Get Ready Month - Day #20: Expert Advice
Posted on | May 29, 2007 |
Over the past five years, we’ve spoken with many police officers, firefighters, first responders, insurance agents and emergency workers from all across the country.
They have all provided numerous tips for emergencies, fires and disasters - here is just a sampling of the best advice we’ve received:
Emergencies
- Put together a home emergency kit. Have a cellphone, phone contact lists.
- Get a NOAA weather radio to alert you to all disasters.
- Program ICE into your phone. Don’t know how to program ICE? Click here.
- Do a home inventory. This is the most common piece of advice we’ve received from all our interviewees. Get started today!
- When you call 911, it won’t always be the police who responds. More often then not it will be a fire truck. Most firefighters are trained EMTs or paramedics and the majority of their calls that the respond to are actually medically-related not fire-related.
Fire
- Some firefighters prefer to use the word “alarm†not detector (i.e. smoke alarm) because alarm means get out and take warning. Your best detector is your nose!
- Be sure to have fire extinguishers, carbon monoxide and smoke alarms in your garage, especially if your garage is attached or house is above the garage. Many fires can start in garages from cars, gasoline, lawn mowers, paint, combustible items (rags, solvents, etc.).
- After fires, kids tend to run to their friend’s house and let them know what’s happened. It is important to teach your kids to get out whichever way they can but to meet at their predetermined meeting place. Kids should pick this place with their parents and should be taught to wait there for the firefighters to arrive. Click here for tips on creating an escape plan.
- You should go OUTSIDE your home to call and report the fire. Grab your cell phone or call from a friend’s home.
- People need to understand that there is NOTHING that is fireproof – everything burns.
Disasters
- When disasters are on a larger scale, understand that calls might get backed up because the damage is citywide not isolated to just one street.
- After a disaster, stay out of harm’s way and out of the way of the efforts of local authorities. Listen to their instructions and regulations - they have been put there for a reason.
Have a tip you’d like to share? Post it in the Comments section below. Head to our Stories section to see additional tips from readers.
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