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Which item is NOT crucial to being prepared to deal with natural or manmade disasters?
Answer is B.
Stockpiling antibiotics is not recommended because it is impossible to predict
the exact nature of a disaster and there is not one antibiotic that effectively
treats all related sicknesses. In addition, inappropriate use of antibiotics can
potentially lead to dangerous side effects and also exacerbate the problem of
antibiotic resistant strains of many organisms.
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Everyone should have an emergency communications plan they carry
with them or can easily retrieve.
So hopefully your answer was A. Yes.
It is important that your emergency communications plan include a safe, secure, well known and accessible
primary meeting place plus a backup location that is NOT your home, workplace or the school your
children attend, since these locations may be disaster sites. A reliable point-of-contact outside
your local area that knows and is well known to all members of your circle can be a major asset in helping to
reunite members if local communication capability is not available. Each member should have access to a
list of important phone numbers that contains a brief reminder on what to do in case of an emergency and
a list of the pre-established meeting places including addresses and phone numbers, if available.
For more information and an easy-to-use communications plan template, visit
www.ready.gov.
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Which item should NOT be included in an emergency communications plan?
Answer is C.
An emergency communication plan should be flexible and accommodate unforeseen
conditions. Thus, inclusion of things like fixed places or times should be avoided. Each member
should have access to a written list of important numbers that contain reminders of what to do in an
emergency situation.
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If you are in the vicinity of dust clouds, a heavy concentration of particles in the air or
an explosion, it is a good idea to cover your nose and mouth with several layers of
cotton or an N95 class dust mask as soon as possible.
Answer is True.
A dust mask or several layers of a cotton material over your nose and mouth will help limit exposure
of your lungs to unhealthy particles. Although exposure to these particles may not
be lethal, they may be cancerous; therefore, it is best to minimize their
exposure to your respiratory system.
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The FIRST thing you should do if you are outside and see people suddenly getting violently
ill, choking or passing out is tie any available cotton fabric tightly over the nose and mouth to help filter
out particles from entering the lungs.
Answer is C.
Since cotton fabric or dust masks offer little protection
from chemicals or biological agents which are usually fast-acting, you should leave the area as quickly
as possible avoiding low lying places until you know what is causing the problem. On the chance you
may have been exposed to a chemical or biological agent, you should decontaminate by
thoroughly showering with plenty of clean water and soap as soon as possible.
After you decontaminate, you might consider sheltering on an upper floor inside a building to
prevent further exposure. Be sure to close and seal the doors and windows as well as shutting
off any type of ventilation systems, especially if the wind is
blowing toward you.
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Shout only as a LAST RESORT to alert rescuers of your presence if you become trapped under
debris.
Answer is C.
Shouting can cause you to
inhale dangerous amounts of dust. A dense-weave cotton material can act as a good filter,
so if available try to breathe through it. You should cover your nose and mouth with
anything you have on hand. Avoid unnecessary movement to minimize kicking up dust. To
signal your location to rescuers, tap on a pipe or wall or, if available, use a whistle and
flashlight
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Fluid obtained from radiators should not be consumed by humans or animals and is NEVER a good or safe
source for obtaining water to drink.
Answer is C.
Boiling potable water at a rolling boil for
a minimum of one (1) minute will kill harmful bacteria and parasites and
is the best method for treating water from a non-toxic source. You can also use regular household liquid
bleach that contains no soap or scent to kill harmful bacteria, but it will not kill parasitic organisms.
For each gallon of water, add sixteen drops (1/8
teaspoon) of bleach, stir and let stand for 30 minutes. If the
water does not have a slight taste or smell of chlorine, add another dose and let stand for
another 15 minutes.
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With the exception of service animals (such as guide dogs), pets are not typically permitted in emergency
shelters for health reasons. If you have pets, be sure to include
them in your Emergency Response Plan.
Answer is B.
