GHS/OCD Promotes Financial Preparedness & National Financial Capability Month

The Offices of Guam Homeland Security and Civil Defense (GHS/OCD) encourage the island to take action to improve their financial futures by participating in National Financial Capability Month, throughout April. Over the month of April, the Financial Literacy and Education Commission (FLEC), along with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Department of Treasury will focus on financial preparedness.

Financial Preparedness is important at all levels of income, especially during the challenges of rebuilding lives after a disaster or other emergency. During stressful disaster circumstances, having access to personal financial, insurance, medical, and other records is crucial for starting the recovery process quickly and efficiently.

Residents are encouraged to take the time now to collect and secure these critical records so in the event of an emergency, the documentation is readily available to start the recovery process without delay. Here are some simple tips to be financially prepared:

1.      Gather financial and critical personal, household and medical information.

2.      Consider saving money in an emergency savings account that could be used in any crisis. Keep a small amount of cash at home in a safe place. It is important to have small bills on hand because ATM’s and credit cards may not work during a disaster when needing to purchase necessary supplies, fuel or food.

3.      Obtain property (homeowners or renters), health, and life insurance if you do not have them. Review existing policies for the amount and extent of coverage to ensure that what you have in place is what is required for you and your family for all possible hazards. Homeowners insurance does not typically cover flooding, so you may need to look for other avenues.

Visit the following links for more information:

·   https://www.usa.gov/flec

·   https://www.ready.gov/financial-preparedness

·   https://www.mymoney.gov/Pages/default.aspx

Other ways to engage in Financial Preparedness Month:

· Follow and use the hashtag, #FinancialFuture2018

· Download the Emergency Financial First Aid Kit (EFFAK), https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1441313659995-38b0760a58131b871d....

· April 18, 3 p.m. ET (April 19, 5 a.m. ChST): Tune in to @Prepareathon for Facebook Live – Improving Your Financial Future, https://www.facebook.com/americasprepareathon

For more information, contact GHS/OCD Public Information Officer, Jenna G. Blas at (671) 478-0208 or via email at jenna.g.blas@ghs.guam.gov.

X Flooding is a temporary overflowing of water onto land that is normally dry. Flooding may happen with only a few inches of water, or it may cover a house to the rooftop. There are many possible causes of floods including heavy rain, coastal storms and storm surge, waterway overflow from being blocked with debris, or overflow of levees, dams, or waste water systems. Flooding can occur slowly over many days or happen very quickly with little or no warning, called flash floods.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/floods

Wildfire

Regularly clean the roof and gutters.
Maintain an area approximately 30’ away from you home that is free of anything that will burn, such as wood piles, dried leaves, newspapers and other brush.
Connect garden hoses long enough to reach any area of the home and fill garbage cans, tubs, or other large containers with water.
Review your homeowner's insurance policy and also prepare/update a list of your home's contents.

Fire Weather

Turn on your TV/radio. You’ll get the latest weather updates and emergency instructions.
Know where to go. If you are ordered to evacuate, know the route to take and have plan of where you will go. Check-in with your friends and family.
Keep your car fueled, in good condition, and stocked with emergency supplies and a change of clothes.

Drought

Conserve water

Take shorter showers.

Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving.
Run the washer less frequently and only when you have a full load.
Water your lawn less frequently and do so when the temperature is cooler in the early morning or late evening.
When you run the tap to heat or cool water, keep a pitcher to store the water and use it to water plants.
Avoid washing your car.

Practice fire prevention

Don't set off fireworks when conditions are dry.
Deposit cigarette butts in the proper receptacle to avoid starting a
Pour water over camp fires and backyard fire pits to ensure they are completely out before leaving them unattended.

Follow directions from local officials. If there are restrictions on water usage, be sure to heed them.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/wildfires and https://www.ready.gov/drought

X
Typhoons/Hurricanes are massive storm systems that form over the water and move toward land. Threats from typhoons/hurricanes include high winds, heavy rainfall, storm surge, coastal and inland flooding, and rip currents.

“Hurricanes” form in the Atlantic Northeast Pacific region and “Typhoons” form in the Northwest Pacific Region. These large storms are call cyclones in other parts of the world.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes.