COLUMN: Making an emergency plan for your family

Salem Reporter is publishing a new regular column from Mark Wardell, West Salem team leader for Salem’s Community Emergency Response Team, focusing on emergency preparedness and planning.

Last month we began a review of the new Oregon Office of Emergency Management 2 Week Ready plan, discussing the importance of preparedness in facing unexpected emergencies. Think about a situation where you’re caught unprepared, like a sudden power outage or a minor earthquake, or even a tire blowing out driving down the highway. When the tire blows out the opportunity to ensure you have a working spare has passed. (Don’t ask me how I know.) This is why having a plan and supplies in place is so important.

Let’s delve into Step 2 of the 2 Weeks Ready program: creating a personal preparedness plan for your household.

Thinking about the possibilities, identifying risks and developing solutions will form the foundation of your emergency plan.

Step 2: Your Emergency Plan

Step 2 of the Oregon OEM’s 2 Weeks Ready program involves creating a comprehensive emergency plan to ensure your family is prepared for any disaster.

Identify your household’s needs: Determine the necessary supplies for your family, including food, water, first aid supplies, medications, and toiletries. Consider alternative shelter options, such as a designated room within your home or a nearby evacuation center. Plan how you will evacuate your home and transportation methods for your family. Finally, identify ways to communicate with family members and loved ones during a crisis, such as using a designated out-of-state contact person.

Develop a communication plan: Choose an out-of-state contact person who can serve as a central point of communication for your family. Make sure everyone in your household knows important emergency numbers, such as 911, local police, fire, and emergency management agencies. Determine alternative communication methods, such as using a weather radio, satellite phone, or social media platforms.

One thing to remember: depending on the type of emergency, both cell and landline calls may fail when those systems become overloaded during an emergency. Text messaging takes far fewer resources and may still work if the system is just overloaded and not entirely down.

Sign up for emergency alerts: To receive timely notifications about potential emergencies in Marion and Polk Counties, sign up for the Marion-Polk Alerts system. This service is provided through Everbridge and allows for rapid communication during crises such as severe weather, wildfires, or active shooter situations.

Additionally, you can stay informed by following OEM for updates and alerts. The OEM often utilizes various communication channels, including social media, press releases, and partnerships with local news outlets, to disseminate important information during emergencies. Regularly check local news outlets and official government websites for updates and information.

Practice your plan: Conduct emergency drills at least twice a year to familiarize your family with your plan and identify any areas that need improvement. Practice evacuating your home and following your designated escape routes. Conduct drills to ensure everyone knows how to access and use your emergency supplies. My CERT group here in West Salem does exactly this, practicing different parts of our plan each spring and fall.

By following these steps and creating a tailored emergency plan, you’ll be better prepared to respond to any crisis that may arise and protect the safety and well-being of your family.

Week by week to be 2-Weeks Ready

A crucial part of being prepared is having a two week supply of food and water for everyone in your household. This list is adapted from one published by Marion County. By following it, you can be prepared within a year. Building a two-week supply takes time and budgeting, so pace yourself, don’t rush, and take breaks when necessary.

Week 6: Building your food supply

Canned meat, stew, pasta, prepared soups, pork & beans, etc. The amounts depend on your family’s needs. Remember the goal we are moving toward is storing for 2 weeks.

Week 7: Feminine hygiene supplies

Stocking up on these supplies should be obvious, be sure to think about a plan to dispose of them properly (more on disposal later).

Week 8: Home inventory

Take photos of your home, including contents for insurance purposes. It can be digital photos or video recordings. Keep this information in a safe place with a trusted friend or family member that lives out of the area. One other thought for “a safe place” to keep digital photos or videos would be online storage like Dropbox, Google Drive or OneDrive. Update contact information for the trusted friend or family member storing your home inventory.

Week 9: First Aid
Assemble or purchase a first aid kit; also make sure you know how to use everything in it. Do not go small on this, a comprehensive first aid kit is essential. The more you have, the better off you will be. Remember the products do expire, so watch this closely and keep it updated for that trusted friend or family member.

Online resources to get more ideas about being better prepared:

• Salem CERT also has a Facebook presence where they share information. Some of this is duplicated in the West Salem CERT group. (https://www.facebook.com/SalemCERT)

• West Salem CERT: Your local Community Emergency Response Team has a Facebook group you can join to find more information about being prepared. (https://www.facebook.com/groups/WestSalemCERT)

Coming up next month

Next month we’ll be talking about a food plan. We’ve been addressing this in part with the Marion County 2 Week Ready list of commodities that we should consider being stocked up on. Next month we’ll add some other considerations to that. If you would like to read ahead, you will find all the information provided by the Oregon Office of Emergency Management by visiting the official 2 Weeks Ready website.

Contact information

If you have any questions about anything in this article, or wish to contact me about joining CERT or having a CERT presentation for your church, civic group or HOA, feel free to reach out to me, my name is Mark Wardell and you can email me [email protected].

STORY TIP OR IDEA? Send an email to Salem Reporter’s news team: [email protected].

A MOMENT MORE, PLEASE– If you found this story useful, consider subscribing to Salem Reporter if you don’t already. Work such as this, done by local professionals, depends on community support from subscribers. Please take a moment and sign up now – easy and secure: SUBSCRIBE.