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Fairfax County emergency official urges caregivers to prepare 72-hour kits, sign up for alerts
Summary
Crystal Goodwin of Fairfax County's emergency management office told a recorded caregiver webinar that family caregivers should make written plans, practice evacuation routes, assemble 72-hour kits (including DME serial numbers and three days of meds when possible), and sign up for Fairfax Alerts and local registries.
Crystal Goodwin, Access and Functional Needs Specialist with the Fairfax County Department of Emergency Management and Security (DEMSS), told a caregiver webinar that family members who care for older adults or people with disabilities should prepare practical, documented emergency plans and multiple emergency kits she can access quickly.
"Do not wait for a disaster to strike to know how to be informed about severe weather," Goodwin said, outlining five preparedness steps: make a plan, practice the plan, assemble emergency kits, stay informed and get involved in community preparedness efforts.
Goodwin urged caregivers to record emergency contacts, prescribing providers and key medical details; to note serial numbers and manufacturer information for durable medical equipment so insurers or manufacturers can verify ownership and replace devices after disasters; and to identify multiple, accessible evacuation routes and prearranged meeting points. She recommended keeping a three-day supply of food and water (about one gallon per person per day), a three-day medication supply when possible, and at least two kits — a home kit and a ready "go bag" for fast evacuations — plus an emergency kit for a frequently used vehicle.
"Warnings are all about taking immediate action for life and safety," Goodwin said, explaining the difference between weather watches (hazard possible) and warnings (hazard imminent or occurring) and why timeliness matters for caregivers who depend on power or assistive devices.
Goodwin described local tools and registries intended to help first responders. She recommended Fairfax Alerts (an opt-in, geolocated system that sends warnings and notices to registered addresses) and two county programs for registering needs: Community Connect, an address-based record that pulls up information for 911 and responders, and the Emergency Health Profile, a phone-number-based record. As an example of Community Connect's use, Goodwin said 911 dispatchers added resources for a wheelchair user during an apartment fire because the resident's record indicated mobility needs.
She highlighted the county's Community Emergency Response Guide (CERG), which includes phone numbers, templates and checklists, and said the CERG materials on the county website are available in six languages (English, Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese, Arabic and Mandarin). Goodwin noted that, at present, automated emergency alerts are delivered in English only.
On sheltering, Goodwin said Fairfax County does not maintain publicly advertised tornado shelters; instead, she advised sheltering in the most interior, lowest-level room available and explained that large-scale emergency shelters for displaced residents are announced publicly only when opened. On language access, she said first responders can contact language lines and use video-remote interpreting in the field, and that mass-care plans include language services at shelters where possible.
When asked how caregivers should prioritize limited resources in a large-scale outage, Goodwin said personal safety comes first and urged families to plan backups for power-dependent devices (for example, a personal generator if feasible, or alternative arrangements), to carry written communication cards if a care recipient is nonverbal, and to maintain hard-copy essential contact lists if exporting phone directories is not practical.
The webinar also listed volunteer and engagement opportunities — CERT (the fire-department-run Community Emergency Response Team), Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), county volunteer corps and other county-run or co-run programs — and invited caregivers to join outreach events for preparedness training.
Catherine Hall, social services specialist in the Caregiver and Support Services unit with the Fairfax Area Agency on Aging, hosted the webinar. Hall said the session was recorded and slides and a link to the recording will be distributed to participants by next week; she also invited attendees to a follow-up webinar on brain health scheduled for Aug. 19.
The webinar Q&A included practical clarifications on tornado sheltering, language access, documentation of contacts and contingency planning if a primary caregiver is incapacitated. Goodwin provided her contact information for follow-up requests for materials or local assistance.
