Category: Personal Preparedness

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Personal Preparedness Preparedness Planning

Preparedness: Are You Ready?

It was Benjamin Franklin who said, those who ‘fail to prepare, prepare to fail.’ When you think about things – and I mean, really think about them – the chances of disaster striking really aren’t that low. I’m sure you’ve had enough scare mongering from the 10pm news, so I’ll spare you that, but, we’re all aware of how fragile life can, and we all realize how everything exists in fine balance.

If you’ve ever worked for a multi-national company, you’ll know they’re insured against practically everything. It wouldn’t surprise me if many had coverage against snowman attacks, given the prepared nature of most CEO’s. Yet, curiously, when a person takes similar precautions, they can be seen as somewhat paranoid. It’s peculiar.

72 hour kits are something you buy and then forget about. They’re like bandages. You hope you’ll never one, but it’s there if ever you do. See the real scary outcome isn’t having to use a survival kit, it’s needing one, and not having one available. Then, you and your families lives are suddenly in jeopardy.

No matter the current state of the world, It’s not unreasonable to be prepare for war. It’s not unreasonable to prepare for extreme weather hitting. It’s not even unreasonable to assume a natural disaster could occur at any time  soon. Because nobody knows. In fact, survival kits aren’t pessimistic, they’re optimistic. Being prepared allows you to relax and face the future knowing that you have a contingency plan in place.

Ask yourself this, I were forced to evacuate my home, or if I were left stranded without food, water, gas and electricity, could I really cope?

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Disaster Kits Earthquake Preparedness Personal Preparedness Personal Stories Preparedness Planning Preparedness tips

Living in Earthquake Country – Why We All Need to be Better Prepared

By Keith Erwood

January 3, 2013

Six and a half years ago I moved to California from New York City. Since that time I have experienced several earthquakes. Let me just say for a New Yorker they were interesting to say the least, and certainly got my attention. These “small” 4.0 – 4.4 earthquakes to Californians are just minor little rumblings that make for interesting conversations and really nothing more. Sometimes, they even provide for a good laugh when seeing a newly transplanted East Coaster such as myself experiencing it for the first time. Such an event happened with me and my wife who is a CA native.

During my lifetime in NYC I experienced two (that I am aware of) small earthquakes of about 2.0 – barely felt by most. As a new Californian it was interesting to me, as it was for many on the West Coast to see the reactions to the recent East Cost Earthquake. One that caused little damage, but contributed to workforce disruptions in many areas as people fled into the streets.

Now as I sit here today I am pondering a number of things about earthquakes and preparedness. The first is that I live in so called “Earthquake Country” here in the Bay Area, or is that the entire State of CA? Then again, it could be that “Earthquake Country” is the entire West Coast. The truth is we all live in Earthquake Country. Let me explain.

There is not a single State in the U.S. that has never had or experienced an earthquake. Nor is there a State that can never have an earthquake again. True, some areas are less impacted by these earthquakes. Take my former home State of New York for example. Though NYC has had very few earthquakes, NYS has several every day. These earthquakes tend to occur in areas that are either unpopulated or have very small populations.

Then we have the New Madrid fault that is perhaps the one fault that can impact the largest portion of the U.S. if a significant earthquake were to occur in the region. In fact if a significant earthquake were to occur in this region the impact could be more widespread and damaging than a major earthquake in a place like the San Francisco Bay Area. Why?  Because cities such as St. Louis, Memphis, Nashville that are in the region do not have the same building standards to withstand such an impact.

Another surprising thing I learned is that not everyone who lives out here in CA is really prepared for when the “Big One” hits. Actually in reality, very few are truly prepared and myths about CA and earthquakes impact disaster preparedness even here. Let me provide an example for you how one of these myths can cause improper preparedness.

Myth: We live in Sunny California, where it never rains and is always warm and sunny. Well, this could not be further from the truth. Sure – it’s plenty warm and sunny in the summer months, especially where I live but it does get cold. Just last night it was in the low temperature was in the high 20’s and the high’s have lately been in the low 50’s or high 40’s. Now, this is not exactly in the teens, or 20 below zero like it can get in some areas of the country but it is below freezing and feels cold. If you were without a coat, jacket, blanket or other warm gear or heat source in your preparedness or earthquake kit you could be in trouble during the colder months.

In fact during the summer months when it gets very hot during the day the, it is not uncommon for the temperature to drop about 30 degrees at night. A change in temperatures such as this can actually cause a person to suffer from hypothermia even during the summer. Another part of this myth is that it doesn’t rain. In fact I even had someone tell me once, sure we have earthquakes, but at least when it does happen it will be dry since we hardly get rain.

To this I say not so fast. In fact as I write this, we are in the rainy season where it is not uncommon for it to rain for long periods of time. In fact last year, I think it rained everyday for a month straight. Add in the cold, wind, and an earthquake and the impact could be much more severe as people are exposed to the elements. If this happened certainly more people would succumb to the weather exposure than the actual earthquake.

In closing I ask that you reevaluate how you prepare for likely calamities in your home community – add more or additional supplies to keep you warm and dry. Consider the impact of a worse case disaster in terrible weather. And I want to remind you that we all live in earthquake country, not just those of us living on the West Coast in Sunny CA.

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General Preparedness Personal Preparedness Preparedness Planning Preparedness tips

Do you need to be a “Doomsday Prepper” to be prepared?

In recent years we have seen an explosion of TV shows about preparedness hit the airways. Survivorman with Les Stroud, Man vs. Wild with Bear Grylls, Dual Survival with Cody Lundin and Dave Canterbury, Man Woman Wild with Mykel Hawke and his wife Ruth England that teach us how to be prepared for situations that mainly happen “in the wild”. There are also shows that feature people who “extremely prepared” like Doomsday Preppers.

The question is do we really need these skills and is this what it means to be “prepared”.

Many of these reality shows teach us skills to survive being stuck in the jungles or Borneo or in the wilds of Alaska, to survive a broken down Jeep off a remote mountain trail in the desert or after a shipwreck on a deserted island. While these shows are very interesting and teach some amazing survival skills, is this what the masses need to make them safer and better prepared for what I like to call…’Life’s, what if’s”. A very small percentage of the population will encounter the situations on these shows. But what about the below?

*A car accident

*A vehicle breakdown at night on a dark road

*A fire in the home or office

*A carbon monoxide emergency

*A blackout

*A medical emergency such as a bad cut, heart attack, choking victim

*A sports injury or injury will taking a simple hike

*Severe weather

*A chemical release/spill

*A robbery or assault

The above incidents are  something just about every person can face on a daily basis. In fact, most of us will have to deal with more than one of these situations multiple times a year. This doesn’t mean we need to panic, run out and spend thousands of dollars or sign up to take dozens of courses to try to become survivalists. We don’t need to learn to live off the land, build remote bunkers, stockpile years of food and supplies or otherwise plan to live off the grid. I am not saying these aren’t important things for some people and the skills learned could be valuable. But I would recommend some of the below as a better place to start.

*Learn how to use a fire extinguisher

*Practice rapidly exiting your home with your family

*Make some basic family plans for different types of emergencies

*Make back-up copies of important documents and store them in another place

*Have a safe room that everyone knows to go to in severe weather

*Learn some basic first aid and CPR

*Buy at least some basic supplies like a good first aid kit, some flashlights, fire extinguishers for your home and carbon monoxide detectors

*In your car have a flashlight, a first aid kit and at least one road flare

None of the above items are particularly difficult to do or expensive. They don’t take up a lot of time and if you do them it doesn’t mean you are “paranoid”…but it will go a long way in making you better prepared for everyday potential emergencies and will  help keep you calm in the face of potential disaster. Once you get some of these simple things done you can then learn how to field dress a deer and use its hide to make a sail for your driftwood raft.

Until next time…be safe.

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Disaster Kits General Preparedness Personal Preparedness Preparedness Planning Preparedness tips Survival Kits

15 Minutes to Evacuate

Imagine a typical evening at home.  You’re sitting in the living room, watching television.  Your spouse is in the kitchen cooking dinner.  Your daughter is in her room, surfing the internet.  Your son is down the block at a friend’s house.  The dog is in the backyard.  Everything is as peaceful as it can be.

BAM! BAM! There’s a knock on the door.  When you answer it you find a police officer on the other side.  He tells you there has been a terrible train accident a few miles to the south.  A dangerous chemical has spilled and you must evacuate in the next fifteen minutes.  Take only what you need for the next three days.

By now, your mind is racing.  Part of you is still trying to process what you just heard, and another is telling you to move fast.  You’ve never had to deal with a situation like this before. What do you take with you?  How do you explain what’s going on to your family?  How do you contact your son at his friend’s house?  Do you take the dog, or leave him behind?  What about the family pictures?  Will you ever be allowed to come back?

This is a horrifying scenario, and the very reason every family should have an evacuation plan.  The plan should include pre-staged bags, filled with supplies. Each person in the house should have a bag that includes at least one change of clothes, and basic supplies, like hygiene products, bottled water, and ration bars.  These will complement a larger, family emergency kit.  Also include a kit for your pet if you have one. And don’t forget to keep your important documents handy. An ounce of preparation now will save you a gallon of panic later.

By Jason M. Watts (Contributing Writer to 1800prepare.com)

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Disaster Kits General Preparedness Hurricane Preparedness Personal Preparedness Personal Stories Preparedness Planning Survival Kits

Hurricane Sandy – Using my own Supplies

Things are just starting to return to normal here after a couple pretty hectic weeks. The destruction cause by Hurricane Sandy affected many communities. As a volunteer fire fighter in Westchester County…we were inundated with calls starting about midday Monday, through Tuesday and even into Wednesday. In other posts I will share some stories of the relief efforts we have organized for the hardest hit areas of New York. We continue to gather donations/supplies to bring in to these communities. Here I wanted to talk about some of my own preparedness items that either came in handy for myself or that I used to assist others.

1. Premium Car Survival Kit – Emergency Car KitA few days after we settled down from Hurricane Sandy we were hit with a Nor’easter. While we did have some advance notice, I don’t think people realized how bad the snow would be and how bad the roads would be. Driving home from work on Wednesday was terrible. A normal 25 minute drive took 3 hours. Highways were shut down, there were multiple accidents and cars by the dozen were scattered all over the road (and off the road). Winding through the back roads I found myself stopping every 5 minutes or so to help clear an accident or get a car moving again. I always keep multiple kits in my car which came in very handy. From this car kit I had to use the tow rope, reflective triangle, jumper cables, safety vest, work gloves, multi-function shovel, flashlight and tire puncture sealer. I have had this kit in my car for some time and only used one or two items in the past. I was actually amazed that in one trip home…so many of the items came in handy. Now I have to replenish some of the supplies but I couldn’t imagine driving a vehicle without this or a similar kit in the back.

 

 

 

2. Blackout Kit – As you can imagine I have plenty of preparedness supplies in my house. I have been building my list of items for many years so I am pretty set for most emergencies. When Blackout KitHurricane Sandy hit our town lost power. It affected probably 80+% of the community and some people still don’t have their power back almost 2 weeks later. One of the kits we pulled out when we lost power was this one. My family all moved into our living room where we used the fireplace to keep warm. Fro this kit we used the Dynamo Lantern to give us light to play a board game, the squeeze lights for our kids to walk around the house, the two 30 hour emergency candles to give us more light in the room we were in and also the light sticks. I gave one to each of my children. They thought it was fun to carry them around which helped take their minds of the storm and it helped me to keep track of them. These were all very simple items that I could have bought separately but ti was nice that they were all in one place, unused and were there for this situation. To often with regular items we buy they are strewn all over the house and non-operational when we need them.

 

 

 

 

Please stay tuned for more posts on my experience with this storm, testing my own level of preparedness and how we are helping with the relief efforts.

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General Preparedness Hurricane Preparedness Personal Preparedness Preparedness Planning Preparedness tips Recovery

Post Hurricane Sandy Tips – Part 2

Today’s list covers a little on helping others and then helping others to help you.

 

1. Sharing power.  If you have a generator, power inverter hooked up to a vehicle, or other power source, offer to share by allowing neighbors to recharge laptops, cellphones, and other communication devices.

 

2. Help people find you.  Navigation after a destructive event is difficult.  Street signs are down, mailboxes with house numbers are gone, etc.  Do what you can to label streets and houses so that utility workers will know where they are, emergency responders can navigate, and eventually for insurances claims adjusters to find the correct property.

 

3.  Collect valuables.  This is more common after tornadoes, but just as necessary after a hurricane.  Debris from damaged or destroyed houses will be strewn for miles.  Help others gather their lost possessions by salvaging and saving anything that appears to have either actual or sentimental value.  Since the garbage and debris will FAR outweigh these valuables, use trash cans to salvage the good stuff and leave the debris for cleanup crews.  However, be sure to mark these bins as containing valuables.  Later on, after things begin to normalize a bit you can host a neighborhood “Found Your Stuff” gathering and see who you can return items to.

 

4. In metro areas across the northeast, we’ll see folks without some power and other utilities for a while, but with the repair infrastructure in the region, we’re sure to see repairs coming much sooner than we did after Katrina.  Encourage others to alert neighbors when utilities are back.  The reason for this is that one side of the street might get power while the other side is still without.  This gives the option of sharing when possible and safe.

