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SUPPLIES YOU WOULD NEED FOR AN EMERGENCY I am a member of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), that has been trained by the Los Angeles County Fire Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department to assist in any emergency where local fire and policing services might be overwhelmed. The CERT members could then be called to respond in the neighborhoods until professionals are available. What You Need to Have for an Emergency Be Prepared---Dont Wait! An out-of-area contact phone and a meeting place for the family some distance from the home area. A family emergency kit for the home and a smaller one for each vehicle. Cash for emergency use. [Recommended $500, $300 minimum.] This could be needed for lodging, food, gasoline, if credit cards/bank accounts could not be accessed due to power (and computer) failure. Water! Buy it now while it is plentiful & cheap. Stores would run out during an emergency. Also diapers if needed. Periodically rotate food and water to maintain freshness. Family medicines for at least 10 days! Eyeglasses. Copies of medical prescriptions for family members. Print out the lists that follow. *This information was condensed from the PVP CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) manual prepared by the Department of Homeland Security and implemented locally by the Los Angeles County Fire Department, local cities and Neighborhood Watch. FAMILY EMERGENCY KITS: Water: 1 gallon per person per day for 7 days, plus pets. For additional needs you can heat water to a rolling boil for one full minute or Add 4 drops of household bleach to one quart of water; shake and let stand for 30 min. Commercial purification tablets can also be purchased. Food for the family and pets for 7 days minimum: Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits and vegetables Canned juices, milk, soup with extra water if powdered Sugar, salt, pepper High-energy foods (peanut butter, Jelly, granola bars) Foods for infants, elderly, or others with special-diets Comfort foods (candy, cookies, instant coffee, etc.) For baby: formula, bottles, powdered milk & extra water For pets Kitchen & Cooking Items: Manual can opener, pans for heating water/food Mess kits or paper/plastic plates, cups, and utensils All-purpose knife Aluminum foil, plastic wrap, resealable plastic bags Waterproof matches in waterproof container Small cooking stove and can of fuel (e.g., Sterno) or Extra tank of propane gas for barbecue Small container of pure, unscented liquid bleach (5.25% sodium hypochlorite) or commercial purification tablets Tools: Wrench to cutoff gas at meter Pliers Emergency preparedness manual Battery-operated radio. Spare batteries Flashlight and extra batteries Fire extinguisher (small ABC type) Plastic storage containers Paper and pencil. Wide-tipped waterproof marker Work gloves Needle and thread Signal flare(s) Sanitation: Toilet paper Soap, liquid detergent Disinfectant Household chlorine bleach Plastic bucket with tight-fitting lid Plastic garbage bags & ties for personal sanitation needs Diapers, as needed Moist towelettes Personal hygiene items, as needed Feminine supplies, as needed Clothing and Bedding: At least one complete change of clothing Warm jacket or hooded sweatshirt Thermal underwear Hot and gloves Sturdy shoes or work boots for evacuation Rain gear Sunglasses Blankets or sleeping bags Important Documents and Contact Numbers [Stored in a waterproof, portable container] Emergency contact list and phone numbers Map of the area and phone numbers of places you could go Extra set of car keys and house keys Personal identification Cash ($500 recommended) or travelers checks Some loose change Copies of birth certificates, marriage certificate. Drivers licenses, social security cards or heath insurance cards, immunization records Bank account numbers Credit card account numbers and companies Passports, contracts, wills, insurance policies, deeds, stocks and bonds records, inventory of valuable household goods Safety deposit box location records
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