A large earthquake, a volcanic eruption, or a major winter storm could all be situations in which seniors would need to be prepared ahead of time to be comfortable for up to two weeks, among other important measures.

Federal Way Emergency Manager Kevin Pelley spoke at the recent monthly Federal Way Senior Commission lunch, advising seniors on how to prepare for an emergency disaster. Pelley said that because September is National Preparedness Month, he was excited to help Federal Way seniors focus on being prepared for a major disaster.

“Whether it’s Mount Rainier blowing up, a big earthquake, a winter storm, or anything that could affect their daily lives, we want them to be prepared. And seniors have special needs that are sometimes not addressed,” Pelley said. “And so to be able to work with people that have either limited mobility — they may not drive anymore, they may have medical conditions, hearing, vision that can affect how they react in an emergency or disaster, and a lot of them live by themselves. And so to make them more confident in their own abilities to survive and thrive in an emergency or disaster is really beneficial to me, to the city, and to them.”

Pelley said specifically, seniors should do three things:

• Make a plan.

• Pack a grab-and-go bag.

• Have an emergency supply kit for sheltering in place.

First, Pelley said seniors should plan ahead of time what they will do in the case of an emergency — where they will go and who they’ll contact.

Second, Pelley said seniors should pack a grab-and-go bag with enough essentials to live off of for three days if they need to leave their house or apartment. Pelley said they should not pack just snacks, food and water, but also important documents, extra cash, insurance and medical information, cellphones and chargers. He said these are things people might not usually think of when packing grab-and-go bags, but they should be ready in a hurry, especially if people cannot easily access their wallets or cellphones.

Pelley said the third thing seniors must prepare for is staying in place. Pelley said staying in place is usually for a short duration in a situation such as a chemical release, where seniors need to learn how to shut off their ventilation, and block their windows and doors.Pelley said there could be a situation where people will need to be at home for a week or longer, such as at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A few other instances where seniors may need to shelter in place for a week or longer could be during a major earthquake, a major volcanic eruption, or a major winter storm. Services could be interrupted, and people may not have electricity, and there might not be any gas at the gas stations or food at the stores, Pelley said. He said seniors need to be prepared so they’re comfortable and confident to stay at home and thrive for up to two weeks.