Get ready and stay ready, Nevada. Are you prepared for an emergency? Last week I discussed a list of suggested items to stock and suggestions for storage. This week I will suggest you create a family plan.
It is not important if your family is traditional or situational; it may not even contain people you are actually related to. The important part is that there is a plan of action in case things spiral out of control at the wrong time.
You have already begun with the compiling of an emergency supply kit. The next critical step, to plan in advance, is a safety and communications plan. The plan should include an emergency contact list. One person in your group should be designated to call, text or email relatives or friends in the event of an emergency (I also suggest a backup person).
It’s important that this list be made on paper as electricity and modern conveniences may be unavailable. Names, addresses and phone numbers of those we need to contact will be useless if they are locked up in a device with a dead battery.
Develop a list of those members of your group that are expected to rendezvous with you and make sure the designated person knows enough information to be useful to emergency service providers. It is imperative that the responsible person has names, dates of birth, phone numbers, medical information and emergency contacts. Social media, insurance and pet information can also be invaluable.
Next week I will continue on this topic and address various other emergency preparations that you just may not have thought about. Please start today, even if it is just a basic plan. You will never have the perfect time to plan and the need may arise before the plan does.
April 13. Animal: The caller states an injured duck has taken residence and the elderly folks are concerned for its welfare at 8:19 a.m. in the 100 block of Veterans Memorial Drive.
Juvenile disturbance: The juveniles on the roof are a continual problem and the owner has thought of some creative ways of removing them at 9:02 p.m. in the 800 block of Nevada Way.
Thought for the day: The uninjured duck is thankful to be back in the pond and away from bingo and grits.
April 14. DUI: The party started at Hoover Dam Lodge and ended with one party in Arizona hitching a ride and the other party doing field sobrieties at 12:32 a.m. in the area of U.S. Highway 93 and Industrial Road.
Suspicious: Officers cannot locate the subjects that were making valiant attempts to turn stop signs around at 8:37 p.m. in the area of Adams Boulevard and Avenue G.
Thought for the day: It’s a long way to anywhere in Arizona for that time of night.
April 15. Assist: The mom just ran out on the deck for a minute but the 2-year-old thinks it’s too long and slams the door locking her outside at 10:17 a.m. in the 700 block of Capri Drive.
Trespass: A woman is making the rounds today with her cart of worldly goods and very good lungs at 2:06 p.m. in the 1000 block of Nevada Way.
Thought for the day: Mom and the wayward child are soon reunited along with the infant, who is less than thrilled with the delay.
April 16. Drunk: The intoxicated subject gets a ride from a groggy and very unhappy significant other at 1:01 a.m. in the area of Hotel Plaza and Wyoming Street.
Vagrant: The homeowner states the transient has parked his shopping cart in the bike lane and is taking a sun bath in the wash at 10:11 a.m. in the 1600 block of Georgia Avenue.
Thought for the day: There’s nothing like a soaking up some rays when you’re already exposed to them every day.
April 17. Animal: The caller goes above and beyond in regard to a small dog that was found in the roadway in the Highlands area and brings it to Boulder City when he is unable to find a shelter that is open at 3:35 p.m. in the 800 block of Yucca Street.
Assist: The neighbor is a little upset when the relative of his neighbor constructs a living space alongside their house then runs a cord to his electric at 8:33 a.m. in the 1000 block of Arizona Street.
April 18. Suspicious: The caller states someone has pitched a tent and appears to have taken up residence at 12:58 a.m. in the 1000 block of Industrial Road.
Trespass: Love is not in the air and the dispute now gains the couple a whole new problem at 11:05 a.m. in the 900 block of Nevada Way.
Thought for the day: The foreign campers from last week just moved a few blocks.
April 19. Accident: Officers and paramedics are called to the scene of a fairly serious crash at 5:31 a.m. in the area of Yucca Street and Nevada Highway.
Family disturbance: The third-party caller states their child just called to report their significant other has gone loco and is now stabbing all their worldly goods at 8:31 a.m. in the 1600 block of Nevada Highway.
Thought for the day: Nothing says love like a restraining order.
Call of the Week: Rolling fire: Officers and fire are dispatched to the area after the driver of a landscaping vehicle, pulling a trailer, looks in the mirror to find flames and smoke coming from bags of trimmings at 12:06 p.m. April 14 in the area of Veterans Memorial Drive and U.S. Highway 93.
Tina Ransom is a dispatcher with Boulder City Police Department. She is coordinator of the Boulder City Citizen’s Academy.