NEWS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

Tuesday, December 12, 2006 CONTACT: Rosanne Pack

(302) 659-2210

(302) 222-6573

 

 

MAKE SAFETY AND PREPAREDNESS A HOLIDAY TRADITION

 

With a departure from neck ties, sweaters and PlayStations, gift-giving can still be fun and families can start a tradition of holiday and year ‘round safety and preparedness. There are now useful, safety-oriented gift ideas that are affordable, meaningful and even fun.

Emergency management elves suggest stuffing stockings and wrapping boxes loaded with supplies for emergency preparedness kits or handy tools for household and travel safety. Local hardware and department stores and catalogues offer practical, useful, and entertaining items that any family can use in an emergency. Delaware Emergency Management Agency officials say that families and friends can use the holiday season to share the importance of being ready for winter storms, power outages, floods and other disruptive events.

Children can be part of the planning team for creating a family emergency plan and assembling an emergency supply kit while they are giving and receiving gift items that will serve a purpose should the lights fail or the roads be covered with snow.

The gift of light is always welcome and the variety of flashlights and lanterns available has topped an all-time high. Flashlights that don’t require batteries are common and light devices can be found to clip to the brim of a cap, hang on a key chain or that come tucked into the bottom of a travel clock. Some LED lights, small enough for a key chain, are good for 100,000 hours and manufacturers claim can be seen for a mile. One key chain sized knife has also has a powerful LED light.

And those looking for an all-purpose knife tool will find the Berreta version hard to top. The pocket-sized knife holds nine tools, including the light, a saw blade, scissors, screw drivers, can opener and knife blade.

Adapters for charging cell phones are included in many new emergency or camping lights and radios. One LED lamp contains a wind-up generator that can charge a cell phone and extends to produce a wide circle of bright light for use indoors or out. There are also small battery operated cell phone chargers that are powered by a single AA battery.

For weather event listening pleasure, NOAA Weather Radios can’t be beat. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Weather Radio is a service of NOAA and it provides the voice of the National Weather Service. All purpose and weather radios that have battery back-up and a hand-crank generator capacity are available in most local electronic stores and come in a range of affordable prices, starting under $50. (Tune in to sales for even better bargains.) The weather radio makes a good companion to local radio and television bulletins and updates.

Many of the new models include a phone charger, an LED light with flashing capability and a “potent” siren.

While families gather around the crank radio, listening for news of school closings, they can even enjoy the look and scent of candles without the risk of an open flame. Flickering, but flameless, scented wax sensor candles operate with more of those AA batteries and turn off and on with a wave of the hand.

For those who might have to venture out into inhospitable weather, a zipper pull that features a digital clock and strobe light, also said to be seen a mile away, is the perfect item to tuck in the toe of a stocking.

If flashlights powered by a good shake and the siren in the weather radio aren’t enough to keep the kids occupied, there are small, portable versions of games such as Scrabble and checkers that can go with the family should evacuation to a shelter be necessary.

Although gallon jugs of water are a bit bulky to stow beneath the tree, collapsible plastic jugs can be unwrapped and ready for filling when storms approach.

And who doesn’t want another roll of duct tape? If you don’t need to tape up a cracked window right away, youngsters can resole sneakers or make a vest.

Even though unwrapping a smoke alarm may be about as exciting as finding that quality manual can opener in the stocking, one can save your life and the other can give you access to soup for you and pet food for Fideaux if the electric is out.

Being prepared for emergencies is serious stuff, whether they are weather related or another category of disruptive event, but DEMA officials remind the public that you can have fun with a serious subject. Planning and assembling supplies for emergencies can be a pleasurable activity for families. A caring gift of emergency supplies can be assembled for those in need. Children can take a role and be an integral part of the team as the entire family creates a plan for safety and peace of mind.

Be imaginative, be creative, but be safe and prepared this holiday season. Remember, every household should have supplies to sustain people and pets for up to 72 hours in case of emergencies that impede travel and interrupt power.

For more information on creating a family emergency plan, the DEMA website, dema.delaware.gov , has material on Family Emergency Preparedness and preparing for coastal storms. The American Red Cross and the Federal Emergency Management Agency websites also have information on disaster plans, emergency preparedness checklists and other related safety and preparedness topics.

 

 

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