SOLDIER & FAMILY TOOLKIT
1/34 ARMORED BRIGADE COMBAT TEAM Volume 33, December 2014
The Emergency Preparedness Issue 1
From the Editor: Thanks for reading our Soldier Family Toolkit. The intent of this toolkit is to provide you with available events, deals, resources, and important information. The summer of 2012, I was staying in a hotel in the Twin Cities. It was the first time I had been away from home since my husband came back from a year-long deployment. He was watching our 15 month-old daughter. As I was getting ready in the morning, I turned on the news. My city was under siege by the greatest flooding it has ever seen. The neighborhood next to mine was being evacuated and many houses were a total loss. A few months prior, I had done a threat assessment for our house. Never did I think to include the possibility of an escaped polar bear from the zoo in my threat assessment. The freeway was closed and three of the four roads to my neighborhood were completely washed out and destroyed. One thing that gave me piece of mind was that I had an evacuation kit in my basement and my husband could grab it and take our daughter and pets to a safer place. As the winter storm season just starting, please take this time to prepare. It could save your life or that of someone close to you. Thanks for reading.
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IN THIS ISSUE 3 BEYOND THE YELLOW RIBBON EVENTS & DEALS 4 MOA HOLIDAY FOR HEROS EVENT FLYER 5 EMERGENCY PREP TIPS 6 MILITARY ONESOURCE ARTICLES 10 HEALTHY HABITS 12 RESOURCE LINKS 13 FAMILY ASSISTANCE CENTERS
HOME FRONT EVENTS & DEALS www.BeyondTheYellowRibbon.org Check out the Beyond the Yellow Ribbon website and sign up for exclusive email updates on monthly local Beyond the Yellow Ribbon events and deals.
Spirit Mountain Season Passes Enjoy a season of skiing and snowboarding! Spirit Mountain in Duluth is offering discounts on season passes to Servicemembers and veterans. There are also other season pass options for families and college students. More Info: Website Drop-In Legal Clinic for Veterans When: Dec. 9, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Where: VA Medical Center, Minneapolis About: Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans invites you to participate in a free drop-in legal clinic for veterans. More Info: Flyer Disney on Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy When: Dec. 11 to 14, 2014 Where: Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul About: Rev up for non-stop fun with four of your favorite Disney stories at Disney on Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy. Thrill to high-speed stunts as Lightning McQueen, Mater and the crew of Disney/Pixar's Cars race across the ice. More Info: Flyer Military Children's Christmas Party When: Dec. 14, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Where: Apple Valley American Legion About: The Apple Valley American Legion is hosting a Military Children's Christmas party for children up to 12 years of age. Enjoy an afternoon of games, crafts, a photo booth, and a visit from St. Nick! There will be a gift for every child. More Info: Flyer
Drop-In Legal Clinic for Veterans When: Dec. 16, 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Where: St. Cloud VA About: Minnesota Assistance Council for veterans invites you to participate in a free drop-in legal clinic for veterans. More Info: Flyer Cirque du Soleil - Varekai When: Dec. 25 to Dec. 28, 2014 Where: Target Center, Minneapolis About: Cirque du Soleil is pleased to announce that its newest arena show, Varekai, will be performing at Target Center over the holiday season. More Info: Flyer Website Trans-Siberian Orchestra When: Dec. 30, 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Where: Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul About: Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) will wrap up 2014 by performing their rock opera The Christmas Attic live for two spectacular shows at the Xcel Energy Center. Discount tickets on select seating is available until Dec. 19, 2014 online or via the attached order form. More Info: Flyer Website Veterans Appreciation Ride When: Jan. 10, 2014 Where: Silver Bay, Minnesota About: Join MnUSA for the 7th Annual Veterans Appreciation Ride. All veterans are welcome to enjoy a day of snowmobiling, one night's lodging and a meal. Bring your own sled or if you don't have equipment, there will be snowmobiles, helmets, and clothing available. More Info: Flyer
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MILITARYONESOURCE ARTICLE Important Documents for Your Emergency Preparedness Kit Natural and man-made disasters can strike at any time and in any location. Having a disaster preparedness kit with ample food and supplies can help reduce your family's stress and help to get you back on your feet. In addition to food and supplies, you should consider the following important documents to include as well. Important legal documents Birth certificate(s), adoption papers, marriage license or divorce papers. If you need additional copies of these legal documents, contact the appropriate state health or Social Services Administration Office. If these life events occurred in different states, you may need to contact each state individually. Social security card(s). United States citizens who receive income are required to have a social security number. If you do not have a copy of your social security card, you can request new/replacement cards by calling your local social security office or by visiting the Social Security Administration website. Passport. A copy of your passport will expedite obtaining a replacement passport if needed. More information about obtaining a passport is available at the State Department Bureau of Consular Affairs website. Naturalization documents. If you were not born in the United States, your naturalization documents are the only acceptable proof of citizenship. More information is available on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website. Last will and testament. A last will and testament, or will, is a declaration that states how a person wishes his or her property to be disposed of after his or her death. You can receive assistance on drafting or updating a will through your nearest military Legal Assistance Office. You can find the contact information of your local Legal Assistance Office through the MilitaryINSTALLATIONS application, under the program/ service "Legal Services/JAG" or through the Armed Forces Legal Assistance Legal Services Locator application. Living will. A living will, or advance medical directive, is a written document that allows you to describe what medical treatments you do or do not want in case of a serious terminal illness. It only takes effect if you are unable to express your wishes in some other way. Living wills also allow you to identify another person who should make medical decisions for you if you are unable to make them on your own. You can receive assistance on drafting or updating a living will through your nearest military Legal Assistance Office. Power of attorney. A power of attorney is a written document that gives another person the authority to act on your behalf for any legal or economic issues for a specified period of time. You can receive assistance on drafting or updating a power of attorney through your nearest military Legal Assistance Office. Property deeds and titles. If you own your home(s) or vehicle(s), you should include a copy of your mortgage or deed of trust, as well as any vehicle titles. If you need a copy of your mortgage or deed of trust, contact your lending institution. Proof of home ownership may be required in order to receive federal disaster assistance. If you do not have your car ownership papers, you should be able to get a reissued vehicle title or registration from your local Department of Motor Vehicles. 6
MILITARYONESOURCE ARTICLE Important Documents for Your Emergency Preparedness Kit Important financial documents Tax statements. If possible, include a copy of your previous year's tax returns, any property tax statements and any personal property tax statements. A copy of your tax returns from the previous year may be required to apply for new loans and to verify qualification for income-based assistance. Statements from financial accounts. Bank and credit union statements, credit/debit card statements, retirement account statements (e.g., 401K, Thrift Savings Plan, Individual Retirement Account) and statements from investment accounts (e.g., stocks, bonds, mutual funds) should also be included in your disaster preparedness kit. These statements typically have contact information for the financial institution, the name of the account holder, the account number and contact telephone numbers. Sources of income. Recent pay stubs for all sources of income as well as any government benefits you or your family members receive (e.g., Social Security, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Veterans' Affairs benefits) should be included as well. Having proof of your income sources will be important if you are confronted with an event that interrupts your income. Financial obligations. Include copies of your financial obligations including a mortgage statement, lease, utility bills (e.g., electric, water, gas bills, etc.), car payments and student loans in your disaster preparedness kit. Having a record of your financial obligations can be very helpful to demonstrate the amount of your discretionary income and to qualify for income-based assistance following a disaster. If you do not have a lease or mortgage payments, proof of utility payments can be used to demonstrate residence in the home. Insurance information. Include policy numbers and contact information for property insurance, rental insurance, auto insurance, life insurance and any other insurance policies you have. This information will be needed to file an insurance claim following the disaster. Medical information Health insurance identification cards. Copies of everyone's current health insurance ID cards should also be included in your disaster preparedness kit. If you need additional copies of the cards, contact your health care provider. Record of immunizations/allergies and a list of necessary medications. You or your family members may need to receive care from a medical provider other than your normal provider. Any information on immunizations, allergies and necessary medications can help ensure that you and your family receive proper care. Storing your documents As many of these documents contain personal or financial information, you should keep all original documents, photographs and computer backup disks in a safe and secure location. This may include an off-site safety deposit box or a fireproof/waterproof metal box or safe inside the home. 7
MILITARYONESOURCE ARTICLE Disaster Preparedness for Families With Special Needs, Children or Pets
As a service member, you're trained to be ready for anything. And when faced with a natural disaster or other emergency, "ready" means planning and preparing to care for everyone in your householdkids, family members with special needs, and pets. We all have the same most basic needs-food, water, shelter. But ensuring that your disaster kit has games for your kids, an assistive device for a person with special needs, or a litter box for the family cat can make everyone a lot happier and more comfortable in a crisis. Use this checklist as a guide to help you remember essential Taking care of the kids items for your family member with special needs: Every child is different, of course, but a spare pair of eyeglasses, contact lenses, or a hearing aid kids generally tend to have shorter atten extra medicine, insulin, catheters, or other medical suption spans, pickier palates, and a lower plies tolerance for boredom than adults. De bedding, support pillows, and other items for positioning veloping a disaster plan and kit with these things in mind can make a big dif- battery charger and batteries for hearing aids, motorized ference in how well your kids cope durwheelchairs, or other necessary devices ing a crisis. Keeping kids occupied and copies of medical prescriptions, doctor's orders, and the happy helps create a quieter, calmer enstyle and serial numbers of any necessary support