Are You Prepared for a Hurricane? Earthquake? Flood?

 Before going on - remember that flooding kills more people during a hurricane than does the wind. In any emergency, Turn Around Don't Drown™.

Plan for 3 to 5 days on your own. It takes that long to mobilize help.

Red Cross guidance - Are You Prepared for a Hurricane?:

Steps you can take to be prepared include:

1. Build a disaster supply kit or check the kit you prepared last year. Include a three-day supply of water and ready-to-eat non-perishable foods. Don’t forget a manual can opener, battery-powered radio, flashlight and extra batteries. Your kit should also have a first aid kit, prescription and non-prescription medications, and copies of important documents. You can also shop the Red Cross store for emergency preparedness kits and supplies.
2. Prepare a personal disaster and evacuation plan. Identify two meeting places—one near your home, and one outside your area in case you can’t return home. Make plans for your pets. Select an out-of-area emergency contact person.
3. Be informed. Know what a hurricane WATCH means. If a hurricane WATCH is issued:
* Listen to weather updates from your battery-powered or hand-cranked radio.
* Bring in outdoor objects such as lawn furniture, hanging plants, bicycles, toys and garden tools. Anchor objects that cannot be brought inside.
* Close all windows and doors.
* Cover windows with storm shutters or pre-cut plywood.
* If time permits, and you live in an identified surge zone, elevate furniture or move it to a higher floor to protect it from flooding.
* Fill your vehicle’s gas tank.
* Check your disaster supply kit to make sure items have not expire

Recommended stuff to have:

At a minimum, have the basic supplies listed below. Keep supplies in an easy-­to­-carry emergency preparedness kit that you can use at home or take with you in case you must evacuate.

* Water—one gallon per person, per day (3­day supply for evacuation, 2­week supply for home)
* Food—non­perishable, easy­to­prepare items (3­day supply for evacuation, 2­week supply for home)
* Flashlight
* Battery­powered or hand­crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio, if possible)
* Extra batteries
* First aid kit
* Medications (7­day supply) and medical items
* Multi­purpose tool
* Sanitation and personal hygiene items
* Copies of personal documents (medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies)

* Cell phone with chargers
* Family and emergency contact information
* Extra cash
* Emergency blanket
* Map(s) of the area

Consider the needs of all family members and add supplies to your kit. Suggested items to help meet additional needs are:

* Medical supplies (hearing aids with extra batteries, glasses, contact lenses, syringes, cane)
* Baby supplies (bottles, formula, baby food, diapers)
* Games and activities for children
* Pet supplies (collar, leash, ID, food, carrier, bowl)
* Two­way radios
* Extra set of car keys and house keys
* Manual can opener

Additional supplies to keep at home or in your kit based on the types of disasters common to your area:

* Whistle
* N95 or surgical masks
* Matches
* Rain gear
* Towels
* Work gloves
* Tools/supplies for securing your home
* Extra clothing, hat and sturdy shoes
* Plastic sheeting
* Duct tape
* Scissors
* Household liquid bleach
* Entertainment items
* Blankets or sleeping bags

See also here.

This may be a good idea Eton COMBOBASECAMP-KIT American Red Cross FR1000 and Uniden GMR1035 Two-way Emergency Handcrank Radio Base Camp Kit:

* A must for any emergency toolkit, the Base Camp Combo package is an AM/FM/WeatherBand Hand Crank Radio, Emergency Flashlight, Cell Phone Charger, Emergency Siren, and GMRS 2-Way Radio with two handheld units in one powerful package.
* With the ARC FR1000 don't get caught in the dark! This self-powered hand-crank radio lets you stay informed, even when the power is out. Tune into AM, FM and weather band frequencies for the most up-to-date information in case of emergency. The Voicelink is more than just a radio-it's a multifunctional wonder.
* The two-way walkie-talkie feature with GMRS technology lets you stay in touch, as does the built-in cell phone charger. You also get a flashlight, a beacon light that can function as an SOS signal, and a siren.
* Power it all with the twist of a crank. You'll be prepared for any emergency, and there's an added benefit - Etón Corporation will contribute $1.50 of the sales price to support the American Red Cross. Plus each radio includes American Red Cross disaster preparedness tips!
* The two Uniden GMR1035 handheld units have 22 Channels (15 GMRS, 7 FRS) with a range of up to 10 Miles as well as a battery strength meter so you don't get stranded without power. Each handheld unit includes 3 x AAA batteries for approx. 20 hours of use.

