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In the Face of Disaster - Recovering from Disaster · Talking FACS

• 0:01
  Welcome to Talking Facts.
• 0:03
  What you need to know about family food finance and fitness.
• 0:07
  This nationally recognized award winning podcast is hosted by the University of Kentucky Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Program.
• 0:16
  Our educators share research knowledge with individuals,
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  families and communities to improve quality of life.
• 0:24
  Hello and welcome to Talking Facts.
• 0:26
  What you need to know about family food finance and fitness.
• 0:30
  I am your host,
• 0:31
  Mindy mcculley Extension Specialist for instructional support at the University of Kentucky.
• 0:37
  When natural disaster strikes,
• 0:39
  it not only impacts our own family but often entire neighborhoods or communities in the face of disaster.
• 0:47
  A disaster preparedness and response program presented by Family and Consumer Sciences Extension at the University of Kentucky seeks to give families the resources they need to prepare for a natural disaster before it occurs and rebound in the aftermath.
• 1:05
  My guests today are Harden Stevens and Mariana Harden is our senior Extension Associate in Family and Consumer Sciences Extension and Miranda is a phd student in Family Sciences and she's also a graduate research assistant in Family and Consumer Sciences.
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  So,
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  welcome to you both.
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  Thank you,
• 1:24
  Mindy.
• 1:24
  Thank you.
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  We are continuing the discussion about in the face of disaster and recovering from a natural disaster,
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  takes time for individuals and communities.
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  So regardless of the disaster in the aftermath,
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  always follow the guidance of first responders and officials in your area as their main objective is keeping the community and its members safe.
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  When we find that we've been confronted with a natural disaster in our community.
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  What are some of the first steps that we should take?
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  One of the first things that you should do after a disaster is document any damage to your property before cleanup begins,
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  documentation of property damage is necessary if you plan to file insurance claims or even if you think you might do that,
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  take detailed notes and take pictures if you can and once you've done that,
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  then you can begin the clean up process.
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  So what tips do you have for cleaning up after a disaster?
• 2:20
  Well,
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  uh Mindy,
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  if you did uh need to evacuate during this disaster,
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  do not return home until it has been deemed safe to do by local authorities during the cleanup,
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  safety should always be your top priority.
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  And when cleaning it up,
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  it is recommended to wear protective gear such as gloves,
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  hard hats and still toe boots.
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  We want people to know that hazards still persist after a disaster.
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  So be cautious of unstable structures or falling objects.
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  Also,
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  when working with items contaminated by sewage or flood water,
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  you need to wear rubber boots.
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  Gloves and goggles,
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  treat all floodwater as contaminated and wash your hands frequently and protect any open cuts or sores.
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  Also remember electrical currents can travel through water and wet floors.
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  Never walk through a flooded building until gas and electric services are disconnected.
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  Stay away from all fallen power lines.
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  Even if they aren't sparking,
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  you should assume power lines and electrical equipment are live and receiving power and then last but not least take care of yourself,
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  take breaks as needed.
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  Stay hydrated with clean drinking water,
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  work with others to lift heavy,
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  heavy objects and avoid straining or overextending yourself.
• 3:53
  During this time,
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  many natural disasters create an inordinate amount of debris.
• 3:59
  So what do we do with that de debris after the disaster?
• 4:04
  Yeah.
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  So after a natural disaster,
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  you might not know if items have been contaminated,
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  what might have spilled on them.
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  So you want to dispose of any household items that cannot be sanitized.
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  So these might be things like books,
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  stuffed animals,
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  baby toys and food.
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  If there's any doubt about an item,
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  you do wanna throw it out for items that can be sanitized,
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  you can wash them using a mixture of one cup of bleach for every five gallons of clean water.
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  As you clean place debris by the curb.
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  Be sure to keep roadways and paths to fire hydrants,
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  meters and utility boxes clear Kentucky.
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  Emergency management recommends separating debris by category to make debris removal smoother.
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  So these categories are vegetative debris like leaves,
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  plants and tree branches,
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  hazardous waste.
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  So things like batteries,
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  paint,
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  cleaning supplies,
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  oil and compressed gas,
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  small electronics,
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  construction debris like furniture,
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  carpet or building materials and large appliances such as washers and dryers,
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  water heaters and refrigerators.
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  Your local office of Emergency management and local cooperative extension office can provide you with additional information about removing debris.
• 5:23
  So what happens if we lose power?
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  What can we do to mitigate that challenge following a disaster?
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  Uh Portable generators may be used if power is unavailable when using a generator.
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  First of all,
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  inspect all cords for damage before you plug them in.
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  Never use a generator or electrical appliance.
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  If you or the appliance are wet or are in standing water when using a generator,
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  make sure there is adequate ventilation.
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  Never use a generator in a home garage or near windows or doors to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
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  Generators produce heat and remain hot after use.
