Avian Flu Diary: Spring Ahead Into Preparedness

# 5364

Yesterday, March 9th 2010, there were 16 reported tornadoes, 1 report of hail, and 71 reports of damaging wind across the deep south. A relatively quiet day for severe weather, given the time of year.

For a complete list of the latest severe weather from the Storms Prediction Center you can check HERE.

Emergencies – large and small – occur every day and to a substantial number of people across the nation and around the world.

Some will affect entire communities – like earthquakes or floods – while others are more narrowly focused, like car accidents, house fires, and injuries sustained at home or work.

But they all have one thing in common.

The need for you, your family, and your workplace to be prepared for them.

This weekend most of the United States will switch to daylight savings time, which will run until 2 am on the first Sunday in November. People will be reminded to `spring ahead’.

This twice-a-year ritual of changing our clocks has long been promoted by firefighters and safety experts as an excellent cue for people to change the batteries in their smoke alarms.

But FEMA and Ready.gov also remind us that these two weekends are an ideal time to update your emergency preparedness plans, inspect and restock items in your emergency and first aid kits, and even conduct a family drill or two.

Spring Ahead To Prepare For Disasters

Resolve to be Ready in 2011

Release Date: March 8, 2011
Release Number: R10-11-008

SEATTLE, Wash. -- Daylight Savings Time in the United States starts on the second Sunday in March of each year and the Federal Emergency Management Agency encourages all Americans to use the change to daylight savings time to update emergency preparedness plans. For years, firefighters and safety professionals have asked the public to change smoke alarm batteries throughout their homes, as they move their clocks ahead. According to FEMA Regional Administrator Ken Murphy, the March ritual of making homes safer from fire is also a great opportunity to review disaster preparedness plans and restock disaster kits.

"You know, FEMA is not the nation’s emergency management team. True, we are an important part, but still—just a part of the team – a team that includes the entire federal family, state, local and tribal governments, faith-based and non-profit organizations, and especially the public," said Murphy. "Let’s all take full advantage of this year’s switch to Daylight Savings Time and resolve to be better prepared in 2011: build or restock your disaster kit, make or update your disaster plan, and stay informed of the hazards in your area."

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At a bare minimum, every household should have a disaster plan, a good first aid kit (and the knowledge to use it), and emergency supplies to last a minimum of 72 hours during a disaster.

A few of my (many) essays on preparedness include:

Planning To Survive

In An Emergency, Who Has Your Back?

Inside My Bug Out Bag

Those Who Forget Their History . . .

The Gift Of Preparedness

Red Cross Unveils `Do More Than Cross Your Fingers’ Campaign

While it takes more than a few minutes to become prepared, once you’ve laid that foundation, a few minutes twice-a-year may be all it takes to maintain it.

For more information on how to prepare for emergencies, up to and including a pandemic, the following sites should be of assistance.