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Web helps you be prepared
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, many Americans are asking themselves if they are prepared for an emergency or natural disaster. As Katrina has shown, there may be a lack of immediate assistance to you and your family or neighborhood following a severe crisis. However, since 9/11, there are literally millions of Web sites that provide information on federal, state and local emergency-management programs, as well as basic tips on how to stay safe during and after an emergency.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has an informational Web site called READYAmerica (http://www.ready.gov/) . There are links to preparedness tips and kits for families and businesses. They cover biological, nuclear, chemical and natural disasters. The American Red Cross' Disaster Services Web site at http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_501_,00.html provides links to detailed guides, mostly on natural disasters like fires, earthquakes, hurricanes and mudslides. Each guide helps you understand various weather-alert warnings, devise a safe escape plan, create an emergency kit and recover afterward. If you are interested in preparing your community for a disaster, you may want to contact DERA (Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Response Association) at http://www.disasters.org/. DERA has been assisting communities with disaster and emergency preparedness since 1962. Its Reference Library at http:// www.disasters.org/dera/library/library.htm contains guides and fact sheets written by experts in the fields of terrorism and emergency management.
A number of nonprofit and governmental organizations have created disaster preparedness Web sites for children. FEMA for Kids (http://www.fema.gov/kids/) features "Herman," the "spokescrab" who guides children through the types of disasters common in their state, what to expect for each disaster type, how to prepare their own child disaster kit and how to share their experience of living through a disaster. For parents, there are informative sites available from the American Red Cross. Children and Disasters Web guide at http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_602_,00.html not only covers preparing for a disaster, but also how to help children deal with the recovery process. The relief agency also has published a number of activity books that can be downloaded at http: //www.redcross.org/pubs/dspubs/childmatls.html. The coloring and activity workbooks cover general preparedness, as well as natural disasters. The American Academy of Pediatrics section on Children and Terrorism (http://www.aap. org/terrorism/index.html) has a number of good resources for both natural and terrorist-related emergencies that are designed specifically for children with special needs or children experiencing psychological issues associated with surviving a disaster.
For those with pets or livestock, the Humane Society of the United States (http://www.hsus.org/ hsus_field/hsus_disaster_center/disaster_preparedness_brochures.html) and United Animal Nations (http://www.uan .org/ears/disaster_tips.html) both provide detailed brochures on how to pack and evacuate an animal, prepare an emergency animal-survival kit, find pet-friendly shelters and ensure you will be reunited when you have been separated from your pet.
Finally, if you do not want to leave anything to chance, you can purchase disaster kits for home, work or school through Life Secure (http://www.lifesecure.com/). The kits follow all government and leading disaster organizations' recommended checklists. If you are not sure which products you will need in an emergency kit, there are online tutorials that ask you questions about your home, work or school, and then recommend items for your personalized kit.
Being as prepared as possible for unknown emergencies is a daunting task. The types of disasters you may encounter will depend on where in the country you live or national security threats, but with this guide, you can begin to discuss, plan and implement your own family and neighborhood emergency response.
—Cynthia Tysick, University Libraries