Category: Preparedness tips

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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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Fire Preparedness/Safety Preparedness Planning Preparedness tips

Fire Safety and using a Fire Extinguisher

As a volunteer firefighter, fire safety is very important to me. I also think that while all preparedness is important…it is much more likely that you will face one or more fires in your life than an earthquake, tornado, terror attack or some of the other major disasters we often read about on preparedness sites. One of my sayings is “Preparing for Life’s..What If’s”. A fire is something anyone of us can face regardless of where we live or work. Below are some tips in regards to both general fire safety and well as how to use a fire extinguisher.

General Fire Safety in the Home:

  • Purchase and know how to use fire extinguishers. At a minimum have one on each floor of your home and one specifically designed for kitchen fires
  • Make and practice an evacuation plan with your family. Make sure everyone knows what to do and where to go. Make sure you all know at least 2 routes out of the home in case your primary route is blocked. Also practice evacuating blindfolded or with little light as if there is bad smoke, you probably won’t be able to see that well
  • Pick an outside meeting place away from the house where you will all meet
  • If there is a fire in your home, even if you decide to try to put it out yourself…call the fire department first. Fires grow quickly and you want to get help on the way in case you can’t put it out or become trapped
  • Make sure you have smoke/carbon monoxide detectors on every floor of your home and near or inside every bedroom. Test them at least twice per year
  • Don’t overload outlets and keep flameable items like drapes away from outlets in case they spark
  • Consider purchase fire escape ladders for bedrooms in case the fire is on the first floor and the stairs are blocked
  • Other items you can consider are fire blankets and smoke hoods
  • Clean out your dryer vent line as well as your chimney every year or so

How to use an Extinguisher:

  • Remember…before you attempt to use a fire extinguisher…call the fire department first
  • If you feel it is safe enough to use the extinguisher to try to put out the fire, remember the acronym P.A.S.S. which stands for Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep.
  • Pull – pull the pin the top of the extinguisher
  • Aim – aim the nozzle at the base of the fire
  • Squeeze – squeeze the handle to release the extinguishing agent
  • Sweep – sweep from side to side and the base of the fire
  • While using a fire extinguisher make sure you have an exit behind you in case the fire grows out of control
  • Make sure every family member practices using the extinguisher at least once. The first time you want to pull one out is NOT during a house fire.
  • Visit your local fire department. They can show you how to use and might let you practice in a controlled environment

These tips are by no means complete. There are other factors to consider. As always..if you have a tip, thought or idea please share it.

 

Until next time….be safe.

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Food and Water General Preparedness Preparedness Planning Preparedness tips

Keeping Food Safe During a Power Outage

If you know there is going to be a blackout and you are going to lose power or if it just happens suddenly there are some things you can do to try to keep the food in your refrigerator and freezer from spoiling. Below is a quick lists of tips. If you know of any others, please share them.

*Keep refrigerator and freezer door closed to maintain temperature. The cold should last about 4 hours if unopened

*A full freezer will keep the temperature for approximately 48 hours if the door remains closed.

*Use dry ice if you can get it to keep temperature as cold as possible for as long as possible

*Fill plastic bottles or baggies with water and place in freezer ahead of power outage. These will freeze and will help keep freezer colder for longer. You can also move some to the refrigerator to keep it cold. Not only does this make ice….but it also fills empty space. As the ice melts you can just use the water

*If it is the winter, consider packing the food in coolers or garbage bags and burying in the snow. Secure and bury deep enough to keep animals away

*When power restores, if any food smells bad..don’t take chances and throw away

 

Please add your tips to this post. You should also consider stocking up on some long term food storage items in case the power is out for an extended period of time.

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General Preparedness Preparedness Planning Preparedness tips

Conventions, Seminars, Meetings and Preparedness

Major disasters or minor emergencies.  When they hit you, it doesn’t matter for the moment which is which.  If you’re caught up in protecting you and those around you, your responsibilities, actions, and follow-up will be the same whether the whole community is involved, or it’s just you.

Let’s look at a key point in the above statement; “When they hit.”  For most of us, the better part of our day and week is spent at work.  The details surrounding protection in the workplace takes up volumes.  For our focus today though, let’s look at one aspect of business life: the meeting.

What do you do if an emergency strikes in the middle of a business meeting?

The answer is as simple as “1, 2, 3.”

You have 1 main responsibility.

