Emergency Preparedness:

Transcription

1 Emergency Preparedness: What you should know Justin Sullivan When disasters strike, police, fire, emergency responders and the whole community come together to save lives and protect property. In our region, wildfires can be catastrophic when hot, dry Santa Ana winds arrive in the fall. That s why we all must take steps to be prepared. Inside you ll find valuable information that ll not only help protect your family, home and property but could potentially help save your life. San Diego County Fire Chiefs Association

2 Dear Resident or Business Owner: As President of the San Diego County Fire Chiefs Association, I m pleased to partner with the American Red Cross, the Burn Institute, San Diego Gas & Electric and San Diego County s Office of Emergency Services in providing you with this fire season wildfire message. We know from our fire experiences in 2003 and 2007 that none of us are immune to the direct or indirect impacts of catastrophic wildfires. That s why the County Fire Chiefs Mike Lowry Fire Chief, City of Escondido Association is committed to doing everything we can to help educate and prepare our residents and businesses. Our objective is to make sure you have the information necessary to Get Ready, Get Set, and Go Before the Threat. We re here to help you but we need you to do your part. Please review this information provided and then take the action steps necessary San Diego County Fire Chiefs Association to prepare your family and property for this year s fire season. Sincerely, Mike Lowry Fire Chief, City of Escondido COMMUNITY SAFETY Working together to prepare for emergencies To help you get ready for an emergency, like a wildfire or earthquake, SDG&E, the American Red Cross, San Diego Firefighters, and the County Office of Emergency Services, are working together to offer county residents and businesses detailed information about emergency preparedness and safety. Since you never know when an emergency may occur, it s best to always be prepared. Here are some key steps you should take to stay prepared throughout the year: Have an emergency supply kit. Make a personal emergency plan for your family and be prepared to activate it. Create a defensible space around your home. Know what to do in an emergency and where to find more information. To keep updated during a power outage, visit sdge.com/weatheroutage.

3 Get Ready Long before fire threatens, or an emergency happens, plan your evacuation and make a list of essential items and supplies you should take if you need to evacuate. The following items are examples, but since everyone s needs are different, you should prepare your own list of important stuff. Important Stuff Keep your list handy and sturdy boxes ready for collecting things on your list. = Important documents (birth certificates, passports, insurance papers & inventory, personal phone & address books, tax, school & vaccination records, photos, etc.) = Jewelry = External drive or computer backup = Cash (in the event that ATMs are out of service) = Cell phone and charger = Laptop and charger Prepare an Emergency Supply Kit When fire threatens, you won t have time to shop or search for supplies, so have an Emergency Supply Kit assembled that includes items you may need at home or if you have to evacuate. Store them in easy-to-carry containers such as backpacks or plastic crates. = A three-day water supply (one gallon per person per day is recommended) = A three-day food supply that won t spoil, and a way to open it = One change of clothing and shoes per person = One blanket or sleeping bag per person = A first aid kit that includes family prescriptions = Spare eyeglasses = Emergency tools = Extra set of car keys = Toiletries Design A Plan = Flashlight = Extra batteries = Battery-powered radio = Special items for infants, elderly or disabled family members = Pet transport carrier and leash = Pet food and water for three days = Sunglasses = Goggles (for high wind or blowing embers) = Work gloves Volunteers from the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program are trained to help during critical times and provide a valuable resource to the community. Stacy Magoffin, CERT Volunteer 1 If possible, involve your children in the planning - let them feel part of the process. 1 Review and update your Important Stuff list and Emergency Supply Kit periodically. 1 Learn alternate ways out of your neighborhood, in case the usual way becomes blocked. 1 Plan how you ll transport your pet - get a transport cage if necessary. 1 If you have large animals, learn how to prepare. Call your local Department of Animal Control or Humane Society. 1 Designate a relative or friend as an out-of-area contact with whom family members can relay information. Long distance phone systems often work while local communications are overloaded. 1 You may not be home when wildfire threatens. If authorities must close roads for safety, you may not be able to enter. Plan in advance for persons or pets that may be home when you re not.

