A constant state of preparedness requires planning and work. Today our Army families are more prepared than ever for cycles of deployment. While we are more focused on deploying and fighting the Global War on Terrorism, we need to ensure that we are appropriately prepared for natural disasters.

According to the United Nations monitoring body, International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, 91,900 people were killed last year by natural disasters. And, in 2004 more than 244,000 were killed, of which 226,408 were victims from the Indian Ocean tsunami.

While these figures are abnormally high, the number of people affected by natural disasters is in the tens of millions globally. In the continental United States that figure was into the millions as well. Now that we are once again in hurricane season it's important to ensure that you plan appropriately before being faced with an imminent threat.

This issue of FLO Notes is dedicated to providing resource information that may be useful should a disaster strike.

In the wake of a natural disaster, it's possible that you may be without communication for an extended period of time. You should be prepared to survive without TV, the Internet, cell phone or other forms of communication.

During Hurricane Katrina it was not unusual for the Army Information Line to get a call from a Soldier who was cut off from all local communication. In fact, we learned that in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina it was generally easier for people to place long-distance or toll-free calls than it was to make a call within their devastated area. Our staff was able to provide assistance to many Soldiers and families who were seeking information regarding DoD's Safe Haven program.

This year the Army Information Line will serve as the Army's accountability line for Soldiers and their families when command channels are down. This means if you are cut off from local communication but can get to phone service, we are prepared to take your call, document your status and record appropriate contact information.

Our staff is prepared to answer your questions regarding where and how to find needed resources.

We will post updates on our Web site — www.ArmyFamiliesOnline.org. Should a natural disaster strike, we will also post information on our Web site specific to the response efforts. Please add the Army Information Line number (1-800-833-6622) to your cell phone's memory, and add our Web site address to your PDA or cell phone — www.ArmyFamiliesOnline.org.

The Army recently completed a hurricane preparedness exercise in the National Capital Region, capitalizing on the lessons learned during last year's hurricane season.

In the exercise scenario, Hurricane Chris hit Mobile, Ala., June 28, before abruptly turning back into the Gulf of Mexico and heading west for landfall at Galveston, Texas. A crowd filled the bleachers at Fort Belvoir's Wells Field House and watched the Gulf Coast, or a least a large floor map that took up half the old gym's playing surface.

"This is a ROC [regional operations center] drill in preparation for the hurricane season," said Sgt. Maj. Larry Wiley of the Army Operations Center, who works at the Pentagon. "This is getting all elements together to see how they would respond to an actual disaster. You bring all the major players together to test response abilities."

One of those players in a real emergency would be the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Sherry Wainwright, a FEMA assessment and exercise branch chief, answered questions and observed the Army's exercise.

"There've been a lot of lessons learned," she said. "A lot of them are to rework issues and come up with better ways to do things. You have to stretch your mind, because we were encountering conditions we hadn't encountered before. I think we will be better prepared this time because we're leaning forward more than I can remember."

Wainwright cited the agency's plan to prepare to move as soon as a storm pops up on radar as an example of leaning forward.

Lt. Col. Anthony Dellaversano of the Army Corps of Engineers said his organization would serve as one of the lead agencies in the event of a major hurricane.

"We're the commodity manager for FEMA and deal with ice, water and blue roofs," he said, citing some of the items the Corps warehouses for emergencies. "One of the new things we've developed is a force of 27 people who will be liaisons with local governments."

Dellaversano said the Corps is now looking to pre-position commodities in strategic locations before being formally asked for help. Col. Kenneth Madden of the Army Operations Center explained how the military response at first would be by the individual states.

"The states have mission assistance compacts with other states. This would allow a neighboring state to assist with evacuation or law enforcement," he said. "The president has to declare an emergency before regular military forces can be used domestically, and he has to invoke the Insurrection Act before federal forces can be used in law enforcement.

"Exercises like this allow different commands to put faces to names and to meet their opposite numbers," Madden said. "By accomplishing that, if the balloon goes up, they'll know where to go to get the information that's required."

Although the American Red Cross is not a government agency, its authority to provide disaster relief was formalized in 1905. The Red Cross was chartered by Congress to "carry on a system of national and international relief in time of peace and apply the same in mitigating the sufferings caused by pestilence, famine, fire, floods, and other great national calamities, and to devise and carry on measures for preventing the same."

