Emergency committee goes on vacation

The Takoma Park Emergency Preparedness Committee has vacation-head: time spent outdoors! Travel adventures! Family time! But while members wish all of Takoma Park a wonderful summer vacation, they also offer a few tips for staying safe. If you can answer “yes” to the following questions before you head out of town, you are more likely to enjoy the best of the season.

Have you…

• Checked the predicted weather forecast for your destination?
• Made a list of important numbers for medical, police, trauma, rescue units in the new location?
• Identified the nearest hospital or emergency room?
• Packed extra medications and any special items if you are stuck in a vacation area?
• Made a list any allergies or other limitations, should you need emergency care?
• Checked to learn if your medical insurance will be accepted in your new location?
• Packed the contact information for doctors and the pharmacy back home?
• If you are going hiking, camping, or in areas where you can be separated from your group/family, have you identified escape routes and a re-unification location before you set out?
• If you are traveling with small children, have you packed extra water, baby food, extra snacks, change of clothes?
• If you are driving, have you enough supplies and emergency items if the car breaks down?
• Do you have working flashlights and extra batteries, a cell phone car charger, emergency kit and updated car assistance (such as AAA)?

On the home front, have you…

• Given someone you trust a way to reach you in case of flooding, street damage or other difficulties at home?
• Ensured a continually ‘lived in’ look at your home, with light timers set for different times, in several rooms?
• Arranged for someone to take in mail, newspapers and packages, or stopped delivery of all these items?
• Arranged for someone to water plants and take care of pets, and made corresponding arrangements with a security service, if you have one, so alarms won’t be inadvertently set off?
• Have you considered the Takoma Park Police Department’s home check program? See www.takomaparkmd. gov/police.

This article appeared in the July 2015 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.