June 10, 2009 | Category: Survival
Tips for Surviving the Aftermath of a Storm or Quake
Anyone can become a victim of a tornado, hurricane, earthquake or other disaster. Barring any serious physical injuries, the main problems are dealing with your family's safety, comfort and psychological well being if you're forced to evacuate your home and become an urban camper.
While we can't prevent these disasters from happening, the following tips can help you prepare for the worst.
- Read all you can about the type of disaster likely to occur in your area (tornado, earthquake, hurricane).
- Contact your local Red Cross for first aid, CPR training and additional information.
- Know the location of your local emergency shelter.
- Develop a family disaster plan and realize there is a lot you can do as a team. Agree on a meeting place in the event of an emergency.
- Ensure you and your family are mentally prepared for an emergency situation.
Talk to your family, especially children, about what it would be like to experience an emergency.
- Stay calm. If a disaster occurs remember STOP. S is for Sit and size up the situation, T is for Think about what you need to do, O is for Observe the surroundings in search of a safe area, and P is for Plan, implement the plan you discussed with your family.
-Assemble survival supplies with the knowledge you may need to rely on them for three days or more.
Having the right supplies on hand can make a disaster situation survivable as well as more bearable. Surviving among the concrete and steel in urban areas is similar to spending a night in the wilderness. Having the right supplies makes the difference. The key elements for disaster gear are storability, portability, usability and sensibility.
The operative word is ability - knowing what you have and how to use the things you've packed. Personally design, purchase, pack and become familiar with your survival gear.
Items to include in your personal disaster survival kit:
- 5-gallon buckets or small plastic trashcans with lids and handles for packing your supplies.
- Flashlights, at least two of them, without batteries inserted.
- Batteries for flashlights, at least three sets for each light. Make sure you note expiration dates on the packages.
- Duct tape, work gloves and basic tools such as screwdriver, claw hammer, pliers.
- Chemical light sticks. Have at least four of the 8-12 hour variety.
- Portable radio with two sets of batteries stored outside the radio.
- A small basic first aid kit.
- Roll of toilet paper.
- Toiletries such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, (or denture adhesive), bar of soap, washcloths, wet wipes, and if needed, contact solution and cases.
- Water: at least 12 bottles of water. (Replace them every six months). Stack bottles around perimeter of bucket, one top up, one top down. Then fill middle area of bucket with other gear to hold water bottles against the sides. Water is heavy, but necessary and could be scarce in a shelter.
- A 32 oz. wide-mouth polycarbonate water bottle in case you have to secure water in a shelter. Put as many of your personal toiletries inside the bottle as you can to save packing space.
- Small eyedropper bottle filled with household bleach. Refill with new bleach every six months. You can use the bleach to disinfect your drinking water. 1 quart = 2 drops if water is clear, 4 drops if water is cloudy.
- A few high-energy snack bars, multi-grain cereal bars and some pieces of hard candy. Avoid anything with chocolate because it melts.
- Pre-sweetened packets of ice tea or drink mix, dry soup mix, and packets of instant coffee, sugar, salt and pepper.
- Consider including a small pocket stove, metal cups and solid fuel tablets to heat water for tea or soup mix.
-Wooden waterproof matches or a new lighter.
-Small hard plastic cups, in case water is dispensed from a public source.
-A list of your out-of-state family and friends' phone numbers taped to the inside of the plastic bucket lid. Also include your home/car insurance policy number and agent contact number.
- SPACEÒ brand all weather blankets for warmth and protection. They will not get damp or mildewy. The can be used to stay warm (and prevent someone from going into shock), signal for help or as privacy tarps or cot covers.
- Draw top kitchen trash bags - use your bucket as emergency toilet with bags as disposable liners. Or use bags to collect other items.
-If you're a smoker, include a pack of cigarettes; you won't need the extra stress of nicotine withdrawal.
- Pen and a small notebook.
- If you have children, include small items such as puzzles, books, games or a deck of playing cards to occupy their time if you have to stay in a shelter.
- Some amount of cash. Credit and debit cards will be useless if the power is out.
Store your "GO KIT" in the front hall closet or in the garage so you can easily grab it and go if you're forced to evacuate your home. Replace noted items every three to six months; tape a piece of paper on the top listing the contents so you know when you last updated your supplies.
Other Emergency Considerations
Home: Know how to turn off the gas and electric before you leave your home. Check and lock all doors and windows and remove any outside objects that may become airborne in high winds.
Personal Papers: Assemble your personal papers such as deeds, bank books, check books, insurance papers, agents' phone numbers, car titles, etc. in one place so you can take them with you when evacuating. Store these items in a plastic folder with a label listing the contents.
Medications: Keep an empty zip top plastic bag inside your medicine cabinet. List the medications you need on the bag with a Sharpie pen so you can respond quickly without thinking during an emergency. Don't forget your extra pair of glasses.
Cell phone: Make sure you have a car recharging unit so you can recharge the phone battery from any car lighter or 12V socket if the power is out.
Car: Put a few SPACEÒ brand all weather blankets inside your trunk. In warmer climes, put a couple of one-gallon bottles of water in the trunk. Replace them every three months. If you have the room in your trunk, include an extra set of work clothes (jeans, t-shirts and socks).
