What Families Need To Do To Prepare For the Hurricane Season

Hopkinton, MA - As we enter the 2013 Hurricane Season, which experts are predicting to be very active, the Hopkinton Emergency Management Group (HEMG) in collaboration with the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) is offering personal preparedness tips to assist the families and citizens of Hopkinton.

“Every home and business should have a stocked basic emergency supply kit that could be used for any emergency, regardless of the time of year,” states Fire Chief and Emergency Management Director Ken Clark. “Everyone should keep certain items around the house and workplace in the event you are isolated for three to five days without power”

Each kit will be unique to each family, but should include the essentials: a portable radio, flashlight(s), extra batteries, a supply of non-perishable foods, bottled water, a first aid kit, and extra prescription medication, if necessary.

“All families should develop a ‘Family Emergency Communication Plan’ to help ensure everyone is safe.

Develop a Disaster Supply Kit ‘Go Bag’, with essentials in case you must evacuate quickly.

1. SUGGESTED ALL HAZARDS DISASTER SUPPLIES

• Canned goods and nonperishable foods, particularly those that do not need cooking:

• Infant care items:

• Disposable diapers
• Baby wipes
• Baby food
• Formula

• First aid supplies
• Masking and duct tape
• Flashlight or lantern, with extra batteries
• Battery operated radio, with extra batteries
• Cell phone with charger
• Watch or battery operated clock
• Ice chest
• Matches
• Canned heat (sterno)
• Portable outdoor camping stove or grill with fuel supply
• A certain amount of cash
• Important documents (Such as wills, deeds, prescriptions, passports, birth certificates, health record, proof of address, Social Security number)
• Emergency generator
• Plastic trash bags
• Plastic sheeting or tarp
• Chlorinated bleach
• Personal hygiene items
Other useful items:
• Work gloves
• Sun lotion
• Insect repellent
• Hammer
• Screwdriver
• Pliers
• Wrenches
• Handsaw
• Razor knife
• Ax or chainsaw
• Rope caulking
• Nails and screws
• Rope and wire
• Broom, mop and bucket
• All-purpose cleaner
• Ladder
• Sandbags
• Tree pruner
• Shovel, rake and wheelbarrow
• Sheets of plywood

2. FAMILY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS PLAN

Develop a Family Emergency Communications Plan in case family members are separated from one another during an emergency (a real possibility during the day when adults are at work and children are at school, camp or at a friend’s house). This plan should also address reunification after the immediate crisis passes.

• Ask an out-of-state relative or friend to serve as the Family Emergency Communications Plan contact person. During and immediately after a disaster occurs, it is often easier to access a long distance telephone number than a local one. Also, calling outside a disaster area is usually easier than calling into the same area.
• Make sure everyone knows the name, address and telephone number of the Family Emergency Communications Plan contact person.
• Designate two meeting areas for family members – one within your community (your primary location), and one outside of your community (your alternate location). Sometimes an emergency could impact your neighborhood or small section of the community, so a second location outside of your community would be more accessible to all family members.

A Family Emergency Communications Plan can help reassure everyone’s safety and minimize the stress associated with emergencies.

3. STAY INFORMED

Educate yourself and family about emergency plans for your community, place of business, your child’s school and camp. Know what potential risks your community and neighborhoods are susceptible to in a hurricane, such as storm surge, flooding, road or bridge closures, etc. Carefully monitor the Media and promptly follow instructions from Public Safety officials as a storm approaches.

4. CodeRed EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM

Due to experience with previous Severe Weather Events (SWE) the Town of Hopkinton Emergency Management Group strongly recommends that all families and citizens insure that they are signed up for the CodeRed emergency notification program. The system has the capability to enhance emergency notifications to the citizens of our community. The ability to communicate through emails and phones calls was very limited in areas affected by the power outages. We encourage all of our families to log onto the CodeRed link on the web sites identified in this release and insure your ability to receive text messages on your cell phones is confirmed. During an emergency or prolonged severe weather event these devices can be kept charged utilizing vehicle charger systems. The Hopkinton Emergency Management Group will continue to share critical event specific information with the community via the CodeRed emergency notification systems ability to geographically target text and email messages to citizens through the use of the CodeRed high-speed notification solution.
To ensure your text and email addresses are in the database, log onto the Fire Department website at www.hopkintonfd.org or on the Town website at www.town ofhopkinton.org and follow the CodeRed link. Those without Internet access may call 508-435-0555 Monday through Friday from 9am to 3pm. Required information includes a street address (physical address, no P.O. boxes) for location purposes and a primary phone number. To receive email and text messages, individuals will also need to provide cell phone carrier information.

Thank you for your continued cooperation.

Fire Chief / Emergency Management Director Ken Clark