What to Do

Emergency Kit

Build a Kit

What you have on hand when a disaster strikes can make a big difference. Plan to store enough supplies for at least three days for everyone in your household, including any necessary items for infants, seniors and people with disabilities.

• Water – Store at least one gallon per person per day
• Food – Pack non-perishable, high-protein items including energy bars, ready-to-eat soup, peanut butter, etc. Select foods that require no refrigeration, preparation or cooking and little or no water
• Flashlight – Be sure to include extra batteries
• First Aid Kit – Include bandages, sterile gloves, antibiotic ointment and first aid instructions
• Battery-Operated Radio – Include extra batteries
• Tools – Pack a wrench to turn off gas if necessary, manual can opener, screwdriver, hammer, pliers, pocket knife, whistle in case you become buried in rubble
• Extra keys to your house and vehicle
• Plastic sheeting and duct tape to protect against biochemicals
• Garbage bags with ties in case there are no usable toilets
• Clothing
  • Store a change of clothes for everyone in the family
  • Sturdy shoes and gloves
• Personal Items
  • Remember eyeglasses or contact lenses and solution
  • Copies of important papers including ID cards, insurance policies, birth certificates, passports, etc.
  • Comfort items for children such as plush animals and photographs
  • Extra prescribed medications
• Sanitary Supplies
  • Toilet paper
  • Towelettes
  • Feminine supplies
  • Personal hygiene items
  • Unscented liquid bleach
• Money – Keep small denominations of cash. ATMS, gas pumps and credit cards won’t work if the power is out. Be sure to keep quarters in your kit to use in pay phones, which may be more reliable than cell phones during a disaster
• Contact Information – Carry a current list of family phone numbers and email addresses. Be sure to include someone from out of the area who may be easier to reach if local phone lines are out of service or overloaded
• Pet Supplies – Include food, water, leash, litter box or plastic bags, ID tags, medications and vaccination information
• Map – Consider marking an evacuation route from your neighborhood
• Store your disaster supplies in a sturdy but easy-to-carry container such as a large backpack or duffel bag.
• Replace certain supplies, such as water and food, every six months.
• Keep a smaller version of the kit in your vehicle. If you become stranded or are not able to return home, having some items with you will help you be more comfortable until help arrives.

Evacuation

Be sure to include evacuation as part of your family emergency plan. Choose in advance several potential places to which to evacuate – a friend’s home in another town, a motel or a shelter that may be identified after a specific emergency incident.

• If you are told to evacuate by local officials, leave immediately.
• Wear sturdy shoes and appropriate clothing
• Take your emergency supply kit
• Lock your home
• Leave a note telling others when you left and where you are going
• Follow all instructions given by public safety official and use only authorized routes
• Once you are safe, call an out-of-state contact with information about where you are and how you can be reached

Telephone

Plan for how you will communicate with loved ones after a disaster

• Long-distance phone lines often work before local phone lines. Identify an out-of-state contact and provide that person with the contact information of people you want to keep informed of your situation. Share this information with local family, friends and neighbors
• Avoid making non-urgent phone calls after a disaster. Even if phone lines are in good working order, increased phone traffic may jam circuits
• Don’t rely on your cell phone after a disaster. Cell towers may have been damaged or destroyed during the incident; even if a cell tower is not damaged, increased traffic on cell phone networks can quickly overload wireless capacity
• Cordless phones require electricity. Make sure you have a backup phone that requires no electricity
• Keep coins in your emergency supply kit. Pay phones are more likely to work before other phone lines
• After an earthquake, check all your telephones to make sure they haven’t shaken off the hook

Power Loss

Prepare for Power Outages

• Sign up for local emergency alerts at http://www.cityofpasadena.net/fire/pleas/ and http://www.nixle.com
• If your health depends on medical equipment powered by electricity, send a signed statement on letterhead from your doctor to:
  

  Pasadena Water and Power
  Attention: Medical Equipment List
  150 S. Los Robles Ave., Suite 300
  Pasadena CA 91101

• If you have medication that requires refrigeration, check with your pharmacist for guidance on proper storage during an extended power outage
• Restock your emergency preparedness kit with enough non-perishable food, water, warm clothes, weather protection, hygiene items, medical supplies and additional batteries to last at least 72 hours, bearing in mind that power outages could last weeks in some disaster scenarios
• Keep flashlights, ice chests and manual hand cranks for mobile communication devices on hand, all of which are useful during extended power outages
• If you have an electric garage door, know the process for operating it manually
• Keep a non-cordless telephone in your home. It is likely to work even when power is out
• Always keep your vehicle’s gas tank at least half full. Pumps at gas stations will not be working during power outages
• Keep some cash, preferably in small bills, in a hidden location in your home. ATMs will not be working during power outages Also keep some quarters in a hidden location. If your home and/or cell phones don’t work in a power outage, you may need to find a pay phone in an area where power is on
• Share your emergency communications and shelter plans with family, friends, coworkers and neighbors. Record their contact information on paper and in your cell phone

Stay Safe During Power Outages

• Call 9-1-1 if you have a life-threatening emergency or if someone in your household is on life support
• Call 9-1-1 if you see a downed power line; stay clear of it and anything touching it. Always assume that a power line is live and hazardous. Downed cable and telephone wires can also be hazardous
• Call (626) 744-4673 to report a power outage
• For your security, do not post your outage location in online public forums or social media sites
• NEVER attempt to remove fallen trees that are touching power lines. Pasadena Water and Power (PWP) crews and licensed Arborists have expert training in safely removing trees from power lines
• If a power line falls on your vehicle while you are in it, do not get out of the car. Wait for emergency responders
• If you use a generator during an outage, keep it outdoors and connect it directly to appliances using a heavy-duty extension cord
  NEVER connect a generator directly to house wiring; this is extremely dangerous to power crews working on lines and poses a fire hazard to property
• Only PWP is authorized to reconnect service lines to properties and only licensed electricians may repair service panels. For your safety and the safety of PWP crews, NEVER attempt to reconnect power lines or electric service panels.
• NEVER attempt to open boxes at the base of street light poles to string wire from a box to a home or business. The voltage in these boxes is much too high for individual homes. This practice is illegal as well as extremely hazardous to people and structures.
• Unplug appliances, computers, lamps and other electrical equipment to prevent power surges that can damage them. Leave one low-watt light on so you’ll know when power has been restored.
• Keep refrigerator doors closed and, if available, place blocks of ice or bags of ice inside to preserve food freshness. Check food carefully for spoilage before eating.
• Do not use candles indoors. This may result in fire. Use flashlights or battery-operated lanterns instead.
• NEVER use propane- or other gas-powered outdoor cooking or outdoor heating devices indoors. They can emit deadly gases such as carbon monoxide.
• Stay alert while driving. Traffic signals may be out, compromised trees may fall and debris may block roadways. If traffic signals are out, treat them as stop signs.
• Check on neighbors who may require special assistance, especially senior citizens, persons with disabilities and minors who may be home alone.
• Call 9-1-1 if you witness suspicious activity. Criminals may take advantage of power outages.
• Beware of scams. For example, never trust anyone who approaches private property and attempts to collect money for permit fees or restoration of power. Call the Pasadena Police Department at (626) 744-4241 to report suspected scammers