Full Notification

PERSONAL DISASTER KITS – DO YOU HAVE ONE?

It is inevitable that a catastrophic event, either natural or man-made, will occur in the southern California region. Department personnel will be called upon to respond to the needs of the various communities of Los Angeles. The Department recognizes that under such circumstances, in order to respond appropriately to their work assignment, employees must be satisfied that their family members
are safe and provided for. Preparing a home disaster kit is the first step to ensuring your family’s survival, security and comfort in any crisis.
Disaster kits are useful in all situations in which home life is severely disrupted. In the event of an ordered evacuation, you or your family may be transported to a location which has limited means to
support evacuees. In the event of an earthquake or destructive storm, you may be without basic services or ability to replenish food and other necessary items for several days. The goal of a pre-staged disaster kit is to provide for your family’s basic needs during that initial period of an emergency when basic services may not be available.
What follows is a list of items to be included in a home disaster kit, stored in one or more sturdy bins and located in an easily accessible location within your home, garage or outside storage location. Your food and water supply should be enough to feed and support your family for a minimum of three days. Items listed in red should be placed on the top of your kit, allowing immediate access in darkness.
Asterisk/highlighted items are imperative; the rest are very strongly recommended.
*A decent first aid kit
*Sturdy work gloves
*Flashlight with extra batteries
*Water – minimum of three gallons per person or pet, one gallon per
person or pet per day. Store separately – rotate regularly.
*Medication – rotate it
*Prescription glasses (even an old prescription)
*Baby food (rotated as needed and with age of child)
*Baby needs (bottles, diapers, wipes, etc.)
*Non-perishable foods. For obvious reasons, canned foods are ideal
(soups, pastas, meats, fruit, etc.). Concentrate on foods that require little to no preparation, such as instant oatmeal, granola bars, breakfast bars, crackers, jerky or trail mix. Try to avoid a high concentration of salty foods and be sure to rotate as needed. See additional note on food storage and consumption.
*Can opener
*Pet food – rotate it Pet needs (leash, tie down, etc.)