ATHLETES FOR AMERICA

Are You Ready?

Introduction
Get a Kit
Make a Plan
Be Informed

Introduction

Are You Ready?

We all know our world changed on September 11, 2001. That day marked the dawning of a new age of awareness for all Americans. A moment in time that showed each of us that we must become more aware of our vulnerabilities, more appreciative of our freedoms, and accept the idea that we have a personal responsibility for the safety of our families, our neighbors, our communities and our nation. Not just for future terrorist attacks but for any type of emergency, natural or manmade.

The following information will help you become better informed about different types of threats, prepare a basic plan of action and gather items that may help you and your family during an emergency. Many Americans have elderly and or handicapped individuals living with them in their homes. This section will also address ways to prepare and protect these loved ones in emergency situations. You might want to print out some of the following information and review it with family members and friends then post it in an area where everyone can access it.

On our AFA home page, you will find access to nearly a dozen Homeland Security websites that offer valuable emergency preparedness information. Please take a few minutes to review those sites. Additionally, check your local community to see if there is a citizen corps council and training program available. These courses train you for many different types of emergency situations and they are offered for free!

Hopefully, most of us will never face an emergency or have to use this information, but if one does arise being prepared might just save some ones life, quite possibly yours!

Good Luck!

Get a Kit

Water & Food

Water

One gallon of water per person per day, for drinking and sanitation.

Children, nursing mothers, and sick people may need more water.
If you live in a warm weather climate more water may be necessary.
Store water tightly in clean plastic containers such as soft drink bottles.
Keep at least a three-day supply of water per person.

Food

Store at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food.

Select foods that require no refrigeration, preparation or cooking and little or no water.
Pack a manual can opener and eating utensils.
Choose foods your family will eat.

Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits and vegetables
Protein or fruit bars
Dry cereal or granola
Peanut butter
Dried fruit
Nuts
Crackers
Canned juices
Non-perishable pasteurized milk
High energy foods
Vitamins
Food for infants
Comfort/stress foods

Clean Air

Many potential terrorist attacks could send tiny microscopic "junk" into the air. For example, an explosion may release very fine debris that can cause lung damage. A biological attack may release germs that can make you sick if inhaled or absorbed through open cuts. Many of these agents can only hurt you if they get into your body, so think about creating a barrier between yourself and any contamination.

Nose and Mouth Protection
Face masks or dense-weave cotton material, that snugly covers your nose and mouth and is specifically fit for each member of the family. Do whatever you can to make the best fit possible for children.

Be prepared to improvise with what you have on hand to protect your nose, mouth, eyes and cuts in your skin. Anything that fits snugly over your nose and mouth, including any dense-weave cotton material, can help filter contaminants in an emergency. It is very important that most of the air you breathe comes through the mask or cloth, not around it. Do whatever you can to make the best fit possible for children. There are also a variety of face masks readily available in hardware stores that are rated based on how small a particle they can filter in an industrial setting.

Given the different types of attacks that could occur, there is not one solution for masking. For instance, simple cloth face masks can filter some of the airborne "junk" or germs you might breathe into your body, but will probably not protect you from chemical gases. Still, something over your nose and mouth in an emergency is better than nothing. Limiting how much "junk" gets into your body may impact whether or not you get sick or develop disease.

Other Barriers

Heavyweight plastic garbage bags or plastic sheeting
Duct tape
Scissors

There are circumstances when staying put and creating a barrier between yourself and potentially contaminated air outside, a process known as "shelter-in-place," is a matter of survival. You can use these things to tape up windows, doors and air vents if you need to seal off a room from outside contamination. Consider precutting and labeling these materials. Anything you can do in advance will save time when it counts.

Use available information to assess the situation. If you see large amounts of debris in the air, or if local authorities say the air is badly contaminated, you can use these things to tape up windows, doors and air vents if you need to seal off a room. Read more: Deciding to Stay or Go.

HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air Filtration) Filter Fans
Once you have sealed a room with plastic sheeting and duct tape you may have created a better barrier between you and any contaminants that may be outside. However, no seal is perfect and some leakage is likely. In addition to which, you may find yourself in a space that is already contaminated to some degree.