devices vironment for everyone and also allows medical insurance and Medicare/Medicaid cards, physiyou to think and focus on any "next cian contact information, and a list of the family member's steps" in an emergency situation. allergies and general health history (a convenient option Make a checklist of your child's favorite might be to put this information into a portable thumb non-perishable snacks and meals and be drive for easy transport in an evacuation) sure to have plenty on hand in your disaster kit. For children who may be scared a lightweight manual chair if your family member uses a motorized wheelchair; in case the wheelchair needs to be or upset, a blanket or stuffed animal can transported, you should know its size and weight and help provide a sense of safety and secuwhether it's collapsible rity. You might want to invite your child any necessary feeding utensils, bibs etc to help you stuff a "fun bag" of toys (handheld video game players or decks of supplies and documentation for your service animal cards take up little room and can provide a listing of local resources, including organizations that hours of entertainment), crayons, books, know or assist your family member or other people with and games. The novelty of new items, in particular, can be especially distracting and engaging for a child during a crisis. Also, don't forget classic games like "20 Questions" and "Charades" that you can play as a family-no accessories or assembly required! If you have an infant, you probably already have a good idea as to all of the special items and care they need. Depending on your baby's age, of course, you might want to add formula, baby food, diapers, bottles, powdered milk, medications, moist towelettes, and diaper rash ointment to your list of disaster kit necessities. As always, keep the individual needs of your own child in mind. 8
MILITARYONESOURCE ARTICLE Disaster Preparedness for Families With Special Needs, Children or Pets Family members with special needs Since the definition of "special needs" encompasses such a huge range of medical, developmental, and emotional conditions and challenges, how you plan for your family member with special needs will depend entirely on that person's individual circumstances. If possible, work with the person with special needs to develop your plan. That way, you'll both know what to do and expect when an emergency arises. You might also find it helpful, during a normal day or week, to note all of your family member's special needs throughout the day-supplies he or she uses, services required (i.e., dialysis) and anything else that might help you develop an appropriate disaster plan. Pets For many military families, a pet is more than "just a dog" or "just a cat"-it's part of the family. Not only does your pet deserve your protection and care, a pet can also help calm and comfort its human companions in a crisis. So don't leave Fido or Fluffy out of your disaster plan! These tips will help ensure that your pets are well provided for whether you have to evacuate or just hunker down at home:
Always bring pets inside during a storm, especially if severe weather is expected.
Because many emergency shelters will not admit pets (unless they are service animals), keep a list of pet-friendly hotels and motels, kennels, or boarding facilities in your area along with their contact information.
Your pet's "go bag" should include pet food, bottled water, medications, veterinary records, a litter box, manual can opener, and food dishes.
Depending on the presence of floods, downed power lines, or other hazards, you may need to keep your pet indoors for an indefinite period; be sure to have some newspapers on hand for sanitary reasons.
Keep your pet carrier in an easily accessible place so you can leave quickly with your pet safely contained.
Always make sure your pet is wearing current identification tags.
Keep dogs and cats separated; even if they normally get along well, added stress can provoke unpredictable behavior.
The Ready.gov brochure will tell you more about how to protect and care for your pet before, during, and after a disaster. Amid the chaos and stress of a disaster situation, being informed and prepared is the best way to protect your kids, family members with special needs, and pets - along with everyone else in your household. 9
HEALTHY HABITS EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS FOR MILITARY FAMILIES LYNDA SCHLUKEBIER Military Families need to be MORE prepared than other families. Why? When a crisis occurs and that crisis calls for Military intervention, our Families are left alone, often with little notice. Military Families strive to be strong, selfsufficient and prepared. We don’t want to be a part of “the problem.” We want to maintain our household successfully and welcome our Soldier home as soon as they complete their mission. Just as our Soldiers maintain a level of readiness according to our Adjutant General’s first priority, our Families also maintain a level of readiness. The first step to Emergency Preparedness is to do a “risk assessment.” Yours may be as simple as: 1) We live in Minnesota, 2) Our winter risks are blizzards, 3) Our summer risks are tornados and flooding. However, your risk assessment could be more involved. For instance, if you live in a wooded area you may have a higher risk of forest fires. If you live near a refinery or power plant (even 5 miles away) you may acknowledge your risk of chemical spills. There are steps each Military Family can take to minimize threat to life. Develop an Emergency Plan that addresses both situations: 1. if you are instructed to shelter in place, and 2. if you are instructed to evacuate. It is important to think about what factors could affect you and your Family. Natural disasters such as blizzards, tornados, wild fires, floods and heat waves can happen to any of us in Minnesota. Consider past situations you have experienced. Did you lose electricity during a blizzard and need more blankets? Did you have enough food and water? If a pandemic occurred in our state would you have enough pain reliever to offer comfort until the appropriate medicine is attained?
