Save lives during disaster

Earthquake . . . hurricane . . . terrorist attack . . . school shooting.

Those terms appear in the headlines too often, Ofcourse, it is one thing to read about a disaster; it's also another different thing to live through one. What can you do before and during a disaster to improve the likelihood of your Survival?

What to do Before Disaster Strike

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No one is immune to disaster. Preparation is your most important key to survival, But what does preparation involve?

• Prepare mentally
  Acknowledge the fact that disasters happen and that you and your loved ones are potentially at risk. It is too late to prepare after disaster strikes.

• Learn about disasters that can happen in your area. * Know where shelters are. Consider whether the construction of your home and its location are as safe as possible. Remove fire hazards. Install smoke detectors, and change their batteries at least once a year, if not-more often.

• Prepare emergency supplies. Power, water, phone, and transportation services can fall. If you own a car, try to keep the fuel tank at least half full, and always have food, water, and an emergency kit in your home.-----See the box “Do You Have What You Need?”

• Have access to the phone numbers of friends, both near and far. And always make and rehearse an escape plan.

• Know the nearest exits in your building, as well as the emergency plan of your children’s school. Set up family meeting places-such as a school or a library-one nearby and another outside your neigh_ borhood. Authorities recommend that you practice walking with yourfamily to those meeting points, and always Plan to help others including the elderly and the informs.

What to do when disaster strikes

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We should always be ready and prepare for any thing when it's the right time and when it's an emergency.

• In a fire.
  Stay close to the floor, and move quickly to the nearest exit. Smoke makes it hard to See, and most fire deaths are caused by smoke inhalation. Leave behind personal items. Seconds can make the dif-_ ference between life and death.

• In an earthquake.
  Get under sturdy fur. niture or next to an inside wall. Expect aftershocks, and get outside and away from buildings as soon as you can. Trained rescuers may not arrive for hours, so try to rescue others if you can.

• In a tsunami.
  If the water suddenly rushes away from the shore, move quickly to higher ground. Expect more and larger waves, also In a tornado or a hurricane, go to a storm shelter without delay.

• In a flood.
  Stay out of flooded buildings. Avoid wading in or driving through water. Floodwater can contain sewage and conceal dangers, including debris, open manhole, and downed power line.