Consider a portable air purifier, with a HEPA filter, to help remove contaminants from the room where you are sheltering. These highly efficient filters have small sieves that can capture very tiny particles, including some biological agents. Once trapped within a HEPA filter contaminants cannot get into your body and make you sick. While these filters are excellent at filtering dander, dust, molds, smoke, biological agents and other contaminants, they will not stop chemical gases.

Some people, particularly those with severe allergies and asthma, use HEPA filters in masks, portable air purifiers as well as in larger home or industrial models to continuously filter the air.

First Aid Kit

In any emergency a family member or you yourself may be cut, burned or suffer other injuries. If you have these basic supplies you are better prepared to help your loved ones when they are hurt. Remember, many injuries are not life threatening and do not require immediate medical attention. Knowing how to treat minor injuries can make a difference in an emergency. Consider taking a first aid class, but simply having the following things can help you stop bleeding, prevent infection and assist in decontamination.

Things you should have:

Two pairs of Latex, or other sterile gloves (if you are allergic to Latex).
Sterile dressings to stop bleeding.
Cleansing agent/soap and antibiotic towelettes to disinfect.
Antibiotic ointment to prevent infection.
Burn ointment to prevent infection.
Adhesive bandages in a variety of sizes.
Eye wash solution to flush the eyes or as general decontaminant.
Thermometer (Read more: Biological Threat)
Prescription medications you take every day such as insulin, heart medicine and asthma inhalers. You should periodically rotate medicines to account for expiration dates.
Prescribed medical supplies such as glucose and blood pressure monitoring equipment and supplies.

Things it may be good to have:

Cell Phone
Scissors
Tweezers
Tube of petroleum jelly or other lubricant

Non-prescription drugs:

Aspirin or nonaspirin pain reliever
Anti-diarrhea medication
Antacid (for upset stomach)
Laxative

Supply Checklists

Emergency Supplies

Water, food, and clean air are the essential items for survival. Each family or individual's kit should be customized to meet specific needs, such as medications and infant formula. It should also be customized to include important family documents.

Recommended Supplies to Include in a Basic Kit:

Water, one gallon of water per person per day, for drinking and sanitation
Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
Battery-powered radio and extra batteries
Flashlight and extra batteries
First Aid kit
Whistle to signal for help
Dust mask or cotton t-shirt, to help filter the air
Moist towelettes for sanitation
Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)
Plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
Infant formula and diapers, if you have an infant
Garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation

View recommended supplies to include in a Portable Kit

Clothing and Bedding:
If you live in a cold weather climate, you must think about warmth. It is possible that the power will be out and you will not have heat. Rethink your clothing and bedding supplies to account for growing children and other family changes.

One complete change of warm clothing and shoes per person, including:

A jacket or coat
Long pants
A long sleeve shirt
Sturdy shoes
A hat and gloves
A sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person

Other items to consider adding to your Supply Kit:

Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or a print out of this information
Rain gear
Mess kits, paper cups, plates and plastic utensils
Cash or traveler's checks, change
Paper towels
Fire Extinguisher
Tent
Compass
Matches in a waterproof container
Signal flare
Paper, pencil
Medicine dropper
Feminine supplies
Personal hygiene items
Disinfectant
Household chlorine bleach

You can use bleach as a disinfectant (diluted nine parts water to one part bleach), or in an emergency you can also use it to purify water. Use 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners.

Important Family Documents:
Keep copies of important family records such as insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container.

You can use this EFFAK (Emergency Financial First Aid Kit) developed by Operation Hope, FEMA and Citizen Corps to help you organize your information.

Special Needs Items

Remember the special needs of your family members. Infants, the elderly and persons with disabilities need the same planning as everyone else, and sometimes a little more, to be prepared for a terrorist attack.

For Baby:

Formula
Diapers
Bottles
Powdered milk
Medications
Moist towelettes
Diaper rash ointment

For Adults:

Ask your doctor about storing prescription medications such as heart and high blood pressure medication, insulin and other prescription drugs.
Denture needs
Contact lenses and supplies
Extra eye glasses

For more information on supplies, see "Your Family Disaster Supply Kit" from American Red Cross and Federal Emergency Management Agency

For Seniors:

Plan how you will evacuate or signal for help.
Plan emergency procedures with home health care agencies or workers.
Tell others where you keep your emergency supplies.
Teach others how to operate necessary equipment.
Label equipment like wheelchairs, canes or walkers.
Additional supplies for seniors:

List of prescription medications including dosage in your supply kits. Include any allergies.
Extra eyeglasses and hearing-aid batteries.
Extra wheelchair batteries or other special equipment in your supply kit.
A list of the style and serial numbers of medical devices such as pacemakers in your emergency supply kits.
Copies of medical insurance and Medicare cards.
List of doctors and emergency contacts.

