving as kids, big and little, aren’t always mindful of traffic.
I’m big on making lists and checking them twice, so why not check out the items I’ve listed below and make sure you have them on hand for any emergencies, even including the BIG ONE!
Knowing how to treat minor injuries can make a difference in an emergency. You may consider taking a first aid class, but simply having the following things can help you stop bleeding, prevent infection and assist in decontamination. Taking an American Heart Association class in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) would be a great idea, too.
Try to have these on hand:
■ adhesive bandages in a variety of sizes
■ scissors
■ tweezers
■ sterile dressings to stop bleeding
■ cleansing agent/soap and antibiotic towelettes
■ antibiotic ointment
■ burn ointment
■ two pairs of Latex or other sterile gloves
■ eye wash solution to flush the eyes or as a general
decontaminant
■ thermometer
■ aspirin or non-aspirin pain reliever
■ antacid
This list can certainly be expanded, but you should, at
least, have the basics, not only in your home but in your family’s
cars/SUVs, too. For the vehicles I would also include
flashlights, water, always a cell phone and charger, fire extinguisher,
flares or reflective triangle. The list gets expanded if
you travel to remote areas for hiking, camping, and skiing.
Think this is too much work or effort? The good news is
you can find ready-made kits for home and auto online or at
Costco, Home Depot, REI, and other retailers. Hard to challenge
having these Emergency Preparedness items on hand
when it comes to the safety of family and others, whether at
home or on the road.
(Note: We’ll revisit another checklist for Earthquake
Preparedness in an upcoming article.)
—Kent Wellbrock