You have 2 types of immediate reactions.

And you have at least 3 sources of assets and solutions.

Your Main Responsibility:

Your one and only responsibility is the safety and well being of people in your building, at your meeting, or attending your event.  This goes for the one-time guest as much as for the full time employee.  Though we say this is your “one” responsibility, it’s a huge one and it should be the cornerstone of all the contingency planning and emergency preparedness efforts you put in place before any meeting or event is ever put on the calendar.

Your Two Immediate Reactions:

Emergencies are divided into two types:  The evacuation emergencies, like fire, and the shelter-in-place emergencies such as a tornado.  So in your planning, account for both, and run each through the phases of planning, table-top-exercises, and functional drills.  When you do this, go above and beyond fire and weather.  Think about things like earthquake which is both a temporary shelter and then a building evacuation.  Then there’s an “active shooter” scenario when contains elements of both as well.  And what about hazardous materials?  Or a bomb threat?

Work with local emergency management and law enforcement when you create plans and have drills.  They need to know you and your facility and they can add pointers you never would have thought of.

Your Three Sources of Solutions and Assets

In all emergency planning, your number one goal should be confidence.  You should have confidence in the fact you’ve tried your best to cover every scenario, you should have confidence in the ability of your staff to react to the level of their training, and you should have confidence in the fact that your solutions and assets will always outnumber your threats if you know where to look.

1. Local emergency responders:  As we stated, they need to be involved in planning so they’re ahead of the curve if the emergency call comes in.  Also, make sure you have redundant communication options.  In addition to calling 911, you should have an alarm system tied in directly to the 911 center

2. Your staff:  The most overlooked aspect of site security and Business Continuity is the individual employee.  Your employees should be trained in emergency reaction.  Not just your security staff, but all employees.  Never underestimate this asset.  Employees who are trained in preparedness are much more likely to react properly in a work emergency and are also more likely to report for duty in times of crisis and turn your Business Continuity Plan into a functional reality rather than an exercise on paper.

3. Today’s technology:  One crucial component to emergency reaction is communication.  Emergency Management needs to know if an emergency has occurred and those under you care in your building need to be accounted for and their actions properly directed.  Though the list of technological assets is long indeed, consider just a few options:

A. A building-wide alarm system combined with a Public Address system and a camera monitor system that can be accessed off-site or online by emergency management or building security.

B. Mass texting or voice messaging through employee cell phones.  This can alert employees in the building that an urgent situation has developed or can be used to call off a second shift until a crisis is over.

C. Software-based guest check-in systems can account for visitors attending your event or meeting.  This can be used as an after-the-fact roll call, or you can request their cell phone number on arrival and add it to your mass notification system.

For the purpose of a short presentation we say that meeting and event safety is “as easy as 1, 2, 3.”  But if you add up the detail that needs to be considered in each of the steps, we might as well be saying “1,000 – 2,000 – 3,000.”  In other words, we were able to convey a few of the major points in this short presentation, but we urge you to not stop there.  The safety of your employees and your guests is in your hands.  Please put as much effort into this area as you can, and if you need help, let us know.

Blog Post by Paul Purcell (author of Disaster Prep 101 and adviser to www.1800prepare.com)

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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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General Preparedness Hurricane Preparedness Preparedness Planning Preparedness tips Recovery

Post Hurricane Sandy Tips – Part 3

1. More on heat and staying warm.  I mentioned sealing off areas if your house was habitable (structurally sound, dry, no gas leaks or other immediate dangers, etc.).  Today’s tip is to make a smaller area within a room that’s easier to keep warm.  If you have a camping tent, set it up in a room.  Or, like kids love to do, take your dry furniture cushions and other items from around the house and build a “fort!”  Smaller areas are easier to control temperature wise, but remember: no heating with open flame or charcoal, and make sure any small enclosure is NOT air tight.  Don’t want to suffocate.

 

2. Security.  Yesterday I mentioned safety in numbers and also of making sure you’re getting a good contractor.  In the meantime, you still need to coordinate with neighbors and send up an alert when suspicious people come into the neighborhood.  Among this list is people in some sort of uniform who claim to be utility company employees, private sector security, or some other official-looking person who wants access to the inside of your house or access to personal information.  Don’t allow anything until that person provides proper identification or provides other indicators that they really are who they say they are.  Regardless of ID, it’s best if you have a few friends with you if you decided to give any access or information to such a person.  In an emergency the buddy system rules!  Safety in numbers.

 

3. More on signaling.  In the first list I mentioned some rudimentary signaling.  Another tip to add to that list is your car’s alarm.  Again, your car doesn’t have to be drivable to still be useful.  If the battery still works in your car, the panic button on your car alarm can be used as your personal panic button if you need help from friends and neighbors.  Discuss this with those around you so they’ll know to do the same and also to come running if they hear yours.   Also cover other noises or light signaling that will help neighbor alert neighbor.  Anyone have any walkie-talkies?  (Ask the kids) You can even use a baby monitor for one-way communication. How about air horns – the type you see at sporting events.  Sports whistles?  How about a heavy metal spoon banging against a pot?  Again, if you want to learn about all the potential noise makers around the house, ask the kids.  Communication is only limited by the imagination.

 

4. Continue your vigilance of displace animals.  Though reptiles top this list after a water disaster, rats will probably be your most common issue.  Also keep an eye out for pets separated from their owners and help round them up for protection.  As for the rats, if they get to be a problem, find the teenage boys in the area.  One or more of them are sure to have a BB gun or really good slingshot and would love to be “hero of the day” that protects the area from vermin.  However, remind them not to walk around with their BB gun if Police are in the area.  Don’t want to be mistaken for a looter.

 

5. Mold protection.  During the day if the temperature is good and winds blowing, open doors and windows to allow damaged homes to dry.  The dryer the better since that will stall the spread of mold.  FEMA has a decent mold info brochure at: http://www.fema.gov/pdf/rebuild/recover/fema_mold_brochure_english.pdf

 

6. Mutual supply.  Barter will be king for a while.  Don’t ask anyone (just yet) to give up physical possession of the actual item, but try putting together a group list of assets that folks would be willing to give away or swap along with a list of some of their needs.  Think items like toilet paper, aluminum foil, feminine hygiene products, etc. (Food and water is hopefully more available and a little more readily shared and won’t need to be bartered.) Then do some swapping once some sources and needs are matched up and folks agree to the swaps.  You might want to set up a bulletin board for posting swaps, but wait to do this until you’re sure that looting or security in general will not be issues.

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

Paul Purcell

InfoQuest

www.disasterprep101.com

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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 Hurricane Preparedness Preparedness Planning Preparedness tips Recovery

Post Hurricane Sandy Tips – Part 1

For now, here’s a quick “ten” list.  I want to get this out to you now so you can share with your neighbors.

1.     Protection from the elements.  Late-season hurricanes in the northeast mean folks are without power, and sometimes without windows, roofs, walls, doors, or insulation.  If your house is habitable, keep what doors and windows you have closed, and seal seams with plastic sheets (think shower curtains) and any kind of tape you have.  Simply cutting down on wind works wonders with keeping warm.

2.     Water.  Do NOT try to purify flood waters or any standing water in your area regardless of the claims made on any filter you may have.  Flood water is some nasty stuff.  Use a clean plastic sheet to catch some rain water if any rain is predicted.  Also if a home’s hot water tank was above surge or flood levels, the water in it may be safe to drink.  This also holds true for toilet tanks in upstairs bathrooms provided there is no “bowl cleaner” product used.

3.     Heat.  At night, stay in groups if possible both for warmth and security (a little looting in some areas already).  DO NOT HEAT WITH CHARCOAL INDOORS!  Charcoal is a big carbon monoxide producer and is dangerous indoors.  If safe to do so, use wood from your damaged home to build a small fire outside and a safe distance from flammable material (after listening and smelling for gas leaks).  Use this small fire for cooking, heating as you’re gathered around it, and for heating water for hot water bottles to stay warm at night.  Do not heat an indoor area with steam.  Steam will moisten everything and everyone making things that much colder when the heat wears off.

4.     Use your vehicles.  Many cars are damaged, but even so, if it can be cranked, it can be used.  Use the electric adapter to recharge your electronics.  You can warm food by wrapping it in aluminum foil and placing it directly on the engine to warm (and you can warm your hot water bottles this way too), you can siphon fuel for generators, and provided the car’s exhaust is not damaged, you can stay inside it for a bit to take advantage of the heater.  However, don’t sleep in a running car due to carbon monoxide.  Hint:  If you have a carbon monoxide detector in your house, take it out to the car when someone is inside with the engine running to make sure there are no carbon monoxide leaks in the car.  Also, if you have a “power inverter” your car becomes a small electric generator for small household appliances.  Many people overlook this as a source of power so if any automotive or hardware stores are open at all, they may have a few.  Headlights can be used to illuminate small areas at night (and you can detach a headlight and use jumper cables to make the headlight a semi-mobile spotlight). Last but not least if you need to signal for help you can burn a tire.  Heavy smoke can be seen from a long way off.

5.     Food.  Food in short-term survival is actually over-rated, especially in situations such as this where manual labor is not very intensive.  However, food is king of morale, so look for comfort foods.  One overlooked source is vending machines in corporate break rooms.  Though they may not function without power, they can be gotten into.  Be nice and leave a note along with a list of anything you borrow.  If anyone in your area is a “survivalist” they’ll probably be wanting to cook and eat displaced wildlife.  Don’t let them do this.  Aquatic animals will be contaminated by all the nasties found in flood waters, and with as many diseases as there are running rampant in the wildlife that borders civilized areas, you really have to know what you’re doing to prep and cook an animal to ensure food safety.

6.     Security.  Speaking of animals, you may run into issues with the two-legged variety as well as the four-legged variety.  Some looting has been reported, but not nearly as much as was found after Katrina.  So far.  One thing to do is sleep in shifts.  Let someone stay awake in rotating watches that can alert the others if looters or displaced wildlife wander uninvited into your area.  And if anyone has to go anywhere, always use the buddy system; even if you’re just touring to see the damage up and down your street.  There are too many hidden dangers to list, so “if you go out, don’t go without.”

7.     Communication.  You’re obviously getting emails so that’s good.  Tell others to also remember text and multimedia communication.  Multimedia (sending pictures) can work sometimes when text can’t because of some different communications protocols some systems use.  You can also use simple visual signaling if you need to signal for help or just to alert newcomers to any lingering dangers.  Colored towels make good flags, torches at night can be waved, tires can be burned for smoke or light, paper lanterns illuminated with a “tea candle” can be floated like a small hot-air balloon at night, the shiny side of a CD can be a signal mirror as can the flat surface of an iPhone.

8.     Documentation.  Half of “surviving” a sizable disaster is setting yourself up to rebuild.  Use your phone’s camera and video to document property loss and area damage.  Insurance companies (after a regional catastrophe like this) will be more concerned with their bottom line than yours so work now to get all the info you can to help process your claims.  In a related notion, your phone’s camera is your last-minute Child ID kit.  Take pictures of all family members now (including pets) so you have current images of each.  And, for children too young to talk or remember phone numbers or things like that, take a Sharpie and write the parent’s name and info on their arms and chest.

9.     If you can find a dry supply, kitty litter is the best substance for expedient toilets.  Forget trying to use bleach.  Check with neighbors or see if any stores are open (kitty litter will generally be low on a looter’s or shopper’s list).  Take an empty plastic bucket, line it with a double layer of plastic trash bag, sprinkle in about an inch of litter, and then after you make your own “deposit” sprinkle on just enough litter to cover.  Then place some sort of lid on it to keep it covered until next use.  One bucket for each person and the rest you can figure out on your own.

10.  Mutually shared perspective.  The most important consideration of all in a post-disaster environment is actually morale.  It’ll be up to the true leaders in any given group to keep spirits up and keep everyone focused on the goal of rebuilding rather than dwelling on the loss of what was.  A few keys: Stay fed and hydrated and take regular work breaks; take vitamins if you have them; tell jokes and help keep a smile on your buddy’s face; look at “devastation” as a clean slate and opportunity to build something you’ll enjoy even more; hop off your diet for a little while if you have some of your favorite “comfort foods” available; remember that many of our grandparents lived every day without running water or electricity; and remember that the worst is behind you

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 Hurricane Preparedness Preparedness Planning Preparedness tips

Hurricane Preparedness – Riding out the Storm

This is an updated post we put up last year ahead of Hurricane Irene. Now with Hurricane Sandy we wanted to re-post so people can learn what they can do if we are ever faced with such a storm again.

Another hurricane season is here, and like some before, it’s predicted to be an active one with quite a number of named storms, some projected to hit the US.
Though hurricanes generally come with some sort of warning, they’re still a bit on the unpredictable side and usually generate a strong “should I stay or should I go” debate as you ponder the best course of safety for your family. A quick note here; don’t worry about what “category” a hurricane is. If it’s called a hurricane it’s to be treated with respect just as a loaded gun is handled carefully regardless of the caliber.
We’ll cover some of the “stay or go” decision-making criteria for you below, but for now we’ll start by saying that under certain circumstances it is possible to shelter in place safely, if you know how to R.E.A.C.T.:
Reinforcement – Have you prepared your home structurally in advance, even if it’s just shutters?
Equipment – Do you have all the supplies you’ll need on hand, or are you waiting for the last minute?
Awareness – Do you have a way to track the storm, and do you have a way for others to track you?
Cautions – Are you aware of the various risks involved in staying in place in a hurricane?
Timeline – You’ll need to do several things as the storm approaches, and timing is a factor.
Reinforcement
Your proximity to the coast will dictate how strongly you need to reinforce your home. The farther away you are, the less impact hurricanes will usually have. However, consider two things: One, you really can’t use the word “usually” with hurricanes since their strength is always surprising, and two, hurricanes generally spawn tornadoes that impact smaller areas with as much or more force. Consider the following:
– Add working storm shutters, or if you can afford them, storm windows. At the very least, if you choose to use something like plywood to cover your windows have the material at your house even before hurricane season starts and have the pieces pre-cut, labeled, and ready to mount. A good tutorial can be found at: http://www.floridadisaster.org/mitigation/rcmp/hrg/index.asp.
– Reinforce your roof structure with additional 2×4 cross pieces in the attic held in place with structural adhesive, screws and angle brackets. If you do an internet search for the term “hurricane retrofit” you’ll find numerous how-to articles complete with detailed instruction and photos. One such guide can be found at http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/pdf/hurricane_retrofit.pdf.
– In general, do anything to your home that you’d also do to help protect the structure in an earthquake or tornado. The stronger your shelter, the more protected you are against a variety of events.
– If you have a downstairs walk-in closet and that’s where you’d go in a tornado, consider some structural enhancement by removing the sheetrock, adding in some extra 2×4 studs and replacing the sheetrock with 3/4 inch plywood held in place with screws. It doesn’t have the strength of a steel-reinforced concrete storm cellar, but it’s a great way to fill the gap between having “all or nothing.”
– Next, are you close enough to the water to worry about storm surge where the winds push the surf ashore? Are you in a low-lying area where torrential rains could cause flooding even if there is no storm surge? If so, have you prepared your home for potential flooding and do your hurricane reaction plans including flooding as a component of the event?
Equipment
By having everything you need on hand in advance you do three things. First, you save time, which is always an extremely valuable asset in an emergency. Second, you’re not in line at the store and in the way of those who weren’t wise enough to prepare in advance. Third, by getting your supplies early, the grocery stores and gas stations have had a chance to restock so there’s more on hand for those same last-minute people.
– “Equipment” includes all supplies such as food, water, medications, and other necessary consumables. It also means worlds more than just a “72 hour kit.”
– If you can afford a gas-powered generator we highly recommend you have one. If not, go to your favorite auto supply, hardware, or “mega-mart” store and get a “power inverter” for your vehicle. It’ll let you run an AC appliance by plugging this gizmo into your car’s cigarette lighter adapter. Get the largest size you can afford. It won’t run much, but if it can run your refrigerator, it’ll help with food storage for a bit.
Courtesy of Paul Purcell and “Disaster Prep 101” at www.disasterprep101.com
– Since flame-based light sources can be dangerous in emergencies, make sure you have flashlights, batteries, and so forth. We recommend you have several inexpensive flashlights than only one or two of the high-priced varieties.
Awareness
In this case, awareness is a double-edged sword. First, you’ll want to remain aware of where the storm is as it heads your way, and second, you’ll want family and friends to be able to keep up with you now that you’ve made the decision to stay put.
– The first thing you want to have on hand is an NOAA Weather Alert Radio. You can find them at your favorite mega-mart, electronics store, and even grocery stores during severe weather season. Get one that has Specific Alert Message Encoding or “SAME” technology. Essentially, this lets you program the radio to hear only about your county if you’d like so that you’re not constantly alerted to emergencies on the other side of the state. Take a look at http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/nwrrcvr.htm for a good tutorial and more info.