For People with Disabilities:

Create a support network to help in an emergency.
Tell these people where you keep your emergency supplies.
Give one member of your support network a key to your house or apartment.
Contact your city or county government's emergency information management office. Many local offices keep lists of people with disabilities so they can be located quickly in a sudden emergency.
Wear medical alert tags or bracelets to help identify your disability.
If you are dependent on dialysis or other life sustaining treatment, know the location and availability of more than one facility.
Show others how to operate your wheelchair.
Know the size and weight of your wheelchair, in addition to whether or not it is collapsible, in case it has to be transported.
Additional Supplies for People with Disabilities:

Prescription medicines, list of medications including dosage, list of any allergies.
Extra eyeglasses and hearing-aid batteries.
Extra wheelchair batteries, oxygen.
Keep a list of the style and serial number of medical devices.
Medical insurance and Medicare cards.
List of doctors, relatives or friends who should be notified if you are hurt.

For more information on supplies, see "Your Family Disaster Supply Kit" from American Red Cross and Federal Emergency Management Agency.

For more information on special needs, see Disaster Preparedness For People With Disabilities from FEMA, and Disaster Preparedness for Seniors by Seniors from the Red Cross.

Make a Plan

Creating a Family Plan

Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so plan how you will contact one another and review what you will do in different situations.

It may be easier to make a long-distance phone call than to call across town, so an out-of-town contact may be in a better position to communicate among separated family members.
Be sure every member of your family knows the phone number and has coins or a prepaid phone card to call the emergency contact.
You may have trouble getting through or the telephone system may be down altogether, but be patient.

Emergency Information
Find out what kinds of disasters, both natural and man-made, are most likely to occur in your area and how you will be notified. Methods of getting your attention vary from community to community. One common method is to broadcast via emergency radio and TV broadcasts. You might hear a special siren, or get a telephone call, or emergency workers may go door-to-door.

Call the closest chapter of the American Red Cross for emergency information that applies to your community.

Emergency Plans
You may also want to inquire about emergency plans at places where your family spends time: work, daycare and school. If no plans exist, consider volunteering to help create one. Talk to your neighbors about how you can work together in the event of an emergency. You will be better prepared to safely reunite your family and loved ones during an emergency if you think ahead and communicate with others in advance. Read more: At Work and School.

For more information, see "Family Disaster Planning" from American Red Cross

Deciding to Stay or Go

Depending on your circumstances and the nature of the attack, the first important decision is whether you stay put or get away. You should understand and plan for both possibilities. Use common sense and available information, including what you are learning here, to determine if there is immediate danger.

In any emergency, local authorities may or may not immediately be able to provide information on what is happening and what you should do. However, you should monitor TV or radio news reports for information or official instructions as they become available. If you're specifically told to evacuate or seek medical treatment, do so immediately.

Staying Put

Whether you are at home, work or elsewhere, there may be situations when it's simply best to stay where you are and avoid any uncertainty outside.

There are other circumstances when staying put and creating a barrier between yourself and potentially contaminated air outside, a process known as "sealing the room," is a matter of survival. Use available information to assess the situation. If you see large amounts of debris in the air, or if local authorities say the air is badly contaminated, you may want to take this kind of action.

The process used to seal the room is considered a temporary protective measure to create a barrier between you and potentially contaminated air outside. It is a type of sheltering in place that requires preplanning.

To "Shelter in Place and Seal the Room"

Bring your family and pets inside.
Lock doors, close windows, air vents and fireplace dampers.
Turn off fans, air conditioning and forced air heating systems.
Take your emergency supply kit unless you have reason to believe it has been contaminated.
Go into an interior room with few windows, if possible.
Seal all windows, doors and air vents with plastic sheeting and duct tape. Consider measuring and cutting the sheeting in advance to save time.
Be prepared to improvise and use what you have on hand to seal gaps so that you create a barrier between yourself and any contamination.
Local authorities may not immediately be able to provide information on what is happening and what you should do. However, you should watch TV, listen to the radio or check the Internet often for official news and instructions as they become available.