The Charter is not only a grant of power, but also an imposition of duties and obligations to the nation, to disaster victims, and to the people who generously support its work with their donations.

Red Cross disaster relief focuses on meeting people's immediate emergency disaster-caused needs. In times of disaster, the Red Cross provides shelter, food, and health and mental health services to address basic human needs. In addition to these services, the core of Red Cross disaster relief is the assistance given to individuals and families affected by disaster to enable them to resume their normal daily activities independently.

Disaster can strike quickly and without warning. It can force you to evacuate your neighborhood, workplace or school or can confine you to your home. What would you do if basic services — water, gas, electricity or telephones — were cut off?

Local officials and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster, but they cannot reach everyone right away. Therefore, the best way to make you and your family safer is to ensure you are prepared before disaster strikes.

For more information on the American Red Cross, or disaster preparedness, visit the Red Cross's Web site at www.redcross.org.

Build a disaster supplies kit

In the event you need to evacuate at a moment's notice, you probably will not have the opportunity to shop or search for the supplies you and your family will need.

Every household should assemble a disaster supplies kit, and keep it up to date. This kit should be a collection of basic items a family would probably need to stay safe and be more comfortable during and after a disaster.

Disaster supplies kit items should be stored in a portable container(s) as close as possible to the exit door. Review the contents of your kit at least once per year or as your family needs change. Also, consider having emergency supplies in each vehicle and at your place of employment.

Kits should contain:

Three-day supply of nonperishable food and a manual can opener.

Three-day supply of water (one gallon of water per person, per day)

Portable, battery-powered radio or television and extra batteries.

Flashlight and extra batteries.

First aid kit and manual.

Hygiene items (hand sanitizer, moist towelettes and toilet paper).

Matches in a waterproof container.

Whistle.

Extra clothing and blankets.

Kitchen accessories and cooking utensils.

Photocopies of identification and credit cards.

Cash and coins.

Special needs items such as prescription medications, eye glasses, contact lens solution, and hearing aid batteries.

Items for infants, such as formula, diapers, bottles, and pacifiers.

Tools, pet supplies, a map of the local area, and other items to meet your unique family needs.

Jacket or coat, long pants and long sleeve shirt, sturdy shoes, hat, mittens, and scarf.*

Sleeping bag or warm blanket.*

* If you live in a cold climate, you must think about warmth. It is possible that you will not have heat during or after a disaster. Think about your clothing and bedding needs. Be sure to include one set of the following for each person:

Vehicle supplies include:

Flashlight, extra batteries, and maps.

First aid kit and manual.

White distress flag.

Tire repair kit, booster/jumper cables, pump and flares

Bottled water and non-perishable foods such as granola bars.

Seasonal supplies: Winter — blanket, hat, mittens, shovel, sand, tire chains, windshield scraper, fluorescent distress flag; Summer — sunscreen lotion (SPF 15 or greater), shade item (umbrella, wide brimmed hat, etc).

Vital records, documents

Vital family records and other important documents such as birth and marriage certificates, social security cards, passports, wills, deeds, financial, insurance, and immunizations records should be kept in a safe deposit box or other safe location.

Working with neighbors can save lives and property in times of disaster. This process often begins by meeting with your neighbors to plan how the neighborhood could work together after a disaster while awaiting for help to arrive.

If you're a member of a neighborhood organization, such as a home association or crime watch group, introduce disaster preparedness as a new activity.

To help foster this process, it is important to know your neighbors' special skills (e.g., medical, technical) and consider how you could help neighbors who have special needs, such as disabled and elderly persons. Make plans for child care in case parents can't get home. If disaster strikes, remain calm and patient. Put your plan into action.
When disaster strikes, one of the first priorities is to check for injuries. Give first aid and get help for seriously injured people.

It is then important to seek news and information to help assess how widespread the disaster is and learn what guidance officials have to offer in the aftermath. A good way to do this is by listening to a battery-powered radio, as often times disasters can leave wide areas without power for days, or even weeks.

It is also important to assess the damage to your home:

Use flashlights. Do not light matches or turn on electrical switches, if you suspect damage.

Sniff for gas leaks, starting at the water heater. If you smell gas or suspect a leak, turn off the main gas valve, open windows, and get everyone outside quickly.

Shut off any other damaged utilities. (You will need a professional to turn gas back on.)

Clean up spilled medicines, bleaches, gasoline, and other flammable liquids immediately.
Once you've assessed the damage to your home, remember to ...

