Always take your pets with you!

When You Go – They Go  This is the message the State of Massachusetts Animal Response Team (SMART) wants all pet owners to have.

If you have to leave your home for an emergency don’t leave your pets  behind.

Barbara Legatowicz, Animals in Disaster Coordinator, for the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, reminded me of an incident in Peabody, MA where a fire took the lives of some of the animals left behind.  It was this disaster that led Ms. Legatowicz to create the When You Go – They Go campaign.

Remember, most shelters do not take animals.  So plan ahead.

Where can you and your pets stay if you must evacuate your home?  Can you leave your pets with a friend or relative if you need to stay in a shelter?  Which hotels in your area take pets?  Some hotels may take pets post disaster.

I got my information from my favorite blog, In Case of Emergency Read Blog.

Watch Craig Fugate talk about this new site. FEMA\’s New Mobile Website (m.fema.gov)

Here is a copy of FEMA’s press release:

FEMA Launches New Mobile Web Site For Smartphones

M.FEMA.GOV Gives Smartphone Users Easy Access to Disaster Preparedness Information

Release Date: April 28, 2010
Release Number: HQ-10-081

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate announced the launch of FEMA’s new mobile Web site, m.fema.gov. The mobile Web site makes it easier to access critical information regarding emergency preparedness and what to do before and after a disaster right on a smartphone.

“Smartphones are becoming more prevalent, affordable, reliable and more viable to locate and obtain information and assistance,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “This service will provide yet another avenue for the sharing of important information that is so critical to ensuring the public is prepared for emergencies. As we’ve seen in recent cases, often times after a disaster, mobile devices become a crucial lifeline to provide information to survivors.”

The new site is laid out in a user friendly, question and answer format, providing users with the answers to their top questions, such as:

What should I do in a disaster?

Where can I find assistance?

How can I help others?

FEMA will be making several enhancements to m.fema.gov in the coming months, including the ability to apply for individual assistance when a disaster has been declared by the President, check on the status of an application and update an existing application.

Today’s announcement of the launch of m.fema.gov comes just over a month until the start of this year’s hurricane season on June 1.  The mobile site is just one way that FEMA is reaching out to ensure that the public has the tools they need to be prepared for any emergency.  Families are also encouraged to log onto www.ready.gov and learn more about the simple steps they can take to ready for this season.

To view the video about the mobile Web site, visit:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4Kib7Am568

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from and mitigate all hazards.

Power lines tend to come down in severe winter storms, hurricanes, tornadoes and other high wind events.  Even though a power line is on the ground it may still be energized.  NO TOUCHING! The best thing you can do is call your local energy company or local Department of Public Works.  You can also call the police or fire departments.

Is it safe to drive over power lines?

No.  It is not safe to drive over power lines.  Your car may become energized.  I recommend finding an alternate route or waiting for help to arrive and clear the road.

If a power line touches your car[1] (This information comes from Puget Sound Energy)

• If you are in a car when a power line falls on it, STAY IN THE CAR.
• Warn other people to stay away. Ask them to call 911 and the local electric utility for help.
• Stay there until rescue workers arrive. You are safer inside the car because the rubber tires help prevent electricity from going to the ground.
• If you must leave the car because of fire or other danger, DO NOT STEP OUT of the car. If you touch the car and the ground at the same time, you will be shocked. Instead, JUMP away from the car so no part of you touches the car and the ground at the same time. Land with your feet together, and shuffle away keeping both feet on the ground.

Note: Once you jump from a car with a power line on it, the danger may not be over. Electricity can spread out through the ground in a circle from any downed line. The voltage drops as you move away from the point of contact. If one part of your body touches a high-voltage zone while another part of your body touches a low-voltage zone, you will become a conductor for electricity. This is why you should shuffle away from the line, keeping your feet close together.

• Do not try to help someone else from the car while you are standing on the ground. If you do, you will become a path for electricity and could be hurt or killed!

A great resource online for more information: http://www.powerlinesafety.info/RightPanel-001.php

[1] http://www.pse.com/safetyReliability/electricsafety/pages/electricSafety.aspx?tab=1&chapter=5

I’ve taught my oldest son several rules that he must abide by during a fire:
1. He may never hide. He can’t hide in the closet, under the bed or in the bathroom. All too often kids hide during a fire and can’t be found by firemen.
2. He must leave the house immediately. He may not grab even his most favorite possessions, whether that means his blanket, his hamster, or his toys.
3. He may NEVER go back into the house during the fire.
4. He must stay at the mailbox until I come get him or a policeman comes to get him.

Remember, you may need to evacuate your house for a number of reasons: fire, smoke, carbon monoxide warning, and wind or flood damage. Help your kids know how to get out of the house safely and where to go once they exit the house so they are safe. A little planning ahead can prevent danger and anxiety later.