Emergency Preparation

Several years ago, we had a disastrous tornado in Joplin, Mo. which prompted me to write a blog about  emergency preparation (Click Here). Recently we had another in Oklahoma and some of us have spent quite a bit of time in our basements this week.

Although usually stored in the laundry room near the garage, we also carry these bins to the basement with us when there is a tornado warning.  At the suggestion of our TV weather people, we have added dust masks and sunblock to these bins. The newspeople also suggest boots and gloves go to your tornado shelter.

Not only do we carry these to our basement for tornados, we travel with them on vacations. We also throw in an extra pair of boots and gloves into the car when it isn't summer.

A few weeks ago, the emergency committee at St. Mark Presbyterian met for dinner mostly to touch base, but also to remind us of our assignments and to change batteries!  If you would like to be on our committee, please contact Bob Lienemann or the office.  We have committees for first aid, registration, recreation, dormitory,  and food preparation to name a few of the sub-committees.  Soon, the bulletin and newsletter will have a list of items you should keep in your home emergency kit.

Linda and Lynn Sallee sent this out as a follow up:

Thank you to the volunteers who joined us last night at the St. Mark -Red Cross emergency shelter meeting. We enjoyed a wonderful meal from Marie Holt and her kitchen staff and discussed planning ahead for the next year.

 Important items were :

1.  Bob Lienemann stepped forward to replace the retiring shelter managers Lynn and Linda Sallee. Bob is well trained and versed in emergency management with his military and Homeland Security background. Welcome Bob and thank you.

2.  After two plus years of existence, it's time to update our volunteer data base and invite new people to join our mission.

3.  We discussed the need to revisit the household shelters and storm survival supplies for the congregation-----look for that program in the Sunday bulletins and newsletter.

4.  Fall was targeted as a time for the next drill and practice-----------------watch for more details regarding dates.

5.  If you have radios, walky-talkies, flashing lights or other battery powered devises to donate to the shelter effort------throw away battery units are preferred to "rechargeable" because they can be active immediately with new batteries----not a charging period.

For more information on Tornado safety from the Red Cross, click here.