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Get Prepared
Through the Red Stick Ready Campaign, the Mayor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (MOHSEP) encourages citizens of East Baton Rouge Parish and the surrounding areas to take the necessary steps in order to stay prepared for both natural and man-made disasters. Disaster preparedness refers to the preventative measures takes to reduce the severity of a disaster's effects.
MAKE A PLAN
Make a disaster plan with your household members to prepare for what to do, how to find each other, and how to communicate in an emergency. Make a plan that best suits your needs and the needs of your household.
- Know where you will meet family, friends, or caregivers after an emergency.
- Pick two places to meet: one right outside your home and another outside your neighborhood, such as a library, community center, or place of worship.
- There are resources available to help you locate family and friends that have been affected by a disaster. Learn more
- Identify all possible exit routes from your home and neighborhood.
- Pick someone near your home that family or friends can call for support during a disaster.
- Pick an out-of-area contact that family or friends can call if separated during a disaster. If cell phone circuits are busy, long-distance calls may be easier to make, this out-of-area contact can help you and your family communicate. Keep in mind that cell phones may not function during and immediately following a disaster due to high volume of activity; however, text messages can often get through, even if you can't make calls on your cell phone.
- Plan for everybody's needs, including seniors; people with disabilities, access and functional needs; children; non-English speakers; and pets and service animals.
- Ensure that household members have a copy of your household disaster plan and emergency contact information to keep in their wallets and backpacks.
- Practice your plan with all household members.
- Gather supplies for whether you have to stay or go leave your home.
- When developing your family's disaster plan, you should assemble and make copies of vital contact information for each family member.
- Tip: buy the right insurance. If you rent your home, renter's insurance will insure the items inside your apartment. If you are a homeowner, make sure your home is properly insured — flood and wind damage are not covered in a basic homeowner's policy.
BUILD A DISASTER KIT
A disaster supplies kit is a collection of basic items your household may need in the event of an emergency. To assemble your kit, store items in airtight plastic bags and put your entire disaster supplies kit in one or two easy-to-carry containers such as plastic bins or a duffel bag. A basic emergency supply kit could include the following recommended items:
- Water (one gallon per person per day for several days, for drinking and sanitation)
- Food (at least a several-day supply of non-perishable food)
- Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert
- Flashlight
- First aid kit
- Extra batteries
- Manual can opener (for food)
- Local maps
- Cell phone with chargers and a backup battery
- Prescription medications
- Infant formula, bottles, diapers, wipes and diaper rash cream
- Pet food and extra water for your pet
- Cash or traveler's checks
- Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records saved electronically or in a waterproof, portable container
- Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children
STAY INFORMED
Staying informed is one of the most important preparedness actions to be Red Stick Ready for all hazards. Current and up-to-date information can guide the decision making process throughout all phases of an emergency. preparation, our response, and recovery efforts.
There are several ways to receive emergency information during a disaster. It’s important to sign up ahead of time for alerts and make notes of where to check for up-to-date information during an emergency so that you’re always Red Stick Ready.
- Monitor the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Weather radio station for the most up-to-date forecasts.
- Forecasts for East Baton Rouge Parish can be found on am frequency 162.400.
- Monitor your local TV & Radio stations –Media can provide important information on weather preparation efforts, forecasts, and community resources. You may love to listen to music in the car, but always reserve one of your “favorite” radio stations for talk radio, which are most likely to provide regular updates on an emergency situation.
- Use mobile apps for updates and alerts. Apps from FEMA and the National Weather Service are available in the app store on Apple and Android devices. There is also a Red Stick Ready App available which is linked to the East Baton Rouge Parish Emergency Page and includes lots of preparedness tips and resources.
- Make sure to stay connected with the City-Parish government during severe weather events hurricane season and all emergency events.