Are you Emergency Prepared?
If an emergency happens such as ice, snow, earthquake, Power outage, Terrorist attack will you and your family be ok to hold up for 3 days? 5 days? 2 weeks? 1 month? So just how far ahead should we prepare for?
The fact is most of us are so complacent in our daily lives no thought is given to these circumstances until it's too late. We all think we'll have this big sign or alert that a catastrophe is coming. We run to the grocery store and we have our rations! But we won't! No warnings. No grocery stores open. A disruptive force or happening would cripple us in almost every way. No gasoline. No extra food, water, or first aid. There is even talk about a great depression again. Do you think things are that different today then 60 years ago? Sure Hurricanes give us some warnings of evacuation. Tornadoes are even evident. But Earthquakes, Volcanoes, Chemical Spills, War, Terroristic Attacks, Power Outage and Ice Storms, Global Warming and more don't give much warning, if any at all.
There are six basics you should stock in your home:
- Water
- Food
- First Aid Supplies
- Clothing Bedding and Sanitation Supplies
- Tools
- Special Items
How Much Water do I Need?
You should have at least a three-day supply of water and you should store at least one gallon of water per person per day. A normally active person needs at least one-half gallon of water daily just for drinking.Additionally, in determining adequate quantities, take the following into account:
- Individual needs vary, depending on age, physical condition, activity, diet, and climate.
- Children, nursing mothers, and ill people need more water.
- Very hot temperatures can double the amount of water needed.
- A medical emergency might require additional water.
Store at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food. Select foods that require no refrigeration, preparation or cooking and little or no water. If you must heat food, pack a can of sterno. Select food items that are compact and lightweight. Avoid foods that will make you thirsty. Choose salt-free crackers, whole grain cereals, and canned foods with high liquid content.
*Include a selection of the following foods in your Disaster Supplies Kit:Note: Be sure to include a manual can opener.- Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits and vegetables
- Canned juices, milk, soup (if powdered, store extra water)
- Staples--sugar, salt, pepper
- Vitamins
- Foods for infants, elderly persons or persons with special dietary needs
- Comfort/stress foods--cookies, hard candy, sweetened cereals, lollipops, instant coffee, tea bags
Assemble a first aid kit for your home and one for each car. A first aid kit* should include:
- Sterile adhesive bandages in assorted sizes
- 2-inch sterile gauze pads (4-6)
- 4-inch sterile gauze pads (4-6)
- Hypoallergenic adhesive tape
- Triangular bandages (3)
- 2-inch sterile roller bandages (3 rolls)
- 3-inch sterile roller bandages (3 rolls)
- Scissors
- Tweezers
- Needle
- Moistened towelettes
- Antiseptic
- Thermometer
- Tongue blades (2)
- Tube of petroleum jelly or other lubricant
- Assorted sizes of safety pins
- Cleansing agent/soap
- Latex gloves (2 pair) Sunscreen
- Aspirin or nonaspirin pain reliever
- Anti-diarrhea medication
- Antacid (for stomach upset)
- Syrup of Ipecac (use to induce vomiting if advised by the Poison Control Center)
- Laxative
- Activated charcoal (use if advised by the Poison Control Center)
If you live in a cold climate, you must think about warmth. It is possible that you will not have heat.
*Include at least one complete change of clothing and footwear per person.- Jacket or coat
- Long pants
- Long sleeve shirt
- Sturdy shoes or work boots
- Hat, gloves and scarf
- Rain gear
- Thermal underwear
- Blankets or sleeping bags
- Sunglasses
- Toilet paper
- Soap, liquid detergent
- Feminine supplies
- Personal hygiene items
- Plastic garbage bags, ties (for personal sanitation uses)
- Plastic bucket with tight lid
- Disinfectant
- Household chlorine bleach
Mess kits, or paper cups, plates and plastic utensilsPortable, battery-operated radio or television and extra batteries
- Flashlight and extra batteries
- Cash or traveler's checks, change
- Nonelectric can opener, utility knife
- Fire extinguisher: small canister, ABC type
- Tube tent
- Pliers
- Tape
- Compass
- Matches in a waterproof container
- Aluminum foil
- Plastic storage containers
- Signal flare
- Paper, pencil
- Needles, thread
- Medicine dropper
- Shut-off wrench, to turn off household gas and water
- Whistle
- Plastic sheeting
- Map of the area (for locating shelters)
For Baby
- Formula
- Diapers
- Bottles
- Pacifiers
- Powdered milk
- Medications
For Adults
- Heart and high blood pressure medication
- Insulin
- Prescription drugs
- Denture needs
- Contact lenses and supplies
- Extra eye glasses
- Hearing aid batteries
- Keep these records in a waterproof, portable container.
- Will, insurance policies, contracts, deeds, stocks and bonds
- Photo IDs, passports, social security cards, immunization records
- Bank account numbers
- Credit card account numbers and companies
- Inventory of valuable household goods, important telephone numbers
- Family records (birth, marriage, death certificates)
- Photocopies of credit and identification cards
- Cash and coins.
- Your disaster supplies kit should contain essential food, water, and supplies for at least three days.
- Keep this kit in a designated place and have it ready in case you have to leave your home quickly. Make sure all family members know where the kit is kept.
- Additionally, you may want to consider having supplies for sheltering for up to two weeks.
- This kit should be in one container, and ready to "grab and go" in case you are evacuated from your workplace.
- Make sure you have food and water in the kit. Also, be sure to have comfortable walking shoes at your workplace in case an evacuation requires walking long distances.
- In case you are stranded, keep a kit of emergency supplies in your car.
- This kit should contain food, water, first aid supplies, flares, jumper cables, and seasonal supplies.
Did you know there is a radio that broadcasts National Weather Service warnings and watches 24 hours a day - and warns you with an alarm of dangerous weather? It's true. It's called the NOAA Weather Radio network, and it's provided as a public service by the Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The NOAA Weather Radio network has more than 480 stations in the 50 states and in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and U.S. Pacific Territories.The most important fact is if you don;t prepare you may wish you did, fi not for you but your family. When you do prepare, you'll wish you were more prepared. Something is better than nothing. Do as much as you can and protect you and your family.It almost sounds impossible. It'll never happen to me... But it is just a matter of when. I recently have made preparations. It took me about 2 hours to put together. I feel much better that I have a plan, that my family has a plan.
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