Your emergency supply kit should include: 1) which
local hotels and motels allow pets and where pet boarding facilities are located (include some outside your
local area); 2) records to prove your pets vaccinations are current (required by most boarding facilities);
3) proper identification tags and a means to securely fasten them to the pets collar; 4) current photo
of your pets; 5) a secure pet carrier or leash to restrain them and keep them secure; and 6) a pet
disaster kit containing all the things needed for them to survive with you for three days including food,
water and medicines (American Red Cross
Dog First Aid
and
Cat First Aid
Manuals).
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Every family or individual should have an emergency kit.
So hopefully your answer was A. Yes.
It is important to have an emergency kit which includes all of the items in one
place and staged so that the contents can be easily moved to another
location if required. Kit should include supply of food and water, manual can opener,
matches, a first aid kit, battery powered radio, a flashlight, extra
batteries, blankets and/or protective clothing, prescription
medications and other items that are essential to health
and well being (including pets - see answer to question 8). For more information
and easy-to-use guidelines or template for creating and maintaining
an emergency kit, visit
www.ready.gov.
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Situation can exist which create a non-contagious epidemic
environment (i.e. situations where contaminant is not transmitted from
infected person to healthy person).
Answer is False.
Anthrax, Botulism and Salmonella are all examples of biological agents that could
create a non-contagious epidemic (i.e. not transmitted from infected person to
healthy person).
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A "dirty bomb" can needlessly increase fear and panic if too much is assumed based
on its name. The dust from it may
contaminate the surrounding area and cause radiological sickness in some
people, but the area may be only contaminated for a short period of time.
Answer is False.
People may be killed by the initial blast as they would with any bomb. A “dirty bomb”
is designed to disperse radioactive dust, thereby resulting
in monitors on the scene showing an increased level of radiation. Depending
on the amount of radiological material released, people exposed to the blast and/or
radioactive material may be subject to an increased risk of cancer over the course
of their lifetime, but it is highly unlikely that all of the exposed individuals will
die or even get cancer.
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The term "dirty bomb" is used to denote an explosive device that is
specifically designed to spread
radioactive materials over the targeted area.
Answer is D.
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As discussed in question 10, there are several biological agents (such as Anthrax) that
are not contagious.
Answer is D.
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Based on the typical characteristics associated with a TORANADO or sustained Hurricane
Level Winds:
Answer is B. Low.
You should shelter in a sturdy and well protected area away from
exterior windows and doors below ground level (basement), if possible,
or in a bathtub or under a strong door frame on the ground floor.
If there is sufficient time to prepare, you should bring all small objects
indoors and secure (tie down) any items that cannot be easily moved indoors
to reduce the chance of them becoming deadly flying projectiles.
As a minimum, you should have medications, water, a portable radio and extra batteries with you
so that you can monitor weather and emergency broadcasts.
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Based on the typical characteristics associated with FLOODING:
Answer is A. High.
For flooding associated with natural disasters, you should seek shelter
on the highest available ground around or the highest floor possible
(potentially the attic), if no other option exists. If an exit
from the attic onto the roof does not exist, be sure to bring something
that can be used to create an access hole through the roof.
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Based on the typical characteristics associated with a RADIOLOGICAL incident:
Answer is B. Low.
For a radiological or nuclear incident, you can reduce the exposure through shielding
(such a thick wall) and increasing the distance from the contaminant. Sheltering below
ground can offer an increased level of protection. However, the best shelter is one
that is convenient to get to quickly, can be easily sealed off and is large enough to
provide air to breathe for several hours.
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Based on the typical characteristics associated with a CHEMICAL or BIOLOGICAL
incident:
Answer is A. High.
In a biological incident, the biological substance will usually settle on the ground; in a chemical
attack, the contaminants would typically be distributed in aerosol
form that is heavier than air so it will settle to the ground;
and for chemical spills, you need to avoid direct contact and
quickly get as
far away from the incident as possible without risking potential
exposure to fumes (keep incident down wind), since depending on the
specific chemical, the fumes could either settle to the ground or
rise into the air. Thus, although in
most cases it would be best to shelter on the highest indoor level
that is secure, can be easily sealed off from outside air and
provides sufficient air to breath for several hours,
the best shelter is one that is convenient to get to quickly, can be easily sealed
off and is large enough to provide air to breathe for several hours.
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