Emergency preparedness class teaches residents safety

A crowd of around 20 people gathered in the basement of the Tusten Town Hall building on June 8 to learn how to prepare for different emergencies.

The Upper Delaware Council (UDC) and the New York National Guard hosted a free class which prepared attendees for situations like inclement weather, fires and terrorist attacks. 

Sergeant Jennifer Caoili explained to participants that an inclement weather disaster can lead to a technological disaster, which means the WiFi or power could go out. 

To prepare for this, it’s important to have an emergency meeting place with your family, she continued. A place just outside the house like a local McDonald’s where all members can easily get to and remember is helpful.

Also helpful for any disaster is an emergency kit, Caoili said. Things like pet supplies, a document holder, water and hygiene items should go in the kit.

“Make sure you keep your hygiene going—your family members will be happier with you,” she joked.

It's important to keep in mind different household needs and stages of life, Caoili added. A baby will need different items in an emergency than a senior. She advised attendees not to overpack the kit, as it will need to be carried in an emergency. Taking pictures of a residence before a disaster is also a good idea for insurance, Caoili stated.

Captain Kyle Kilner then took to the podium to explain to participants some fire safety tips. There are three different categories of fire (A, B and C) and they are all put out different ways, but can usually all be put out with an extinguisher if the letters are all listed on the packaging. 

To use a fire extinguisher, audience members can remember the acronym PASS, which stands for “Pull pin, Aim nozzle, Squeeze handle and Sweep base of the fire” according to Kilner.

Fire blankets can be used for type B fires, which are grease and oil fires. Caoili added that she had recently got her daughter one as a stocking stuffer for Christmas, which was “not her favorite gift”.

Testing smoke alarms regularly and only using verified chargers is a great way to prevent lithium-ion battery fires, which spread 3 times faster than other fires.

“Would that fire blanket work on a lithium ion fire?” one attendee asked.

Kilner explained that while it would keep it at bay for a bit, it would not put it out completely as it is an internal fire. The best thing to do during a lithium ion fire is to grab an extinguisher and call the fire department, he stated. 

In talking about suspicious activity, Kilner stated that many perpetrators of violent crimes often act suspicious prior to the crime. Any suspicious activity can be reported on the See Something, Send Something app anonymously. In case of a shooting, the safest corners to hide are usually adjacent to the shooter, as it is harder for the perpetrator to see and shoot those victims. 

After the class, all participants were given a free go-kit backpack which contained goggles, a fire blanket, a flashlight, a whistle, gloves and more. 

More emergency safety tips can be found at https://www.dhses.ny.gov/before-emergency