D I SA S TE R M A N A G E M EN T

PROGRAM
NSTP
DISASTER PREPARATION AND RESPONSE
For Earthquakes, Fires, and Tornadoes
1. Learn how to shut off gas, water and electrical utilities.
2. Secure shelves and heavy objects that could cause injury
3. Keep an emergency kit stocked with supplies to last at least three
days. Replace supplies regularly. Your supplies should at least
include the following:
a. Two to four quarts of water per person per day.
b. First-aid kit.
c. Packaged/canned non-perishable food and opener
d. Blanket/sleeping bags
e. Plastic bags to store waste
f. Small radio with batteries/cell phones
4. Renew prescriptions for essential medications so that you always
have 7-10 day supply on hand.
5. Plan with family on what to do if you cannot go home.
During a Natural Disaster
1.Stay Calm. Check for and treat injuries.
2.Check for gas or water leaks and fire. If suspect a gas leak, turn
off the gas.
3.Listen to the emergency broadcast system.
4.Update the information Bulletin/news.
General Common Safety and Health Regulations (Rosenberge &
Dougherty, 1996)
Fire drill/Scape plan
1. Plan with everyone an escape route from each in the house.
2. Plan an alternate escape route from each room in case one route is blocked by fire.
3. Avoid using interior stairways and open halls for escape routes, as fire and smoke
collect in this area.
4. Have each member of the household practice rolling out of bed, and then crawling
along the escape route.
5. Practice everyone to feel for the handle if it is hot; if so, then try to
use another route.
6. Keep a working flashlight in all rooms. Fire could happen in pitch
black, and a flashlight could make a difference in your scape.
7. Make sure everyone practices opening all doors, widows, and
screens in all escape routes.
8. Stress the importance of closing all the doors behind them as
they leave the home.
9. Determine how the client, especially small children, the elderly or
disabled person, will escape and how they are to be assisted.
Practice this procedure dozens of time.
10. Anyone upon getting out of a burning building should
call the fire department.
11. Establish a crucial meeting place such as under a
lamppost or the front lawn, and stay there. Never go back
inside a burning building.
12. Check to see if it is safe to escape via a window; if it is
too high, place a rectangular folding ladder on certain
windows
13. Practice stuffing cloth around the door jambs to keep
out smoke in case someone is trapped in a room.
Role of CWTS in children’s fire safety
1. Conduct a fire drill, routinely yet seriously, every three months with the children.
2. Keep all matches out of reach of children, and teach them to tell you if they find some.
3. Instruct the children to call for help if they see even a small fire. Teach them to call 117
for even the smallest emergencies.
4. Tell children not to hide when they see a fire. Instead, they should shout “fire” as loud
as long as they possibly can.
5. Show or demonstrate to children the dangers of fire; never assume that they know
already.
6. Teach by example, and always be careful in handling fires.
Role of CWTS in the Physically challenged/elderly’s fire safety.
1. Together conduct a fire drill every three months.
2. Help the older person to develop confidence in opening and climbing out
of the window.
3. Be prepared to drag them with a blanket if necessary.
4. Practice as well, using wet clothes, press over their noses and mouths of
the physically challenged/elderly to keep them from breathing smoke.
Wet clothes can likewise block smoke from seeping through the door.
Teach them how to signal to other people outside the house and to call
117 if needed.
5. Place on the bedside table essential things such as whistle, eyeglasses,
flashlights, telephones, canes, and walkers. Always minimize obstacles along
the path of scape. Encourage them to live in/occupy ground floor rooms facing
the street.
6. Keep at least three feet of clear space around space heaters; never use
them to dry clothes.
7. Check electric blankets every three months.
8. Never add anything over electric blankets as this could cause them to
overheat.
9. Fireplaces should be guarded, and the fire should be put out before anyone
goes to sleep.
10. Provide large ashtrays for smoking clients. Separate the ashes from the
regular trash, and double-check the area where the smoker has been for
anything smoldering.
Common Safety and Health Regulations for the Home
Garden
1. Always lock up shed and garages where you keep garden chemicals and dangerous
tools. Don’t leave gardening tools lying around.
2. Make sure you don’t grow poisonous plants.
3. Teach your child not to eat any plants or berries from the garden.
4. Cover garden pools and rainwater butts securely or get rid of them.
5. Never leave buckets of water lying around.
6. Supervise children’s water play at all time.
7. Fit a child-proof catch to the garden gate.
8. Make sure that children don’t play with cat’s and dog’s poop/waste. Keep sandpits
covered.
9. Always use a pram net to protect your baby from insects.
Bathroom
1. Keep all medicines and cosmetics, household cleaners, and razor
blades well out of reach of children. Put them preferably in a cupboard
with a child.
2. Run the bath before the child gets in and make sure that the water is
not too hot. Never leave your child unattended in the bath as he/she
could drown in even a few centimeters of water. Never use a portable
electric fire in the bathroom. Adjust the thermostat so the water never
gets dangerously hot.
3. Keep the toilet seat down.
Living Room
1. Keep all breakable objects out of reach of children.
2. Use cable clips to secure trailing flexes.
3. Disconnect your television when not in use.
4. Don’t put hot drinks on table and keep alcoholic drinks out of reach of
children.
5. Never hold or pass hot drinks over your baby.
6. Make sure that the rugs do not slip under
7. Make sure shelves and bookcases are secure and cannot be pulled off, or
cannot fall over.
Hallway and Stairs
1. Keep hallways well-lit. Never leave toys lying around where you could trip
over them.
2. Check if banisters are secure and that a small child can’t get between the
rails.
3. Always use a safety gate on top of the stairs and make sure it is closed at
night in case a young child gets out of bed unassisted.
4. Don’t let your child carry knives, scissors, pointed pencils and other sharp
objects.
Bedrooms
1.Don’t leave cosmetics, perfumes, breakables, nail scissors, and
the like within a child’s reach.
2.Make sure that wardrobe doors can be opened from the inside
in case your child gets shut in. Make sure cupboards are not top-
heavy and cannot be pulled off, or cannot fall over.
3.Don’t leave an electric blanket on if the child is alone in the
room.
4.Disconnect and put away electrical equipment such as hair
dryers when not in use.
Children’s Room
1. Make sure that all equipment is stable and toys are safe.
2. Store any toys which contain tiny detachable pieces out of reach of small
children.
3. Never use a pillow for a baby under one year old.
4. Never put your child to sleep with a bib on, or a garment with drawstrings
around the neck.
5. Put away open bottles or containers with hot water before you tuck in
your baby or child to bed.
 
Kitchen
1. When possible, keep your child out of the kitchen.
2. Keep all bleach, household cleaners, and detergents out of reach of children. Put
them preferably in a locked cupboard.
3. Turn all saucepan handles inwards and fit a hob guard. Don’t let your child play with
the knobs.
4. Never leave a chip pan unattended.
5. Make your child is sitting at the table or harnessed in his/her high chair before you
leave him/her for a moment.
6. Always disconnect electrical appliances when not in use.
7. Avoid excessively polished and loose mat or rugs.
8. Don’t use long tablecloths that your child can pull easily.
9. Never leave an iron or bottle which a child can pull down accidentally.