Disaster Preparedness Guide 2011 Winona County Emergency Management 201 West 3rd St Winona, MN 55987 507-457-6351 www.co.winona.mn.us This booklet was prepared by WINONA COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT Joyce Tlougan E-mail: Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM Monday through Friday Located in the Law Enforcement Center 201 West 3rd St Winona, MN 55987 Phone Office (507) 457-6351 Fax (507) 454-9386 The information in this booklet is for informational purposes only intended for use as a guide as you prepare for natural and man-made disasters. BE PREPARED! With this booklet we hope to help you prepare for the types of disasters we may face in Winona/Winona County. As residents of this area, we are vulnerable to many types of hazards. Examples include flooding, excessive straight-line winds, blizzards, tornados, and hazardous materials (HAZMAT) incidents that could involve trains, barge traffic on the Mississippi River, tractor-trailers on the highways, and farm equipment and supplies. Winona/Winona County is equipped with outdoor warning sirens in various locations. These sirens are sounded to alert citizens who are not indoors, of impending danger. These sirens are equipped with three different tones: 1. Steady Tone: Warns of Severe Weather Warning 2. Slow Warble (High/Low) Tone: Warns of Hazard Material Incident or Threat to Public Safety 3. Rapid Warble (High/Low) Tone: Flash Flood Warning Proceed indoors to a safe area, tune in to radio, television; ideally a NOAA Weather Radio, for additional information and direction NOTE: The Outdoor Warning Sirens are tested at 1:00 p.m. on the First Wednesday of each month. To date only the steady tone was tested. BEGINNING JANUARY 2012, THE TONES WILL ALTERNATE. JAN: STEADY, FEB: SLOW WARBLE, MARCH: RAPID WARBLE, APR: STEADY, MAY: SLOW WARBLE, AND SO ON. During the testing period be alert to the current conditions to ensure that the sound of the siren is only a test. There are also warning alert capabilities for those individuals who are indoors: Winona/Winona County utilizes CodeRed, a high-speed telephone emergency notification system. If you own a NOAA Weather Radio, (available at most retail stores), and Hiawatha Band Communications, (HBC), Winona’s Local Television Station, Channel 25, (covers North to, but not including Redwing, South including Homer, and West including St Charles) interrupts regular program viewing for local emergency notifications of natural and/or man-made disasters occurring within Winona County. Even with indoor and outdoor warning devices, there may be at time when a disaster occurs with little or no warning. Whether you need to shelter in place or evacuate, it is wise to have a disaster kit available and easy to reach in an emergency. Your kit should include at least a 3-day supply for each person and pet in your family. Being prepared with emergency supplies can reduce the physical and emotional impact of disasters on you and your family. YOUR FAMILY PLAN Discussion between you and your family members of what to do in the event of a disaster is vital to the development of your family plan. Agree on a designated meeting place near your home in the event an emergency evacuation is required of family members. (i.e. house fire) Also choose a location outside your neighborhood in the event you cannot return home. Everyone should memorize this address and telephone number. Arrange with a friend or relative outside your community to act as a central checkpoint for family members to call with information. Discuss what you will do if you have to evacuate. Consider family members who require special needs and remember to make plans for your pets. (Refer to the “Pets” Section of this guide) Talk with your insurance agent to be sure your home and its contents are insured properly. Is Flood Insurance a necessity? Most policies do not cover floods. Teach children how and when to dial 9-1-1, and what to say: Name & address, what is occurring and where it is occurring. Do not disconnect until instructed to do so by the Dispatcher. Post emergency telephone numbers in a common area such as on the refrigerator. Store telephones in a common area. Remember to return them to the area after each call. Confirm family members know how to shut off the water and electricity at the main switches. If you shut the gas off, a professional must turn it back on to avoid the possibility of an explosion or a gas leak. Smoke detectors should be on every level of your home, especially near bedrooms. Instruct all family members of correct fire extinguisher use and their location in the home. Confirm with all family members their knowledge of emergency escape routes from your home. There should be two ways out of each room. Consider taking a First Aid and CPR Class to better prepare you, and to help others. Maintaining Your Family Plan is as vital as creating