Preparing Your Home For an Emergency

As storm season approaches it's time to prepare your household for an emergency. The likelihood of an emergency in Missouri is great and if you can prepare now it will help reduce stress for the entire household later. We face tornadoes, power outages, fires, floods, storms, or maybe someday even something like a terrorist attack or pandemic flu. The Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services ( http://www.dhss.mo.gov/ )is partnering with the Missouri Veterinary Medical Association to help increase awareness across the state. They have created the Ready in 3 to help families create steps to plan & prepare. They have asked us to help get the word out.

Go to www.dhss.mo.gov/Ready_in_3 for more information.

What are some ways you can be prepared?

• Have a battery-powered radio nearby in the event of cell towers down or power outages.


• Make an emergency kit! Basic supplies should include water, canned food (or dried), a can opener, battery-powered radio, flashlight, extra batteries, prescription medicine, first aid kit, duct tape. A car emergency kit should include a gallon of water, canned food and can opener, sleeping bag or blanket, money, first aid kit. Make sure if you have pets that you also include their food, water and medications that they would have to have. A leash or carrier would be great to keep in your safe room. See the Ready in 3 website for more ideas.


• Create a plan for two situations-staying home or leaving. Your entire family should know & understand your plan. Discuss how you will communicate with each other in difficult situations. Know your pet's hiding places so you can easily find him/her during an emergency. Exchange keys and disaster plans with a neighbor so they can evacuate your animals if you are not home when a disaster strikes.


• Have a safe room in your house and make sure all members of your family know to head there during an emergency. Make sure there is enough space for all your family members and pets. This may be a room that has to be sealed off in the event there are poisons in the air. Keep your emergency supplies in this room.


• Know where to go if you have to leave your home. Plan where the family will meet & plan different routes to get there. Bring your emergency supply kit with you. If you can, bring your pets but keep in mind many public shelters will not allow pets! Prepare a list of places that can accommodate your pet if you have to evacuate. Store the numbers to these places with your pet's emergency kit.


• Listen for information. STAY CALM!


• Identification is important for your pets. Make sure they either have microchip identification (AVID is available at our hospital), or a collar with a tag. Keep them up-to-date on vaccinations in the event they are stranded outside around other animals or end up in an animal shelter! Many pets were lost or displaced during hurricane Katrina, a microchip is the best bet you will be reunited with your beloved pet. This website was created just for the effort of reuniting pets with their families from that disaster. http://www.findkatrinapets.com/ Make sure you pet has identification.

Click on this link to view photo of animals that were kept safe during a disaster: http://www.fema.gov/kids/p_pets.htm

Click on this link to view a video called "Don't leave your pets behind when disaster strikes". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZEGyHaBOzk