What To Do Before an Emergency Occurs

Table of Contents

Prepare

Be aware that there are emergencies beyond earthquakes. These scenarios may be fires, flooding, sever weather conditions, active shooter situations, terrorism, and hostile acts against civilian infrastructures. Preparations we’ve described are equally valid for these with some modification. Understand safe routes or places to go.

Get Warnings of Emergencies

Make sure that your friends and family members know what to do when they receive the emergency warning!!

Enroll in the Alert RivCo Notification System Today!

Alert RivCo allows emergency managers and public safety first-responders to alert and warn the public rapidly in the event of an emergency. Alert RivCo is used to alert Riverside County community members of urgent actions to take during disasters, such as earthquakes, wildfires, floods, severe weather, or law enforcement incidents.

It is easy to register directly on the website at https://rivcoready.org/AlertRivCo

Install the ShakeAlert App on your Smartphone

MyShake mobile app is free in the Apple App Store and on Google Play.

Through a USGS partnership with Google, Android users in California automatically receive ShakeAlert warnings.

For more information on ShakeAlert, go to ShakeAlert® | Earthquake Early Warning

Download an earthquake app onto your phone. They can provide valuable information during a major disaster. Learn more about the different apps available by reading this article: https://www.cnet.com/home/energy-and-utilities/16-emergency-apps-for-wildfires-earthquakes-and-other-disasters/

Make Emergency Information about You Accessible

Put Emergency Information (ICE – In Case of Emergency) on your Phone

Police Departents across the nation urge all cell phone users to participate in the ICE (In Case of Emergency) program. You can enter health details, medical information, and emergency contacts on your phone. Newer cell phones also allow you to enter medical information that can be accessed even with the phone locked. Check your phone’s manual or help app for details. Here are some ways to do this:

  • Any type of mobile phone: Create a new contact named ‘ICE’ and list the pertinent information in the notes section. First responders are trained to look in your contacts, provided your phone is unlocked.
  • Apple Phones – Enter information under Settings > Health
  • Android Phones – Download an ICE app to your phone - Check out the In Case of Emergency - Medical Contact Card by Techxonia Inc. You can add the Multi-Profile Medical Records application for $8.

Vial of Life Decal (Available at the EPC Montecito Clubhouse Rounder)

The Vial of Life is a highly visible decal that you place on your front door or window. It directs responders to your refrigerator for your medical information. It is designed to speak for you when you can’t speak for yourself.

How it works – You complete a short description of your important medical information and place it in a “vial” (a quart or gallon size Ziploc bag). Then place the vial in your refrigerator inside the front door.

The medical information you provide can assist emergency personnel in administering the proper medical treatment if you are injured or take ill at home and are unable to communicate. It is not just for disasters!

For more information, visit https://www.vialoflife.com

Emergency Info List - Create & carry with you at all times a list containing this information:

  • Your Emergency Contacts
  • Doctor(s) Contact Info
  • Medications - Dosages, RX numbers, and Pharmacy Name
  • Blood type (O-; B+; etc.)
  • Driver’s License number
  • Eyeglass/contacts prescriptions

Make sure to update your list as needed.

Red Card/Green Card (Available at the EPC Montecito Clubhouse Rounder)

In SCSH, we have a two-sided Red and Green card that you should use to signify either that all is okay (green) or help is needed (red).

After the emergency, place the appropriate colored side of the card in a street facing window, or fasten to a garage door, so that your card can be easily seen from the street by anyone surveying the after-quake damage and searching for those in need.

Prepare for Transportation

  • Keep your golf cart charged and ready to go.
  • Keep at least half a tank of gas in your car at all times or sufficiently charged. If there is no power, there is no gas!
  • Keep emergency supplies in your car at all times.
  • Learn how to open your garage door manually.

Secure Your Important Family & Financial Documents

Many documents can be replaced or reconstructed, but it will take time and energy to do so. Other documents are irreplaceable – photographs or personal writings (diaries, letters, etc.) that are not digital and not secure in the cloud. It is much easier to scan them now and upload them to ICloud, GoogleDrive or OneDrive where they can be retrieved later.

Suggested documents to scan include:

  • Driver’s licenses
  • Passports
  • Birth certificates
  • Marriage licenses
  • Divorce decrees
  • Adoptions papers
  • Insurance papers
  • Home-owners papers
  • Jewelry appraisals
  • Genealogical research
  • Will & Trust papers
  • Home improvement records
  • Photos of your home inside and out
  • Receipts for major purchases
  • Passwords to online accounts
  • List, with contact information, those people who should be contacted first after a disaster:
    • Insurance agent
    • Stockbroker/ Financial planner
    • Lawyer

Online Advice on Uploading Pictures and Documents:

iCloud - https://support.apple.com/guide/icloud/upload-and-download-files-mmad632d1df2/icloud

GoogleDrive- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQVGr_OM18Q

OneDrive - https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/upload-photos-and-files-to-onedrive-b00ad3fe-6643-4b16-9212-de00ef02b586

Handling Your or a Family Member’s Special Needs

No two disasters are ever the same; yet, virtually all incidents disproportionately affect individuals with access and functional needs (AFN) (i.e., people with disabilities, older adults, children, limited English proficiency, and transportation disadvantaged). These resources from the Office of Access & Functional Needs – California Office of Emergency Services can help those with AFN prepare themselves for their specific needs during an emergency.

Link to the Office of Access & Functional Needs - Office of Access & Functional Needs

Examples of Resources available at this site include:

First Aid Training

All residents are encouraged to take training classes in First Aid (both human and pet!), CPR, and AED. The following provides information about classes that are available (either in-person or on-line):

SCSH Emergency Preparedness Committee

Training is available to those residents who join the Committee’s Volunteer Cadre. The FREE Emergency Preparedness-101 seminar is available to all residents. Check the bulletin boards for locations and dates, etc.

American Red Cross

The Red Cross offers a number of in-person and online training courses in First Aid, CPR, and AED.
Check out their courses and pricing at

American Red Cross Training Services - Online Classes in First Aid, CPR, Severe Bleeding

Stop the Bleed Training – The American College of Surgeons offers a free, virtual class.

https://www.stopthebleed.org/training/online-course

CPR Training – The Palm Desert Resuscitation Education LLC offers a number of classes. Check out their courses and pricing at Palm Desert Resuscitation Education - Local CPR classes

CERT – Community Emergency Response Team

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program (usually FREE) is sponsored by FEMA. It educates volunteers about disaster preparedness for the hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. CERT offers a consistent, nationwide approach to volunteer training and organization that professional responders can rely on during disaster situations, allowing them to focus on more complex tasks.

Riverside County CERT Training (offered periodically in the Coachella Valley) - For a list of classes, check https://rivcoready.org/cert/registration

FEMA’s Find a CERT program near you - https://community.fema.gov/PreparednessCommunity/s/cert-find-a-program

Download CERT Basic Training Materials - https://www.ready.gov/cert

Incident Command Training

Online and in person courses can be found at https://training.fema.gov/emiweb/is/icsresource/trainingmaterials/

These are the baseline courses that can help you prepare to help others in the event of an emergency:

  • IS-700 NIMS, an Introduction: This independent study course introduces National Incident Management System concept. NIMS provides a shared vocabulary, systems and processes to enable all government, private-sector, and nongovernmental organizations to work together during domestic incidents.
  • ICS-100 Introduction to the Incident Command System: This independent study course introduces ICS. It describes the history, features and principles, and organizational structure of the system. This course also explains the relationship between ICS and NIMS.

Riverside County Emergency Management Department – For events and training offered by the Department go to https://rivcoready.org

Coachella Valley Disaster Preparedness Network

Preparedness, CERT, and Stop the Bleed training can be found at https://www.cvdpn.org

More Tips on Preparing for a Disaster

Low and No Cost Preparedness for Disasters (USDHS) - https://www.ready.gov/low-and-no-cost

Videos on Disaster Preparedness (USDHS) - https://www.ready.gov/videos#tips

Preparing for the impacts of a disaster or emergency on the public health and healthcare systems (CDC) - CDC Emergency Planning

Here is a good pamphlet to review for emergency preparedness: https://www.earthquakecountry.org/library/StayingSafeWhereTheEarthShakes_InlandSouthernCaliforniaEdition.pdf

Getting and Giving HELP

Know where to go to get help or to volunteer.

AED – Automated External Defibrillator

An automated external defibrillator (AED) is a portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses a life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia and treats it through defibrillation, the application of electricity which stops the arrhythmia, allowing the heart to re-establish an effective rhythm.

Locations of AEDs in SCSH:

For a complete listing of all AED locations in our community, visit the AED page on our website: www.scshca.com/aed

Prepare Your Home - Make Your Home SAFER

The EPC’s Emergency Preparedness Seminar will show you how to harden your home ahead of time; survive the emergency; and then recover from it financially and otherwise. Even if you don’t take the course, it is important that you ‘harden’ your home in advance of an emergency/disaster. Resources are available on the HOA website and at the Montecito Clubhouse.

Really wrap your mind around the problem - we live in a high risk area for a Big Earthquake. Daydream a little bit and imagine the quake has just happened, then ask yourself what you want, what you need, what you wish you had done before the Big One hit... Here are some suggestions to help you get started:

1. Secure your space! Identify hazards and secure moveable items.

In each room of your house - Look Up!

Do you see anything heavy and/or breakable on shelves, tops of cupboards, window ledges? If so, take them down until you are ready to secure them firmly in place. The force of gravity in an earthquake will turn any unsecured items into projectiles which will fly at you and crash around you during a quake.

  • Anchor pictures and other loose objects with museum putty, heavy duty Velcro, or screws/nails – this is especially important for any artwork over your bed!
  • Secure heavy furniture pieces to a wall to prevent them from tipping over.
  • Secure upper cabinet doors with safety latches

Securing furniture, wall hangings, and knick-knacks during an earthquake is crucial to prevent damage and ensure safety. Here are some practical suggestions:

For Furniture

    1. Wall Anchors: Use L-brackets or strap brackets to anchor tall furniture pieces (e.g., bookshelves, dressers) to the wall. Ensure that anchors are secured to wall studs for more stability.
    2. Furniture Straps: Consider using specialized earthquake safety straps that provide extra support for large furniture items.
    3. Heavy Items Placement: Position heavier furniture and appliances against interior walls rather than on top of unstable surfaces. Store heavy items on lower shelves to reduce the risk of falling.
    4. Non-Slip Pads: Place non-slip pads under furniture legs and items to minimize sliding.
    5. Rearrangement: Keep walkways clear and avoid placing furniture near windows where shattering glass could pose a risk.

For Wall Hangings

    1. Secure Hooks: Use wall anchors or heavy-duty hooks for hanging art, mirrors, or other wall decor. Select hooks designed to hold more weight than the item itself.
    2. Museum Putty: Apply museum putty to the backs of frames or decorative items to prevent them from shifting or falling.
    3. Anchor Points: Utilize earthquake-resistant mounting hardware specifically designed for wall hangings.
    4. Placement Considerations: Avoid hanging heavy artwork or mirrors over beds, couches, or high-traffic areas.

For Knick-Knacks

    1. Display Cases: Use glass display cases with secure locks to protect fragile items. Ensure the display cases are anchored safely to prevent tipping.
    2. Adhesive Putty: Employ adhesive putty or rubber shelf liners for securing smaller items on shelves or mantelpieces.
    3. Non-Tip Shelving: Choose shelves with lips or barriers to prevent items from falling off.
    4. Secure Loose Items: Store particularly valuable or fragile knick-knacks in drawers or cabinets rather than displaying them.

2. Be prepared to shut off your utilities.

  • Know where your gas meter, electric circuit breaker box, and water main are located.
  • Learn how to shut off your utilities

3. Create a power outage plan

  • Keep battery-operated radio, flashlights, and battery-operated camp lanterns in working order
  • Keep a supply of batteries, including cell phone batteries
  • Buy and learn how to use a portable generator safely
  • Keep electronic devices charged
  • Know how to manually open your garage door
  • Keep number for power company and local authorities in accessible place
  • Consider purchasing a generator. At a minimum, purchase one or more battery packs to charge mobile phones and rechargeable flashlights for a prolonged power outage.

4. Maintain your home safety devices

  • Fire extinguishers
    • Keep several easily accessible and charged
    • Check their pressure every 6 months.
    • Note that some extinguishers are only good for certain types of fires – electrical, grease, or gas. Class ABC extinguishers are designed to be used safely on any type of fire.
  • Smoke detectors – Replace batteries every 6 months (otherwise, suffer the 3 am ‘chirp’)
  • Carbon monoxide detectors – Located outside sleeping areas. Replace batteries every 6 months

5. Keep these things near or under your bed in case the quake hits at night

  • Flashlight – One that you can grab in the dark will be a valuable tool.
  • Hard-soled shoes - you don’t want to be walking around on broken glass looking for your shoes after a quake.
  • Leather gloves – to pick up sharp or broken objects
  • Crow bar – to open jammed doors you might be trapped behind

Supplies

Prepare for Medical Issues

Check out the “Make Emergency Information About You Accessible” section for ways to insure that first responders will have access to important information about your medical history.

Basic First Aid Kit

Purchase or create well-stocked first aids. Keep them handy by having one in your home AND in each of your cars.

OTC (Over the Counter) Medications

  • Ibuprofen (Advil) 20+
  • Acetaminophen (Tylenol) 15+
  • Aspirin 15+
  • Anti-histamine x10
  • Imodium/Loperamide x10
  • Sudafed (or equivalent) x10
  • Throat Lozenges 10+
  • Oral rehydration x3
  • Dramamine x10
  • Stool softener (laxative) x15

Personal Medical Supplies – Maintain a 14-day supply of these items:

  • Prescriptions for Medication – Also, ask your pharmacist or M.D. for a supplemental subscription to keep in your emergency kit.
  • Health-Related Supplies - insulin, antiseptic wipes, glucometer supplies, etc.
  • Eyeglasses/Contacts - keep a copy of your prescription handy. You can copy medical and eyeglass prescriptions onto your mobile device as well.
  • Assistive Devices - Keep them handy – glasses, canes, walkers, glucometer supplies, etc. If your assistive device is powered by electricity, investigate and invest in supplemental power sources: batteries, generators, solar panels, etc.

Remember to check the expiration dates on all medications, vitamins, and over the counter (OTC) medications and dispose outdated items properly.

Build Your Grab & Go Bag – Your Emergency Survival Kit

Keep enough supplies in your home and auto to meet your needs for at least 72 hours or up to 2 weeks. Store these items in sturdy, easy-to-carry containers such as backpacks, duffel bags, plastic bags, or covered wheeled trash containers. Food and water in your kits should be rotated - they don’t last forever. Consider giving emergency kits to people who count on you (elderly neighbors, parents, etc.)

Build a Grab & Go Bag for Humans

1. Food

Food lists are available on the Emergency Preparedness ‘rounder’ located in the Montecito Clubhouse lobby and on the HOA’s EPC website. Everyone in your family should have a Grab & Go Bag.

Items that should be in your Bag:

  • Protein foods to store for emergencies. Examples: nuts, canned tuna or chicken, protein drinks like Ensure or SlimFast.
  • Non-perishable food, high-energy cereal bars
  • Canned or dehydrated food, powdered milk, and canned juices
  • Special foods for those with dietary restrictions
  • A manually crank-operated can opener or ‘church key’

Commercial Emergency Food Kit – you might consider purchasing one of these. The following is a list of websites that have reviews of such kits:

The 10 Best Emergency Food Kits for Disaster Preparedness – Popular Mechanics

9 BEST Survival Food Kits of November 2021 - Best Reviews Guide

The 8 Best Survival Food Kits in 2021- The Spruce Eats

The 8 Best Emergency Food Supply Companies of 2021 – Down to Earth Homesteaders

Also, https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Go-Bag

2. Water

Buy water in square one-gallon bottles - they fit nicely in the corners of closets, and they will last a long time.

Store at least two gallons per person/per day. One gallon per day/per pet. Store at least 14 days’ worth! Rotate water based on expiration dates.

Alternative: Store tap water in airtight containers stored in dimly lit areas and replace every six months.

  • For water not treated by a commercial facility, add 8 drops or 1/8 teaspoon of household bleach per gallon of water.
  • Stir and let stand for 30 minutes.
  • Use bleach that has 5.25% hypochlorite as the ONLY active ingredient, with no fragrance and soap additives.
  • Do not store water in used plastic milk containers because bacteria may be present.

Creating & Storing an Emergency Water Supply (CDC) - https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/emergency/making-water-safe.html

3. Health Aids

  • Your first aid kit
  • A two week supply of prescribed medications
  • Hearing aids and batteries
  • Extra eye glasses, sun glasses
  • Sun-block
  • Insect repellent
  • Hygiene supplies (soap, toothbrush, etc)
  • Towelettes

4. Tools

  • Flash light with extra batteries
  • Radio - hand-crank, battery-operated, with spare batteries, or solar. Most telephones will be out of order or in use for emergency purposes, so radios will be your best source of information. An automobile radio is a good substitute.
  • Pipe wrench and adjustable wrench or pliers for turning off gas and water mains
  • Cellphone and charger and/or extra cellphone batteries
  • Emergency phone (text) contact list
  • Work or garden gloves
  • Whistle
  • Matches (waterproof)
  • Scissors/knife
  • Cash in small denominations (1’s, 5’s). Keep some in your car, too, in case you are away from home when the quake comes.
  • Local maps and compass
  • Plastic Sheeting/duct tape to create shelter in place

5. Clothing, underwear, socks, shoes

  • Hard-soled shoes
  • Rain poncho or umbrella for shade
  • Warm clothes and blankets, sleeping bags (to survive the lower winter temperatures)
  • Changes of clothing, underwear, socks, shoes
  • If possible store these items outside of the home so they will be accessible after a rapid evacuation.
  • Dust masks

6. Sanitation – You can use a 5 gallon bucket as a makeshift toilet. Buy some strong plastic garbage bags and a bag of cat litter to use for sanitation purposes.

More kit ideas for Seniors - https://rivcoready.org/disaster-preparedness/make-kit/seniors-and-older-adults

Mobile Supply Kit

It is a good idea to keep the following items in your car for safety and emergency situations:

  • First aid kit
  • Jumper cables
  • Flashlight and extra batteries
  • Reflective triangle or road flares
  • Emergency blanket
  • Multi-tool or pocket knife
  • Tire repair kit and air pump
  • Spare tire and jack
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Water and non-perishable snacks
  • Cell phone charger
  • A set of warm clothes and a pair of gloves in cold weather.

It’s also a good idea to have your car regularly serviced and keep the gas tank at least half full at all times.

Build a Grab & Go Bag for Your Pets - https://rivcoready.org/disaster-preparedness/make-kit/pet

  • At least a two-week supply of dry food in water-tight container or canned food (include a manual can opener)
  • At least a two-week supply of clean water – large dogs need one gallon per day.
  • Medications such as flea and tick preventative or heartworm preventative and any other prescription medicines

Consider having your pet “chipped.” Microchips are tiny transponders, about the size of a grain of rice, that can be implanted in your pet’s skin by veterinarians and animal shelters. Microchips are a good option for pet identification. The Emergency Preparedness Committee (EPC) has a chip reader to identify your pet in an emergency. Security also has a chip reader.

Have a Plan

Be prepared to take care of yourself and your neighbors in the event of a major emergency. Police, fire, hospitals and utility companies will be overwhelmed and unable to meet the demand for services. Take steps now to learn survival skills and techniques through the many resources available.

The 1-10 freeway is the main east-west highway through the Coachella Valley. In addition to the highway, there are parallel train tracks plus underground piplines. An earthquake can result in a serious toxic gas or chemical spill. Just one more thing to be aware of.

Create a Family & Friends Plan for Communication

(Planning Brochures available at the EPC Montecito Clubhouse Rounder)

After an earthquake, first-responders and emergency workers will be assisting large numbers of people in hospitals, schools and other complexes. It could be days or even weeks before anyone is able to assist you. It is important to know how to help yourself for at least 14 days after an earthquake! Update your plan often to include new phone numbers, addresses.

Riverside County has a fillable “Family Emergency Communication Plan” to help you track your plan information. Check it out at

Riverside County Family Emergency Plan for your Wallet

Plan Where to Meet With Family Members

Determine a meeting place within SCSH - your house, a clubhouse, etc. The EPC has designated both clubhouses as gathering points. Be cautious about entering them following an earthquake and its aftershocks.

Determine a meeting place if you or a loved one is away from home. Remember – street travel may be difficult or impossible because of downed overpasses, breaks or fissures in the streets, or broken pipes.

Designate a Contact Person for Updates on your Status during the Emergency

Pick a friend or family member outside our area code and outside the disaster region to be the central hub for check-in. Update this person about your status frequently. Educate your family and friends to call this person for updates on your status.

Texting is more likely to be successful rather than voice communications - phone lines might be down or overloaded.

After a large emergency, change your voicemail to indicate your status: “This is Mary Smith. We are all OK here. Please leave a message and I will call you when it is possible to do so. Thanks!”

Create a BUDDY SYSTEM

Agree with a friend or neighbor in Sun City to check on each other and/or care for pets after a disaster has occurred. You might want to exchange house keys.

Emergency Preparedness Summary

  • Create an emergency plan: this should include an evacuation plan, a communication plan for staying in touch with family members, and a plan for sheltering in place if necessary.
  • Assemble a disaster supply kit: this should include enough supplies to last each person in your household for at least 14 days, including water, non-perishable food, medications, a first aid kit, a flashlight, and a portable radio.
  • Stay informed: make sure you are aware of any potential emergency situations that may affect your area and stay up to date on the latest information from local authorities.
  • Have multiple ways to receive emergency alerts: this may include a weather radio, an emergency notification system, or a cell phone with a plan that includes text messages.
  • Keep important documents and information in a safe place: this may include insurance policies, identification documents, and emergency contact information.
  • Protect your home: take steps to secure your home, such as installing smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors, and making sure your home is properly insured. Regular household insurance will not cover earthquake damage. Consider purchasing an earthquake policy. Search the California Earthquake Authority for well vetted earthquake insurance: www.earthquakeauthority.com.
  • Be prepared to evacuate: if you are instructed to evacuate, do so immediately, and make sure you have your disaster supply kit with you.
  • Know how to turn off utilities: if you need to evacuate, you should know how to safely turn off the gas, electricity, and water to your home.
  • Stay safe during the emergency: follow the instructions of local authorities and avoid taking unnecessary risks during the emergency.
  • Make sure to take care of your own physical and emotional well-being and support your loved ones during this difficult time.