Op-Ed
By Colusa County Sheriff Joe Garofalo
Being prepared saves lives.
Since September is National Preparedness Month, it is a good time to evaluate your own preparedness.
In Colusa County, we face a number of threats, like wildfires, floods and earthquakes. With these threats and many others there is always the possibility of evacuations or sheltering at home, maybe without power.
With so many threats, it’s essential to be prepared. The good news is that it’s easy to get prepared.
First things first (and if you do nothing else, I hope you do this): Please sign up for emergency alerts at www.countyofcolusaca.gov/64/Emergency-Alert. It’s free, it’s confidential and it will help keep you informed before, during and after incidents affecting your safety.
The next thing to consider is making a plan in case of an emergency. This should include members of your household and anyone else you might need to keep safe, like other family members, friends and neighbors.
According to www.ready.gov, which is an excellent resource for preparedness, there are five key steps to planning out what to do in an emergency.
First, answer a few questions with your family and anyone else involved in your plan. Who is signed up for alerts and how will they share information with the others? What is your shelter plan? What is your evacuation route?
What is your family communication plan? Do you have an emergency supplies kit? What are the limitations of everyone in your plan? Are there any dietary or medical needs? Don’t forget to consider your pets, if you have them.
You can visit www.ready.gov for guidance on how to answer these questions or contact the Colusa County Office of Emergency Management.
It is very important to review and practice your plan with everyone involved so that everyone is ready in case of an emergency. Set aside twenty minutes one night to talk about these things as a group.
Also prepare an emergency supplies kit. Water is the most essential item. Water is bulky but be sure to save as much as you need. A good rule of thumb is one gallon per person per day. For a family of three, for three days you will want to store nine gallons, for example.
You will also want a several-day supply of non-perishable food, a flashlight, a first aid kit, extra batteries, a help whistle, a dust mask (in case of contaminated air), something to turn off utilities (like pliers or a wrench), a manual can opener, a cell phone with chargers and battery backups, sanitary items like moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties.
The only item you probably can’t find at a grocery store is a battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert. But you can find these online.
It is important to store all these items individually in airtight plastic bags, and then as a group in plastic bins or a duffel bag. A duffel bag is good in case of an evacuation order.
I hope you never need to implement this plan, but the fact is that you might. Isn’t it better to be safe than sorry?
Please remember to sign up for emergency alerts and please contact us with any questions or visit our website: www.countyofcolusaca.gov/64/Emergency-Alert.
Preparedness is important – let’s work together to save lives.
Colusa County Sheriff Joe Garofalo is director of the Colusa County Office of Emergency Services