Community Corner
Change Your Clocks, Etc.
Rockland County officials recommend you make the bi-annual event a trigger for clocks, smoke detectors and emergency supply kits.
Rockland County Department of Health officials think residents should let the change to Daylight Saving Time—coming up March 9—trigger an additional household chore in addition to changing clocks.
Use it to remind yourself to check your household emergency supply kit.
“The real life experience of Hurricane Sandy showed us how important it is to be prepared for emergencies. Natural events, like floods, or man-made events, like terrorist attacks, can happen with little or no warning - that’s why having an emergency supply kit is so important,” said Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert, Rockland County Commissioner of Health.
If you haven’t created an emergency supply kit yet, now is the time to do it!
Have at least a three-day supply of food and water stored in your home, with at least one gallon of water per person per day. Choose foods that don’t need to be refrigerated or cooked such as peanut butter and ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits and vegetables. Remember your pets! They need their own food and water. Your emergency supply kit should also contain flashlights, a hand-operated can opener, a radio, batteries, and copies of important documents. Depending on your family’s needs, you may also need other supplies, such as contact lens solution or diapers.
If it costs too much for you to buy everything at once, pick up one or two items every time you go to the grocery store. Stock up on canned vegetables or batteries when there is a sale. Bulk “club” stores can also
help you save money on your supplies, especially if you split a case with a friend, co-worker or neighbor, who can serve as your “preparedness buddy.” Once you’ve gotten your emergency supply kit together, put
it where you won’t be tempted to “borrow” from it the next time you run out of batteries or need beans for a recipe. Remember: your emergency supply kit is for emergencies!
Of course, this information is good year-round: you don't have to wait for the clock change to create or update your emergency supply kit. And as always, don’t forget to change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors when you change your clocks, and check to make sure the devices are in good working order.
Visit www.getreadyforflu.org/clocksstocks for fact sheets and checklists, and games and other materials for adults and kids!
Schedule a “Get Ready Rockland” emergency preparedness presentation at your community or faith organization or place of work, by calling the Health Department at (845) 364-2526.
“The real life experience of Hurricane Sandy showed us how important it is to be prepared for emergencies. Natural events, like floods, or man-made events, like terrorist attacks, can happen with little or no warning - that’s why having an emergency supply kit is so important,” said Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert, Rockland County Commissioner of Health.
If you haven’t created an emergency supply kit yet, now is the time to do it!
Have at least a three-day supply of food and water stored in your home, with at least one gallon of water per person per day. Choose foods that don’t need to be refrigerated or cooked such as peanut butter and ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits and vegetables. Remember your pets! They need their own food and water. Your emergency supply kit should also contain flashlights, a hand-operated can opener, a radio, batteries, and copies of important documents. Depending on your family’s needs, you may also need other supplies, such as contact lens solution or diapers.
If it costs too much for you to buy everything at once, pick up one or two items every time you go to the grocery store. Stock up on canned vegetables or batteries when there is a sale. Bulk “club” stores can also
help you save money on your supplies, especially if you split a case with a friend, co-worker or neighbor, who can serve as your “preparedness buddy.” Once you’ve gotten your emergency supply kit together, put
it where you won’t be tempted to “borrow” from it the next time you run out of batteries or need beans for a recipe. Remember: your emergency supply kit is for emergencies!
Of course, this information is good year-round: you don't have to wait for the clock change to create or update your emergency supply kit. And as always, don’t forget to change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors when you change your clocks, and check to make sure the devices are in good working order.
Visit www.getreadyforflu.org/clocksstocks for fact sheets and checklists, and games and other materials for adults and kids!
Schedule a “Get Ready Rockland” emergency preparedness presentation at your community or faith organization or place of work, by calling the Health Department at (845) 364-2526.
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