Prepared Yourself for Winter Storms and Extreme Cold

Add the following supplies to your disaster supplies kit:

• Rock salt to melt ice on walkways
• Sand to improve traction
• Snow shovels and other snow removal equipment.

Prepare your home and family

• Prepare for possible isolation in your home by having sufficient heating fuel; regular fuel sources may be cut off. For example, store a good supply of dry, seasoned wood for your fireplace or wood-burning stove.
  
  
• Winterize your home to extend the life of your fuel supply by insulating walls and attics, caulking and weather-stripping doors and windows, and installing storm windows or covering windows with plastic.
  
  
• Winterize your house, barn, shed or any other structure that may provide shelter for your family, neighbors, livestock or equipment. Clear rain gutters; repair roof leaks and cut away tree branches that could fall on a house or other structure during a storm.
  
  
• Insulate pipes with insulation or newspapers and plastic and allow faucets to drip a little during cold weather to avoid freezing.
  
  
• Keep fire extinguishers on hand, and make sure everyone in your house knows how to use them. House fires pose an additional risk, as more people turn to alternate heating sources without taking the necessary safety precautions.
  
  
• Learn how to shut off water valves (in case a pipe bursts).
  
  
• Know ahead of time what you should do to help elderly or disabled friends, neighbors or employees.
  
  
• Hire a contractor to check the structural ability of the roof to sustain unusually heavy weight from the accumulation of snow - or water, if drains on flat roofs do not work.

FEMA Director Prepares Himself for Disaster

Amateur Radio Planning for Participation in Regional Exercise

Amateur Radio organizations in Delaware are planning for inclusion in the FEMA Region III Operation Hotwire exercising coming up this month.  Emergency Communicators all across the State have been working with their supporting agencies to prepared for this exercise.  For the exercise, there are plans for amateur radio operators to staff each of the county emergency operations centers, hospitals, and the Delaware EOC.  One special piece about this exercise compared to others in the past is the regional aspect of this.  Evaluators will be testing a significant portion of the exercise without conventional communications, which will require amateur radio to build a communications link between Delaware and Maryland.  Amateur radio will be up to the challenge when required!  Stay tuned for the report of how the exercise went after it happens later in October.

Ocean View Citizen Corps Conducts Preparedness Night

On September 25th, 2008, the Citizen Corps Program attended the Ocean View PD Volunteer in Police Service (VIPS) Unit's Disaster Preparedness Program at the Millville Volunteer Fire Company. Bob George introduced the Disaster Preparedness DVD which was played for the group of 80 plus community members and firefighters. He also made comments of Ocean View Police Chief Ken McLaughlin's commitment to the Ocean View PD, the community and his leadership of the lead VIPS Program in the state which has trained many other VIPS Units throughout the state.  Bob read a portion of a letter from FEMA on the great works of the Ocean View PD VIPS Unit and their many hours volunteered. Featured Guest Speaker was Wendy Carey from the UD Weather Service she discussed hurricanes, coastal storm and other weather related events. Opening remarks were made by OV Mayor Wood, State Representative Gerald Hocker, a standing ovation and a round of applause met OVPD Police Chief Ken McLaughlin when he was introduced. Rosanne Pack manned a DEMA Table Display as well as MaryAnn Hook from the RSVP and other displays from Delaware Animals in Disaster Service (DADS) and the Civil Air Patrol.