Personal Preparedness Workshop

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Personal Preparedness Workshop
Anytime. Anywhere. Red Cross
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The Canadian Red Cross

• THE RED CROSS MISSION
• To improve the lives of vulnerable people by
  mobilizing the power of humanity in Canada and
  around the world.
• Fundamental Principles
• Humanity
• Impartiality
• Neutrality
• Independence
• Voluntary Service
• Unity
• Universality

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Goal of presentation

• To prepare individuals, families and communities
  to be self-sufficient for
• at least 72 hours
• following a disaster

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Definition of a disaster

• A disaster is a sudden event that occurs
  unexpectedly and threatens the life, health and
  living conditions of a community. Environmental
  disasters are divided into two categories Human
  Origin and Natural
• Human Origin disasters include
• Biological Disaster chemical spills or
  explosions, Hazardous Materials
• Industrial or environmental oil spill which was
  a result of a train derailment or truck rollover
• Armed conflicts war, terrorism
• Natural Disasters include
• Weather or climate related disasters flood, mud
  slide, snow storms, tornado, hurricane
• Geological Disasters earthquake, tsunami

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Responsibility

• It is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to be prepared to look
  after yourself during a disaster.
• Your Municipality and Emergency Services will be
  busy responding to the immediate situation
  therefore it will be your responsibility to be
  prepared after a disaster for at least 72 hours

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Be Prepared
  Again and again, studies have shown that
people perform better under stress if they think
they can handle it...Self-confidence, in other
words, can save your life. Amanda Ripley, The
Unthinkable Who Survives when Disaster Strikes
and Why  
We are almost always our own first responders
because official help cannot arrive quickly
enough. Amanda Ripley, The Unthinkable Who
Survives when Disaster Strikes and why
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Preparedness A simple Check list
Know your risks Make a plan Prepare emergency kits
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Know your Risks

• Environmental What disasters are likely to occur
  in your area?
• Physical Know the physical and mental abilities
  of yourself, family and community. How are they
  prepared?
• Family Consider family unit, age, size of your
  family and other special considerations such as
  language

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Major Risks in the greater Toronto area (GTA)

• Earthquakes
• Fires
• Floods
• Hazardous Material Incidents
• Nuclear
• Severe Weather
• Tornado
• Winter storm

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Top Canadian Disasters in recent Years

• 2013 Southern Ontario Ice Storm and Power Outage
• 2013 Region of Peel and Toronto Floods and Power
  Outage
• 2013 Southern Alberta Floods
• Slave Lake AB Wild Fires
• Northern Ontario Forest Fires
• Goderich ON Tornado
• 2010 PEI Hurricane Igor
• Toronto ON Wellesley Apart. Fire
• 2008 Toronto ON Propane Explosion
• Pearson Airport - Lebanon Evacuees

Also Notable 2001 International 9-11
Tragedy 1998 Ontario-Quebec-New Brunswick Ice
storm Peggys Cove, NS Swissair Flight
111 1977 Mississauga Train Derailment
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Know your risks As a family....

• What is the number of members in your family?
• What are the age groups in your family?
• Are you a single parent?
• What are the physical and mental abilities of
  your
• family members?
• Does a family member require special equipment?
• Do you have a family skills inventory?
• How well are you prepared at this moment?
• Do you practice your plan annually?

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Make a Plan
Work together as a family Know your family
needs Prepare for the season Have a list of
contacts Prepare for the risks in your area Know
how to escape from house quickly Have a meeting
place away from the house Make copies of your
important documents Review, update and practice
plan annually
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Things to think about

• Necessities medication, glasses, cash, keys
  mobility aids
• Pets number and type of pets, food, medication,
  equipment
• Utilities shut off water and electricity in your
  house
• Contacts pre-plan emergency numbers
• Emergency Kits location and accessibility of
  kits for everyone
• When you are not there discuss your plan with
  others such as babysitters

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Planning for the mobility impaired

• Involve network in making emergency plan
• Ask network to practice moving special needs
  equipment
• Place emergency wheelchair near evacuation exit
• Check if local evacuation shelters are wheelchair
  accessible

