Personal Preparedness


Across the county incidents occur regularly that disrupt a person’s daily routines. These incidents range from natural disasters, like tornadoes, floods or snow storms, to active shooter situations, to a hazardous materials spill, to terrorist attacks. All of these incidents are very different but all have one thing in common. The better prepared you and your family are, the better you will react and recover from the incident. While there is no way to predict what will happen, or what your personal circumstances will be, there are simple things you can do now to prepare yourself and your loved ones.

Some of the things you can do to prepare for the unexpected, such as assembling a supply kit and developing a family communication plan, ?are the same for both a natural or man-made emergency. However, there are important differences among potential terrorist threats that will impact the decisions you make and the actions you take. With a little planning and common sense, you can be better prepared for the unexpected.

Make a Kit of Emergency Supplies


You’ll need a gallon of water per person per day. Include in the kits canned and dried foods that are easy to store and prepare. If you live in a cold weather climate, include warm clothes and a sleeping bag for each member of the family.

Start now by gathering basic emergency supplies – a flashlight, a battery-operated radio, extra batteries, a first aid kit, toilet articles, prescription medicines and other special things your family may need. Many potential terrorist attacks could send tiny microscopic “junk” into the air. Many of these materials can only hurt you if they get into your body, so think about creating a barrier between yourself and any contamination. It’s smart to have something for each member of the family that covers their mouth and nose.

Plan to use two to three layers of a cotton t-shirt, handkerchief or towel. Or, consider filter masks, readily available in hardware stores, which are rated based on how small a particle they filter. It is very important that the mask or other material fit your face snugly so that most of the air you breathe comes through the mask, not around it. Do whatever you can to make the best fit possible for children.

Also, include duct tape and heavy weight garbage bags or plastic sheeting that can be used to seal windows and doors if you need to create a barrier between yourself and any potential contamination outside.

FEMA has great information on their page on how to build your own kit.

Make a Plan for What You Will Do in an Emergency




If you see large amounts of debris in the air, or if local authorities say the air is badly contaminated, you may want to “shelter-in-place. Quickly bring your family and pets inside, lock doors, and close windows, air vents and fireplace dampers. Immediately turn off conditioning, forced air heating systems, exhaust fans and clothes dryers. Take your emergency supplies and go into the room you have designated. Seal all windows, doors and vents. Watch TV, listen to the radio or check the Internet for instructions.



Be Informed About What Might Happen


Specific Terrorist Threats

A biological attack is the deliberate release of germs or other substances that can make you sick. Many agents must be inhaled, enter through a cut in the skin or eaten to make you sick.



A radiation threat or “Dirty Bomb” is the use of common explosives to spread radioactive materials over a targeted area.
