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Preparing
for a terrorist attack
Q:
If terrorists blend in with everyone else, what can I do to protect myself
when I'm in public places?
A: Take
the following precautions:
- Be alert
and aware of the surrounding area.
- Take
precautions when traveling. Be aware of conspicuous or unusual behavior.
Do not accept packages from strangers. Do not leave your luggage unattended.
- Learn
where emergency exits are located. Think ahead about how to evacuate
a building, subway or congested public area in a hurry. Learn where
staircases are located.
- Be aware
of heavy or breakable objects nearby that could move, fall or break
in an explosion.
Q:
Is there anything I can do to prepare for a terrorist attack?
A: The very nature of terrorism suggests
there may be little or no warning before an attack, but it is still possible
to take some precautions. Many of the same techniques you use to prepare
for other emergencies can be adapted for terrorist incidents. If a terrorist
attack occurs, you will need to know how to take care of yourself and
your family. Self-reliance is important because local officials and relief
workers on the scene of a disaster won't be able to reach everyone right
away.
The
VDEM Web site has in-depth information
about disaster planning. You can access the web site at www.vaemergency.com.
If you would like more sources, I can give you additional information
about some resources designed to help you plan for disasters or emergencies.
(NOTE: Additional Web sites and contacts are listed at the back of this
manual.)
Q:
How can I help my family be prepared in case of a terrorist event or other
disaster?
A: You can develop an emergency plan
for your household or work place. Meet with your family or coworkers and
prepare for a disaster before one occurs. You should:
- Discuss
the types of disasters most likely to happen. Explain what to do in
each case.
- Post
emergency telephone numbers by your phones. Teach your children how
and when to call 911 or your local emergency medical services number.
- Learn
first aid and CPR. Have fire extinguishers on hand and know how to use
them properly.
- Determine
the best escape routes from your home or office building. Find two ways
out of each room. Find the safe spots in your home or office building
for each type of disaster.
- Assemble
a disaster supplies kit.
Stock emergency supplies.
- Have
a battery-operated radio on hand with extra batteries. Identify your
local Emergency Alert System (EAS)
radio and television stations.
- Know
how and when to turn off the water, gas and electricity in your home
at the main switches. If tools are needed to disconnect these utilities,
keep them nearby.
- Pick
two places for your family to meet if you are separated during a disaster:
- Right
outside your home in case of a sudden emergency, like a fire.
- Outside
your neighborhood in case, you can't return home.
- Ask an
out-of-state friend or relative to be your "family contact."
After a disaster, it's often easier to call long distance.
- Your
selected contact should live far enough away that they are unlikely
to be directly affected by the same event as you. They will need
to know they are your contact.
- Make
sure all family members know your contact's telephone numbers and/or
e-mail address. Your children should have these numbers at school
and the numbers should be at your workplace.
- Following
a disaster, family members should call their contact and tell them
where they are.
- Plan
what to do in case of an evacuation. Know your children's schools' emergency
plans.
- Decide
how to provide for your pets.
- Meet
with neighbors to develop a neighborhood plan.
- Practice
and maintain your plan.
Q:
Explosions happen quickly, is there any way that I can prepare for an
explosion?
A: You can take some basic precautions:
- Review
emergency evacuation procedures. Know where fire exits are located.
- Keep
fire extinguishers in working order. Know where they are located, and
how to use them.
- Learn
first aid.
Keep
the following items in a designated place on each floor of a multi-level
building:
- Portable,
battery-operated radio and extra batteries.
- Several
flashlights and extra batteries.
- First
aid kit and manual.
- Several
hard hats.
- Fluorescent
tape to rope off dangerous areas.
- A small
disaster supplies kit,
which should contain water, small high-energy foods and a whistle. (See
also workplace disaster supplies
kit.)
Emergency
water supply
Q:
Who is responsible for protecting Virginia's public water supply?
A:
The Virginia Health Department is responsible by law for all public water
supplies. The Health Department, however, is not responsible for private
water supplies or bottled water.
Q:
Should I keep a supply of water on hand in case of a terrorist attack?
A:
In general, emergency officials recommend that households keep a supply
of water available for disasters and that they rotate the supply about
every six months.
If
you are concerned about the reliability of your waterworks (or of your
household well) during an emergency, you may want to keep on hand an available
supply of commercially bottled water.
You
should plan on a three-day emergency supply of about one-gallon per person
in your household. That should give health authorities enough time to
secure a supply of drinking water.
Q:
Why can't you let me know in advance what I should do?
A:
In a normal disaster, there are standardized procedures on transporting
emergency water supplies or disinfecting and using available water.
However,
because of the uncertain nature of terrorist weapons of mass destruction,
there is no way to know in advance what you should do for drinking water.
What might work in one type of situation might not work in another.
Q:
I heard an announcement that we're not supposed to drink water from the
tap. What do I do now?
A:
Follow the recommendations broadcast over your local Emergency Alert System
(EAS) radio or television
station about the availability of safe water.
Q:
Will I be notified if something is wrong with my water?
A:
Your local waterworks (the utility or organization that sells you your
drinking water) is responsible by law to notify the public if there is
an identified health problem with the drinking water. This notice must
be immediate (within 24 hours) if the threat is imminent or acute.
Listen
to your local Emergency Alert System (EAS)
radio or television station for information about drinking water.
Q:
Whom should I call if I have a concern about my drinking water?
A:
If your drinking water tastes, smells or feels unusual, do not use the
water until you have contacted one of the following organizations:
- Your
waterworks. If you buy your drinking water from a public or central
water system, first contact your waterworks (the utility or organization
to which you pay your water bill).
- The nearest
Virginia Department of Health Engineering Field Office (see map),
if you can't get the information you need.