Confine or secure your pets.

Call your family contact — do not use the telephone again unless it is a life-threatening emergency.

Check on your neighbors, especially elderly or disabled persons.

Make sure you have an adequate water supply in case service is cut off.

Stay away from downed power lines.

First response to a disaster is the job of local government's emergency services with help from nearby municipalities, the state and volunteer agencies. In a catastrophic disaster, and if the state governor requests, federal resources can be mobilized through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency.

It is the long-term recovery phase of disaster which places the most severe financial strain on a local or state government. Damage to public facilities and infrastructure, often not insured, can overwhelm even a large city.

A governor's request for a major disaster declaration could mean an infusion of federal funds, but the governor must also commit significant state funds and resources for recovery efforts.

A major disaster could result from a hurricane, earthquake, flood, tornado or major fire in which the President would determines if it warrants supplemental federal aid. The event must be clearly more than the state, or local, governments can handle alone. If declared, funding comes from the President's Disaster Relief Fund, which is managed by FEMA, and disaster aid programs of other participating federal agencies.

A Presidential Major Disaster Declaration puts into motion long-term federal recovery programs, some of which are matched by state programs, and designed to help disaster victims, businesses and public entities.
An emergency declaration is more limited in scope and without the long-term federal recovery programs of a Major Disaster Declaration. Generally, federal assistance and funding are provided to meet a specific emergency need or to help prevent a major disaster from occurring.

A Major Disaster Declaration usually follows these steps:

Local government responds, supplemented by neighboring communities and volunteer agencies. If overwhelmed, turn to the state for assistance;

The state responds with state resources, such as the National Guard and state agencies;

Damage assessment by local, state, federal, and volunteer organizations determines losses and recovery needs;

A Major Disaster Declaration is requested by the governor, based on the damage assessment, and an agreement to commit state funds and resources to the long-term recovery;

FEMA evaluates the request and recommends action to the White House based on the disaster, the local community and the state's ability to recover;

The President approves the request or FEMA informs the governor it has been denied. This decision process could take a few hours or several weeks depending on the nature of the disaster.

When a major disaster occurs, there are three categories of disaster aid that may be put into place — Individual Assistance; Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation.

Individual Assistance — Immediately after the declaration, disaster workers arrive and set up a central field office to coordinate the recovery effort. A toll-free telephone number is published for use by affected residents and business owners in registering for assistance. Disaster Recovery Centers also are opened where disaster victims can meet with program representatives and obtain information about available aid and the recovery process.

Disaster aid to individuals generally falls into the following categories:

Disaster housing may be available for up to 18 months, using local resources, for displaced persons whose residences were heavily damaged or destroyed. Funding also can be provided for housing repairs and replacement of damaged items to make homes habitable.

Disaster grants are available to help meet other serious disaster related needs and necessary expenses not covered by insurance and other aid programs. These may include replacement of personal property, and transportation, medical, dental and funeral expenses.

Low-interest disaster loans are available after a disaster for homeowners and renters from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to cover uninsured property losses. Loans may be for repair or replacement of homes, automobiles, clothing or other damaged personal property. Loans are also available to businesses for property loss and economic injury.

Other disaster aid programs include crisis counseling, disaster-related unemployment assistance, legal aid and assistance with income tax, Social Security and Veteran's benefits. Other state or local help may also be available.

After an aid application is taken, the damaged property is inspected to verify the loss. If approved, an applicant will soon receive a check for rental assistance or a grant. Loan applications require more information and approval may take several weeks after application. The deadline for most individual assistance programs is 60 days following the President's major disaster declaration.

Audits are done later to ensure that aid went to only those who were eligible and that disaster aid funds were used only for their intended purposes. These federal program funds cannot duplicate assistance provided by other sources such as insurance.

After a major disaster, FEMA tries to notify all disaster victims about the available aid programs and urge them to apply. The news media are encouraged to visit a Disaster Recovery Center, meet with disaster officials, and help publicize the disaster aid programs and the toll-free teleregistration number.

Public Assistance — is aid to state or local governments to pay part of the costs of rebuilding a community's damaged infrastructure. Generally, public assistance programs pay for 75 percent of the approved project costs. Public Assistance may include debris removal, emergency protective measures and public services, repair of damaged public property, loans needed by communities for essential government functions and grants for public schools.

