EMBRACE THE STORM

Stuff to Show
FEMA Pamphlets
Emergency Essentials catalogs
Just In Case book

Please save questions to the end.

Intro
 Natural Disasters class at college
o Helped me think about preparedness (natural or manmade), but also made me paranoid
 Didn’t want to live in different places because of types of disasters.
o What I’ve learned is that you can’t escape disaster.
o An important thing to remember: don’t panic and be prepared
<<Give out questionnaire

On a daily basis we witness widely fluctuating inflation; wars; interpersonal conflicts; national disasters;
variances in weather conditions; innumerable forces of immorality, crime, and violence; attacks and pressures
on the family and individuals; technological advances that make occupations obsolete; and so on. The need
for preparation is abundantly clear. The great blessing of being prepared gives us freedom from fear, as
guaranteed to us by the Lord in the Doctrine and Covenants: “If ye are prepared ye shall not fear” (D&C
38:30). General Conference / October 1995, “If Ye Are Prepared Ye Shall Not Fear”, ELDER L. TOM PERRY
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

<<Great comfort comes when we know that we’ve done our best to be prepared. We might not be
prepared for every single little thing that could happen, but having our basic needs met because of our
own efforts is a huge comfort and asset in the face of an emergency.

 My own experience with natural or manmade disasters: water being shut off, chemical explosion
in a nearby town, fire at back door neighbor’s, severe thunderstorms, or tornado in Iowa

Websites:
1. MEMA
2. Ready.gov
3. FEMA:
Helping children cope with disaster
Coping with disaster for adults
4. Provident Living – Emergency Preparedness

KEY = Knowing what disasters to prepare for.

 In 1 minute list all the disasters you can think of that might happen where you live in Maryland.

Flood Nuclear disaster (nearest plant on western shore of

Hurricane Chesapeake in Lusby, MD)
Strong Winds Earthquakes
Tornado Drought
Fire Severe Thunderstorms
Terrorist attacks ?
3 Realms of Emergency Preparedness:
1. Home
2. Finances & Personal Documents
3. Evacuation

Home: When we’re required to stay at home for a length of time. (This is the most likely of situations.)
1. Water storage – water stored in food grade containers only
 2 liter bottles (not milk jugs – become brittle and the plastic is porous)
 Giant 50 gallon water drum
 Gravity-fed water filter (SHOW filter picture)
 Purification tablets
 Unscented chlorine bleach
2. Food storage
3. Alternative toilet option (SHOW toilet bucket & enzymes)
a. Instead of enzymes, can use a combo of kitty litter and peat moss
4. Know how to shut off gas, electricity, & water (especially the case for tornado, flood or earthquake)
5. Alternative heat, light, cooking sources
 Fuel for wood stove
 Generator + fuel (read users’ manual to know the safest place to run them)
 Non-electric space heaters
 Charcoal or propane for grill/butane fuel for camp stoves
 Emergency Fuel & Fire starter pellets (beprepared.com)
 Alcohol/toilet paper candle in a can (SHOW alcohol toilet paper candle)
*** If using an alternative heat source indoors, be aware of fumes and ventilation needs***
6. Create Family Emergency Plans (and practice!) for fire, tornado, hurricane, evacuation, etc.
(SHOW Safe Zones house plan)
7. Have a mini-emergency kit at work for yourself and your spouse (at your desk, in your locker, etc.)
containing a small first aid kit, N95 face filter mask, protein bars, water bottles or Gatorade pouches, and
a whistle. (You might not always be at home when there’s a disaster!) Consider one for your kids’
backpacks too.

Finances & Personal Documents:

“Many victims found it difficult to reconstruct their shattered lives” and claim rights and benefits because
they did not have such basic documents as insurance information, birth certificates, and marriage licenses,
according to a White House report, The Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina. The Louisiana State Bar
Association advised attorneys on how to help victims replace or find substitutes for four types of lost
essential, or vital, documents: 1) bank and investment accounts; 2) birth, death, marriage, and divorce
records; 3) legal documents such as deeds; and 4) miscellaneous documents, including drivers’ licenses,
passports, food stamp cards, insurance documents, and credit cards.
– “Taking Charge: Disaster Fallout Reinforces RIM’s (Records & Information Management) Importance.” The Information
Management Journal, July/August 2006 http://www.arma.org/bookstore/files/Dearstyne4.pdf

1. Have all things in order = Financial Binder (SHOW financial binder)

a. Keep in a fire/water resistant safe
b. Have copies of vital documents kept in a location away from your house (safety deposit box)
c. Have a schedule to back up your computer regularly. You can even swap out hard drives and
keep one at a trusted friends or relative’s house or in a safety deposit box.
2. Have at least $100 in cash (small bills & coins) set aside (banks/ATMs might not be available)
3. Get out of debt
4. Protect your family with life insurance, home owner’s or renter’s insurance
Evacuation:
1. Always keep your car’s gas tank at least half full
2. Car Kit – basically a mini 72-hour kit
a. Keep one at work for you and your spouse
b. Have a mini one in your kids backpacks for when they’re at school
i. Power bar, water pouch, band-aids, money, gum, phone numbers/calling card, etc.
3. 10 areas of basic needs for a 72-Hour Kit:
 Food
o MREs (SHOW)
o Bucket dehydrated food (SHOW)
o Non-perishable food (like peanut butter, tuna, baked beans, graham crackers, dried fruit,
granola bars, power bars, instant oatmeal packets, canned soups/stews, etc.)
 Water
o 2-litres, water bottles, or water pouches
 Clothing
 Shelter
 Personal hygiene/sanitation (toilet included!)
o Portable Toilet (SHOW)
o Personal care
o Travel Laundry soap (SHOW)
 Heat
o Portable paint can toilet paper alcohol candle
o Hand/feet warmers (Outdoor World carries these)
o Fire & various fire starters
 Stress Relievers
 First Aid
o Red Cross gives trainings
 Tools & Communication
o It’s important to have a local map as a backup since GPS might not always work)
o Wind up or kinetic lights and radio are great because batteries aren’t needed.
 Personal Documents

** Remember baby needs. (Food: baby cereal w/ bananas, plastic cont. of food, formula)
** Remember pet needs.

*** Remember to personally build skills along with members of your family for being self-reliant in an
emergency situation.
*** To get an extra boost in your preparation efforts, use gift-giving time as a way to help you and your
family members become more prepared. Request or give preparation items for birthdays and Christmas.
Get your family excited about it!

In closing: President Spencer W. Kimball admonished us:

“In reviewing the Lord’s counsel to us on the importance of preparedness, I am impressed with the
plainness of the message. The Savior made it clear that we cannot place sufficient oil in our
preparedness lamps by simply avoiding evil. We must also be anxiously engaged in a positive program
of preparation. The Lord will not translate one’s good hopes and desires and intentions into works. Each
of us must do that for himself.” (The Miracle of Forgiveness, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1969, p. 8).

Closing Remarks