- Your
local health department, if you have your own household well.
Disaster
kit
Q:
What is a disaster supplies kit and what should I keep in it?
A:
A disaster kit contains items that can help you endure an evacuation or
confinement. Six basics recommended for your disaster
supplies kit are: water, food, first aid supplies, clothing and bedding,
tools and emergency supplies, and special items. You may already have
these items in your household or workplace. (See also workplace
disaster supplies kit.)
- Keep
items you would most likely need during an evacuation in a covered container
such as a large, covered storage bin, camping backpack or a duffle bag.
- Store
your kit in a convenient place known to all family members.
- Keep
a smaller version of the kit in the trunk of your car. Prepare a separate
kit for your pets or add items for pet care in your kit.
- Change
stored water and food every 6 months.
Tips for
assembling a disaster supplies kit:
- Water
– store a three-day supply. You will need enough for each person
in your household. One gallon per person per day is recommended. Change
stored water every 6 months.
- Food
– store at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food.
Select foods that require no refrigeration, preparation or cooking,
and little or no water. Remember special needs foods for elderly, the
ill or babies. Change stored food every 6 months.
- First
aid kit – assemble a first aid kit for your home and one for
each car. Include extra eyeglasses and prescription medicines if needed.
- Survival
tools – include an emergency preparedness manual such as one
prepared by the American
Red Cross or VDEM (see Preparing
for Disasters at www.vaemergency.com). Also gather a flashlight
with extra batteries and bulbs, and a battery-operated radio with extra
batteries. Tape the call letters and frequency numbers of your Emergency
Alert System (EAS)
station on the radio (local contacts listed on the EAS Web site at www.jmu.edu/wmra/eas/index.html.).
Make sure everyone knows how to work the radio and keep fresh batteries
on hand. Include tools such as wrenches for shutting off utilities.
- Sanitation
supplies – toilet paper, Ziploc bags, garbage bags with seals,
five-gallon bucket with lid, feminine hygiene products, pre-moistened
towelettes.
- Clothing
and bedding – include at least one complete change of clothing
and sturdy footwear per person. Include two blankets or one sleeping
bag per person.
- Special
Items – these are items for family members with special needs,
such as infants, infirm, elderly or disabled persons. Some items to
include are diapers and specific care items. You might also want to
include a few entertainment items such as games and books.
- Important
papers – keep important family documents, cash, traveler's
checks and a credit card in a waterproof portable container. Include
an extra set of car keys.
Medications
Q:
I need to take certain medicines every day. Should I make sure that I
have several months worth of medicine on hand in case there is a terrorist
incident?
A:
Contact your physician or medical provider to determine what medicines
you should have on hand.
Q:
Will my pharmacist give me several months worth of medicine at one time?
A:
Your medical provider and pharmacist will determine this based on need
and availability.
Q:
Should I have a supply of antibiotics on hand in case there is a biological
terrorist attack?
A:
Keeping a supply of antibiotics on hand is not recommended for several
reasons:
- Each
organism requires a specific antibiotic. If a doctor hasn't diagnosed
your condition, the antibiotic you take may not be the right one to
eliminate the organism causing the infection.
- Only
those who have been exposed to an agent should take antibiotics and
sometimes antibiotics are only prescribed once you are actually sick.
Antibiotics should only be taken on the advice of health authorities.
- Individuals
may have adverse reactions to antibiotics.
- Some
organisms do not respond to antibiotics.
- Some
antibiotics have limited shelf life.
Protective
gear
Q:
Should I buy a gas mask to protect me if there's a biological or chemical
attack?
A:
We view the purchase of escape hoods, gas masks and similar equipment
a matter of personal choice. If you wish, you may search the Internet
for gas masks and escape hoods, or check the Yellow Pages under Safety
Equipment and Clothing.
Escape hoods,
gas masks and similar equipment are difficult to use properly and have
numerous limitations. Escape hoods are made of plastic and have a special
filter. They must be put on in a clean environment and taken off promptly
after the wearer has gone through a contaminated area.
Gas masks
must be fitted to each individual and they must contain the proper filter
in order to be effective. With the large number of potential chemical
agents, it is impossible to know in advance which filter should be used.
With some chemicals, gas masks would be totally ineffective.
Depending
on how contaminated the air is, the hood or mask could stop working in
less than 20 minutes. Batteries in powered air units typically expire
in a few hours.
For the
general population, we recommend standard protective actions of sheltering
in place or evacuation. You can find guidance about sheltering in place
or evacuation on the Virginia Department of Emergency Management Web site.
(That Web address is www.vaemergency.com.)
Or, call your local emergency management office or the American Red Cross
chapter.
Tune in
to the radio or television station where you normally get your news for
information on what actions to take. Where you are in relation to the
site of an incident will affect how you should respond. Listen carefully.
Q:
What about biological agents?
A:
A common facemask - the N95 dust mask - will provide protection against
such agents as anthrax. These masks are inexpensive and readily available
at hardware stores.
Community
readiness
Q:
Does every community have an adequate emergency response system, especially
one geared for a terrorist attack? How quickly can they be implemented?
A:
Emergency response systems vary based on each community's needs and resources.
Some local emergency system components can be implemented very quickly,
while others may take longer to implement.
Q:
Are hospitals prepared to handle a sudden surge in demand for health care?
A:
The preparedness level in hospitals depends on the agent used in an attack.
Because a sudden surge in patients could overwhelm individual hospitals
resources, hospitals collaborate with other hospitals in their area to
respond to terrorist attacks on a citywide or regional basis.
Hospitals
are required to maintain disaster response plans and to practice applying
them as part of their accreditation process. In an emergency, local medical
care capacity will be supplemented with federal resources.
Next:
Responding to terrorism >>
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