A Community Checklist for Emergency Preparedness

Each time a large emergency or disaster occurs, communities learn more about what they can do to improve their local preparedness. The World Health Organization states that during the first 24 hours after an emergency incident occurs, the response by community agencies will make the greatest impact on saving lives. Communities link their efforts with county, state and national planning as they continuously refine their emergency preparedness checklists.

Pre-Emergency Communication and Warning Systems

• Warning sirens alert citizens to impending tornadoes and tsunamis.

  Communities pro-actively inform citizens about the kinds of emergencies they may encounter. The city of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, provides annual spring flood preparedness information, along with a preparedness guide for families. In communities where dam failure has occurred, the World Health Organization reports exponentially lower numbers of deaths in communities with warning systems, as compared to communities without warning systems.

Shelter

• Citizens of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, receive temporary shelter after a flood.

  Tornadoes, floods, fires and earthquakes can displace people from their homes. Emergency planners pre-arrange for shelters in public buildings and plan sources for emergency meals, blankets, cots and clothing.

Preparedness for People with Disabilities

• Shelters may need to accommodate service dogs.

  Emergency responders and volunteers should receive training to assist individuals with disabilities. Training should include the use of written information for the hearing impaired, methods to evacuate wheelchair-bound individuals and appropriate sheltering for individuals with disabilities. Plans also need to accommodate service animals that must remain with their owners.

Medical Issues

• People with diabetes need testing supplies after a disaster.

  People with chronic health issues, such as diabetes or congestive heart failure, need access to medications, oxygen and supportive services. The community emergency checklist includes criteria to provide for individuals with medical concerns.

Alternate Travel Routes

• A landslide necessitates alternate travel routes.

  A large fire, landslide or incoming hurricane may prohibit the use of certain roads and freeways, or require creative use of accessible transportation. Emergency managers prepare to reroute traffic or use alternate means of transportation as needed.

Evacuation Planning

• In a hurricane forecast, people evacuate their community.

  Not every emergency requires evacuation, but a relatively small incident, such as a brush fire in high wind, can make it necessary to evacuate homes. On a larger scale, the threat of a flood can require evacuation of entire neighborhoods.

Resource Deployment and Recovery

• Utility companies share services to restore power.

  After a disaster occurs, agencies coordinate efforts to decide what resources to use, where they will come from and who will pay for them. Communities must deal with distribution of water and food, highway reconstruction, prioritization of debris removal and restoration of essential services, such as water, sewer and natural gas lines.