Once upon a time, before joining NEOMED as a police officer, Sgt. Sean Parker was an Eagle Scout. His training showed in a recent session on emergency preparedness offered to all interested faculty, staff and students.
A few pointers from the wide-ranging territory that Sgt. Parker covered in his informative session:
- Keep a list of next of kin and emergency contacts in an obvious place, like on the fridge, where a rescue worker could find it and you could, too. In an emergency, it’s not easy to remember even the most familiar facts.
- Figure out how to use that crank radio you have lying around the house, and put it where you can easily find it—maybe near the plastic tote that Parker recommends you fill with canned food and a gallon of water per family member, per day. Have a ‘’go bag’’ of clothing and toiletries ready, too.
- Keep a whistle in an easy-to-find spot in your home. Three sharp blasts are a universally understood signal for help.
- Store cash and an inventory of the contents of your home (a list, photos or a video) in a safe deposit box.
Get connected to emergency alerts. The Portage County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management App has just about everything a resident could need in an emergency situation. Through the app, you can enable push notifications for warnings and other information that will come through your phone.