 

5. If responders have not canvassed your area yet, help them by labeling houses as to their extent of damage (if any), whether the occupants are accounted for or missing, if any utilities are working, pets are missing or injured, etc.  You don’t have to use the official “X” symbol if you don’t know it.  Simple dated notes on the door will work.  Also, if cell phone services are back, leave the owner’s contact info on the door if emergency workers need to contact the owner or residents.

 

6. Light debris cleanup.  As a follow-up to number two above, do what you can to move light debris off the roadways.  Avoid coming near any downed power lines though.  Clearer roads mean faster assistance and repair.

 

7. Help with communication.  Get a list of “okay” or “not okay” messaging from neighbors and edit and collect the information along with the intended recipients.  If anyone in your group is a Ham radio operator, if you run across a Ham radio operator, if the Red Cross or other volunteer group can get word to the outside, or if communication services start to return to your area, you’ll have a set list of messaging that you can get out quickly to help your neighbors alert their friends and loved ones as to their safety.

 

8. When the rebuilding starts, encourage folks to be careful about the contractor they choose.  Scammers will be coming out of the woodwork.  FEMA’s info page is:  http://www.fema.gov/news-release/be-smart-about-hiring-building-contractor

 

9. When you’re able to get word back to Huffington, remind readers that those in unaffected areas across the country will be approached by fake charities and scammers that will use the current disaster as a way to cheat well-meaning Americans out of their money.  Here’s a short how-to piece of giving safely after a disaster:  http://www.disasterprep101.com/documents/DisasterDonations.pdf

 

10. Now back to “survival” info.  Food.  Encourage neighbors to have “block cookout.”  Though it seems rather inappropriate for the situation, here are the advantages:  First, a lot of people might not have all the items for full meals, but put all the families together and you might find you have all the ingredients you need.  Second, a group function like this helps with morale.  Third, there’s safety in numbers which is important until life gets back to normal.

These tips  brought to you by Paul Purcell (author of Disaster Prep 101 and Adviser to 1800prepare.com)

Paul Purcell

www.disasterprep101.com

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General Preparedness Personal Preparedness Personal Stories Preparedness Planning Preparedness tips

Doomsday Preppers

doomsday-preppers

I have been asked by a number of people lately if shows like Doomsday Preppers have been good for business. I guess the natural reaction of most people is that since there is a TV show about the topic…it has raised awareness and now more people will buy preparedness supplies.

At this point I am not sure if a show like this actually will help to get people better prepared in the long run or if it will turn people off. While I am sure that some people will see a show like this and make a purchase such as long term food storage or a survival kit….I don’t think that in the long run in will move the needle. And….could it actually deter some people?

In talking about preparedness I have always focused on the masses. I want to help make preparedness a mainstream topic and something everyone thinks about. My problem with a show like this is it shows the extremes. It focuses on “preppers”. I believe that the masses will see a show like this and think the people on it are crazy. They will laugh at the level these folks have taken preparedness too and won’t want to associate themselves with them. I think many will simply say….”I can never be like that” and will decide that preparedness is for the extremists.

I am all for extreme preparedness if that is what is important for you. However…I think it is important to show that you do not need to take these type steps (bunkers, years worth of food, weapons training, etc) in order to be better prepared. You can simply become more aware of emergencies in your area, have a discussion/make a plan with your family, take a CPR class and/or buy some basic supplies such as a 72 Hour Kit. These simple steps will make you better prepared.

It is far more likely that you will encounter severe weather, a car accident, a house fire, flash flood, blackout, injured person, etc than a world devastating volcano or an earthquake that wipes out most of societies infrastructure.

There are levels of preparedness for everyone….start somewhere and build from there. You will be glad you did.

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General Preparedness Personal Preparedness Preparedness Planning Preparedness tips Uncategorized

Travel Disasters and Situational Awareness

The news lately has focused heavily on the cruise ship disaster involving the Costa Concordia off the coast of Italy.

Several interesting points come to mind on first glance at this mishap. First, when were passengers given a safety briefing? Some sources say they had one already and others say they were not due their first one for several hours. Also, we know the Captain abandoned ship and we also hear reports that many of the crew were not aiding passengers in distress. Next, with the ship not completely sinking and with being so close to shore, how could anyone have actually died? (Though with a passenger load in excess of 4,000 people, the number of deaths was relatively very low.)

