In This Issue:

1. Emergencies:  Unfamiliar and Unplanned Events
2. Emergency Planning Benefits
3. How to Begin Emergency Planning
4. Emergency Planning Tips
5. ICE: In Case of Emergency Cell Phone Emergency Assistance Plan
6. What to Do When Minutes Count
7. Additional Emergency Planning Internet Resources

SAFE Aging's July newsletter is about emergency planning. Start by taking a quiz about emergency planning, learn how to begin emergency planning, and find out what important papers should be gathered in emergencies. Learn how the ICE (in case of emergency) program can be useful for you. Get some great emergency planning tips and other Internet resources for emergency planning.

1. Emergencies: Unfamiliar and Unplanned Events

Any emergency is an event, or series of events that can cause harm to yourself or others. Emergencies are unfamiliar or unexpected situations that are out of the ordinary routine. They can be caused by

ü      Allergies

ü      Blasts

ü      Earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides and mudslides

ü      Injuries (due to accidents, sports, falls, fires, chemicals, violence or abuse)

ü      Medical conditions (such as allergies, heart failure, stroke, etc)

ü      Motor accidents

ü      Outbreaks such as salmonella, E Coli, avian flu, etc.

ü      Power outages

ü      Terrorism

ü      Weather conditions such as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, hail storms, and extremes in temperature (heat and cold)

ü      Others

An emergency is traumatic. It is often characterized by feeling helpless, out of control, frightened, horrified, threatened or all of these. To prevent or at least reduce this type of emotional trauma, plan ahead!

Think through the steps that you might take to control an emergency situation that could be harmful to you or your family.

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2. Emergency Planning Benefits

Knowledge and control are vital in an emergency. It can greatly reduce anxiety and fear. Planning ahead and knowing the steps that can be taken, will make reaction times faster. Having control in an emergency can make a tough or horrible situation less stressful or terrifying and easier to manage. In some situations, this can make the difference between life and death.

To get an idea about your emergency planning needs, take the following brief quiz. Share it with your friends and neighbors, too.

Take the Emergency Planning Quiz

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3. How to Begin Emergency Planning

1. THINK AHEAD: The best way to begin emergency planning is to think about the types
of emergencies that could happen

ü      in your life

ü      around your home

ü      in the community you live

2. DEVELOP A PLAN: Once you have thought about the types of emergencies that could possibly happen, develop a written action plan for each possible emergency. Write your ideas and plans.

3. Create an EMERGENCY BOOK for your home. Put your ideas and other emergency related information in an easy to find and reach location. Instruct every member of the family about it and how to use it.

Here are some things to include in your emergency book.

ü      A detailed list of contacts, addresses, and emergency telephone numbers

ü      Bank contacts and account numbers

ü      Escape or evacuation route you would take, and an alternative route

ü      Health details about family and pets

ü      Health, house and medical Insurance information

ü      Identify specific steps to take for each emergency situation

ü      Instructions for each family member on what to do in each emergency situation     

ü      Legal documents (or where to find them)

ü      Lists to include in a first aid kit

ü      Lists of equipment you would take when evacuating your home

ü      Tasks that should be done in the home before evacuating, during or after an emergency

4. SHARE YOUR ACTION PLAN WITH OTHERS: Discuss and share your action plans with family, friends and people who could help you in an emergency.

To begin or continue emergency planning efforts, use the following handy form, "Questions to Begin Emergency Planning". Please feel free to share this form and link with your friends and neighbors.

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4.  Emergency Planning Tips

1. Post emergency telephone numbers in very large print next to all of your telephones. Include those who could help you in an emergency:

ü      Police

ü      Fire

ü      Poison control

ü      Family members

ü      Neighbors

ü      Friends

2. Have at least one phone that could be easily reached from the floor.
    
3. Be sure to keep supportive devices (such as a cane, walker, hearing aids) within easy reach in the event of the need to make a sudden exit.
    
4. Keep all necessary emergency equipment handy and easy to get to at all times.
    
5. Keep a list of your medications, and ALL drugs that cause allergic reactions, with the personal items you plan to take in an emergency.
    
