PREPARE in a YEAR

A first response after a disaster is to seek company and information. We want to know whether family and friends are okay, what happened, and what’s going to happen next. To be best positioned to get critical information quickly and confidently, you have several options. 

Basic preparations

At the very least:

• Choose an out-of-state friend who knows how to contact your other family and friends if you cannot.

• Develop a contact protocol for all family members to identify where they are and how safe they are. What are several possible reunification scenarios should your family be scattered at the time of the emergency? 

• Identify contingency contacts for all dependents in case you are away and unavailable..

• Make a hard-copy and digital emergency contact list (local, state, and regional) for all household members.

• Sign up for Island County alerts. See Alert apps about different alert platforms.

• Consider how you will charge your phone when the power goes out. That might be a battery back-up, mini generator, or solar charger.

• Identify a neighborhood “buddy” who will take care of your pets and other household needs should you be caught off island. Make sure you know how to communicate with them if phones aren’t working.

Advanced preparations

• Obtain a battery, solar or hand-crank radio for listening to AM/FM radio local news and NOAA weather alerts. (Note: if you own a GMRS radio you can receive NOAA information on channels 193-199.)

• If you are planning to travel, learn about natural/climate hazards and subscribe to emergency alerts at your destination locations.

• Notify neighbors if you plan to be gone so they can keep an eye on your house and property.

• Acquire and learn how to use your FRS or GMRS radio to communicate throughout your neighborhood when our phone system fails. Keep it fully charged and maintain a battery supply. Who knows how long we will be without power! 

• Attend our radio classes, practice frequently with your neighbors and develop your neighborhood reporting protocols. 

Heroic preparations

And if you are committed to helping your neighborhood communicate beyond your borders:

• Coordinate a neighborhood hub to allow communications within your neighborhood and to adjacent neighborhoods.

• Join the South Whidbey Prepares Radio Registry on How to get prepared: Radio communications.

• Learn amateur (ham) radio operation and invest in a ham radio .

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