Getting Away
There may be conditions under which you will decide to get away, or there may be situations when you are ordered to leave. Plan how you will assemble your family and anticipate where you will go. Choose several destinations in different directions so you have options in an emergency.

Create an evacuation plan:

Plan places where your family will meet, both within and outside of your immediate neighborhood.
If you have a car, keep a half tank of gas in it at all times in case you need to evacuate.
Become familiar with alternate routes and other means of transportation out of your area.
If you do not have a car, plan how you will leave if you have to.
Take your emergency supply kit unless you have reason to believe it has been contaminated.
Lock the door behind you.
Take your pets with you, but understand that only service animals may be permitted in public shelters. Plan how you will care for your pets in an emergency.
If time allows:

Call or email the "out-of-state" contact in your family communications plan.
Tell them where you are going.
If there is damage to your home and you are instructed to do so, shut off water, gas and electricity before leaving.
Leave a note telling others when you left and where you are going.
Check with neighbors who may need a ride.

Learn how and when to turn off utilities:
If there is damage to your home or you are instructed to turn off your utilities:

Locate the electric, gas and water shut-off valves.
Keep necessary tools near gas and water shut-off valves.
Teach family members how to turn off utilities.
If you turn the gas off, a professional must turn it back on. Do not attempt to do this yourself.

Plan for your pets:

Pets should not be left behind, but understand that only service animals may be permitted in public shelters. Plan how you will care for your pets in an emergency.

Store extra food, water and supplies for your pet.

For more information see: "Animal Safety - Pets and Disaster: Be Prepared" from American Red Cross.

At Work and School

Like individuals and families, schools, daycare providers, workplaces, neighborhoods and apartment buildings should all have site-specific emergency plans.

Ask about plans at the places where your family spends the most time: work, school and other places you frequent. If none exist, consider volunteering to help develop one. You will be better prepared to safely reunite your family and loved ones during an emergency if you think ahead, and communicate with others in advance.

For more information on working together, visit Citizen Corps.

Neighborhoods and Apartment Buildings
A community working together during an emergency makes sense.

Talk to your neighbors about how you can work together during an emergency.
Find out if anyone has specialized equipment like a power generator, or expertise such as medical knowledge, that might help in a crisis.
Decide who will check on elderly or disabled neighbors.
Make back-up plans for children in case you can't get home in an emergency.
Sharing plans and communicating in advance is a good strategy.

Schools and Daycare
If you are a parent, or guardian of an elderly or disabled adult, make sure schools and daycare providers have emergency response plans.

Ask how they will communicate with families during a crisis.
Ask if they store adequate food, water and other basic supplies.
Find out if they are prepared to "shelter-in-place" if need be, and where they plan to go if they must get away.

For more information on developing emergency preparedness plans for schools, please visit the U.S. Department of Education at http://www.ed.gov/emergencyplan.

Employers
If you are an employer, make sure your workplace has a building evacuation plan that is regularly practiced.

Take a critical look at your heating, ventilation and air conditioning system to determine if it is secure or if it could feasibly be upgraded to better filter potential contaminants, and be sure you know how to turn it off if you need to.
Think about what to do if your employees can't go home.
Make sure you have appropriate supplies on hand.
Read more at Get a Kit and Staying Put.

For more information on specific building threats, see "Protecting Building Environments from Airborne Chemical, Biological, or Radiological Attacks" from National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

In a Moving Vehicle

If there is an explosion or other factor that makes it difficult to control the vehicle, pull over, stop the car and set the parking brake.
If the emergency could impact the physical stability of the roadway, avoid overpasses, bridges, power lines, signs and other hazards.
If a power line falls on your car you are at risk of electrical shock, stay inside until a trained person removes the wire.
Listen to the radio for information and instructions as they become available.

In a High-Rise Building

Note where the closest emergency exit is.
Be sure you know another way out in case your first choice is blocked.
Take cover against a desk or table if things are falling.
Move away from file cabinets, bookshelves or other things that might fall.
Face away from windows and glass.
Move away from exterior walls.
Determine if you should stay put, "shelter-in-place" or get away.
Listen for and follow instructions.
Take your emergency supply kit, unless there is reason to believe it has been contaminated.
Do not use elevators.
Stay to the right while going down stairwells to allow emergency workers to come up.