– Determine which of your available radio and television stations will be monitoring the storm’s progress and can tell you things such as distance to your area, whether or not there are storm surge warnings, etc. Of the national stations, “The Weather Channel” online at www.weather.com, is always a good bet.
– Notify an out-of-area friend or family member (the person who is or should be your family emergency contact and who won’t be affected by the hurricane) and let them know you’ve decided to stay put. Develop a hierarchy of communication methods. Incorporate cell phones, land lines, email, family websites (or something like Facebook, Twitter, or MySpace), or official emergency family notification sites such as those the Red Cross will activate after a disaster. In other words, make sure you have plenty of ways to communicate whether you’re okay or need some sort of help.
– Do the same with local friends and neighbors. If you’ve decided to stay, make an agreement to check up on each other afterward and that each knows how to get in touch with the other’s emergency family contact. In fact, you might find it useful to fill out and swap copies of our “Find Me” form.
– For neighbor to neighbor communication consider getting a pair of FRS radios. They’re as inexpensive as the NOAA Weather Alert Radio and have a surprisingly long range. You’ll need something like this in case the cell towers are down and the land-line phones don’t work.
Cautions
Though this article is about staying home and riding out the storm, it’s a decision we wouldn’t take lightly and we urge you to consider all your options before deciding to stay. Consider the following as part of your “stay or go” decision.
– Always remember that the other shoe can drop at any moment, and that there’s never a guarantee an emergency is going to be your only emergency. So, consider this: When riding out the storm remember that you’ll be cut off from other services. The power company can’t come out and turn the lights back on, the plumber can’t help you when flood waters cause sewage to back up in your house, and if one of the kids injures themselves, it’s doubtful you’ll be able to drive to the emergency room. Give good thought to the things you’ll have to endure as a major storm plows through your area and make sure you’re ready to handle them.
– If you’re debating your stay or go decision, don’t wait too long or the evacuation routes will be massive traffic jams and/or closed, and the decision will be made for you.
– If you can’t take any (or even many) of the steps we’ve outlined for you here, then maybe you should at least leave your house and go stay at another location better suited and equipped to protect you from the weather.
Timeline
Some things you need to do well in advance of a major storm and some things have to wait until the last minute. In any event, with something as large and dangerous as a hurricane, there are always details that need to be tended to and you have to consider your timing in the process. These are presented in something of a chronological order and you’ll notice that these also happen to be arranged in an “outside in” order, meaning that you want to do the things that are farthest away from home first and work your way in.
Important note: Below when we say “out” referring to how close the storm is, we’re referring to the nearest edge of the storm that’s going to reach you first, and not the eye of the hurricane. Keep this in mind since most weather stations will measure from the eye of the hurricane. It’s up to you to know the difference.
Courtesy of Paul Purcell and “Disaster Prep 101” at www.disasterprep101.com
Before Hurricane Season Starts
Self reliance and family safety are year-round concerns whether your geographical area is prone to natural disasters or not. However, if you live anywhere near a coast, hurricanes should be additional reason enough to look at your family’s safety and to plan ahead. So, before hurricane season starts…
– Make sure you performed all the structural enhancements you could for your home.
– First aid and CPR classes are great for the heads of household and family members who are old enough.
– Make your decision well in advance on what your most probable reaction to a hurricane should be; whether you want to evacuate or stay put.
A Week Out
This is about as long a warning as we’d have that a hurricane was heading toward any particular region. This far out, the likelihood of pinpointing a city the storm will impact is slim to none. However, any time a squall is even remotely pointed at your area it’s a good time to look at your preparations so you can be one step ahead of the game.
– At a week out, look at the structural integrity of your home and double-check to make sure you have all the shutter material and other hardware you’ll need already on hand.
– If you have a gas-powered generator at home, gas it up and make sure it works. If it needs repairs you’ll want to know no later than now.
Three Days Out
This is about the last day you want to be out and about running errands or buying supplies. You’ll want to have everything you need with today being about the last day for it. Any later than this and you’ll be waiting in long lines and looking at dwindling supplies.
– Make sure your pantry is as full as you’d like it to be. By shopping 3 or more days beforehand, you get what you need, and the store has a chance to restock before the throngs of procrastinators hit.