Hazard Mitigation — Disaster victims and public entities are encouraged to avoid the life and property risks of future disasters. Examples include the elevation or relocation of chronically flood-damaged homes away from flood hazard areas, retrofitting buildings to make them resistant to earthquakes or strong winds, and adoption and enforcement of adequate codes and standards by local, state and federal government. FEMA helps fund damage mitigation measures when repairing disaster-damaged structures and through the Hazard Mitigation.

For more information regarding FEMA and its response capabilities or programs, visit the FEMA Web site at www.fema.gov. For information on FEMA Disaster Assistance call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), or TTY (800) 462-7585.

How a person prepares mentally to deal with a disaster is just as important as physical preparations, because the emotional toll that disaster brings can often be even more devastating than the financial strains of damage and loss of home, business, or personal property.

It helps to understand what events are associated with disasters:

Everyone who sees or experiences a disaster is affected by it in some way.

It is normal to feel anxious about your own safety and that of your family and close friends.

Profound sadness, grief, and anger are normal reactions to an abnormal event.

Acknowledging your feelings helps you recover.

Focusing on your strengths and abilities helps you heal.

Accepting help from community programs and resources is healthy.

Everyone has different needs and different ways of coping.

It is common to want to strike back at people who have caused great pain.

Children and older adults are of special concern in the aftermath of disasters. Even individuals who experience a disaster "second hand" through exposure to extensive media coverage can be affected.

A number of things can be done to help ease disaster-related stress:

Talk with someone about your feelings — anger, sorrow, and other emotions — even though it may be difficult.

Seek help from professional counselors who deal with post-disaster stress.

Do not hold yourself responsible for the disastrous event or be frustrated because you feel you cannot help directly in the rescue work.

Take steps to promote your own physical and emotional healing by healthy eating, rest, exercise, relaxation, and meditation.

Maintain a normal family and daily routine, limiting demanding responsibilities on yourself and your family.

Spend time with family and friends.

Participate in memorials.

Use existing support groups of family, friends, and religious institutions.

Ensure you are ready for future events by restocking your disaster supplies kits and updating your family disaster plan. Doing these positive actions can be comforting.

"Are You Ready? An In-depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness" (IS-22) is FEMA's most comprehensive source on individual, family, and community preparedness. The guide was revised, updated, and enhanced in August 2004 to provide the public with the most current and up-to-date disaster preparedness information available.

This guide provides a step-by-step approach to disaster preparedness by walking the reader through how to get informed about local emergency plans, how to identify hazards that affect their local area, and how to develop and maintain an emergency communications plan and disaster supplies kit. Other topics covered include evacuation, emergency public shelters, animals in disaster, and information specific to people with disabilities.

Additionally, the pamphlet provides in-depth information on specific hazards including what to do before, during, and after each hazard type. The following hazards are covered: floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, thunderstorms and lightning, winter storms and extreme cold, extreme heat, earthquakes, volcanoes, landslide and debris flows (mudslide), tsunamis, fires, wildfires, hazardous materials incidents, household chemical emergencies, nuclear power plant, and terrorism (including explosion, biological, chemical, nuclear, and radiological hazards). FEMA announces the release of a new citizen preparedness DVD titled, "Getting Ready For Disaster — One Family's Experience." The DVD guides viewers through important steps of disaster preparedness and is a welcome addition to FEMA's preparedness materials. Transcripts of the DVD and "Are You Ready? An In-depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness" can be viewed and downloaded at www.fema.gov/areyouready/index.shtm. This publication is also available in Spanish, and may be used in a variety of ways including as a read-through or reference guide.

No one can completely and accurately predict when and where disaster will strike, however we can all take steps to lessen the impact that disasters will have if we take time to prepare for them.

Four simple steps to safety can help you begin your emergency preparedness process.

1. Find out what could happen to you: contact your local American Red Cross chapter or emergency management office before a disaster occurs — be prepared to take notes; ask what types of disasters are most likely to happen and request information on how to prepare for each; learn about your community's warning signals, what they sound like and what you should do when you hear them; ask about animal care after a disaster, because animals are not allowed inside emergency shelters because of health regulations; find out how to help elderly or disabled persons, if needed; find out about the disaster plans at your workplace, your children's school or day care center, and other places where your family spends time.
   