Be Informed

A biological attack is the deliberate release of germs or other biological substances that can make you sick. Many agents must be inhaled, enter through a cut in the skin or be eaten to make you sick. Some biological agents, such as anthrax, do not cause contagious diseases. Others, like the smallpox virus, can result in diseases you can catch from other people.

If There is a Biological Threat

Unlike an explosion, a biological attack may or may not be immediately obvious. While it is possible that you will see signs of a biological attack, as was sometimes the case with the anthrax mailings, it is perhaps more likely that local health care workers will report a pattern of unusual illness or there will be a wave of sick people seeking emergency medical attention. You will probably learn of the danger through an emergency radio or TV broadcast, or some other signal used in your community. You might get a telephone call or emergency response workers may come to your door.

In the event of a biological attack, public health officials may not immediately be able to provide information on what you should do. It will take time to determine exactly what the illness is, how it should be treated, and who is in danger. However, you should watch TV, listen to the radio, or check the Internet for official news including the following:

Are you in the group or area authorities consider in danger?
What are the signs and symptoms of the disease?
Are medications or vaccines being distributed?
Where? Who should get them?
Where should you seek emergency medical care if you become sick?

During a declared biological emergency:

If a family member becomes sick, it is important to be suspicious.
Do not assume, however, that you should go to a hospital emergency room or that any illness is the result of the biological attack. Symptoms of many common illnesses may overlap.
Use common sense, practice good hygiene and cleanliness to avoid spreading germs, and seek medical advice.
Consider if you are in the group or area authorities believe to be in danger.
If your symptoms match those described and you are in the group considered at risk, immediately seek emergency medical attention.

If you are potentially exposed:

Follow instructions of doctors and other public health officials.
If the disease is contagious expect to receive medical evaluation and treatment. You may be advised to stay away from others or even deliberately quarantined.
For non-contagious diseases, expect to receive medical evaluation and treatment.

If you become aware of an unusual and suspicious substance nearby:

Quickly get away.
Protect yourself. Cover your mouth and nose with layers of fabric that can filter the air but still allow breathing. Examples include two to three layers of cotton such as a t-shirt, handkerchief or towel. Otherwise, several layers of tissue or paper towels may help.
Wash with soap and water.
Contact authorities.
Watch TV, listen to the radio, or check the Internet for official news and information including what the signs and symptoms of the disease are, if medications or vaccinations are being distributed and where you should seek medical attention if you become sick.
If you become sick seek emergency medical attention.

A chemical attack is the deliberate release of a toxic gas, liquid or solid that can poison people and the environment.

Possible Signs of Chemical Threat

Many people suffering from watery eyes, twitching, choking, having trouble breathing or losing coordination.
Many sick or dead birds, fish or small animals are also cause for suspicion.

If You See Signs of Chemical Attack: Find Clean Air Quickly

Quickly try to define the impacted area or where the chemical is coming from, if possible.
Take immediate action to get away.
If the chemical is inside a building where you are, get out of the building without passing through the contaminated area, if possible.
If you can't get out of the building or find clean air without passing through the area where you see signs of a chemical attack, it may be better to move as far away as possible and "shelter-in-place."
If you are outside, quickly decide what is the fastest way to find clean air. Consider if you can get out of the area or if you should go inside the closest building and "shelter-in-place."

If You Think You Have Been Exposed to a Chemical
If your eyes are watering, your skin is stinging, and you are having trouble breathing, you may have been exposed to a chemical.

If you think you may have been exposed to a chemical, strip immediately and wash.
Look for a hose, fountain, or any source of water, and wash with soap if possible, being sure not to scrub the chemical into your skin.
Seek emergency medical attention.

For more information, see "Are you Ready?" from Federal Emergency Management Agency.

If There is an Explosion

Take shelter against your desk or a sturdy table.
Exit the building ASAP.
Do not use elevators.
Check for fire and other hazards.
Take your emergency supply kit if time allows.