– When checking your food stocks, make sure you have ways to store it (get longer shelf-life items like canned goods) and ways to cook it, which means get charcoal, Sterno, gas for your grill, etc.
– When stocking food pay good attention to nutrition, but since food is one of the “kings of morale” make sure you have a good supply of non-perishable “comfort foods” on hand such as your favorite nuts, chips, cookies, and other snacks. Include treats for your pets since they’ll need comforting too.
– Check your stock of all medications, both prescription and over-the-counter to make sure you have enough to last if the stores are closed for a couple of weeks. Include your pets in this step.
– Gas up all your vehicles and fill a couple of 5-gallon gas cans to keep on hand provided you can store them safely. Fuel will be an issue for a while and getting yours in advance saves you time and lets you get out of the way of the last-minute folks. If you wait any later than 2 days, you’ll be sitting in long lines at the gas station and wasting time that’s better spent elsewhere.
Two Days Out
At this point the weather forecast is going to be pretty accurate as to whether or not your vicinity will feel the effects of a tropical storm or hurricane. From this point on you’ll probably still head in to work and school, but you’ll want to focus your readiness efforts much closer to home.
– Fill some empty milk jugs or plastic soda bottles with water and put them in the freezer. Let them freeze solid. This way, if the power goes out, these will help keep your fridge and freezer cold longer and you’ll have extra water when they’re thawed out. In fact, you can even use them to make an expedient air conditioner for small spaces if heat becomes an issue. See our article “Homemade Air Conditioner.”
– Secure some of your more important household items such as backup computer disks or flash drives, paperwork, heirlooms, etc. by wrapping them in plastic, putting them in plastic tubs, sealing the tubs with tape, and putting the tubs up off the floor on closet shelves or other elevated and secure locations.
One Day Out
-Start doing some safety landscaping. Are there heavy tree limbs that might fall on your house? Remove them. Is there any yard furniture that needs to be secured? Secure it. And so forth.
Courtesy of Paul Purcell and “Disaster Prep 101” at www.disasterprep101.com
– Put your shutters in place if you’re going to mount any. It’s easier to do this a tiny bit early than to wait until the last minute when you’ll have any number of unforeseen details pop up that will need your attention.
Six to Eight Hours Out
At this point, you’ll probably know whether or not the storm is going to be a direct hit for your area. Now you can begin the final steps that will let you work your way into the house where you’ll stay for the duration. You should be home from work and the kids out of school. Everyone should be home.
– Take some last minute photos of property and family members. You’ll want to show the condition of the property before the storm, and for family members, if you get separated during or after the storm you’ll have current photos of everyone.
– Recharge all your electronics while you know you still have power. Charge your cell phones, laptop computers, rechargeable lights, etc. and let them all get a good eight hours of charging. It’s also a great idea to make sure you have cigarette lighter adapters for all electronics so you can recharge them in your vehicle. (Also see “50 Emergency Uses for your Camera Phone” at )
– Turn your refrigerator and freezer down to their lowest settings. Making sure all your food is colder will help keep it fresh longer should you lose power for an extended period of time.
– If flooding is a possibility, you’ll want to do a couple of things. When we mention flooding we’re assuming there are at least parts of your house in which you can remain high and dry otherwise you’d have left for a different location. So assuming that, let’s talk about your vehicle. First, move your cars to higher ground if the area around your home might flood. Some people call this “docking.” Docking your vehicles might be as simple as parking them on a hill in your neighborhood. Second, move your more valuable furniture and possessions off the lower floor, or at least up off the floor if you only have one level. In fact, you can stack your better furniture up on top of cheaper stuff.
– If flooding is not an issue, you’ll want to park your car in the garage or at least some protected area. Try not to leave it out where flying debris can damage it or a spin-off tornado could pick it up and toss it about.
– Vehicle issues aside, this is about the time you’d want to brace your garage doors so they don’t buckle and cave in during high winds. Most homes are destroyed when doors or windows fail allowing strong winds to enter the house and lift the roof off. Once the roof is off, the walls can collapse under heavy wind pressure.
– If they’re even out of the house at all, this would be a good time to make sure the kids are home and at the very least, in the yard.
Two or Three Hours Out
Again, please remember that when we say “so and so hours out” we’re referring to the leading edge of the storm that will hit you first, and not the eye of the storm. When bad weather is still about 2 or 3 hours away, you’ll want to do the following.