it. Every six months the following steps should be taken:  Sit down and discuss your plan and make any necessary changes  Practice your Emergency Drills: Evacuation routes, fire extinguisher location and usage  Check the functionality of Smoke Detectors, Fire Extinguishers, Carbon Monoxide Detectors, Emergency Supply Kits, Update Go Kits. *A time suggestion for conducting maintenance procedures: Daylight Savings/Standard Time Change. It is consistent and permanent. WATER Water in our bodies can be lost through perspiring, evaporation, and bodily functions. Our bodies are 75% water and we know that water is key to our survival. Children, pregnant and nursing mothers, sick people and people living in warmer climates may need twice the amount of water their bodies require. Water should never be rationed unless instructed by authorities. Should a disaster cause local water supply to become contaminated and unsafe to use or drink, follow these suggestions for ways to create safe water for drinking, cooking with, or washing with. CREATING SAFE WATER BOILING WATER IS BEST Short of using a very high-quality water filter, this is the most reliable method for killing microbes and parasites. Bring water to a rolling boil and keep it simmering for at least several minutes. Add on minute of boiling to the initial 10 minutes for every 1,000 feet above sea level. Cover the pot to shorten boiling time and conserve energy. SANITIZE WATER WITH BLEACH First let water stand until particles settle. Filter the particles if necessary with layers of cloth, coffee filters, or fine paper towels. Pour the clear water into an uncontaminated container and add Regular Clorox Bleach per the indicated *ratio listed in this booklet. Mix well. Wait 30 minutes. Water should have a slight bleach odor. If not, repeat dose. Wait 15 minutes. Sniff again. Keep an eyedropper taped to your emergency bottle of bleach, since purifying small amounts of water requires only a few drops. Bleach must be fresh for best use and results. Don’t pour purified water into contaminated containers. Sanitize water jugs first using the solution listed below: Bleach Sanitizing Solution Without water and electricity, even everyday tasks are tough. Just follow these directions to keep dishes clean: To sanitize containers and utensils, mix 1 T Regular Clorox Bleach with one gallon of water. Always wash and rinse items first, then let each item soak in Bleach Sanitizing Solution for 2 minutes. Drain and air dry. *Ratio of Bleach to Water for Purification 2 drops of Regular Clorox Bleach per quart of Water 8 drops of Regular Clorox Bleach per gallon of water 1/2 teaspoon Regular Clorox Bleach per five gallons of water If water is cloudy, double the recommended dosages of bleach. Only use REGULAR CLOROX BLEACH (not scented bleach). To insure that the bleach is at its full strength, rotate or replace your storage minimally every three months. After it work is done, bleach breaks down to little more than salt and water, which makes it an environmentally sound choice. (REPRINTED IN PART FROM A CLOROX BLEACH AD) FOOD Many of the foods you already have are perfect foods to be stored. Most commercially canned food can be eaten right out of the can without heating. Thawed food can be eaten as long as it has remained refrigerated. Be sure to throw away any food that has been at room temperature for two (2) hours or longer or if it has a strange odor, color, or texture. When in doubt; throw it out. Suggested foods to store: Dried fruit Canned juices Canned or dried soups Crackers Dry cereal Raisins Peanut butter Canned meats and fish Canned fruits and vegetables Dried meats, such as beef jerky Powdered milk Instant coffee/tea Cookies and hard candy Salt and Pepper Granola, Fruit Bars, Dehydrated Fruit Jelly Sugar Nuts and trail mix When the power is out, eat foods from the refrigerator before the food in the freezer. Open the refrigerator and freezer sparingly and only when necessary. Consume perishable foods before non-perishable foods. Avoid foods that are high in fat, protein and salt as they will make you thirsty. Unlike water, food may be rationed. Healthy people can survive on half of their normal diet. Children, pregnant women, and those in poor health should not ration food. TIPS  Store at least a 3-day supply of non-perishable food for each person  Select foods that require no refrigeration or cooking  Label and date each item  Rotate the stored food supply every six months  Keep canned foods in a cool, dry place  Protect boxed and bagged foods from pests by storing in plastic or metal containers PERSONAL DOCUMENTS In the event of evacuation it is important to have cash and a credit card readily available. Make photocopies of essential personal documents and keep the copies in a Go Kit, outside the home in a safety deposit box or in the home of a family member. Examples of important documents: Insurance