Though not very new at all, CPR guidelines have been given some recent attention through emergency management media such as the recent article posted on “EMS World” at http://tinyurl.com/39wfkaw
The end results of new study shows that making sure the airway is open and applying continuous chest compressions is just as effective (and easier on the sole CPR provider) than stopping to change positions and give breaths.
Question for the day: Are you certified in CPR? Contact your local Red Cross or office of the American Heart Association for more information.
At 10:21 a.m. today….millions of Californians will participate in the world’s largest earthquake preparedness drill. Its not too late to register. Just visit www.shakeout.org and sign yourself and/or your organization up.
Preparing for possible emergencies is one of the best things you can do. By participating in drills like these and discussing with your family and friends you with be better prepared should a real event occur. You should also consider getting supplies or survival kits so you have some of the items you may need.
The drill will only take a few minutes out of your day, will be fun and will be something that could save your life down the road. At 1-800-PREPARE.com we strongly encourage you to sign and and participate.
GREAT JOB….SHAKEOUT TEAM!!!
Categories
1-800-PREPARE in the NY Times
We are very excited about 1-800-PREPARE being mentioned in this Sunday’s issue of The New York Times. The story was about what some companies in the New York area were doing in the preparedness space to help individuals and companies get better prepared. While there are a number of companies in the space we are honored that the Times selected ours to mention.
Preparedness is slowly becoming a more forefront topic in the eyes of the public and we are happy that we have been recognized for our efforts in the space.
Here is a link to the article:
At this year FLASH conference I had the pleasure of meeting one of the leaders behind The Great California Shakeout. This is an unbelievable event that continues to grow and build momentum. It main goal is to help residents of California be better prepared for a potential earthquake. The life saving information that the SHAKEOUT shares and the massive participation event scheduled for Oct. 21st is something every Californian should be aware of…and participate in. One of the greatest keys to better preparedness is to learn about what to do and practice how to do it. It will make you much more ready should the unthinkable happen.
Here is some more information on the Shakeout.
On October 21 at 10:21 a.m., businesses, non-profits, schools, cities, individuals, and many others will hold Drop, Cover and Hold On drills throughout the state. Many will also practice other aspects of their disaster plans. More than 6.9 million Californians participated in 2009, practicing Drop, Cover, and Hold On and other aspects of family, school, and organizational emergency plans. For more information and to register please visit http://www.shakeout.org.
If you do register to participate we encourage you to also consider getting a survival kit or other earthquake preparedness items. Having the right survival gear or kit on hand is one very important aspect of better preparedness. You can visit us at 1-800-PREPARE begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 1-800-PREPARE end_of_the_skype_highlighting.com to find a large selection of kits to meet your needs. If you do decide to make a purchase…please use coupon code “shakeout” for 10% off your order.
1-800-PREPARE is pleased that today we were officially recognized as a National Partner of FLASH, INC. – Federal Alliance for Safe Homes, Inc.
We are honored to join FLASH and other partners such as Home Depot, State Farm, Kohler, Renaissance Re, BASF and others to help spread the message of preparedness.
1-800-PREPARE.com is excited to be a co-title sponsors of this year annual FLASH.org meeting. We look forward to meeting with other leaders in the preparedness space to share ideas, network and discuss ways to increase the level of preparedness in this country. We are also honored that one of our advisers, LT. General Rusel Honore has been invited to be the keynote speaker at this important event.
FLASH is The Federal Alliance for Safe Homes, Inc – FLASH® is a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization dedicated to promoting disaster safety and property loss mitigation. Their mission is to promote life safety, property protection and economic well-being by strengthening homes and safeguarding families from natural and manmade disasters.
Many parts of NY have been hit with severe wind and rain today. There have been numerous reports of blackouts. While it is too late for those already experiencing a blackout….if you have time…now is a good time to prepare.
Some quick tips:
*Charge all items like cell phones and computers now while you still have power
*Make sure you have batteries for all of your flashlights
*Take in or tie down outside furniture
*Fill empty water bottles with water and fill in empty spaces in your freezer. This will keep it cold longer if you do lose power.
*Have candles and matches on hand but use cautiously
*Talk to your children now so they won’t be as scared if the power does go out
*Lower your A/C a little now so they house stays cooler longer
*Set your freezer and refrigerator to their lowest settings so they stay cooler longer
As we ride out this storm…consider purchasing the survival items you may need for the nest time a storm hits. You can build your own survival or blackout kit or purchase a ready made one like the ones we have on 1-800-PREPARE.com
When you think about all the things you could be better prepared for you will see that while some happen unexpectedly…there are many things that we have advanced information about. For instance….we are often informed of a possible hurricane that could affect our neighborhood or a severe storm that could cause blackouts or other disruptions. We are often given severe heat or cold advisories, threats of dangerous fire conditions or hazardous road conditions.