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  So keep flammable materials away from the generator,
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  especially fuel containers and allow the generator to cool before refilling it to reduce the risk of fire.
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  Turn the generator on before plugging appliances into it.
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  Once the generator is running,
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  prioritize your electricity needs turn appliances and lights on one at a time to avoid overloading the unit.
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  I'm sure that our response for each specific disaster is going to be a little bit different.
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  So what are the recommendations according to disaster?
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  So following any disaster,
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  seek medical attention if you need it.
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  If you have evacuated,
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  wait until emergency personnel have deemed your area or your home safe before attempting to reenter.
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  And this does include waiting until weather conditions are safe to travel in.
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  If you sheltered in place,
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  wait for it all clear before leaving your sheltered location.
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  So if the disaster impacted your home,
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  it may need to be inspected for safety.
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  For example,
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  fires can damage the structure of your home and your home will need to be inspected before you can reenter if a flood occurred.
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  Remember that driving in floodwater is dangerous,
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  floodwater may carry electricity and other safety hazards and it doesn't take much water to sweep you or your vehicle away.
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  When you do return home,
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  wear protective gear and remain cautious.
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  Avoid using appliances or vehicles impacted by the flood until a professional has inspected them for safety after an earthquake.
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  Follow the instructions of local authorities and be prepared for aftershocks,
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  inspect your home for damage and leave.
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  If it seems unsafe,
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  you also want to be cautious of additional hazards such as fallen power lines or gas leaks or fires that might start as a result of the earthquake.
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  If you hear a hissing noise or smell gas,
• 8:03
  you should exit immediately and contact the fire department because this may indicate that a gas line has broken landslides occur when earth moves downward which often follows other disasters such as heavy rain flooding and earthquakes.
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  So if a landslide happens,
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  avoid the area in case an additional landslide occurs and flooding might also occur during or after a landslide after a winter storm.
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  Be cautious when clearing snow or walking on icy surfaces,
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  shoveling heavy snow can lead to overexertion or you could slip and fall on icy surfaces.
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  If you are out in the cold,
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  take breaks to warm up and seek medical attention if you suspect frostbite or hypothermia and if you have pets remember to take precautions with them as well.
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  Perhaps I'm in the situation where the disaster did not affect me personally,
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  but maybe there are things that I can do to help others.
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  Do you have suggestions for that uh following a disaster?
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  You might want to volunteer to help those affected if you're interested in volunteering,
• 9:07
  it is recommended that you work with an established organization to provide help and resources.
• 9:14
  Uh Such organizations may include the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service,
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  the American Red Cross United Way,
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  Habitat for Humanity or local food banks.
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  Just to name a few volunteering with an established agency can provide you with supplies,
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  direction and liability coverage during your volunteer efforts.
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  If collecting donations,
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  check with the organization to see what is needed and where to send those donations and also be flexible in your uh volunteer role as you may be needed in a capacity different from what you expected.
• 9:55
  Pardon?
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  And Miranda,
• 9:56
  we've talked a lot about our physical needs following a disaster.
• 10:01
  But are there considerations that we need to think about with regard to our mental health?
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  We do want to emphasize to pay attention to your own emotional well-being,
• 10:11
  you may experience a range of emotions following a disaster.
• 10:16
  And if you need immediate assistance,
• 10:18
  call the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 to be connected to a local resources for your emotional well-being.
• 10:29
  And if you are experiencing physical distress or a threat to your public safety call 911 immediately,
• 10:38
  these are all such great tips and uh I know that having access to the resources that we need will help us all to recover from whatever the disaster may be.
• 10:51
  And I do want to remind people that when a disaster strikes,
• 10:55
  recovery is a marathon,
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  not a sprint.
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  So don't expect to have everything back to normal within a week or so because sometimes that just won't happen,
• 11:05
  preparing for a natural disaster can be a long process.
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  And there are many considerations which we did not discuss today,
• 11:14
  but you can always learn more by downloading the University of Kentucky Family and Consumer Sciences extension service publication series in the face of disaster,
• 11:24
  which covers ways to prepare for an emergency and ways to recover if affected topics include finances,
• 11:32
  food and water considerations,
• 11:34
  ways to protect your family and home and how to take care of your mental health after a traumatic event.
• 11:41
  Thank you both for your time today.
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  Thank you,
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  Mindy.
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  Yes.
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  Thank you,
• 11:45
  Mindy.
• 11:46
  If you are just tuning in,
• 11:47
  you have been listening to Talking Facts,
• 11:50
  which is available wherever you get your favorite podcast.
• 11:55
  Thank you for listening to Talking Facts.
• 11:57
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• 12:00
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• 12:02
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• 12:03
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• 12:04
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• 12:06
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• 12:08
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• 12:21
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