Safety Information
Emergencies happen daily in this city or town or county. They may be as minor as people locked out of their car, or as major as a house fire. You hear sirens, but you forget it and go on about your work. This is understandable, but if you are suddenly the one involved in the emergency what do you do. WHAT YOU DO MAY SAVE A LIFE.
Major disasters can and have happened around here. Tornados, heavy snow, flooding, train wrecks, and many other disasters are possible and could affect many residents.
Cedarburg is well prepared to handle both major and minor emergencies, but what about you? Do you know what to do?
The purpose of this handbook is to tell you about Cedarburg’s Plan and provide you with specific information on what you can and should do to prepare for emergencies; handle them if they occur, and what to do if there is a major disaster.
Please read this brochure carefully. Take action on the suggestions in it.
Remember the life you save may be your own or a member of your family.
Franklin Even
Director of Emergency Government
City of Cedarburg, WI 53012
Remember to use 911 in emergency situations. This is the best number to access police, fire, or EMS in an emergency. For non-emergency calls you can use secondary numbers as direct lines. This will keep dispatchers free to deal with critical situations. These numbers are:
Cedarburg Police Dispatch – 262-375-7620
Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Dispatch – 262-377-7172
Cedarburg Fire & Rescue – 262-375-7630
Cedarburg Emergency Govt. – 262-375-7615
Ozaukee County Emergency Management Director -
262-238-8397
Poison Control Center – 1-800-222-1222
The response to your call may surprise you. You have an emergency, yet the dispatcher answering your call will not seem excited and will ask you questions that you may not think are important. Remember, the dispatchers have been trained to be calm because it is their job to handle emergencies and they handle some every day. You can be thankful they are calm because it makes them more efficient. The dispatchers care about your emergency and while you are talking to them they are starting the emergency response.
They need all of the information they request. What is the nature of the emergency? Who are you? Where is this emergency? Be specific; do not say, “I need the rescue squad.” Say, “My husband has fallen off a ladder onto a concrete walk and is unconscious.” The Rescue personnel can then plan what they need to treat the victim as they drive to the scene. Give your correct address and where the emergency is. Do not say, “My house is on fire.” Say, “I have a fire in a basement bedroom.” Be sure to give your full name and telephone number. The dispatcher may have to call you back for more information. If the emergency is difficult to locate, have someone lead them to the scene. “There is a snowmobile accident in the woods south of my home. Come to my home and my son will direct you to the scene.”
Above all, do not hang up until the dispatcher has all the needed information. Remember, you may not be familiar with managing an emergency but dispatchers are. By following these instructions you will enable them to help you more quickly and efficiently.
Any disaster is just that to the people involved, but for emergency service personnel there are different types of disasters. Since you might be involved in any of them you should know the categories.
PERSONAL DISASTER. This is an incident that is a crisis for the people involved; house fire, auto crash, sick person; the type of emergency handled regularly by emergency services agencies.
MINOR DISASTER. One involving a number of people – such as a car/bus accident with 5 or less people, is in a small area, and can be handled in a fairly short time – less than 6 hours.
MAJOR DISASTER. One involving a large number of people, and that takes time to handle. It also might include a larger area of the county – such as a multi-car accident, or an explosion in a building.
AREA DISASTER. Generally, a major disaster is one that covers a much larger area and involves more than one city, town, village, or county – such as a tornado.
IS CEDARBURG, OZAUKEE COUNTY PREPARED?
THE OZAUKEE COUNTY PLAN. Ozaukee county citizens are fortunate to be protected by an extensive disaster plan that covers all four types of disasters and identifies special responses to different kinds of emergencies from accidents to wind storms. It has been used effectively over the years to manage disasters of all types including the 2004 flooding of the Milwaukee River and Cedar Creek, train wrecks, and chemical spills. Training and testing of the plans are continuous and are constantly being updated. That did not happen by accident, Ozaukee County has been lucky over the years to have only a few minor and area disasters. This made the city and county officials aware of the problems they might encounter. Combine this awareness with a willingness of county, town, and city officials to support disaster planning, training and testing, and the plans took shape. The strong support and involvement of the Ozaukee County Emergency Management Office, Cedarburg Police and Fire departments, Cedarburg Emergency Government, and Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Department has enabled the City and County to prepare for almost any emergency.
An Emergency Operations Center (E.O.C.) was developed and implemented in the mid 1950s (it was called ‘Civil Defense’ then) so city officials could coordinate and effectively manage any emergency. It has been used many times during storms, power outages, etc., and was on standby for Y2K problems.
For further support of emergency operations a new mobile Command Post has been put in service by Cedarburg Emergency Government in 2004 for use wherever it may be needed in the county. All the emergency services in Ozaukee County are part of a county Fire Association, with a mutual aid pact covering all services. The equipment of the Cedarburg Emergency Government is displayed at various festivities and parades in the county in the course of the year.
In support of the emergency departments other county and city departments and personnel assist in such areas as registering volunteers, clearing roads, getting supplies, damage assessment, and wherever help is needed, including getting help from the state and federal government.
The county is also fortunate to have water rescue teams and has recently established a hazardous materials (HAZMAT) team. The county also has the services of the Milwaukee Hazmat unit and the Flight for Life helicopter out of Milwaukee.
EMERGENCY GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT
The Emergency Government Department has been active in the city of Cedarburg for over 60 years, having started out during World War II in the early 1940s. It provides long range planning, research into new policies and procedures, develops training and testing programs, provides support to local units of government during emergency operations, such as accidents or fires, goes out on severe weather watches, and handles all traffic and crowd control for all local parades and 5K runs. We are also classified as an Auxiliary Police unit of the Cedarburg Police Department.
Ozaukee County Emergency Management has also established a Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) to assist in an emergency response involving hazardous materials.
The city and county have instant access to emergency information from several national, metro, satellite and local warning systems about severe weather or other emergencies. This information is then disseminated to those who could be affected.
NOTIFYING YOU
If you have an emergency, you should know how to get help. But, how does the city provide you with information about a major or area disaster? Years ago sirens were used to alert a community, and here they still are in the event of a tornado sighting, but sirens do not tell everything. In areas where there are a large number of tornados they are very effective. Upon hearing them, citizens take shelter and tune to a local radio station for emergency information. While we do not have a large number of tornadoes in Ozaukee County we have many other types of emergencies and therefore our personnel are using other types of warning systems.
If an emergency is in a small area, citizens are contacted door-to-door and given instructions. If time permits, a handout is printed and distributed. In a larger area, or in a fast-breaking emergency, each law enforcement vehicle is equipped with a public address system on their siren, and is assigned to an area to make announcements.
In this modern age of communications, local TV and radio stations give out emergency information. The closest TV stations to be utilized for emergency information are; WTMJ-channel 4, WITI-channel 6, WISN-channel 12. If you suspect there is a problem listen to these stations and you will receive instructions on what to do. Do not call the Police Dept. or the Sheriff’s Dept. unless you have an emergency to report and then you should use 911. Otherwise their phone lines could be jammed with unnecessary calls. Also remember pager and cell phone use
may be limited during an emergency because of the number of calls being placed.
ARE YOU PREPARED?
Now you know about the city and county plan. Are you ready? Here is what you can do to help us.
First and most important, you must think emergency, so you will be able to “shift gears” when the emergency happens and function under stress.
How do you do this? Reading the material in this handbook will help, but that is not enough. You must identify needs you have for you and your family. Next, go to work to meet these needs (develop your plan). You also need to obtain the emergency equipment mentioned later in this handbook and be sure you know how to use it.
Then, if you wish to take the next steps to really protect your family, enroll in the American Red Cross
courses for emergency care and take the American Heart Association CPR course, and, as will be mentioned later, you can do much more. Study the following specific instructions and react. You will be helping the city and county to help you.
PREPLANNING
The time to consider an emergency action is before the emergency. Let’s study three areas of preplanning; at home, around town, and out of town.
AT HOME
UTILITIES. Do you know where to turn off the water? Where is the switch box to turn off all electricity? Where do you turn off the gas or the fuel oil? Do you have the correct wrench by the gas shutoff? It is also a good idea to ask for a representative of your utility to come and make an inspection of your home. There may be a charge, but it is well worth the cost, especially if they find something wrong.
POSSESSIONS. What if your home or car were destroyed by fire or tornado? Could you accurately report your possessions to your insurance company? One way is to list all the items, but that takes a long time. A better way is to take photos of each room of your home – several views – also of any valuables you may have (jewelry, etc.), develop these and store them in your safety deposit box or video tape all the above plus your yard, garage, outside of home, etc. and place a copy in your safety deposit box.
EVACUATION CHECK LISTS. If your home is on fire you have to leave at once. You cannot take a chance on going back in for a second load because life is more important than any property.
What if you do have to leave home suddenly? For whatever reason. What do you take? You will have to decide beforehand, so you should think about it and also have evacuation items together or at least clearly marked and accessible. This list shows the items you would take with you if you have to evacuate, but have time. You will need to preplan. Make a list, and then try loading everything on your list into your car or cars to see if it will all fit along with your family and pets. The first time it probably will not fit
so revise the list and try again and again until it fits. Taylor the list to fit your family, but here are some suggestions.
Pets, Car and house keys, Important papers, Jewelry, Clothing for the weather, Emergency food, Portable stove, Camping equipment, Sleeping bags, Portable radio, Valuables, Children’s games, A supply of water, Special medications, Toilet articles, First aid kit, Flashlights and batteries, Tools and repair supplies, Reading materials, Important phone numbers, Cell phone
EMERGENCY NUMBERS. They are mentioned previously in this handbook. Are they by each phone in your home and in all of your cell phones?
HOME SURVEY. Study your home to see if you can identify hazards that can be corrected. Are poisons out of reach of children? Study the area around your home. Are there hazards such as storm creeks, high-tension wires, swamps, etc.? Are there exposed electric wires in your home, attic, or garage? Are any paints or flammable materials stored inside? Are furnace vents blocked? Are extension cords under rugs? Are floor drains full of water to keep out sewer gas? Are any exits blocked? Can a person get out of a basement window in an emergency? Are there ropes or rope ladders to get out of upstairs windows? Practice using them.
EVACUATION PLAN. Do you have one for your home? Sketch your home and show evacuation routes from each room. Make sure the family knows them. Post one in each room. Practice. Use a blindfold and try crawling from different rooms to the outside. You may be surprised at how long it takes. Consider moving furniture that may block an evacuation route.
EMERGENCY INFORMATION. Does someone in your family have a medical problem? If so do they wear a medical alert tag at all times? Are there invalids or handicapped? If so, there should be a note on the front door indicating where they stay in the house and their window should also be marked.
EMERGENCY SUPPLIES. Do you have an adequate first aid kit? Does everyone know where it is stored? Is it kept stocked? Does everyone know how to use it? Do you have fire extinguishers in the house and garage? Do they know how to use them? Do not locate them near the stove or work bench, because if there is a fire on one of those you may not be able to reach them. The best location is by one of the doors. Do you have a flashlight and a portable radio with fresh batteries for each? If windows are hard to open are tools at the windows? Do you have large plastic bags and masking tape so you can cover broken windows? Do you keep a two-week supply of food and a way to prepare it? Is your home equipped with smoke and carbon monoxide detectors? Are they in working order? A good policy to remember is to change the batteries when you change your clocks for daylight saving time. Are medicines kept in stock and rotated to keep them fresh and safe?
ASSEMBLY. If you leave the house suddenly be sure to have a meeting place outside where everyone will gather so you can be sure they are all out. Such as “meet at the pine tree in the front yard”. People have been injured or killed going back into a house for a child who had exited a different door.
RELOCATION. Each family should also have a relocation site where they will meet if there is an emergency. Father is at work, Mother is at work, children are at school and their home is in an emergency area of some type. How do you get the family together? The family agrees to meet at a friend’s house across town or some other area. With preplanning they can be reunited more quickly and without tying up critical phone lines. However calls may still be necessary. Thus, family members should always have money with them so they can make a call from a pay phone if necessary.
FIRE SAFETY. Ask the fire department to make a safety inspection of your home or pick up an inspection form from your local fire department and do the inspection yourself, with the help of your family. Remember, only after you have called the fire department should you attempt to put out small fires yourself. The main reason for the fire extinguishers in homes is to clear fire-blocked exits so people can get out. Are some doors closed at night so fire cannot spread from room to room as rapidly?
PETS. Family pets are very important also. You need to pre-plan for their welfare and safety as well as your own. Be prepared to evacuate them also. Do you have a pet carrier for each pet? In a major emergency a collar and leash are not the best ways to evacuate an animal. Do your pets all have identification so they can be returned to you in the event they get separated from your family during an evacuation or emergency? Animal control can more quickly return pets if they are tagged. Can you quickly assemble a “pet kit”? This includes the items your pet will need if you go to an emergency shelter, or even to the home of a friend or relative. Be sure the kit includes (as appropriate): food, water, bowls, litter, medications, a leash, a muzzle, toys, blankets, etc.
AROUND TOWN. You are not always at home. Your family may be at several different locations around town. Do you know where they are? An activity sheet is a great help in an emergency. (With daily schedule of each family member.) Most important, every member of the family should have identification on them at all times. It should include name, address, where to contact a friend or relative, telephone numbers, and other pertinent information (medical, etc.). Many times someone is injured around town and authorities have no way of knowing whom they are or whom to contact. This is especially difficult with small children, and it is even more important that they have identification.
A bracelet or necklace eliminates the need for a wallet. Identification patches can be sewn into clothing of small children.
OUT OF TOWN. You are in the mountains on a trip and suddenly the car fails, or you are caught in a major storm. Here, proper planning is critical. One of the best steps is to make sure the car is in good running condition before you leave on the trip. Emergencies can happen, but having an Auto Survival Kit in each of your vehicles might make the difference between life and death. Some items are listed below and you will want to add others:
Personal Comfort and Life Support
Energy foods Small cans of fruit and dried foods
Winter- extra clothing Flashlight and fresh batteries
First Aid kit Plastic garbage bags
Water – several gallons Blankets or sleeping bags
Matches and candles Light nylon rope
Tarp or emergency shelter Signaling devices (mirror,etc.)
Car Maintenance and Equipment
Extra engine oil Spare tire and changing tools
Flares Water bucket
Battery jumper cables Shovel
Tool kit Heavy rope or tow cable
Roll of electrical tape De-icer and window scraper
The oil is for the car but it would also work to put a small amount on a fire to create black smoke to use as a signal for help.
REACTING TO AN EMERGENCY
AT HOME AND AROUND TOWN. Now you have done your preplanning and it’s about time to think about the actions you will take during an emergency. We hope you will never need this information, but emergencies do happen, so study these suggested actions carefully.
ACCIDENT. You can be the most effective by keeping calm. Hard to do, but try. Call 911 and give them all the information they request. If someone else is available to make the call, have them do it while you help the victim. Use your First Aid training to assist the victim, but the standard rule is: “When in doubt, don’t!” Stop bleeding by pressing directly on the wound.
Help is only minutes away. Do not move the victim if there is any suggestion of head, back, or neck injuries. (Fall, auto accident, or if you do not know what happened.) Do only the procedures you have been trained to do. Keep others away from the victim, but let them help by bringing the first aid kit, blankets, water, etc. Have someone lead the rescue people to the scene. Have others help keep people back if there is a crowd. If a person is trapped do not free them, you may only make their injuries worse.
If drugs or poison are involved (child swallowing pills), try to find out what kind and tell the 911 dispatcher. Save any bottles, pill containers, etc. and give these to the rescue people. If there is time and someone is available, have him or her call the Poison Control Center and ask for instructions. Do not make the patient vomit before the rescue people arrive unless you are told to do so.
ANIMAL BITES. A special case. If you can do so safely, capture the animal or try to get someone to follow it to report where it is to the officers. Every animal bite patient should be seen by a doctor, even if it is a minor bite by a household pet. If it appears serious do not try to take the patient to the doctor or hospital. Call an ambulance or rescue squad.
BLIZZARD. If you suspect a major storm is on the way, try to get the family home. Listen to the radio or television for weather updates. Check battery powered equipment (radio, flashlight). Stock extra food that can be used without heating if there is a power failure. Stay indoors during the storm unless you are in good shape. Don’t overexert by shoveling snow. If you go outside in a major storm dress well and be very careful. In a “white out” you may not be able to see your home 50 feet away.
BOMB. If you find something that looks like it might be a bomb (wires, clock, paper wrapped sticks), something unknown to you, DO NOT touch it. Turn off microwave ovens and any radio transmitters you have and get out of the area. Call 911 and let the responding authorities determine what it is.
COLLAPSED BUILDING. Call 911. Get all uninjured persons out of the area. Turn off all utilities if they can be safely reached. Do not try to rescue trapped persons. Firefighters are professionally trained to do this and you may only make injuries worse or become trapped yourself. Merely touching a loose board might cause more collapse. Try to identify where persons are trapped. If possible, make a sketch map of their location to give to rescue personnel when they arrive.
TRAIN DERAILMENT. A train derailment could cause a hazardous materials spill (Weyawega-1996, & Milwaukee-2002) warranting immediate evacuation of an area or implementation of a “shelter-in-place” plan. A “shelter-in-place” plan is a much safer option that requires you and your family to remain inside your home with all the windows and doors tightly shut. A derailment without a spill (for instance a train/vehicle crash) could cause the blocking of at least one major highway for several days. Whatever the severity of the train derailment, always tune into the Emergency Alert System (EAS) station on your radio or television for further information and guidance.
DECONTAMINATION. Chemicals are sometimes spilled around the home. Removing them is called decontamination. Be careful. Read the labels on chemical containers before using them. If in doubt call the fire department to clean up spills. Flushing with large amounts of water is the best way to remove the chemical if you know it does not react with water. For example, if a hazardous garden chemical is spilled on the driveway or on a lawn, flush it with water for at least 30 minutes. If more than a pint of a hazardous chemical is spilled advise the fire department so they can alert wastewater disposal personnel that the material is being flushed down drains or storm sewers. If you find what looks like a hazardous chemical do not remove it. Call the fire department and they will send their hazardous materials team to evaluate proper disposal.
ELECTRIC SHORT. Suddenly there is a short in some piece of equipment in your home and you can hear the crackling or there is a small fire. Do not attempt to unplug the appliance. Turn off the main switch for the entire house. Call the fire department. Then, and only then, use an extinguisher on the fire-if it is a small fire.
FIRE. When there is a fire in your home or you smell smoke, get out. Remember extinguishers are to put out very small fires and to clear an escape route for you. Don’t try to fight a fire. Heat and smoke rise. If you go to the floor and crawl to an exit you have better chance of getting out. If in a basement, go out through a window. Check doors before opening them. If they are hot to the touch, or smoke is seeping around them, do not open them-go out a window. As you go out, close as many doors and windows as possible. This will help to contain the fire. (Don’t be a dead hero. If you are out and one of your family is still trapped inside don’t go back in. This is difficult to accept, but if you try to go after them you may not come out.) The fire department is only moments away and they will have the proper equipment to go in safely. You can more successfully save the life of a trapped person my advising the fire department that someone is trapped and just where the trapped person is.
FLOODING. There can be local flooding in some areas because of heavy rain. Whenever there is heavy rain the county puts mobile units on flood watch. If they suspect flooding in any area they will attempt to advise the residents. If there is heavy rain, listen to our local radio or TV for information on danger areas and actual flooding areas. If you live in a low area, secure all outside objects, move valuables to upper floors and remember your evacuation plan. If you are told to evacuate, trust the authorities. They have special training in flood problems and will not issue an evacuation order unless they believe it is necessary. Load your car and leave immediately. The authorities will tell you where the relocation centers have been set up if you have nowhere else to go. While driving never drive into flooded areas.
GAS LEAK. If you smell gas in your home immediately turn off the gas and electricity. Then, get out and call the fire department from some other location. If the odor of gas is strong, don’t try to turn off the gas and electricity. Get out and call for help.
HIGH WINDS. If winds begin blowing hard, check all outside items and secure them. If your home is damaged turn off the utilities and call the fire department. Stay inside and away from windows and skylights. If electric wires are down do not go hear them or anything they are touching.
LIGHTNING. During an electrical storm get inside and stay away from electrical objects. Turn off the radio and TV and use your battery operated radio. The safest areas are in the center of a room. Do not use the telephone (unless to phone in an emergency) or any electrical appliance. If your home is struck by lightning, call the fire department immediately, and advise them of the nature of the damage as well as if there are any injuries. If the storm is particularly bad, the safest place for all members of your family is in the car. However, you will have to decide whether to take the chance of getting out to it.
LOST PERSON. In the case of a lost person, child, or an elderly person, or someone who has gone walking and not returned. Finding the missing person can be seriously complicated by the behavior of relatives. If a child is missing from home, the parents often search for hours, get neighbors in on the search and then call the police. By that time, the person can be miles from home.
If a person is lost, family members should first very carefully check the house and immediate vicinity. (Children have been found under beds, in boxes and on shelves!) Then call friends or relatives who might have the child. If there is no luck call the police at once. There are highly trained deputies and officers in Ozaukee County and they would much rather be called immediately, and then go home when the person is found, than be delayed several hours and have a major search on their hands.
While waiting for deputy/officer, write out a description of the missing person; locate recent photographs and stay home. A relative should be at the house at all times to answer calls and to report if the missing person returns home.
POLLUTION ALERT. This information is sent out on radio and TV. During an area pollution alert stay indoors as much as you can and keep the windows closed. Cut down on physical activity, avoid smoke-filled rooms. Do not drive unless it is urgent. If you must go somewhere walk, ride a bicycle or use public transportation. Fill gas tanks late in the evening. Don’t use gas powered lawn mowers or gas operated trimmers. If members of your family are sensitive to high levels of pollution be sure the proper medications are on hand.
POWER FAILURE. If there is a power failure at your home, determine if it is just your house. Look for lights in other homes or check with a neighbor. If it is just your home, call your local power company. If it is over a wide area, and the power company phones are busy-don’t try to keep calling. They will be aware of the situation and will restore power as soon as possible. Food will keep in your refrigerator and freezer for at least two days if you do not open the doors. Do not call police or fire departments unless you have an emergency. The dispatchers will be quite busy.
TORNADO. The county is not in a tornado belt, but tornadoes do touch down here at times. Officials are in direct contact with the national weather service and send out watch teams if there is any possibility of a tornado. If there is, schools, day cares and other specific locations are contacted immediately. However if tornado conditions exist, the evacuation of homes or schools is the worst thing to do because shelter is the protection. If you see or are warned of tornado in the area, move immediately to a basement, interior wall, or lower floor. Stay away from windows. Be sure you have your battery powered radio, first aid supplies and other emergency items. If you see a tornado call 911 and advise them of where it is in relation to your home.
OUT OF TOWN. You could be on a vacation, or a camping trip, but wherever it is there are some special emergency considerations for you when you and/or your family are on a trip. Be sure you have your survival equipment in the car, even for a day’s picnic in the Kettle Moraine. You can never tell when an emergency will happen.
ACCIDENT. You have an accident and your car is off the road. Do not move anyone who is injured. The least injured should try to get a flare and get up on the road. Call for help if you have a cell phone. Flag down a car and ask them to get help by calling the County Sheriffs office. The flare helps. Many cars will pass by a person who is waving for fear of getting in trouble, but they will often stop for the flare. Send several people for help and remain to direct the help to the crash site. Be sure someone in town knows where you are going and when you plan to return so if you are not back at the planned time they can notify authorities of a possible problem. (This is particularly important if you will be driving on little used or obscure roads.)
CAR IN WATER. You may have an accident where you car goes in the water. Roll the windows up quickly. Air in the car will buoy it up and you stand a better chance. When ready to get out lower the windows and try to get out on the up stream side, if in a river. Stay with the car. You stand a much better chance of being rescued. If you can wade ashore, fine, but if stranded in the middle of a swift river your best bet is with, or on, your car.
FLASH FLOODING. In low-lying areas flash floods can occur without warning. It may not even be raining where you are. The rain may have been far up the river and is roaring down on you. If the water starts to rise, don’t wait! Stop the car instantly, get out and go uphill as rapidly as possible. Leave everything. Your life is more important. Never try to outrun a flood in your car or on foot.
INJURED PERSON. To begin with, never hike into the back country with less than four people. You are inviting disaster. If one of your party is injured, another should stay with the injured person while the other two go for help. Don’t try to evacuate the person yourself if the injuries are serious. (Any back, head or neck injury is serious.) The persons going for help should carefully mark their route so they can lead rescuers back in. The persons going for help should contact the County Sheriff’s Office and they will contact the nearest rescue team for you. Remain at a contact point (store, home, phone booth, etc.) where rescuers can meet you. They are professionals and can evacuate the injured person without complicating the injuries. The volunteer search and rescue teams do not charge for their services.
LIGHTNING. If you are in your car, stay there. You are insulated by the tires and by the fact that lightning will travel over the outside of your car, not into it. If you are out in the open get to low ground, stay away from tall trees or crouch down in the open until the lightning storm passes by. Do not lie flat on the ground. The rain may soak you, but you will be safe.
