Families should develop a disaster plan - Your Life

Should disaster ever strike, there is a proven way to help families find calm and reassurance, suggests Patrick Tiner, a faculty associate in psychiatry at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. He recommends that they should find their loved ones--immediately. "As a long-time disaster-relief volunteer, I've seen over and over how important being able to communicate with family members is in a disaster. People at the disaster site are worried about their loved ones and don't know whether they're dead or alive, and those watching the news on TV or hearing radio reports also are very frantic."

To facilitate communication with those most important to him, Tiner carries a small, laminated informational card at all times, as does his wife, 13-year-old daughter, and 19-year-old son, who is away at college. It lists the numbers for home and office phones, cell phones, pagers, and any other means of contacting family members and close friends, whether they are nearby or elsewhere.

Tiner indicates that such cards can provide an important link in situations as varied as terrorist attacks, air disasters, floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes. Friends and family--especially those who live outside the area--can serve as an informational "clearinghouse" for on-site family members who may become separated, a fact hammered home in the aftermath of Sept. 11. "One thing we learned at Ground Zero is that all communications aren't necessarily cut off. We had people able to make calls out of the area and even around the country while we were shut out in the area of the attack."

Besides the cards, his family's personal emergency plan includes always having a fully stocked first-aid kit, maps, flashlights, and extra batteries in each of their vehicles. He also suggests toys and books for families with small children, but warns against keeping food and water--even in bottles and cans--for extended periods because of the possibility of food poisoning.

If there is ample emergency warning, add items like blankets and pillows, heavy coats during cold weather, snack foods, cases of bottled water, boxes of crackers, and perhaps some canned goods. "And don't forget the can opener," Tiner stresses.

For further information, Tiner recommends the American Red Cross brochure on family disaster planning, "Terrorism: Preparing for the Unexpected." The free publication can be obtained online at www.redcross.org or by calling 202-728-6401.

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