   
2. Create a Disaster Plan: meet with your family and discuss why you need to prepare for disaster, explain the dangers of fire, severe weather and earthquakes to children, plan to share responsibilities and work together as a team and discuss the types of disasters that are most likely to happen; explain what to do in each case; pick two places to meet — right outside your home in case of a sudden emergency, like a fire, or outside your neighborhood in case you can't return home, it is everyone must know the address and phone number; ask an out-of-state friend to be your "family contact," after a disaster, it's often easier to call long distance, other family members should call this person and tell them where they are, everyone must know your contact's phone number; discuss what to do in an evacuation and plan how to take care of your pets.
   
   
3. Complete this checklist: post emergency telephone numbers by phones (fire, police, ambulance, etc.); teach children how, and when, to call 911 or your local Emergency Medical Services number for emergency help; show each family member how, and when, to turn off the utilities (water, gas, and electricity) at the main switches; check if you have adequate insurance coverage; get training from the fire department for each family member on how to use the fire extinguisher (ABC type), and show them where it's kept; install smoke detectors on each level of your home, especially near bedrooms; conduct a home hazard hunt; stock emergency supplies and assemble a disaster supplies kit; take an American Red Cross first aid and CPR class; determine the best escape routes from your home, find two ways out of each room; find the safe places in your home for each type of disaster.
   
   
4. Practice and maintain your plan: quiz your kids every six months or so; conduct fire and emergency evacuations; replace stored water and stored food every six months; test and recharge your fire extinguisher(s) according to manufacturer's instructions; test your smoke detectors monthly and change the batteries at least once a year.

George Washington Carver once said "Ninety-nine percent of the failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses." Being a military spouse, family member or servicemember requires a lot of effort to stay focused and avoid failure because you're unaware.

With constant permanent-change-of-station (PCS) moves; deployments and redeployments; temporary duty assignments (TDY); and many other events, the life of a military-connected individual is constantly changing.

Having been a military spouse for more than 28 years, I was indoctrinated into "Army" life literally in bits and pieces. I didn't know an exchange from a commissary when I first married my husband and we embarked on military life together.

The good news is that today there are some wonderful sources of information available. One such information resource is the Army Well-Being Forum, which is available for you to exchange information and ideas; connect with persons who may have the same questions as you; or may know the answer to your question.

The Army Well-Being Forum is easy to use, simply log on to Army Families Online — www.ArmyFamiliesOnline.org — and click registration. Once you've registered, click "Featured Content" on the left-side menu, choose "Forum" then "Well-Being." Once in the forum, simply select a forum topic, under the Well-Being heading, that interests you.

There are many sub-forums to choose from. All are grouped into seven major categories — Pay and Compensation; Health Care; Housing and Workplace Environment; Family Support; Education and Development; Cohesion; and Operational and Special Interest.

Please, take time to look at several of the forums — you may be able to help another Army family member with a question they have posted.

If you've ever been stationed overseas away from your family and didn't know who to turn to for information, these forums are an excellent way to gather and share information.

When you meet for Family Readiness Group (FRG) meetings, Spouse club gatherings, Army Family Team Building (AFTB) training sessions, Army Community Service (ACS) classes, share the Army Well-Being Forum with your groups.

A recent forum entry posted by a new Soldier's wife, indicated she was interested in learning what resources were available to her since she knew nothing about the military. Responses directed her to ACS and the many classes available at ACS, which include counseling services, financial planning, AFTB, and Army Family Action Planning (AFAP).

Additionally, she was pointed to a broad spectrum of Web sites that can help to further educate her on military life.

Forum participants are a built-in support group that can really boost morale at a time when it is needed.

Please take time to pass along information about the Army Well-Being Forum. Exchanging information with other military family members is paramount to the implementation and success of quality programs. Remember, www.ArmyFamiliesOnline.org or www.ArmyWell-Being.org.

Editor's note: this article was written by Terrie McCue, a constituent liaison with the Well-Being Liaison Office.

The Army Information Line (1-800-833-6622) provides accurate information, useful resources and helpful referral services to those with issues or concerns about Army Life including but not limited to: child support; deployment; family readiness; Family Readiness Groups; finance; military installations; natural disaster relief and recovery information; and contingency operations information.

This toll-free line is staffed by experienced constituent liaisons who are available to assist members of the Army Family from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST, Mondays through Fridays. The Army Information Line serves as a safety net for those who have exhausted all other resources.

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