During a disaster, people will react based on how they are trained to respond. Eskenazi Health has developed plans for many kinds of emergency situations and is trained and ready to respond in order for the health system to remain open and available to the community during times of crisis.
Preparations made by Emergency Management include:
- Identifying both internal and external hazards
- Identifying ways to lower threats, if possible, and preparing a response to threats outside of the community’s control (tornadoes, flooding, hazardous material events, etc.)
- Training staff on response techniques to use during a disaster or emergency
- Working with community partners to ensure everyone plans and works together toward a unified response when needed
For more information on local and community emergency management, Eskenazi Health recommends the following websites:
Preparedness
What does the community do if there is an ice storm that knocks out the power for days? How can residents find out when there is a weather warning? One of the most important things a family can do is plan for its safety during an emergency with four steps: Get a kit. Make a plan. Stay informed. Practice the plan.
For ideas on how to prepare for these events, Eskenazi Health recommends the following resources:
Weather Alerts
What kinds of alert systems are available during intense and dangerous weather? Eskenazi Health recommends an all-hazards alert radio that makes an alert sound inside a family’s home whenever a potentially dangerous event is happening. All-hazards alert radios are available online or at local retailers.
Indiana faces all types of weather, including severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, flooding, and snow and ice storms. All of these events can potentially impact the community, leading Eskenazi Health to carefully monitor the weather. Sites that continually update information include:
Earthquakes
The Midwest, including Indiana, has one of the most active earthquake fault lines in the world in the New Madrid Fault Line. For more information on earthquake preparedness, visit The Great Shake Out. The U.S. Geological Survey posts a map of recent earthquakes.