6. Make sure all medications are properly labeled and easy to find.
    
7. Have a plan where you can go for lodging in case of evacuation or other disasters which force you to leave home.
    
8. Have copies of all of  important papers (See Important Papers To Take In An Emergency)
    
9. Make sure you have a will and someone you have designated in the event of your illness or death.

Important Papers to Take in an Emergency 

When unexpected emergencies happen, there is often little to no time to gather important information. Gather copies of the following information and keep in one easy to find location. Place everything in a zip lock baggie or a water tight container.  

ü       Copies of birth and marriage certificates for each family member

ü      Copy of driver’s license or personal identification

ü       Copies of insurance policies

ü       Copies of recent tax returns or where they could be found

ü       Copies of social security cards of each family member

ü       List of recent medications with dosages and schedules

ü       Medical history for each family member

ü       Passport or immigration papers

ü       Proof of residence such as a lease or deed(s)

ü      Stocks, bonds, and other negotiable certificates or where to locate them

ü       Updated medication list

ü       Will (location of will)

ü      Another tip is to put a copy of vital paperwork on a computer flash drive, which is easy to carry in an emergency. You can't always carry the computer with you!

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5.  ICE:  In Case of Emergency Cell Phone Emergency Assistance Plan

The American Academy of Emergency Physicians, recommends adding "ICE" to your cell phone. ICE stands for in case of emergency.  Emergency support personnel will look on a cell phone for the word ICE to find vital contact information in case of emergency, such as when a person is unable to communicate.  

This is something that is easy to do for anyone who carries a cell phone. All you need to do is add the entry ICE in capital letters to your cell phone contact list. For instance:  ICE# 1- husband, ICE # 2- daughter, ICE # 3-sister.

Then enter that person's contact number. This will enable an emergency responder to contact someone in an emergency, and they will know your priorities.  

This should never be used to replace a medical alert bracelet, necklace or other medical alert devices that have detailed information. But, the ICE cell phone entry can be very helpful. Do it now!

Resource:  
American Academy of Emergency Physicians,  Emergency Physicians Say "ICE" Can Help Save Your Life

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6. What to Do When Minutes Count

If you have to respond to an emergency at home, assure your immediate safety first. If you have time, here are some "essentials" to take with you:

1.      Prescriptions and assistive devices such as canes, hearing aids, dentures, eye glasses, etc.

2.      Disaster supplies such as water, a first aid kit, a radio, flashlight, batteries

3.      Protective clothing

4.      Items for sleeping such as a sleeping bag, pillows, sheets, blankets

5.      Car keys, checkbook, credit cards and cash

6.      Important contact, legal and health information

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7. Additional Emergency Planning Internet Resources

SAFE Aging, Inc:  Risk Control Links
Provides numerous website resources on risk control and emergency planning.

CDC: Agents, Diseases, and Other Threats
This is a terrific emergency preparedness Internet Site developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This site has A-Z links for emergency preparedness and response to Agents, Diseases and Other Threats. It is comprehensive, easy and extremely useful.

Red Cross: Prepare Your Family for Disasters
Families can--and do--cope with disaster by preparing in advance and working together as a team. Create a family disaster plan including a communication plan, disaster supplies kit, and an evacuation plan. Knowing what to do is your best protection and your responsibility.

MedicTag911
MedicTag is a portable digital medical alert device that allows the user to organize, record, store, and carry personal medical and emergency information anywhere, anytime.

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Article Submissions

We invite interested authors to submit theme based articles for the SAFE Aging newsletter. Please send submissions in either .doc or .rtf format, Ariel 10pt. font, and with a 300 word maximum. Articles should be written in an easy to read format to meet the needs of a varied readership including seniors, family members of seniors, caregivers and other senior service providers.  

Topics should in some way be related to health, safety or injury prevention. Articles may not be an advertisement for services and must be informative or helpful. Author photo and contact information may be included. 

There is no guarantee that submitted articles will be published. Generally, articles will be held until the appropriate monthly theme. All articles become the property of SAFE Aging and are subject to editing.

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