LARNED — Thanks to a surplus in emergency preparedness funding provided to the Pawnee County Health Department through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, schools in Pawnee County will be receiving 120 emergency buckets filled with a variety of items to help with sheltering in place. This could be helpful in the event of natural disasters, like tornadoes, or in the event of a school lockdown.
Cheryl Hoberect, RN, is the Pawnee County Health Department’s preparedness coordinator. By coincidence, she learned in a conversation with Deputy Eli Makings of the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Office last year that school in the county were in need of emergency supplies.
Each year since 9/11, the health department has received federal preparedness funding. This year, when Hoberect learned of the excess funding, she met with Makings the Pawnee County Commission, and agreed that emergency buckets would be a worthwhile project.
The buckets contain various supplies such as a hand crank emergency alert radio, flashlight and cell phone charger all in one. Duct tape, a claw foot hammer, rope, hard candy, leather gloves, trash bags to line the bucket if it is needed for a toilet. Other items include toilet paper, hand sanitizer and wet wipes, Band-Aids, disposable gloves, glow sticks, a whistle, a sharpie and pencil/pen and notepaper. Not only can the bucket be used to contain the items, it can also be used as a step stool or as an emergency toilet.
Hoberect and Makings explained to teachers how to use the items. Each bucket also contains an instructions sheet to remind teachers of what the items can be used for.
Pawnee County Health Department would like to give a big thank you to USD 495 and 496 and local county business for their partnership in the project. Because September is National Emergency Preparedness Month, Pawnee County Health Department urges all Pawnee County residents to take time to make their own home one that is prepared for the worst but hopes for the best. If you need further information on preparing your household, you may contact Pawnee County Health Department at 620-285-6963 or 1-800-211-4401. Or go to the Center for Disease Control website at https://emergency.cdc.gov/preparedness.