Maureen Flak, an RN for almost 40 years, received her initial training in disaster response from the American Red Cross and USAF hospitals. Currently a Congregational Nurse for Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, she also works with the refugee community for Church World Service.

Many who live in the Piedmont may have become somewhat complacent about the possibility of a “disaster” in this area. We function under the idea that hurricanes occur on the coast or in Texas or Florida, and tornados are in Oklahoma, Alabama and Mississippi.

But we are not immune to “disaster”. Last year 60 homes in High Point were damaged or destroyed; and this week our neighbors to the east lost both life and property with one of the worst outbreaks of tornados in history.

By definition, a disaster is a calamitous event that usually occurs suddenly that can/will cause great damage to property, infrastructure, support organizations and may include loss of life. The Federal Government, under the direction of FEMA, understands that persons involved in the disaster are unable to handle the outcome of a calamity without assistance.

So what can we do to prepare for something that is very sudden and often unexpected? …A great deal actually.

  • Never let your prescription medications run out or down to a couple of pills. Insurance companies will pay up to seven days in advance to keep persons in their prescription. And the same principal applies to frequently used over-the-counter medications and pain relievers. Keep a list of these medications in a container in the freezer or medicine closet in case you are not able to respond to emergency persons who arrive on scene.
  • Create an emergency kit. The American Red Cross offers a home disaster kit that includes things like: first aid kit; $20-50 in cash including change (if power is out so are the ATM’s and credit card scanners); power food like health or power bars; flashlights and batteries; a battery operated radio; and water. A NOAA RADIO IS A VALUABLE INVESTMENT FOR ANY HOME.
  • Now about water…the recommendation is 1 gallon of fresh water for each member of the family (pets included) for three days is the rule of thumb.
  • Keep one very old fashioned land line phone available to plug in the wall. They do not run on house current and will work in a power outage.
  • Designate a gathering place for after the event; in fact, have a backup gathering place in case the first is too dangerous to use.
  • Have a contact person outside of the area to call to let him/her know you are just fine. And be sure to provide the contact number to other family members. In an emergency the local phone access may be blocked to all but emergency responders.
  • Find the lowest point in your home that is away from windows and doors.
  • Know your water, gas and electric turn-off points.

Many of you may have special needs such as oxygen, hearing aides,and glasses,. You may ambulate with a walker or wheelchair or have an assistance animal or other chronic needs. Now is the time to think how you will get to a safe place with your needed support equipment.

And lastly… if you live in a retirement community or other senior housing, ask about their disaster response plan and/or their evacuation plan. This should be known to all residents now before a disaster.