Papers Driver’s License or State Identification Card Social Security Card Birth Certificate Marriage Certificate Passports Wills Credit Card Numbers Bank Account Numbers Emergency Contact List Including Telephone Numbers Medical Insurance Company and Group Numbers Powers of Attorney Health Directive Extra Car and House Keys Immigration Papers Deed(s) Inventory of Valuable Household Items Inventory of Insured Valuables (i.e.: Jewelry) Local Map IMPORTANT CONTACT INFORMATION The following information printed on a card and laminated to store in your wallet: Your name, address, telephone number(s) Religious Affiliation Name, address, telephone number(s) of nearest friend or relative Safety Deposit Box Number and Location of Safety Deposit Box PETS In the event of an evacuation, you may be out of your home for several days so it is best for your pets if you can take them with you. Unfortunately, most evacuation shelters do not allow pets, only service animals. Advance planning for you and your pets to stay with friends or relatives is beneficial. If that is not possible, your pets may need to go to a place that boards animals. Talk with a kennel or veterinarian ahead of time to have a place for your pet when an emergency arises. A pet crate should be included in your emergency items. Be sure your pet(s) are wearing identification and that they are up to date on their vaccinations. Animal Go Kit: 3-day supply of food and water Pet bed and toys Cat litter and box Leashes Pet Carrier Medications Name & number of pet’s veterinarian(s) List of any medical conditions or behavioral problems Feeding Schedule FIRST AID KITS It is best to have a first aid kit for your home and one for each car you own. Prescription medications may be difficult to acquire after a disaster. If possible store extra medications in your kit, but be mindful to watch the expiration dates and rotate dated medications. Suggestions for First Aid Kits: Pain relievers Antiseptic spray Various sized adhesive bandages Scissors Latex and Non-latex gloves Adhesive tape Cold packs Moist towelettes Hydrogen peroxide Sunscreen Medicine dropper Antibiotic ointment Rolled bandages Eye drops Eye wash Gauze pads Thermometer Triangular bandages Cotton balls Tweezers CPR breathing barrier First Aid Handbook PERSONAL HYGIENE KITS Suggested Hygiene Items: Soap Toilet paper Tissues Deodorant Comb and brush Insect repellant Mirror Toothbrushes and paste Shampoo and conditioner Towel and wash cloths Feminine supplies Shaving supplies Lip balm Paper towels Packages of under garments for each family member LOCAL MEDIA KAGE 95.3 KWNO 99.9 KHME 101.1 Winona’s FM Stations HBC TV Winona KQAL 89.5 FM KSMR 92.5 FM Winona State St Mary’s Winona’s Universities WLAX TV Fox La Crosse, WI FM: KWNO 99.3 KQEG 102.7 KRCH 101.7 Rushford La Crescent Rochester WKBT TV La Crosse, WI FM: WIZM 93.3 WFBZ 105.5 LaCrosse, WI Trempealeau, WI KTTC TV Rochester KWNO 1230 AM KAGE 1380 AM Winona’s AM Stations WXOW TV La Crosse, WI DISASTER SUPPLY KITS Home Sheltering Kit Suggestion for contents: First aid kit and prescription medications Special needs items for infants, pets, etc Blanket for each family member Battery powered radio and extra batteries Flashlight and extra batteries Flares and jumper cables Copies of important documents Non-perishable food Whistle to signal for help Cash Cell phone and power cord Dust mask Moist towelettes Sunscreen Garbage bags Matches and lighter Manual can opener WATER: Plan for one gallon of water per person, per day for drinking, cooking, and sanitation. GO KIT A Go Kit is a pre-packed bag to grab when you leave and should contain supplies you will need in the event you are evacuated. Suggestions for contents are listed in each category in this booklet. Most importantly it should be packed in advance, should contain personal document information, and should be stored near an exit door, at the ready at all times. Notes: GENERATORS Generators are very useful when used correctly. Depending on the number of watts, gas powered generators can run lights, fans, and refrigerators. Be sure the generator operates in a well-ventilated area. You will need an electrician to wire the generator to your home ahead of time or you can connect only the items you want to run directly to the generator. NEVER store fuel near a generator. EMERGENCY VEHICLES In a disaster, there is a good chance there will be emergency vehicles responding to various fires, injuries, etc. Any time you are driving and you see the flashing lights and hear the siren of a police squad car, ambulance, or fire truck, it is safest if you signal and safely pull off to the side of the road (preferably to the right) and stop until they have passed. Whether the emergency vehicle is coming toward you or is behind you, this will allow them to pass safely. Be aware that there will likely be more than one emergency vehicle.

Contact: Joyce Tlougan