Even when people have emergency plans in writing, they often don’t keep them updated, a Washington County Emergency Management Department official said Saturday.
A plan is imperative, and the need for one increases in the spring because the potential for tornadoes and flooding increases, said department Deputy Director Rick Johnson.
“The majority of people don’t have a plan,” Johnson said.
Johnson kicked off a workshop offered by Child Care Aware of Northwest Arkansas on Saturday at the Jones Center in Springdale. The workshop for about a dozen area residents - including childcare workers - provided tips on planning for disasters.
Ainslee Brown, an employee of Child Care Licensing of Washington County, told participants that childcare workers should have ready-to-go emergency bags that can be carried on their backs so they can hold children’s hands in the event of an emergency. Brown said that the bags should contain pertinent information about the children, and that childcare directors should have employees’ information and a list of important phone numbers, such as a contact number for the gas company.
Hard copies of documents are beneficial in casecellphones aren’t working or their batteries are dead, Brown added.
Kassie Sisk, a teacher for 3- and 4-year-olds at The Kid’s Studio in Rogers, said Saturday’s workshop was a reminder that she needed to make sure that the center’s emergency bags are ready and up-to-date.
Johnson suggested that anyone interested in developing an emergency plan visit ready.gov as a startingpoint and develop plans for all types of emergencies, including ice storms and fires. The website provides resources and information on making plans and building disaster kits.
Counties and cities in Northwest Arkansas provide emergency alert systems, Johnson said. Residents can sign up for alert notifications that can be received via phone, text message or email. A resident can obtain information by calling or visiting the websites provided by his county and city.
Another resource is the Smart 911 service that’s available across the state, said Marqette Anderson, support coordinator for the Emergency Management Department.When a dispatcher receives an emergency call from a phone landline, he has access to the caller’s phone number and address. When he receives a call from a cellphone, the dispatcher has more general information about a person’s location.
Smart 911 - accessible at www.smart911.com - allows a person who signs up to enter an address and other information that will show up on a dispatcher’s screen during an emergency call made from a cellphone, Anderson said. The information is accessible for 30 minutes. The service allows aperson to link his cellphone number to other information - including his home address and the names of people and pets living in the home - that could be useful for emergency responders.
Family disaster kits should contain enough supplies to last three days and should be refreshed every six months, said Brett Roberts, a representative from the Fort Smith office of the American Red Cross. Each kit should include 1 gallon of drinking water per person and pet per day, nonperishable foods, a manual can opener,bandages, medications and a flashlight. For flashlights that need batteries, Roberts suggested storing batteries outside of the flashlights.
Roberts added that a battery-powered weather radio is recommended, as well as tools that won’t spark and a change of clothing and bedding.
Cash and coins also are useful when the power goes out because credit-card readers won’t work, Roberts said.
Families should share their plans with friends and extended family members and practice them, Roberts said.
Northwest Arkansas, Pages 15 on 03/16/2014