• Additional items for emergency kits
• Tire repair kit
• Pair of heavy gloves
• Extra deep-cycle battery
• Spare walking aid

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Planning for the hearing and visually impaired

• Include braille and/or large print on all
  emergency supplies plans
• Provide pencil and paper for written
  communication
• Equip smoke alarms with alternative alerting
• Familiarize in advance with all escape routes
  locations of doors/exits

• Additional items for emergency kits
• Extra vision aids
• Extra hearing aids
• Communicard (CHS)

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Evacuate

• Listen to your radio and/or TV for instructions
• Ready items as required
• Ensure everyone is ready to go
• When announcement is made... GO!
• Follow instructions along the route
• Watch for hazards along the way
• Once out, report you are safe and register with
  your
• Municipality or Red Cross

If you are asked to evacuate follow
the directions
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Assisting people with special needs

• Offer to help and allow the person to identify
  how best to assist them
• Ask permission to touch a persons assistive
  device or service animal
• Ask if any areas of the body have reduced
  sensation and if those areas need to be checked
  for injuries
• Never administer food or liquids to an
  unconscious or unresponsive person

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Shelter in place

• Get indoors and stay there
• Lock all windows and outside doors
• Depending on the emergency, seek the correct
  shelter location
• Turn off all fans, heating and cooling systems
• Bring your pets and supplies with you
• Try to select a room with a hard-wired phone

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Shelter in place

• Place wet towels at the base of the door
• Using duct tape seal windows / doors
• Stay put until you are told it is safe

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Emergency Kits
72 Hours Evacuation Kit Grab and Go Kit 72
Hours Shelter in Place Kit Car Kit First Aid
Kit Pet Kit
Shelter In Place kit Picture
Pet Kit Picture
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After a Disaster

• Contact your insurance company
• Contact family members, advise you are safe
• Listen or read messages from Municipality
  concerning after disaster services available
• Wait for the all clear before returning home
• Consult professional and reputable experts for
  repairs

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Summary of emergency Preparedness
Know your risks Make a plan Prepare emergency kits
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What is the ROLE of the Red Cross in the event of
an Emergency/Disaster?

• We act as an auxiliary to public authorities
• We assist government authorities in response to
  disasters
• We act in compliance with established municipal
  agreements
• We work with other non-governmental agencies
  (i.e. Salvation Army, St. John Ambulance, other
  NGOs)

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As an auxiliary to public authorities

• The Red Cross Disaster Management (DM) Team will
  respond to an emergency, declared or otherwise,
  upon receipt of a call from public officials or
  the appropriate authority from within the
  community.
• The initial services usually provided by the Red
  Cross involve supporting the registration of
  affected persons.

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Emergency social services

• Emergency Social Services
• 1) Information (organization and dissemination)
• Reception and Information
• 2) Personal services (emotional support, hygiene
  products, medical equipment)
• 3) Lodging and sheltering
• 4) Food and clothing (through vouchers or
  coordination of external providers)
• 5) Registration and family reunification

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Community Outreach services

• Community-Level Disasters
• Wide-area or vulnerable persons assessment
• Large-scale logistics support
• General Auxiliary to Peel Region EM
• Potential for response partner coordination
• Surge volunteers (RWTC)
• Preparedness Activities
• Annual exercise participation

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Red Cross the GTAA

• 1) During large scale evacuations Red Cross
  volunteers work with GTAA staff to provide
• Welcome greeting water, teddy bear, blanket
• Registration Inquiry Family Reunification
• Community resources provide referrals for
  assistance
• 2) CRC materials stored at the Airport 200 cots,
  blankets, hygiene kits

Recent Responses
Incident Date Number of People Assisted
First Nations Evacuations (Northern Fires) July 2011 744
Haitian Evacuees February 2010 117
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• THANK YOU
• For questions on Red Cross service-delivery in
  Peel Region during a disaster contact
  sarah.oberholzer_at_redcross.ca