If There is a Fire

Exit the building ASAP.
Crawl low if there is smoke
Use a wet cloth, if possible, to cover your nose and mouth.
Use the back of your hand to feel the upper, lower, and middle parts of closed doors.
If the door is not hot, brace yourself against it and open slowly.
If the door is hot, do not open it. Look for another way out.
Do not use elevators
If you catch fire, do not run. Stop-drop-and-roll to put out the fire.
If you are at home, go to a previously designated meeting place.
Account for your family members and carefully supervise small children.
Never go back into a burning building.

If You Are Trapped in Debris

If possible, use a flashlight to signal your location to rescuers.
Avoid unnecessary movement so that you don't kick up dust.
Cover your nose and mouth with anything you have on hand. (Dense-weave cotton material can act as a good filter. Try to breathe through the material.)
Tap on a pipe or wall so that rescuers can hear where you are.
If possible, use a whistle to signal rescuers.
Shout only as a last resort. Shouting can cause a person to inhale dangerous amounts of dust.

A nuclear blast is an explosion with intense light and heat, a damaging pressure wave and widespread radioactive material that can contaminate the air, water and ground surfaces for miles around. During a nuclear incident, it is important to avoid radioactive material, if possible. While experts may predict at this time that a nuclear attack is less likely than other types, terrorism by its nature is unpredictable.

If There is a Nuclear Blast

If there is advanced warning of an attack:

Take cover immediately, as far below ground as possible, though any shield or shelter will help protect you from the immediate effects of the blast and the pressure wave.

If there is no warning:

Quickly assess the situation.
Consider if you can get out of the area or if it would be better to go inside a building to limit the amount of radioactive material you are exposed to.
If you take shelter go as far below ground as possible, close windows and doors, turn off air conditioners, heaters or other ventilation systems. Stay where you are, watch TV, listen to the radio, or check the Internet for official news as it becomes available.
To limit the amount of radiation you are exposed to, think about shielding, distance and time.

Shielding: If you have a thick shield between yourself and the radioactive materials more of the radiation will be absorbed, and you will be exposed to less.
Distance: The farther away you are away from the blast and the fallout the lower your exposure.
Time: Minimizing time spent exposed will also reduce your risk.

Use available information to assess the situation. If there is a significant radiation threat, health care authorities may or may not advise you to take potassium iodide. Potassium iodide is the same stuff added to your table salt to make it iodized. It may or may not protect your thyroid gland, which is particularly vulnerable, from radioactive iodine exposure. Plan to speak with your health care provider in advance about what makes sense for your family.

For more information, see Potassium Iodide from Centers for Disease Control.

For more general information, see "Are you Ready?" from Federal Emergency Management Agency.

A radiation threat, commonly referred to as a "dirty bomb" or "radiological dispersion device (RDD)", is the use of common explosives to spread radioactive materials over a targeted area. It is not a nuclear blast. The force of the explosion and radioactive contamination will be more localized. While the blast will be immediately obvious, the presence of radiation will not be clearly defined until trained personnel with specialized equipment are on the scene. As with any radiation, you want to try to limit exposure. It is important to avoid breathing radiological dust that may be released in the air.

If There is a Radiation Threat or "Dirty Bomb"

If you are outside and there is an explosion or authorities warn of a radiation release nearby, cover your nose and mouth and quickly go inside a building that has not been damaged. If you are already inside check to see if your building has been damaged. If your building is stable, stay where you are.

Close windows and doors; turn off air conditioners, heaters or other ventilation systems.

If you are inside and there is an explosion near where you are or you are warned of a radiation release inside, cover nose and mouth and go outside immediately. Look for a building or other shelter that has not been damaged and quickly get inside.

Once you are inside, close windows and doors; turn off air conditioners, heaters or other ventilation systems.

If you think you have been exposed to radiation, take off your clothes and wash as soon as possible.
Stay where you are, watch TV, listen to the radio, or check the Internet for official news as it becomes available.
Remember: To limit the amount of radiation you are exposed to, think about shielding, distance and time.

Shielding: If you have a thick shield between yourself and the radioactive materials more of the radiation will be absorbed, and you will be exposed to less.
Distance: The farther away you are away from the blast and the fallout the lower your exposure.
Time: Minimizing time spent exposed will also reduce your risk.

As with any emergency, local authorities may not be able to immediately provide information on what is happening and what you should do. However, you should watch TV, listen to the radio, or check the Internet often for official news and information as it becomes available.

