With daily reminders of the failed government response to Hurricane Katrina last year, Maryland officials are launching two new campaigns reminding families that emergency preparedness begins at home.
“We could have a Katrina situation one day,” Gov. Robert Ehrlich said. While “dysfunction is not the normal practice” of government, all the preparation by state and local officials won?t mean much if households aren?t prepared to cope on their own with the first three days of a disaster.
The state on Monday launched its Family First campaign, and a specially targeted program for the disabled. The campaign has its own Web site, www.familyfirst.md, that helps residents prepare an emergency plan and gather the resources to survive the first 72 hours.
The two most important things are water ? a gallon a day per person ? and a battery-powered radio, said Katie Leahan of the Maryland Emergency Management Agency. Officials start with the presumption that power might be out for a long period, disabling all communication but radio.
Leahan was part of the MEMA team that arrived in Louisiana several days after Katrina struck. “I saw firsthand what happened when you?re not prepared,” Leahan said.
“We train and we train and we train,” she said, but “if we don?t have people at home prepared, we?ve got a problem.”
“We?re subject to lots of different emergencies,” said MEMA Director John Droneburg. “We think that effort needs to be mentioned year-round.”
One of the most recent events occurred earlier this month when the remains of Hurricane Ernesto affected three to 3,000 to 4,000 people in St. Mary?s County with flooding and high winds.
Emergency Checklist
» Water: A gallon a day per person for three days
» Food: Ready to eat, canned, food for infants, special diets; comfort food; manual can opener
» Prescription medicines/drugs
» First-aid kit
» Flashlight and batteries
» Radio and batteries
» Cash: bills and coins
» Family documents: driver?s licenses, IDs, Social Security cards
» Sturdy clothing, rain gear, bedding
» Small tool kit
» Pets, food, carriers, leashes
Source: familyfirst.md
