MORGAN PARK — Emergency personnel arrived at the Morgan Park Police District on Wednesday night ready to offer tips on how residents might prepare for an unknown disaster.
Only nobody showed up.
Instead, members of the Chicago Community Emergency Response Team and the city's Office of Emergency Management sat down with DNAinfo to suggest some ways to best prepare for such an event.
"We don't really have the major disasters here in the Midwest that you have in New York or Los Angeles," said Thomas Sivak, deputy director for the Office of Emergency Management.
Sivak, a Beverly resident, said the absence of frequent emergencies made it difficult to keep the public alert. That's not to say that Chicago is impervious to disasters.
He said tornados, blizzards, heat waves and floods are the most likely emergency scenarios to affect residents of the 19th Ward and beyond. In the case of extreme cold and heavy rain, some scenarios have even become commonplace.
Still, Chicago residents are best to be prepared in the case of an emergency. Here's a few tips Sivak and others suggested that stood out:
• The Federal Emergency Management Agency or FEMA recommends everyone have enough food and water to survive for 72 hours, Sivak said.
But there's no need to run out and stock up on jars of peanut butter and cans of beans. Most people already have this amount of food stored in their pantry. And while they might not be your favorite munchies, but it'll get you by, he said.
• Have a designated meeting place. Emergencies rarely happen when everyone is huddled together safely. So, it's best to designate a meeting place for where to gather in the wake of a disaster.
This is particularly helpful if you cannot contact your family because disruptions in cellphone service. So if disaster strikes while kids are at school, parents are at work or everyone is out and about, designate a specific place to meet, Sivak said.
• Write down phone numbers, Social Security numbers and insurance information. Keep this info together so you can quickly grab it off the fridge as you head to a safer place.
• Don't forget about your pets. Your disaster kit might have enough food and supplies for your family, but don't forget about the cat, dog or other pets.
• Have some cash available. Banks will likely be closed, and ATMs won't be immediately restocked in the wake of a disaster. Thus, it's best to have a bit of money in your pocket.
• Know how to shut off the gas, water and electricity running to your home. Turning off the utilities is a wise move in the event of many disasters including a flood, fire or in the wake of a tornado.
When it's time to turn the utilities back on, be sure to call the gas company for help as pilot lights may have been compromised as a result of the shutdown.
• Think about your batteries. Of course you are going to want to have fresh batteries for your flashlight, but also think about the battery on your cell phone. Don't forget to have a charger on hand.
• Stay informed. The Office of Emergency Management and Communication offers free text message updates and alerts in the event of extreme weather or other disasters. Sign up for the free service online at www.alertchicago.com
• Emergency crews take over digital billboards. Those electronic billboards along the highway can provide vital information during a storm or other disaster. Sivak said his team and others have the ability to use these billboards to post important updates.
• Stay away from downed power lines. Enough said.
Several members of the Chicago Community Emergency Response Team were also on hand at the meeting. These volunteers stay ready in the case of an emergency to help distribute supplies, locate loved ones and provide additional support to other first responders.
Rich Frizelis, of Avondale, is a deputy director of the team. The volunteer works as a tugboat captain on the Chicago River by day.
"This is not something people think about. It's not a high priority," he said.
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