While nobody wants to think about when disaster strikes, common sense planning can help keep you safe and comfortable if it does.
While we can't prevent these disasters from happening, the following tips can help you prepare for the worst.
- Read all you can about the type of disaster likely to occur in your area (tornado, earthquake, hurricane).
- Contact your local Red Cross for first aid, CPR training and additional information.
- Know the location of your local emergency shelter.
- Develop a family disaster plan and realize there is a lot you can do as a team. Agree on a meeting place in the event of an emergency.
- Ensure you and your family are mentally prepared for an emergency situation.
Talk to your family, especially children, about what it would be like to experience an emergency.
- Stay calm. If a disaster occurs remember STOP. S is for Sit and size up the situation, T is for Think about what you need to do, O is for Observe the surroundings in search of a safe area, and P is for Plan, implement the plan you discussed with your family.
-Assemble survival supplies with the knowledge you may need to rely on them for three days or more.
Having the right supplies on hand can make a disaster situation survivable as well as more bearable. Surviving among the concrete and steel in urban areas is similar to spending a night in the wilderness. Having the right supplies makes the difference. The key elements for disaster gear are storability, portability, usability and sensibility.
The operative word is ability - knowing what you have and how to use the things you've packed. Personally design, purchase, pack and become familiar with your survival gear.
Items to include in your personal disaster survival kit:
- 5-gallon buckets or small plastic trashcans with lids and handles for packing your supplies.
- Flashlights, at least two of them, without batteries inserted.
- Batteries for flashlights, at least three sets for each light. Make sure you note expiration dates on the packages.
- Duct tape, work gloves and basic tools such as screwdriver, claw hammer, pliers.
- Chemical light sticks. Have at least four of the 8-12 hour variety.
- Portable radio with two sets of batteries stored outside the radio.
- A small basic first aid kit.
- Roll of toilet paper.
- Toiletries such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, (or denture adhesive), bar of soap, washcloths, wet wipes, and if needed, contact solution and cases.
- Water: at least 12 bottles of water. (Replace them every six months). Stack bottles around perimeter of bucket, one top up, one top down. Then fill middle area of bucket with other gear to hold water bottles against the sides. Water is heavy, but necessary and could be scarce in a shelter.
- A 32 oz. wide-mouth polycarbonate water bottle in case you have to secure water in a shelter. Put as many of your personal toiletries inside the bottle as you can to save packing space.
- Small eyedropper bottle filled with household bleach. Refill with new bleach every six months. You can use the bleach to disinfect your drinking water. 1 quart = 2 drops if water is clear, 4 drops if water is cloudy.
- A few high-energy snack bars, multi-grain cereal bars and some pieces of hard candy. Avoid anything with chocolate because it melts.
- Pre-sweetened packets of ice tea or drink mix, dry soup mix, and packets of instant coffee, sugar, salt and pepper.
- Consider including a small pocket stove, metal cups and solid fuel tablets to heat water for tea or soup mix.
-Wooden waterproof matches or a new lighter.
-Small hard plastic cups, in case water is dispensed from a public source.
-A list of your out-of-state family and friends' phone numbers taped to the inside of the plastic bucket lid. Also include your home/car insurance policy number and agent contact number.
- SPACEÒ brand all weather blankets for warmth and protection. They will not get damp or mildewy. The can be used to stay warm (and prevent someone from going into shock), signal for help or as privacy tarps or cot covers.
- Draw top kitchen trash bags - use your bucket as emergency toilet with bags as disposable liners. Or use bags to collect other items.
-If you're a smoker, include a pack of cigarettes; you won't need the extra stress of nicotine withdrawal.
- Pen and a small notebook.
- If you have children, include small items such as puzzles, books, games or a deck of playing cards to occupy their time if you have to stay in a shelter.
- Some amount of cash. Credit and debit cards will be useless if the power is out.
Store your "GO KIT" in the front hall closet or in the garage so you can easily grab it and go if you're forced to evacuate your home. Replace noted items every three to six months; tape a piece of paper on the top listing the contents so you know when you last updated your supplies.
Other Emergency Considerations
Home: Know how to turn off the gas and electric before you leave your home. Check and lock all doors and windows and remove any outside objects that may become airborne in high winds.
Personal Papers: Assemble your personal papers such as deeds, bank books, check books, insurance papers, agents' phone numbers, car titles, etc. in one place so you can take them with you when evacuating. Store these items in a plastic folder with a label listing the contents.
Medications: Keep an empty zip top plastic bag inside your medicine cabinet. List the medications you need on the bag with a Sharpie pen so you can respond quickly without thinking during an emergency. Don't forget your extra pair of glasses.
Cell phone: Make sure you have a car recharging unit so you can recharge the phone battery from any car lighter or 12V socket if the power is out.
Car: Put a few SPACEÒ brand all weather blankets inside your trunk. In warmer climes, put a couple of one-gallon bottles of water in the trunk. Replace them every three months. If you have the room in your trunk, include an extra set of work clothes (jeans, t-shirts and socks).
While nobody wants to think about when disaster strikes, common sense planning can help keep you safe and comfortable if it does.
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