For more general information, see "Are you Ready?" from Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Some of the things you can do to prepare for the unexpected, such as making an emergency supply kit and developing a family communications plan, are the same for both a natural or man-made emergency. However, there are important differences among natural disasters that will impact the decisions you make and the actions you take. Some natural disasters are easily predicted, others happen without warning. Planning what to do in advance is an important part of being prepared.

Find out what natural disasters are most common in your area. You may be aware of some of your community's risks: others may surprise you. Historically, flooding is the nation's single most common natural disaster. Flooding can happen in every U.S. state and territory. Earthquakes are often thought of as a West Coast phenomenon, yet 45 states and territories in the United States are at moderate to high risk from earthquakes and are located in every region of the country. Other disasters may be more common in certain areas. Tornados are nature's most violent storms and can happen anywhere. However, states located in "Tornado Alley", as well as areas in Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, and Florida are at the highest risk for tornado damage. Hurricanes are severe tropical storms that form in the southern Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Scientists can now predict hurricanes, but people who live in coastal communities should plan what they will do if they are told to evacuate.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has information available about the following natural disasters:

Earthquakes
Extreme Heat
Fires
Floods
Hurricanes
Landslide and Debris Flow (Mudslide)
Thunderstorms
Tornadoes
Tsunamis
Volcanoes
Wildfires
Winter Storms and Extreme Cold

Planning what to do in advance is an important part of being prepared. Find out what natural disasters are most common in your area.

For more general information, see "Are you Ready?" from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or Disaster Safety from the Red Cross.

Disaster Preparedness For People With Disabilities
Being prepared for emergencies can reduce the fear, panic, and inconvenience that surrounds a disaster.

Check for hazards in the home.
During and right after a disaster, ordinary items in the home can cause injury or damage. Anything that can move, fall, break or cause fire is a home hazard. Check for items such as bookcases, hanging pictures, or overhead lights that could fall in an earthquake or a flood and block an escape path.

Be ready to evacuate.
Have a plan for getting out of your home or building (ask your family or friends for assistance, if necessary). Also, plan two evacuation routes because some roads may be closed or blocked in a disaster.

Have disaster supplies on hand.

Flashlight with extra batteries.
Portable, battery-operated radio and extra batteries.
First aid kit and manual.
Emergency food and water.
Nonelectric can opener.
Essential medicines
Cash and credit cards
Sturdy shoes.

Maintain a list of the following important items and store it with the emergency supplies. Give a copy to another family member and a friend or neighbor.

Special equipment and supplies, e.g.,hearing aid batteries
Current prescriptions names and dosages
Names, addresses, and telephone numbers of doctors and pharmacist
Detailed information about the specifications of your medication regime

Create a self-help network of relatives, friends or co-workers to assist in an emergency. If you think you may need assistance in a disaster, discuss your disability with relatives, friends, and co-workers and ask for their help. For example, if you need help moving or require special arrangements to receive emergency messages, make a plan with friends. Make sure they know where you keep emergency supplies. Give a key to a neighbor or friend who may be able to assist you in a disaster.

Contact your local emergency information management office now.

Many local emergency management offices maintain registers of people with disabilities so they can be located and assisted quickly in a disaster.

Wearing medical alert tags or bracelets to identify your disability may help in case of an emergency.

Know the location and availability of more than one facility if you are dependent on a dialysis machine or other life-sustaining equipment or treatment.

If you have a severe speech, language, or hearing disability:

When you dial 9-1-1, tap space bar to indicate tdD call.
Store a writing pad and pencils to communicate with others.
Keep a flashlight handy to signal whereabouts to other people and for illumination to aid in communication.
Remind friends that you cannot completely hear warnings or emergency instructions. Ask them to be your source of emergency information as it comes over their radio.
If you have a hearing ear dog, be aware that the dog may become confused or disoriented in an emergency. Store extra food, water and supplies for your dog.

Planning for Evacuation
People with disabilities have the same choices as other community residents about whether to evacuate their homes and where to go when an emergency threatens. Listen to the advice of local officials. Decide whether it is better to leave the area, stay with a friend or go to a public shelter. Each of these decisions requires planning and preparation.

If you need a wheelchair:
Show friends how to operate your wheelchair so they can move you if necessary. Make sure your friends know the size of your wheelchair in case it has to be transported.