I want to open this week’s article with an invitation to an upcoming event. 

Brookings Family Bash will be at the Dakota Nature Park on Sept. 23 from 5 to 7 p.m. The event offers a free meal, music, games and prizes and more. This is a great family friendly event, just please leave your pets at home.   

Back by popular demand is “Tommy the Turtle” from the South Dakota Office of Emergency Management. Tommy is looking forward to meeting all of you and discussing preparedness for tornadoes, winter storms, floods and fire safety. Stop by the Brookings County Emergency Management table to see Tommy and myself. We’ll have some things for your take home bag.

I have worked for Brookings County for the past 25 years, but the following information also pertains to surrounding counties.

My aim is not to scare, but to inform you to be aware of your everyday surroundings. Today’s world is full of chemicals; we use them daily at work and at home. Although these chemicals make our lives easier, they also represent a potential hazard. Hazardous materials travel through our county daily via automobiles, tanker trucks and trains. This could include anything from gasoline or explosives to toxic waste. In eastern South Dakota there is Interstate 29 running north to south and U.S. Highway 14 running east to west. 

Then we have the Rapid City, Pierre and Eastern Railroad. These transportation throughfares transport every type of hazardous cargo. Yes, they are regulated by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Railroad Administration and their state equivalents. But what happens when there is an accident? 

Our great first responders respond and protect us. So far, knock on wood, we have not had a community evacuation due to a transportation accident. 

You might have also noticed a few large manufacturing and agricultural facilities throughout the area. We have a good safety record in the area — because we prepare.  Each large manufacturing facility has its own safety plan and perform exercises to ensure that its plant is safe.

The counties in my opinion do well in permitting facilities in the rural areas and the municipalities permit facilities in their cities.  Planning and Zoning is an important tool to keep our communities safe.

Besides the items listed above, most people also have chemicals in their homes and businesses. If they are used per the safety labels attached to each container, they are safe. Often a label gets removed and sometimes someone forgets what is in the container —this poses a danger. Buy only as much chemical as you use immediately.  Once opened or used most chemicals will start to break down and will lose their initial strength.

I want to finish this part by saying that you do not need to fear living life, just be aware everyday activities can become dangerous if someone gets careless.

In last week’s article we discussed making an emergency kit. This week the focus is on additional emergency supplies and how to safety store them. 

Documents

Think about the documents you would need to identify yourself and your household members, including children and pets, your relationships, or status. 

These may include:

•  Vital records: Birth, marriage, divorce certificate, adoption, child custody papers, passports, driver’s licenses, Social Security cards, green cards and military service identification. Don’t forget your pets identification and vaccination records.
• Housing: Lease or rental agreement, mortgage, home equity line of credit, and deed.
• For your vehicles: Loan documents, VIN, registration, and titles.
• Other financial obligations: Utility bills, credit cards, student loans, alimony, child support, elder care, automatic payments such as gym memberships Financial Accounts: checking, savings, debit cards, retirement, investment Insurance Policies: homeowners, renters, auto, life, flood, appraisals, photos, and lists of valuable items.
• Sources of income: Pay stubs, government benefits, alimony, child support Tax Statements: Federal/state income tax returns, property tax, and vehicle tax.
• Estate planning: Will, trusts and power of attorney.
• Financial, legal: If your home or income is impacted by a disaster, you will need documentation to request assistance from insurance providers and from government disaster assistance programs.

Medical

• Health/dental insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, and VA health benefits if you have qualified.
• List of medications, immunizations, allergies, prescriptions, medical equipment and devices, and pharmacy information.
• Living will, and medical power of attorney.
• Caregiver agency contract or service agreement.
• Disabilities documentation.
• Contact information for doctors/specialists, dentists, pediatricians, and veterinarians.

Protect your documents

Once you have gathered your documents, safeguard them. Consider a waterproof box or safe, a bank safe deposit box, or with a trusted friend or relative. If you are using a safe deposit box, check laws on who can access.

Store electronic copies of important documents in a password-protected format on a removable flash or external hard drive in your fireproof and waterproof box or safe or consider using a secure cloud-based service. Think about where you store valuable belongings and ways to better protect these items. 

Until then, keep an eye on the sky.

Bob the EM