Army National Guard Captain Rafael Castillo and Patrick Beckley of the Long Island Office of Emergency Management visited the SCHOA clubhouse on May 20, 2015 to provide a comprehensive course for over 25 residents regarding Emergency Preparedness. They listed those possible emergencies as natural (hurricanes, etc.), manmade (terrorism, etc.), and technological disasters.

Highlights of the presentation are listed below, and more information can be found on several websites provided by the presenters, such as www.prepare.ny.gov and www.nyalert.gov

The presenters recommended that everyone should have……

• a 7 10 day collection of emergency supplies, especially canned goods, can opener, water
• a family emergency plan
• a plan to care for pets
• two places to meet with family, both at the home and outside it
• a designated contact person 50 or more miles away
• a cell phone equipped for Wireless Emergency Alerts
• smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers
• a list of disaster assistance programs available in the community
• comprehensive lists and photographic records of all household valuables, and
  it is recommended that this list be emailed to oneself for future access
• copies/photos of important documents, such as driver’s license, passport, insurance policies, bank accounts, birth certificates, telephone numbers, doctor information, etc.