Terror Alert Safety Tips
Be prepared. Just in case.
In the age of terrorist attacks, that advice isn't just for children. Law enforcement officials, raising the threat level Friday, handed it out to parents in particular. A little advance planning, they say, could protect families and property if an attack knocks out access to home, food and money.
First on any to-do list: "Take the time now to get informed," Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said.
Ridge specifically urged Americans to arrange a way for family members to contact each othersuch as through an out-of-town relative and designate a meeting place in case telephone service is knocked out by an attack.
"I think it would make family members a lot more comfortable if they knew they were able to get in touch with one another in the event something happened," Ridge told reporters.
Americans with more time to prepare might check out the government's guidelines on assembling a "disaster plan" taking other steps to protect people and property at nominal expense. Such a guide can be found at www.fema.gov.
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