Montgomery County Encourages Residents to Prepare Emergency Kits for COVID-19

September is National Preparedness Month and Montgomery County’s Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security is urging residents to prepare for the possibility of a second coronavirus wave.

It was only a couple of months ago that people around Montgomery County were struggling to find basic household items like toilet, paper towels, bleach, and more. Now that grocery store shelves are replenished, the OEMHS is encouraging residents to prepare emergency kits for the coronavirus and for the possibility of having to quarantine.

On Sept. 18, Joe Corona, the community outreach coordinator for OEMHS, gave a presentation at Montgomery County Public Safety Headquarters in Gaithersburg about preparing for emergencies in light of the coronavirus:

County Recommendations for Emergency Kit Checklist

Having a basic emergency kit on hand can help sustain a household in case of emergencies or in case there’s a need to evacuate your home with little notice.

Here are Montgomery County OEMHS recommendations for assembling a basic emergency kit:

County Recommendations for Coronavirus Preparedness Kit

Here’s what Montgomery County OEMHS recommends for people add to their emergency kits in light of COVID-19:

• Face coverings (at least two per person)
• Hand sanitizer (at least 60% alcohol)
• Medical ID card
• Sanitizing wipes
• Soap and water
• Thermometer

Be sure to have three days worth of supply on hand.

County Recommendations for Quarantine Preparedness Kit

Here’s what Montgomery County OEMHS recommends people have on hand for a quarantine preparedness kit in case they receive a positive coronavirus test or are exposed to the virus and need to quarantine for 14 days:

• Plenty of shelf-stable foods: clean drinking water; canned fruits, vegetables, and legumes; canned soups or stews; canned or dehydrated meats; dry pasta; dried fruits; crackers; granola bars; shelf-stable beverages; freeze-dried meals.
• Additional household supplies: Trash bags; prescription medications; over-the-counter medications like fever reducers; face tissues; gloves.

These items are in addition to the regular preparedness kit recommendations as well as the additional COVID-19 supplies.

The OEMHS also recommends creating a plan for quarantine and developing a support network that can help if you or someone you know becomes sick and needs to quarantine. They recommend understanding the signs of COVID-19; have a plan for who will take care of children and pets; know where to quarantine to avoid others; and be aware of resources available (from primary care providers, Montgomery County Government, local nonprofits, etc.).

.@ReadyMontgomery reminds residents to call 311 for support. pic.twitter.com/bgjAzRgcWj

— Deirdre Byrne (@DeirdreByrne_) September 18, 2020

About Deirdre Byrne

Deirdre Byrne is a social media coordinator for Montgomery Community Media. She can be reached at dbyrne@mymcmedia.org or on twitter at @DeirdreByrneMCM.

View all posts by Deirdre Byrne