In these cases time is a great asset that we have on our side. If we use it properly we can make the necessary plans, buy the items we may need or even evacuate if we have to. The closer we get to the actual event the less time we have to get all this done. If we wait until the last minute we find ourselves completely unprepared. This is when panic can set in and increases the likelihood that we will have to scramble to insure our safety.
Afterwords we often hear people say things like…”I knew I should have, but….”, or “I told myself last time I would…..”
If we know this…why do we keep procrastinating? Why do we keep wasting this great asset we have?
Use some time now to think about and plan for what could happen. You won’t spend much time and will certainly feel better when you are done.
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.
For years we’ve heard “Have a kit, have a plan,” but what kind of kit? Are kits really useful? And what kind of plan? What are the considerations? What should I actually DO in a hurricane?
As a short answer to that last question, we put together a short list of things you should do if a hurricane is headed your way. Keep in mind though that this is an intro list. You’ll find the link to the full article below.
For now we’ll assume you’ve decided to stay and shelter in place, so we’ll start by saying that under certain circumstances it is possible to ride out the storm 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 a few things as the storm approaches, and timing is a factor.
For our “30 Tips” intro article, we’ll cut directly to the “Timeline” portion of this piece so you can see a list of considerations for bracing against the storm:
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 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.
Before Hurricane Season Starts
1. Make sure you performed all the structural enhancements you could for your home.
2. First aid and CPR classes are great classes to take.
3. Make your decision well in advance on 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.
4. Look at the structural integrity of your home and make sure you have all the shutter material and hardware you’ll need already on hand.
5. If you have a gas-powered generator make sure it works. If it needs repairs you’ll want to know now.
Three Days Out
This is about the last day you want to be out and about running errands or buying supplies.
6. Make sure your pantry is full as you’d like it to be.
7. Get longer shelf-life items like canned goods and have ways to cook such as charcoal, gas for your grill, etc.
8. Make sure you have a good supply of non-perishable “comfort foods” on hand. Include treats for your pets.
9. Check your stock of all medications, both prescription and over-the-counter. Include your pets here too.
10. Gas up all your vehicles and fill a couple of 5-gallon gas cans to keep on hand.
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 hurricane.
11. Fill some empty milk jugs or plastic soda bottles with water and put them in the freezer. Let them freeze solid. If the power goes out, these will help keep your fridge and freezer cold longer.
12. Secure your more important household items such as backup computer disks, paperwork, heirlooms, etc. by putting them in plastic tubs.
One Day Out
13. Start doing some safety landscaping by removing dangerous tree limbs, loose yard furniture, and so forth.
14. Put your storm shutters in place.
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.
15. Take last minute photos of property and family members.
16. Recharge all your electronics (cell phone, laptop, etc.) while you still have power.
17. Turn your fridge and freezer down to their lowest setting to keep food colder longer should you lose power.
18. Move your cars to higher ground if your home might flood and move your more valuable furniture and possessions off the floor.
19. If flooding is not an issue, park your car in the garage or other protected area.
20. Brace your garage doors so they don’t cave in during high winds.
21. Make sure the kids are home.
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.
22. Bring the kids in the house and have them help you with last minute stuff.
23. Bring in all outdoor pets. If they can fit in the house they should be brought inside the house.
24. Start building a “nest” in the room that’s the safest area of the house. Put down a mattress, have some snacks and water handy, make sure you have a radio and flashlights all with extra batteries.
25. If the kids have bike or skateboard helmets have them put them on.
26. Start filling your extra water containers (bathtub, etc.) in anticipation of a loss of water.
27. If you can secure them (so they don’t blow away), your outside trashcans can be used as rain barrels.
As the Storm Comes Rolling In
28. Unplug all the electronics you were charging and unplug any valuable electronics like your television, stereo, desktop computer, etc. to protect them against surge from lightning strike.
29. Close but don’t lock all your interior doors to limit flying debris or wind flow should a window break.
30. Move to the “nest” you made in your safe area and stay put until the storm is over.
Next, you’ll want to read the full version of this article, complete with outside links for additional free information and lots more important detail than we can post in this abbreviated version. For the full article complete with free PDF download visit www.disasterprep101.com and look for it on the “News and Articles” page.
About the Author: Paul Purcell is a terrorism and natural disaster preparedness consultant in Atlanta, GA and consultant to 1-800-PREPARE.com. 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
If we have learned anything from the recent tornado in New York it is that potential disasters can happen anywhere and at anytime. We spent almost a week in the Northeast preparing for Hurricane Earl. There were dozens of news stories and warnings yet the storm produced little serious weather in the NY area. Then…a little more than a week later….a tornado rips through our area unexpectedly causing severe damage.
Hopefully these types of events make people stop and think about their own personal level of preparedness and how they can improve it. Ask yourself if you have the right emergencies supplies in place to ride out or evacuate from a serious storm. Could you shelter in place for a few days? Could you get by without power for a night or two? Do you have a plan in place that you have discussed with your family?
Take some time now to assess your own situation and take at least one step towards improving it. If you do…please share with others what you have done. It may encourage them to do the same.