– Bring the kids in the house and have them help you with last minute stuff. Hint: You can calm the kids by making the whole thing look like an “indoor campout.”
– Bring in all outdoor pets. If they can fit in the house they should be brought inside the house.
– Start building a “nest” in the room you’ve chosen as the safest area of the house. Make it comfy since this is where you’ll be while the storm pushes through. Put down a mattress, have some snacks and water handy, make sure you have flashlights and extra batteries and that all your radios have extra batteries. For extra safety, make sure any windows in this room are shuttered on the outside and covered on the inside. You might even go so far as to bring in something like a heavy table for the kids to sleep under. In hurricanes, most deaths occur from drowning in the storm surge but deaths from structural collapse run a close second. Hint: If the kids have bike or skateboard helmets, have them put them on.
– Though the windows might be shuttered or covered on the outside, this is no guarantee there will be no breakage. To add a tiny layer of protection inside (assuming your not doing any sort of interior shutter or plywood cover), close the blinds and draw the curtains. If a window breaks this will help limit how far the glass fragments fly.
– Depending on the weather, you may want to turn your AC down or heat up a bit to make the temperature inside the house more comfortable for a little longer should the power go out.
– Start filling your extra water containers in anticipation of a loss of water. Clean and fill your bathtub, start your washing machine on a cold water cycle and turn it off when the tub is full, pull the trash bag out of your large kitchen trash can and fill the can with water. This is in addition to the bottles and jugs of water you should normally keep in storage around the house for unforeseen emergencies, and the 30 or so gallons that will be in your water heater.
Courtesy of Paul Purcell and “Disaster Prep 101” at www.disasterprep101.com
– If you have a way to secure them (so they don’t blow away), your outside household trashcans can be pressed into service as expedient rain barrels to collect rainwater coming off your roof. You wouldn’t want to drink this water but you can use it for cleaning, etc. (Reminder: You should never ever drink flood water even if you try to purify it.)
As the Storm Comes Rolling In
– Unplug all the electronics you were charging (they should be charged by now).
– Unplug any valuable electronics like your television, stereo, desktop computer, etc. This is to protect them since surge protectors are no match for a direct lightning strike on your house.
– Be mindful of where you are in the house and what’s going on outside. If your threat is high winds, you’ll want to be in the center-most room of the lowest area of your house, or the same place you’d go in a tornado (where you made your “nest”). If wind is not that great, but the rain comes in non-stop then you might want to keep an eye on rising flood waters and be ready to move to a higher level in your house.
– Close but don’t lock all your interior doors. A closed door makes the wall structure a little stronger, it limits flying debris should a window break, and it helps limit wind flow through your house should a window break or part of the roof come off. (You should do this in a tornado as well.)
– Move to the “nest” you made in your safe area and stay put until the storm is over. Keep in mind though, that if the eye of the hurricane passes directly over you, it might seem like the storm is done. It’s not. The other half is about to hit. Stay put until you know you’re safe.
Afterward
– Check to make sure your family members are safe, sound, and soothed. This includes pets!
– Check on your neighbors to make sure they’re okay too.
– When getting out and about, make sure to wear sturdy shoes since there will be a lot of debris on the ground.
– Stay well away from downed power lines (since the ground will be wet and power can arc), look for broken water mains (as trees topple their roots can pull up water lines), and listen and smell for broken gas lines.
– Watch for displaced wild animals.
– Note: It’s only now that you’d want to put your gas-powered generator outside and crank it up. Some people have left theirs out in the weather only to find it damaged beyond repair.
– Once you know all the people and pets are safe and well, you can start thinking of cleanup. However, make sure to take photos and video of the damage for insurance purposes.
Naturally, there are hundreds of such considerations to be made in the event of any urgent situation whether it’s hurricane related or not. Since there are far too many thoughts, tips, tricks, and ideas to squeeze into one article, we recommend you get the entire list by getting your copy of “Disaster Prep 101” and making that one small investment in your family’s safety.
(Note: For just a quick numbered list of the “Timeline” items, Click Here or “right click” and “save as…”)
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About the Author: Paul Purcell is a terrorism and natural disaster preparedness consultant in Atlanta, GA. He’s also the author of “Disaster Prep 101” found at www.disasterprep101.com. © 2010 – Paul Purcell. Permission granted to share this article with others provided it is distributed for free, and that all portions, including footnotes and “About the Author” sections remain intact and attached.
Courtesy of Paul Purcell and “Disaster Prep 101” at www.disasterprep101.com