Hurricane Season for Volunteers
Volunteer
The Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness has communicated to Common Ground organizers that they expect 5-7 city-wide mandatory evacuations this year. Common Ground stands in solidarity with survivors and therefore our resources will be directed toward creating a resident emergency preparedness and evacuation plan. As a volunteer, we ask that you act in solidarity with this effort and come prepared to take care of and evacuate yourself. To this end, we are asking all volunteers who are considering coming down to do the following:
- Travel by car so that you can evacuate easily and independently. We realize that this is difficult for some people; therefore we ask any volunteer who is driving down to post their information on the Rides Forum at our website http://www.commongroundrelief.org/phpbb/ so that others can carpool with you. This ensures that we have enough cars to take care of all the volunteers and can use the few buses we hope to obtain to evacuate residents who have no other resources.
- Attend a First Aid Training before coming down. This does not mean that you would be expected to perform medical duties for residents, but rather that you would be capable of handling small problems that you or your friends may encounter. The medical personnel are going to be swamped by need during any evacuation and we don't want our volunteers to tax an already over-stretched system. You can find Red Cross trainings near you by going to www.redcross.org and entering your zip code. A Standard First Aid class would be helpful, with CPR or AED training as an extra bonus. You can find more radical and perhaps cheaper street medic trainings in some cities by checking out the following links:
Black Cross Health Collective: http://blackcrosscollective.org/
MANY - Medical Activists of New York: http://www.takethestreets.org
Boston Area Liberation Medic (BALM) Squad: http://www.bostoncoop.net/balm/
Bay Area Radical Health Collective: http://barhc.w2c.net/ - Bring your own Emergency Preparation Kit. (see below) This list was compiled based on recommendations from the New Orleans city government, the Red Cross and individuals who were here during Katrina. Please bring everything on the list and keep it in your car or easily accessible with your belongings.
Please realize that you are entering a disaster zone and you must be able to take care of yourself. We ask you to be self-motivated in terms of reading our evacuation plan and doing your part to make sure you know what you would do in the case of an evacuation. There isn't anyone to check up on you or do it for you. Our goal is for Common Ground to contribute to the residents' ability to evacuate safely and efficiently; by being confident in our own disaster preparation, we are ensuring that this will be the case.
Emergency Preparation Kit for Volunteers
Store your supplies in a sturdy but easy-to-carry container such as a large covered trash container, overnight backpack or small duffle bag.
- Water. Have at least one gallon per person, per day. Stored in sealed, unbreakable containers
- Food. A supply of non-perishable packaged or canned food and a non-electric can opener. Select foods that require no refrigeration and little or no water. For example, energy pars, ready-to-eat soup, peanut butter, etc.
- Flashlight. Include extra batteries.
- First Aid Kit (see below)
- Medications. Don't forget prescription and non-prescription items. Be sure to fill up prescriptions in advance and have extra copies as well - it can be time-consuming to get them written or filled in New Orleans.
- Battery-operated radio. Include extra batteries.
- Tools. Wrench, manual can-opener, screwdriver, hammer, pliers, a knife, duct tape, plastic sheeting, garbage bags and ties, matches and/or lighter in waterproof box.
- Clothing. Pack a change of clothing, rain gear, sturdy shoes and gloves.
- Personal Items Eyeglasses or contact lenses and solution; important documents (or at least copies) such as driver's license, ID card, passport, health insurance, medical information, etc. in water-proof containers; comfort items such as books, cards, etc.
- Bedding. Blankets or sleeping bag.
- Sanitary supplies. Toilet paper, towelettes, tampons/pads, hand sanitizer, personal hygiene items such as toothbrush, etc.
- Money. Have cash as well as extras or copies of your credit or ATM cards. (Those cards won't work if the power is out, but may be helpful wherever you evac to)
- Contact Information. Carry a current list of family phone numbers and email addresses. You may not be able to charge your cell phone, so be sure to have a hard copy of numbers of important friends and family.
- Pet supplies. Food, water, leash, litter box or plastic bags, any medications and vaccination information.
- Map. Of at least the state - consider marking an evacuation route on it. For New Orleans' recommended evac route, go to http://www.ohsep.louisiana.gov//evacinfo/no_contraflow.htm
First Aid Kit: Any standard pre-packaged 1st aid kit will probably have most of the following items already but double-check just in case. It's often cheaper to build one yourself from items you already own. Your Emergency 1st Aid
Kit should include:
- Sterile band aids in assorted sizes
- 2-inch & 3-inch sterile gauze pads
- Hypoallergenic adhesive tape
- Triangular bandages
- 2-inch & 3-inch sterile roll bandages
- Scissors
- Tweezers
- Needle
- Safety razor blade
- Bar of soap
- Moistened towelettes
- Antiseptic spray
- Thermometer
- Tongue blades and wooden applicator sticks
- Tube petroleum jelly or other lubricant
- Safety pins in assorted sizes
- Cleansing agent/soap
- Latex gloves
- 1st Aid Reference Guide
Non-Prescription Drugs such as:
- Aspirin or non-aspirin pain reliever
- Anti-diarrhea medication
- Antacid (for stomach upset)
- Emetic (use to induce vomiting if advised by Poison Control Center)
- Laxative
- Eye Wash
- Rubbing alcohol
- Antiseptic or hydrogen peroxide
- Activated charcoal (use if advised by the Poison Control Center)