LOST. The procedures are basically the same as in town. If you determine a person is lost do not do elaborate searching. Get out and contact the County Sheriff’s office. Arrange a meeting place for you and the search team and lead them to the last place the missing person was seen. Do not go searching alone. You will be needed at a staging area to give information about the missing person. The searchers are professionals. They would rather be called at once and arrive to discover the missing person has been found than to be called out after several hours and have a massive area to search.
THINK ABOUT IT. If a child is lost and is afraid, the child can go as much as two miles an hour. If searchers arrive in an hour they have an area of about twelve square miles to search. This seems like a lot, but they are trained to do this and their “find rate” is very successful. However if you wait five hours before calling them, they will have over 300 square miles to search when they first arrive and this makes their work much more difficult.
YOU ARE LOST. You can make the work of the searchers much easier if you stop! The moment you are sure you are lost, stop, build a shelter, make a fire and wait. They will find you, but if you keep moving, you may be moving away from them and making their work much more difficult. Be sure you have told someone where you are going and when you expect to return. In your family, train your children as early as possible that if they think they are lost in town, they should go to the nearest business and tell them so. In the field, they should stop and wait.
SHELTER. You are in trouble. The car will not start and you are going to need help. Stay with your car. You may only get lost going for help, unless you are on a well traveled road or know the area. Use your emergency supplies. In normal weather set up camp by your car. However, in extreme weather conditions you may have to do some unusual things to survive.
HEAT. If it is very hot outside do not stay in the car. It will get like a baking oven. Get out, stay in the shade of the car or a nearby tree. In mid-day get under the car if there is no other shade. Wear clothing that will keep you from losing excess fluid from evaporation. Drink water sparingly, assuming you have some with you.
COLD. It is very cold outside and your stuck in a snow drift or your car will not start. Be careful. Use your emergency kit and clothing. If there is snow, dig into it and build a snow cave with your shovel. It may be 40 degrees below zero outside and in your car, but deep in the snow the temperature is 32 degrees above zero and you will survive.
TORNADO. In tornado prone areas where tornados are large and move slowly, you can sometimes detect the direction of travel and drive at right angles to it. However, smaller ones move around and you often cannot predict their path. If you see one approaching, stop your car, and take shelter in a culvert under the road, in low lying ground or in a solid structure. Do not stay in your car.
RECOVERY
What happens after a disaster? Recovery. This may involve rebuilding a home or an entire city. Regardless, the recovery stage begins while the disaster is still going on. At your home it might involve the fire department covering your broken windows with plastic, or the emergency workers finding you a place to stay for the night.
Local, state and federal governments have outstanding recovery programs that include everything from small business loans to placement in new jobs for those whose business has been destroyed. They are all available to county residents and coordinated by county officials. In the non-governmental area there is also the outstanding help available from such organizations as the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, Inter-Faith Community Services and the many church organizations.
During and after a disaster, the county departments have access to all of these resources to help with the recovery activities.
NOW, HELP US!
This is the story of what the city and county are doing and how they are prepared for disasters as well as information on what you can do to protect yourself and your family. We hope you have studied it carefully and will read and reread it. Keep it easily accessible as a ready reference.
You can help us. Though the plan is in effect and has been tested and used regularly, there is always the need for more involvement from community groups that are willing to take on special disaster related activities. These range from providing care pools to emergency feeding, emergency housing, communications, evacuation and many others.
If you would like to make a commitment to support the county or city disaster program contact your church group, civic group, or scout troop and see if they would like to become involved-either in one of the information programs, or in taking the training to serve as a support group during a major disaster.
Contact the Cedarburg Emergency Government, Fire Department, or Police Department, and a representative will come to one of your meetings to talk about the training and responsibilities that are involved.
REMEMBER YOUR FIRST RESPONSIBILITY IS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. THE INFORMATION IS HERE. NOW THE RESPONSIBILITY IS YOURS TO USE THIS INFORMATION.
PUBLISHED BY:
CEDARBURG EMERGENCY GOVERNMENT
CEDARBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT
CEDARBURG FIRE DEPARTMENT
CITY OF CEDARBURG
W63N645 Washington Ave.
Cedarburg, Wisconsin 53012
1-262-375-7600