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Preparing your home and Family offers some personal and financial assurance. It is important to review your insurance. Do you have the appropriate coverage? Are all of your important documents organized? Some documents are “originals” and difficult to replace. (Examples: marriage license, birth certificates, financial docs) It can be very useful to keep them all in one place. Some people will purchase a safe, while others may simply keep them organized in a box (fire proof preferred) or designated shelf area. In the event that you are instructed to evacuate it would be best to be able to grab this “box” of important documents. In the devastation of total loss of property due to a fire or tornado, it can be useful to have photos of your belongings (perhaps on a thumb drive kept with your box of important documents or a bank safe deposit box, or even a relative’s house). Family photos are equally important and irreplaceable.
HEALTHY HABITS EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS FOR MILITARY FAMILIES LYNDA SCHLUKEBIER It is simply good planning to have some sort of communication plan for your Family. In a crisis situation, cellular towers may be down leaving most of us out of contact. If most of our important telephone numbers are stored in our cellular phones, and we have been without power to charge our phones or the towers are down, consider what you would do to reach Family members. One simple idea is to simply write down your important telephone numbers and place it with your important documents. In developing an Emergency Plan consider both situations: sheltering in place and evacuating. In both situations you will need food and water. You should have some sort of a first aid kit as well as a plan for your important documents. Even if you are not handy with tools some basic items could prove very useful in a crisis situation. Some easily put together kits can make an unfortunate circumstance a little more bearable. Planning ahead can go a long way if your community’s emergency management department asks you to shelter in place. There are several different reasons you may be asked to shelter in place such as a pandemic or severe weather. In the case of sheltering in place, it is recommended that you have enough supplies to survive in your home for three weeks. There are premade first aid kits available at several different stores. By making your own kit you can choose more or less of the items you find helpful. If you have a Family Member on life sustaining medication, you should ALWAYS have as much extra as allowable by the doctor who prescribes it. If you are asked to evacuate DO IT. It is much easier for our emergency management departments to have you shelter in place. They wouldn’t need to feed or shelter people. So if it is recommended that you evacuate there is most likely eminent danger. Get out! In the case of an evacuation it is recommended that you bring with you three days of “living” supplies. A few simple tools can be useful in a crisis situation. Maybe you will need a wrench to turn off the main water valve, or a hammer and some nails to cover a broken window. Flashlights and batteries are a MUST for every home. Car kits are important too. Most of the items can be kept in your car year around, with the exception of food and water. Consider tucking these items in your vehicle now. Remember the Family members who require a few extra items. The elderly may have walking aids or items for incontinence. Some toys tossed into your emergency evacuation bag can prove to be extremely helpful to calm children. Babies require special food and formula. Children with special needs may want their own special calming items. Remember that your pets will also require enough food and water for three days or three weeks. If you have livestock you will need to make special arrangements. An illness kit is good to have anytime. When you or your Family members become ill the last thing you want to do is run to the store. And unfortunately the last thing anyone else wants to do for you is expose themselves to your sickness by bringing things into your home for you. Most items on the illness kit list will last an entire flu season. Each Military Family situation is unique, so the preparations you make will be specific to your Family. The ideas listed in this training can be used as a launch to provide you with a place to start thinking about emergency readiness. Homeland security and the American Red Cross may have additional useful ideas. 11
ARMY / NATIONAL GUARD minnesotanationalguard.com armyonesource.com militaryonesource.mil CHILDREN ADAPT: cehd.umn.edu/fsos/adapt operationwearehere.com mnchildcare.org ausa.org/family mdva.state.mn.us/child guardfamilyyouth.org militarykids.org DISCOUNTS beyondtheyellowribbon.org military.com/discounts/category EDUCATION education4military.com gibill.va.gov militaryonesource.mil militarychild.org EMPLOYMENT esgr.org mn.gov/deed FMLA: dol.gov/whd/fmla HEALTH / MENTAL HEALTH tricare.mil militarymentalhealth.org Counseling 24/7: militaryonesource.mil MARRIAGE AND RELATIONSHIPS Marriage Retreats: strongbonds.org militaryonesource.mil PARENTS OF SOLDIERS bluestarmoms.org operationwearehere.com/Parents.html PET CARE dogsondeployment.org netpets.org guardianangelsforsoldierspet.org SPOUSES & SIGNIFICANT OTHERS militarysos.com spousebuzz.com milspouse.com msccn.org nationalmilitaryspousenetwork.org STRESS MANAGEMENT militaryonesource.mil defense.gov/specials/stressawareness
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RESOURCE LINKS
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