4 > They raised a Red Flag. Now what? When the National Weather Service declares a Red Flag Warning in the region, fire danger is extreme. Real-time weather information is critical. To help you be prepared when Santa Ana winds arrive, SDG&E developed an online tool to help you know the potential for fire outages from high winds. We ve improved our ability to assess fire risk near circuits by installing weather stations that track wind gusts, wind speeds, relative humidity and temperature. Your circuit number is located on page three of your SDG&E bill. You can check the weather conditions for your circuit at sdge.com/weatheroutage. > Preparing for Fire Season September marks the traditional start of California s fire season, now considered by fire agencies to be year-round. Some changes to help prevent fires and increase the region s response capability include: 1 Firefighting agencies from across the region remain on high alert during Red Flag Warnings. Local, state and federal firefighting resources are in place should SDG&E s Air Crane helicopter is standing by in case of emergency to help support regional fire fighting efforts. wildfires strike. 1 Firefighting helicopters and planes from the City and County of San Diego, CAL FIRE, US Forest Service and SDG&E help suppress brush fires and give firefighters on the ground the support they need. 1 The County s Office of Emergency Services stands ready to mobilize and coordinate critical resources. 1 American Red Cross provides disaster relief to people in critical need. 1 SDG&E s Community Fire Safety Program helps keep the public safe and prevent or limit power outages in case of wildfires. 1 SDG&E teams up with public safety officials, emergency responders and nonprofit groups to support fire prevention, response and education throughout the year. SDG&E sponsors fire safety expos throughout the community. > Safety with Natural Gas and Downed Power Lines You could experience power outages for any number of reasons, including fires, earthquakes, storms, high winds, traffic accidents, a planned electric system upgrade, or an urgent need to protect public safety. Here s how to respond: 1 If you smell a natural gas odor, hear the hissing sound of gas escaping, or see other signs of a leak: REMAIN calm. DON T light a match, candle or cigarette. DON T turn electrical appliances or lights on or off. 1 If a person or piece of equipment comes in contact with an electric line, or if a line is down or broken: SHUT OFF the power, if possible. CALL 911. Ask for the police department, fire department rescue service or SDG&E. DON T touch the person or any equipment involved. The line may still be energized and dangerous. If you ever have a safety concern involving natural gas or electricity, call SDG&E at , 24-hours a day, seven days a week; or call 911.

5 > Create a Defensible Space In a wildfire, firefighters are stretched to the limit. You can design or modify your home to resist wildfire. A defensible home has a far better chance of survival whether or not firefighters can get to it in time! The manner in which a house is designed, location where it s built, materials used in its construction, and fire department access, all influence whether it survives during a wildfire. Fire Department Recommends 100 ft. Zone ft Zone ft Zone 3 Undisturbed Vegetation Beyond 100 ft Fire-resistant landscaping is a big help in creating a defensible space. There are three zones around your house to consider: Zone 1 - From structure out to a minimum of ft. The area nearest your home should contain low-growing plants with low-fuel volume. Ideally there should be no tall-growing plants close to your home. However, since we all enjoy the shade of a tree or two, select the tree wisely. Zone 2 - A minimum of ft. from structures Low-growing ground covers that are resistant to fire and low in fuel volume are recommended in this zone. When properly maintained, a fire may be stopped before it reaches your home. Zone 3 - Beyond 100 ft. from structures Check with environmental regulatory agencies before modifying native vegetation that might include endangered species and habitat. Note that 100 ft. of zoned fire resistant landscaping may not be adequate to protect your home under all circumstances, but protects well in most situations. Remember the three R s of defensible space: Removal Eliminate entire plants, particularly trees and shrubs from the zone. Examples: cutting down a dead tree or cutting out a flammable shrub. Reduction Remove plant parts such as branches or leaves. Examples: pruning dead wood from a shrub, removing low branches and mowing dried grass. Replacement Substitute more hazardous vegetation with less flammable plants. Examples: removal of a dense stand of flammable shrubs and planting an irrigated, well-maintained flowerbed.

6 SPONSORED BY : San Diego County Fire Chiefs Association Emergency Preparedness: What you should know Police, Fire & Medical Emergencies For Emergencies Dial 911 PO BOX SAN DIEGO CA PRESORTED FIRST CLASS U S POSTAGE PAID San Diego CA Permit No. 213 American Red Cross San Diego/Imperial Counties Chapter sdarc.org The Burn Institute burninstitute.org Office of Emergency Services -- OES readysandiego.org SDG&E sdge.com/firesafety or sdge.com/weatheroutage Preparación para emergencias: Lo que debe saber Para pedir una copia de esta información en español, favor de llamar al AlertSanDiego > San Diego County s regional reverse 911 mass notification system sends emergency information to your registered mobile phone, Voice over IP (VoIP) phone, and address. To help ensure that the community is better notified and prepared for a disaster, all San Diego County residents are encouraged to register online for AlertSanDiego. Register at ReadySanDiego.org. ReadySanDiego > At ReadySanDiego.org you can get information on how to prepare for a disaster. You can also register your cell phone with the County s reverse 911 system, download free Family Disaster Plans and Wildfire Preparedness Guides, and find preparedness information for families, kids, pets, businesses, and other groups. Visit ReadySanDiego.org today. 211 Hotline > During a disaster, 211 works with the Office of Emergency Services to provide public information to the community, report community needs that aren t being met, and acts as the central communications point for other community agencies and non-governmental organizations. 211 San Diego s online database of nearly 3,000 services also helps anyone with internet access to find community resources and search by program or location. For more information, visit 211sandiego.org San Diego Gas & Electric Company. Trademarks belong to their respective owners. All rights reserved. C Printed on recycled paper with soy-based inks MDT M