Ten Steps You Can Take To
Prepare Your Family For A Pandemic:
(Remember that due to widespread illness during a
pandemic,
basic community services might be disrupted including store or bank operations
and the availability of supplies.)
1. Stay healthy and get annual flu shots for yourself and your children to help increase your resistance to a pandemic flu.
2. Have a family plan, and review it every 6 months. Basic “Family Emergency Preparedness” tools can be found on the EHHD website (www.ehhd.org).
3. Make it a habit to practice flu-safe behaviors every day. Influenza (including a strain that would cause a pandemic) can be transmitted 24 hours prior to the onset of symptoms. Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue (or paper towel or napkin) and throw it away; when a tissue is not available, sneeze or cough into your upper sleeve – never your hands; and keep your hands clean. A printable poster on covering your cough is available through the Center for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/images/CoverCgh-Sch-view.gif
4. Keep a two-week supply of easy to prepare food (including ready-to-eat or canned items and a manual can opener) for each person in your home.
5. Have disposable cups, plates & utensils and trash bags set aside for an emergency.
6. Always have a two-week supply of medicines you take regularly.
7. Pack an emergency box of items for care-giving including: a first aid kit, disposable gloves, fever thermometer, pain relievers (ibuprofen and acetaminophen), over-the-counter flu remedies, hand sanitizer, and surgical masks. Cold packs, blankets, and humidifiers could also be useful.
8. Keep a two-week supply of basic items such as diapers & wipes, soap, shampoo, toothpaste & toilet paper, napkins & paper towels.
9. Plan activities for your family to prevent ‘cabin fever’ including some things that do not require electricity (books, crafts, board games, etc).
10. Think about other items you might need to store or have available in the event of a two-week interruption in community services. Remember: food, water, and litter for your pets; cash; a cell phone or regular phone with a cord; and a portable radio and flashlight with extra batteries.
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