Desert Messenger

8 www.DesertMessenger.com September 21, 2016 Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com /DesertMessengerNews Follow on Twitter @DesertMessenger @QuartzsiteRain Nature's Nuggets BUYS & SELLS GOLD Nuggets - Jewelry- Coins- Sivler Call Richard T 928-927-5479 Quartzsite YEAR ROUND! GOLD SHOW Feb. 10, 11, 12 2017 Free gardening workshop Sept. 26 Community preparedness: the facts Quartzsite Garden Club, University of Arizona and the La Paz County Cooperative Extension is hosting a free Fall Gardening Work Shop, "When and How to Plant Your Fall Garden." This workshop, featur- ing Dom Alamden, will be held on Monday, Sept. 26 at 3pm at the Quartzsite Library located at 465 N. Plymouth Ave. For more infor- mation call 928-916-4562. September is National Preparedness Month Research on preparedness shows that people who believe themselves "prepared" for disasters often aren't as prepared as they think. Forty per- cent of survey respondents did not have household plans, 80 percent had not conducted home evacuation drills, and nearly 60 percent did not know their community's evacuation routes. Nearly 20 percent of survey respon- dents reported having a disability that would affect their capacity to respond to an emergency situation, but shockingly only one out of four of them had made arrangements specific to their disability to help them respond safely in the event of an emergency. Our nation's emergency managers, firefighters, law enforcement offi- cers, EMT/paramedics, and other emergency responders do an in- credible job of keeping us safe, but they can't do it alone. We must all embrace our individual responsibil- ity to be prepared – in doing so, we contribute to the safety and security of the nation as well. Becoming more prepared in case of an emergency is easier than you might think. Whether it's your home, your neighborhood, your place of business, or your school, you can take a few simple steps to prepare your community. It is important to know what types of disasters can happen where you are. Is your home in a floodplain? Are you in an area that has earth- quakes? When are tornadoes most likely to happen? Knowing what di- sasters could happen can help you know how to be prepared and what to do. Contact your local American Red Cross or emergency manage- ment office to learn more about the disasters in your area. Meet with your family or household members. Discuss how to prepare and respond to emergencies that are most likely to happen where you live, learn, work, and play. Iden- tify responsibilities for each mem- ber of your household and plan to work together as a team. If a family member is in the military, plan how you would respond if they were de- ployed. TALKING ABOUT DISASTERS Talking about disasters can be scary, especially with children, or with someone who may have difficulty coping with daily life. Be open and positive. The unknown often causes more anxiety than knowing the facts. Listen to what the individual has to say, learn how they feel and what they may be afraid of. Older people and people with disabilities may worry that asking for help dur- ing a disaster will take away their independence. Talk about different options for assistance and make a plan with them. Choose two places for your family to meet. One should be right out- side your home in case of a sudden emergency, such as a fire. The other should be outside of your neigh- borhood, in case you cannot return home or are asked to evacuate. Decide where you would go and what route you would take to get there. You may choose to go to a ho- tel, stay with friends or family in a safe location, or go to a shelter. Hold evacuation drills at home. Practice getting out of the house quickly, and drive your planned evacuation route. The more you practice, the more confident you will be if you re- ally have to evacuate. FLOOD Elevate your home above the base flood level or take steps to floodproof. Elevate your utilities above the base flood level. Make sure you have adequate flood vent- ing. Use flood resistant building materials when you build or remod- el. Taking steps like these can lower your flood insurance rates. EARTHQUAKE Secure your furni- ture, appliances, and water heater to walls and floors. Install safety catches on cabinets and cupboard doors. Make sure your appliances are connected with flexible connec- tions. Consider using a safety film on your windows or installing lami- nated glass to prevent injuries from broken glass. Plan ahead for your pets. Due to health concerns, pets are not al- lowed in Red Cross shelters. Keep a phone list of pet-friendly hotels and animal shelters that are along your evacuation route in case a des- ignated pet shelter is not available. Contact your local humane society or animal shelter to ask if pet emer- gency shelters will be opened in a disaster. Get the toolkit with the basics for getting started at www.ready.gov. QUARTZSITE COMMUNITY THRIFT STORE 177 W. Main St. (end of Showplace Lane) Behind Silly Al's Pizza SUMMER HOURS April thru October Thurs. Fri. Sat. 9am-1pm Call us and schedule a donation pickup 928-927-6039 or 928-916-7338. 100% of our proceeds remain here in Quartzsite! WINTER HOURS November thru March Mon- Sat 9am-1pm

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