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Institute for Crisis, Disaster, and Risk Management Crisis and Emergency Management Newsletter Website |
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April
2005
Volume 8 - Number 3 |
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Overview of the “Homeowners Preparedness Guide: Protecting Your Family and Your Home” By, Sondra Mendelson As part of National Preparedness Month, the Homeownership Alliance and Habitat for Humanity teamed up with the Department of Homeland Security to develop a useful Emergency Preparedness Guide for homeowners. The guide serves as a source of information for new and existing homeowners on the realistic measures they can take to better prepare their families and their homes for a wide variety of emergencies. The guide is the latest effort by the Department’s Ready campaign, “which is designed to encourage Americans to prepare for potential terrorist attacks and other emergencies.” By way of background the Homeownership
Alliance “is a
coalition of trade and professional associations, nonprofits, and
consumer
advocates dedicated to sustaining and expanding the widespread support
of The “Emergency Preparedness Guide: Protecting Your Family and Your Home” outlines steps homeowners can take to safeguard their homes and keep their families safe in the event of an emergency. The guide is prepared as an “all-hazard” guide. The Guide was prepared so that all Americans can learn more about potential threats and be better equipped to react during an emergency. The guide is broken down into three sections; Emergency Supplies, Emergency Planning, and Specific Terrorist Threats. In the Emergency Supplies section the guide recommends that homeowners have an ample supply of fresh water, non-perishable food and the ability to create a barrier from contaminated air. The guide recommends that homeowners make two emergency kits; one for sheltering-in-place and one in case an evacuation is ordered. These kits should include basic items such as: flashlights, batteries, hand-crank radio, hygiene products and medications and a first aid kit. Blankets and additional clothing should be added to kits to ensure warmth and any special items such as diapers that may be needed. The Emergency Planning section informs homeowners that they should plan in advance so they will know what to do in an emergency. The guide encourages homeowners to develop a family communications plan, and have plans in place for evacuation and sheltering in-place. In an effort to educate homeowners so that they can make informed decisions about sheltering-in-place or evacuation, the Specific Terrorist Threat section describes several different terrorist threats. The Guide discusses biological, chemical, nuclear, and radiological/“dirty bombs.” By beginning a process of learning about these specific threats homeowners are preparing themselves and their families to react and be ready.
http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/display?content=4312 |