Question

I need your help in providing a shelter in place plan for a Power point presentation of a emergency preparedness guide for an assistant living faculty. And is you were to hand this off to family members what main area will it cover.

Answer 1

In today’s scenario, stating the difference between a LOCKDOWN and SHELTER IN PLACE may help differentiate your presentation from the crowd.

Let us then work towards giving you salient points, not trying to describe too much on how you should put them on your slides, in block capital or upper case, or with graphics, or having some colour codes to signify the priority, etc..

Need to remember, taking the cue from your query, the people to read these would be mostly untrained and scared folks at home. So presenting the points in an easy going manner with a blend of assertive tone to them would possibly be best.

LOCKDOWN may best suit against the threat of Active Shooter or any other mass murdering criminal perpetrator lurking around; But Shelter in Place would be usually for natural causes, like a twister, or a chemical or radiological calamity, or any such public health hazard.

The point is to make people aware that as soon as they are given this order, they should immediately move into any safe indoor location, if outside, or keep indoors till they hear an “all clear” or asked to evacuate.

· In case there is a notice period for the order to Selter in Place, the essentials to stock should be enlisted, like, Food for 3 days per person, around 3 gallons of water per person, and so on, blankets, Personal hygiene articles, etc..

· In case emergency happens when kids are at school; Being aware of their emergency plan at school

· In case one is at work, being aware and making the family aware, what happens if such a contingency arises; People tend to make mistakes under gripping anxiety about the whereabouts of the close one.

· Knowing your shelter well plays a major role in your safety. You should be able to lock the doors and windows if need be and also know which way they open, in or outward.

· Keeping money and other valuable safe and be prepared to keep them safe before the actual emergency occurs

· Mobile devices should be kept charges and chargers, etc. should be easily accessible.

· Make sure to have your pet covered for the emergency as well as you are able to look after yourself. Many people forget their pets in emergency and later repent and suffer from a guilty conscience. Remember to make arrangements to get rid of their wastes as well without letting them outside.

· Keep a channel of communication open as per directives from authorities. That is like a lifeline.

· These parts of the plan should all be well taken care of when under normal conditions. Like making arrangements for elderly and/or immune-compromised members of the family, or elderly persons stating alone. Matter of mobility and communication both may be covered well here. There would be many who are beyond a scope of taking care of themselves, they will need special help from others around, even if not within the same shelter.

· Emphasis on paying heed to the notifications and making prior arrangements for the family is as important as their daily chores or living and breathing God’s ventilator free of cost.