Emergency Management Southland Tips

Emergency Management Southland has produced the following tips in order to help you get prepared:

• Next time you're going to the supermarket include on your shopping list the following items: bottled water (at least 3 litres per person per day), canned food, can opener, batteries for torch and radio, spare pet food and torch.
• You can shop for a first aid kit online at http://shop.stjohn.org.nz. This will help you be better prepared in an emergency.
• Make sure you know where to turn your water supply off if you are connected to a local council water supply.
• Strap your hot water cylinder to a solid structure. The water inside could be valuable resource in an emergency.
• Keep your torch handy for power outages and make sure you have a good supply of batteries available.
• Know your local radio stations and how to tune in to them in an emergency. You could keep a list of radio frequencies in you emergency kit.
• Make sure you have your birth certificate, passport and important medication ready to go if you need to leave your home in an emergency.
• Get to know your neighbours, you may need to work together to survive an emergency.
• Store all garden chemicals in locked cupboards and out of reach of floodwater. Ensure all liquid chemicals and fuel containers have securely closed lids.
• Non-slip mats are good for preventing small but heavy, or low centre of gravity, objects from sliding in an earthquake.
• Nylon cord, such as fishing line, can be used to secure tall, top-heavy items that could topple in an earthquake.
• Plastic putty such as Blu-Tack and special earthquake putties can help hold down small objects like ornaments or glassware in an earthquake.
• After hanging pictures/ mirrors bend the hook so it's closed, limiting the risk of it falling off the wall.
• Wall units, bookcases and other tall furniture should be secured to wall studs to prevent them toppling over in an earthquake.
• Ensure your chimney is secured to prevent it toppling in an earthquake.
• Everyone in your house should have a Getaway Kit that includes important family documents and personal items.
• Getaway Kits should include: birth and marriage certificates, driver's licences and passports, financial information (insurance policies, mortgage information), family photos, personal hygiene items (toothbrush, toilet paper, sanitary items and soap), medication, hearing aid and glasses.
• Remember your pets will also be affected by an emergency so include them in your emergency planning.
• Put a copy of your pets' vaccination records in your Getaway Kit in case you need to evacuate.
• If you have a household pet include a pet carry box, towel or blanket in your emergency survival kit. Write your name and address on the box.
• If you are caring for someone with special food requirements, make sure you include the appropriate food in your emergency survival kit.
• If you have someone with asthma or a respiratory disorder in your house ensure you have sufficient medication and dust masks in your emergency kit.
• If you, or a member of your household has a disability make arrangements with a family member, friend or neighbour to help in an emergency.
• If you or someone you care for has difficulty with mobility, include mobility aids in your emergency survival kit.
• If you're driving when an earthquake occurs, safely pull over to the side of the road and stop.
• Don't drive in floodwaters unless it is absolutely essential- there could be dangerous debris lurking under the surface.
• Close all curtains during a storm to impede the path of flying glass and airborne objects.
• During a flood do not attempt to drive or walk through floodwaters unless it is absolutely essential.
• In an emergency, listen to your local radio station for information and follow the advice and instructions issued by Civil Defence Emergency Management.
• If you are at the coast and you feel a strong earthquake, see the sea receding, the sea bubbling or making a roaring sound, move to higher ground (at least 15 meters above sea level) or at least 1 km inland as quickly as possible.
• A tsunami can be more than one wave and it may not be safe to be near the coast for up to 24 hours. The first wave is often not the biggest.
• Do not go near the coast to sight-see when a tsunami warning has been issued, listen to your radio and stay away until you are told it is safe to return to the coast.
• During a pandemic, you and/or your family may need to stay home for several weeks, so make a plan that includes friends and family.
• Washing and drying your hands thoroughly is one of the best ways to protect yourself against the spread of germs.
• Wash and dry hands before preparing food and eating, after coughing/sneezing, blowing and wiping noses, visiting the toilet or caring for sick people.
• Try to stay at least one metre away from sick people to reduce the spread of germs.
• If you own a business you need to prepare a contingency plan to keep it operating, or return to operation as soon as possible after an emergency.
• Put heavy or sharp-cornered items on low shelves or in cupboards with secure door latches to reduce the risk of them moving in an earthquake.
• If you need to evacuate secure your home as though you were going on holiday and turn off power, water and gas.
• To indicate that you have successfully evacuated, tear the rear cover off your phone book and put it in the window where it can be seen from the street.
• Check with your childrens' pre-schools/schools to ensure they have plans for the protection and care of your children in an emergency.
• Ensure everyone in your household knows how to turn off the hot water cylinder, mains electricity and any gas bottles.
• You should have a good of source emergency light – a torch with spare batteries is a good option.
• Have a spare set of batteries with your battery-powered radio to ensure you won’t be left without information at a critical time.
• Get a good first aid kit or assemble you own by purchasing the items as you can afford them.
• Consider attending a first aid course, if it's more than two years since you've done one it might be time for a refresher.
• Have a tap fitted to your hot water cylinder’s drainage pipe to make it easier to get water out of it (a plumber can do this for you).
• Open the fridge and freezer as little as possible if the electricity is off.
• On you're next few visits to the supermarket, buy a couple of extra items to put in the cupboard just in case.
• If you have no safe method of heating, dress in warm clothes or put more layers on, get everyone into a draught free room and wrap up in blankets/sleeping bags if necessary.