[February 12, 2021]
Contributed by Robin Jensen and Patrick Pangburn for Hillsdale NET
This is the first in a series of articles brought to you by the Hillsdale Neighborhood Emergency Team (NET) and the Hillsdale News. The articles will help you prepare your family and your community for a major natural disaster, as well as share information on Hillsdale NET and what it does. We hope you will stay tuned over the coming months and that you find the content helpful and informative.
Many people expect that in the case of a major disaster, fire, police or other emergency personnel will be there to help them immediately. Unfortunately, it is more likely that we will need to rely on ourselves, our family and neighbors for hours, days, if not weeks, as the city emergency system will be overwhelmed.
Your neighbors on the Hillsdale Neighborhood Emergency Team (NET) would like to help you get prepared in the event of a natural (or human-created) disaster. This is the first in a series of articles to be published over the new few months with the information you need to get your family and your community ready. The task can seem daunting, but there are ways to approach emergency preparation slowly and in steps that will make it less overwhelming.
Over the next several months we will provide bite-sized steps you can take toward emergency preparation in each issue of the Hillsdale News.
Part 1: Home Inventory
At this point, do not buy anything. Begin by taking an inventory of some basic tools and supplies you may already have in your home to create an emergency prep kit. Gathering them and storing them in one place will give you peace of mind and save you from having to run around and find things during a chaotic time.
Make a shopping list of what you are missing. If you only have one of each item, you will need to remember to replenish or return them to your emergency kit after regular use. We will break the list into manageable numbers of items. Over the next few Hillsdale News issues, we’ll discuss how to store and organize these supplies, as well as some details about water and food storage.
Emergency Supply Inventory list #1:
Use this list to inventory supplies you already have and help you make a list of items you need to buy
container(s) to store your supplies
bottled water (1 gal/person or pet/day)
cans and boxes of nonperishable foods, energy bars
heavy duty flashlights and extra batteries
crank or battery-operated radio
manual can opener
work gloves
safety goggles
safety dust mask
basic first aid kit
tools: hammer, screwdriver, pliers, crowbar, utility wrench
whistle
compass
lighter or matches in a waterproof container
roll of duct tape
We will add to this list and discuss storing your emergency supplies in the next issue.
Visit the Bureau of Emergency Management to learn more about the city of Portland’s NET volunteer training program. There are also many ways to volunteer with Hillsdale NET team that don’t require completion of the formal training program. Email hillsdaleornet@gmail.com to find out how you can help prepare your community for a disaster.
Are you and your family prepared for an emergency? Let us know what you've done to get ready.