Are YOU ready for the next emergency disaster? Here’s how to be.

UPDATE: Alaska experienced a 7.0 earthquake on November 30, underscoring the wisdom of being prepared. In that spirit, we air this program recorded in October 2018, before that quake.

On last week’s Hometown Alaska, we had state and federal representatives talk us through how the state of Alaska is prepared, and continues to practice preparedness, for the impacts of a man-made or natural disaster. We discussed everything from how the state would manage an earthquake, a cyber attack, wild fires, a military attack, tsunamis…even a pandemic.

These experts had strong advice for individual citizens: the more prepared you are and the longer you can go without summoning rescue, the more they can help individuals or communities in dire need.

That’s a perfect set up for this edition of Hometown Alaska: How to prepare yourself. What are your individual responsibilities to be prepared for an emergency? We’ll have local experts to walk us through best preparations for individual and family well being; how to create plans for animals and pets who rely on us to care for them; and how can individuals or communities with mobility issues or disabilities best prepare for an emergency?

We include helpful links below, including disaster preparation lists for kits you will need. With the help of emergency planners, we’ll walk you through important steps now — before you need them.

Join us for Part Two of emergency preparedness. Your questions and comments are welcome throughout the program.

Thanks for listening!

HOST: Kathleen McCoy

GUESTS:

• Lexi Trainer, Emergency Programs Manager, Office of Emergency Management, muni.org
• Laura Atwood, Anchorage Animal Care and Control
• Heidi Frost, Statewide Independent Living Council of Alaska

DATES TO REMEMBER:

• Hale Borealis 2018, a 3-day emergency response conference, Dena’ina Convention Center, Oct. 23-25

LINKS:

• Emergency Preparedness, website, Municipality of Anchorage, inc. 12-page PDF plan to download and fill out
• Emergency kit checklist, 2-page PDF, FEMA, ready.gov
• 10 FAQs about evacuations and emergency sheltering, 4-pg PDF, Muni.org
• How to build your emergency preparedness kit, ready.gov
• How to plan for pets and animals under your care, ready.gov
• Disaster preparedness for your pet, CDC website
• Pet disaster kit checklist, 2-pg PDF, CDC
• For parents: Creating an emergency communication plan, (8-pg PDF), ready.gov
• Emergency Financial First Aid Kit, (43-pg PDF) FEMA 2018
• Kid-friendly advice on emergency preparedness, 2-min video on You Tube, by American Red Cross
• Emergency preparedness for all, 10-min Vimeo video, signed for the hearing impaired
• Emergency preparedness, tips for people with disabilities and activity limitations, 20-pg PDF, www.espfocus.org
• Alaska Seven Day Emergency Kit, www.alaska.ready.gov