The point of today’s post is not to criticize what did or did not happen aboard the Costa Concordia (especially since we weren’t there), but to focus on things to help protect you and yours if you find yourself in an emergency situation whether aboard ship, an aircraft, a train, or even in a public building.

The key is “Situational Awareness” which means you’re aware of where you are, what’s going on around you, what might happen, and how you might react. Whenever you’re in a new place, whether it’s aboard a ship, aircraft, train, or even in a new building, you should know your surroundings, the threats you may face, the ways in which you might learn of an emergency, and the assets around you.

Here are a few thoughts:

1. Know the layout of where you are. In a public building for the first time? Look at the fire escape plan which should be posted near elevators or stairs. (Hint, if the risk of an event is high, take a picture of the floor plan with your phone.) How many doors are between you and an exit? Could you find the exit in heavy smoke by counting doors as you crawled along the floor to safety? How about a plane? (Read the info pamphlet about the plane you’re in and pay attention during the safety briefing.) Where is the closest exit (remember, it may be behind you) and how many seats are there between you and the exit? Aboard ship? Attend any safety briefing, not just the mandatory ones. Which passageway do you take to reach the lifeboats from your room? From the galley? From the entertainment areas?

2. Learn to identify safety personnel. Aboard an aircraft it’s easy; they’re your flight attendants. What about aboard ship? Not all crew are trained to handle guest safety. Some are assigned specific ship protection duties in a crisis. Can you tell the difference? What about in a building? Who’s with security and how do you identify them? Do you know the location of the security office or posts? How about aboard a train?

3. Note the location of safety equipment. Where are the fire extinguishers? How about AEDs (Automatic Electric Defibrillators), fire hoses, first aid kits, fire alarm switches, emergency call boxes, flotation devices, emergency brake pulls, attendant service buttons, etc.? How many of these do you know how to operate should you be able to locate them? And, always remember that your cell phone can act as your emergency flashlight.

4. Talk with family members about what to do should an emergency occur. How many in your family know first aid or CPR? Do you plan meeting times or rendezvous points when at sporting events or the mall where you might separate for a bit? Note: When working on steps 1 through 3 above, make sure you involve others you’re with or teach them to do the same steps.

5. Maintain your health and physical capabilities as best you can. Getting out of a sinking ship, a wrecked train, crashed plane, or burning building are stressful and physically demanding. The healthier you are, the safer you are, and the more you’re able to help others.

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Disaster Kits General Preparedness Personal Preparedness Preparedness Planning

Give the Gift of Safety

With the holiday season rapidly approaching most of us are making lists or planning out who we want or need to buy gifts for. Typically these lists include games, clothing, jewelery, sporting goods, liquor and similar items. One suggestion you may want to think about is buying a friend or loved one a preparedness kit or other type safety related item. These items might not be the first things that pop into your mind but they are a unique and important present that will truly show you care.

No matter where you live…you can be affected by storms, blackouts, severe weather, accidents or worse. We all know we need to be better prepared…but to often we procrastinate getting it done. By purchasing a survival kit or product and giving it to someone….you show them you care while making them safer. And…while you are at it…might as well get one for yourself.

It can be a survival kit, a great flashlight, a first aid kit, a car emergency kit and anything else you think is important.

Sometimes thinking out of the box is a good idea.

This holiday season…be safe.

Paul

1800prepare.com

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Disaster Kits Emergency Responders General Preparedness Personal Preparedness Preparedness Planning Survival Kits

Northeast Snow Storm

By now..most people in the Northeast have power back in their homes and have dug out from the freak storm that hit our area. Due to the time of year and the trees being full of leaves….this storm was particularly devastating. There were severe power outages due to the large number of trees and limbs that came down. This caused major breaks in power lines and a large number of transformer fires. All this adds up to a pretty terrible event and one that hopefully taught us all some lessons.

1. Emergencies can and do happen all the time. Even when we don’t expect them to.

2. These events create very dangerous scenarios: live downed power lines, falling debris, loss of power, slippery roads, fires, etc.

3. Emergency response personnel become overwhelmed and can’t get to every emergency immediately

So…this once again should teach us that we all need to be better personally prepared. We need to all learn to become our own “first responders”.

*Did you have the kits and supplies you need?

*Did you have a plan in place of where to go and what to do?

*Did you know what resources were available to you?

My true hope is that each time we face these events…we learn something and more importantly we take action. Take at least one step now towards better preparedness and I can assure you that the next emergency (and their will be one) will be just a little bit easier for you to get through.

In the meantime…be well and be safe.

Paul Faust

1800prepare.com