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1. Where can I find specifics about emergency management in Galveston County?

Visit Galveston County Office of Emergency Management

2. What is emergency preparedness?

Emergency preparedness means taking action to be ready for emergencies before they happen. The objective is to simplify decision making during emergencies.

3. What's the difference between emergency preparedness and emergency response?

Emergency preparedness refers to actions which can and should be performed prior to an emergency, such as planning and coordination meetings, procedure writing, team training, emergency drills and exercises, and prepositioning of emergency equipment. Emergency response refers to actions taken in response to an actual, ongoing event.

4. Why is planning so important?

It is everyone’s responsibility to be prepared for emergencies. Initially, emergency services will be consumed with responding to the disaster. It is up to each of us to prepare. Planning in advance will help you, your family and friends manage an emergency in a calm and effective way, which will help keep you safe.

5. What should people do to prepare for an emergency?

Families should develop an emergency plan to prepare their home, family, and office in case of a natural disaster or other emergency.
> Get an emergency kit
> Make a plan
> Have extra cash, medication, water, clothing, and food on hand to be prepared
> Have a list of family emergency numbers and school contacts
> Have an emergency meeting place

Get Ready

6. In an emergency, is evacuation always the answer?

No. Evacuation is not the only protective action available to the public. In some situations sheltering may provide protection that is equal to or even greater than evacuation. Sheltering may be the preferred protective action in cases where weather, competing events, or short-term releases are factors.

7. What does shelter in place mean?

Sheltering in place is one of several response options available to emergency management directors to provide an additional level of protection in the event of an emergency. Shelter in place is a protective action designed to use an indoor facility, such as your own home or a public building, and its indoor atmosphere to shield people from a hazardous outdoor environment. Sheltering in place means persons will remain in a building until emergency management officials issue additional instructions or declare that the emergency condition has ended. It is a short-term option for limiting the potential exposure of persons to hazards that may be present in the outdoor environment. It will most likely be a matter of hours, not days.

8. What is in an Emergency Kit?

> 1 gallon of water per person per day
> Food and manual can opener
> Week’s supply of prescription medication
> Battery powered radio, with extra batteries
> Extra batteries for hearing aids or other assistive devices
> Flashlight with extra batteries
> List of contacts (e.g. family members, friends, doctors)
> First aid supplies
Any items you normally use or that you would need for three days should an emergency occur should also be included. If you have a pet, you will need three days’ supply of food and water for each pet. Should you have to evacuate, these supplies should go with you. More extensive lists and information can be found on websites dealing with preparedness, such as Ready.gov.
It is also a very good idea to have a “go bag” ready in case you have to evacuate either your home or work place. This small bag could include those personal items you would need if you had to leave without any notice as well as copies of financial records, pet’s veterinarian records, extra keys for house and car, cash, spare glasses or other special needs items, such as medications, batteries for assistive devices and copies of family documents.
Make a Kit

9. What are the other stages that storms progress through prior to becoming hurricanes?

The progressive levels of organized, disturbed weather in the tropics are:
• Tropical Disturbance: This is a discrete tropical weather system of apparently organized convection, 200 to 600 km (100 to 300 nautical miles) in diameter, originating in the tropics or subtropics, having a non-frontal migratory character, and maintaining its identity for 24 hours or more.
• Tropical Depression: This is a tropical cyclone with a closed circulation in which the maximum sustained wind speed 38 mph or less.
• Tropical Storm: This is a tropical cyclone in which the maximum sustained surface wind speed ranges from 39 to 73 mph. The convection in tropical storms is usually more concentrated near the center with outer rainfall organizing into distinct bands.
The wind speeds mentioned above are for those measured or estimated as the top speed sustained for one minute at 10 meters above the surface. Peak gusts would be 10% - 25% higher.

10. What should be included in a disaster supply kit?

The following items are recommended for inclusion in your basic disaster supplies kit:
• Three-day supply of non-perishable food
• Three-day supply of water - one gallon of water per person, per day
• Portable, battery-powered radio or television and extra batteries
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• First aid kit and manual
• Sanitation and hygiene items (moist towelettes and toilet paper)
• Matches and waterproof container
• Whistle
• Extra clothing
• Kitchen accessories and cooking utensils, including a can opener
• Photocopies of credit and identification cards
• Cash and coins
• Special needs items, such as prescription medications, eye glasses, contact lens solutions, and hearing aid batteries
• Items for infants, such as formula, diapers, bottles, and pacifiers
• Other items to meet your unique family needs
If you live in a cold climate, you must think about warmth. It is possible that you will not have heat. Think about your clothing and bedding supplies. Be sure to include one complete change of clothing and shoes per person, including:
• Jacket or coat
• Long pants
• Long sleeve shirt
• Sturdy shoes
• Hat, mittens, and scarf
• Sleeping bag or warm blanket (per person)
Be sure to account for growing children and other family changes.

11. My family doesn’t have a car. What should we do during an evacuation?

Whether for financial reasons or just because the need isn’t there, many families don’t own private transportation. When creating your disaster readiness plan, you need to consider other options for relocating to a safe place.
First, if you are in an evacuation zone in Texas, call 2-1-1 to be listed for evacuation needs. Then, decide:
• Do you have relatives who can pick you up?
• Do you have friends who can take you with them?
• Does your community have evacuation plans in place for those requiring transportation?
Once you know what your options are, you can better prepare for the possibility of an evacuation.