Got trees? A couple of tools to help move things bigger than yourself:

Get Ready! Disaster Preparedness Time!

Hurricanes, floods, tornadoes are coming. Earthquakes are always a threat. Terrorism can close a city. And so can a broken water main.

Get ready. Now!

Okay, assuming that you haven't been running around from Lowe's to Home Depot to REI and assembling your own 5 day emergency kit - spend $160 and buy one of these: Deluxe Home / Office Emergency Kit - 5 Person:

This kit by iPrepare was awarded "Best Overall Value" by the Wall Street Journal

This survival kit is designed to meet the needs of employees at their workplace in the event of earthquakes, power outages, or any other major disaster. The food and water have a 5-year shelf life. What a great investment in security!

***
5 Person Kit Includes:

5 - 2400 Cal Food Ration
5 - 25 oz. Water Packs
5 - Solar Blankets
1 - 8 x 10 Blue Tarp
1 - Leather Work Gloves (pair)
50 - Germicidal Tablets
12 - Toilet Liners
5 - Wet Naps
50 - Waterproof Matches
1 - AM/FM Solar Radio

4 - 12 Hour Light Sticks
1 - 123 Piece First Aid Kit
1 - 5 pack of Candles
2 - Latex Gloves (pair)
1 - Toilet Chemicals
5 - Dust Masks
1 - Port-a-Pottie


26 lbs.

Yes, you can do it cheaper. But you haven't, have you?

I'd add more matches,some dried milk and kid food. A camp stove? Propane? A candle lantern...
Bug repellent (an mosquito netting). Lots more wipes. A pry bar. A "come along."
(see here)

Self-defense? I'm interested in this. Which lessens the chance you'll kill some one by accident.

UPDATE: Nice water filter. And be sure to add a small bottle of chlorine bleach to your kit.

Just so you'll know: I am not compensated by iPrepare, nor do I know anyone who works for that company, nor am I affiliated with it in any way.

Emergency Preparedness

Hurricane season is drawing to a close but fires and earthquakes, tornadoes, blizzards and other woes never go away, so it's never time to stop thinking about how to deal with emergencies.

The Department of Homeland Security has offered up ideas on a Basic Emergency Supply Kit:

* Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
* Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
* Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
* Flashlight and extra batteries
* First aid kit
* Whistle to signal for help
* Dust mask, to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
* Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
* Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
* Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)
* Local maps

Additional Items to Consider Adding to an Emergency Supply Kit:

* Prescription medications and glasses
* Infant formula and diapers
* Pet food and extra water for your pet
* Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container
* Cash or traveler's checks and change
* Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or information from www.ready.gov
* Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Consider additional bedding if you live in a cold-weather climate.
* Complete change of clothing including a long sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes. Consider additional clothing if you live in a cold-weather climate.
* Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper – When diluted nine parts water to one part bleach, bleach can be used as a disinfectant. Or in an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners.
* Fire Extinguisher
* Matches in a waterproof container
* Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
* Mess kits, paper cups, plates and plastic utensils, paper towels
* Paper and pencil
* Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children

Of course, it depends on the time you have to get ready. It was interesting to see that some of the California wildfire evacuees took tens and camping gear with them to shelters. With the newer style tents that are free standing, they provided families with a modicum of privacy at a stressful time.

Last year we gave our kids small emergency kits suitable for car or home. REI sells a nice "Survivor in a Bottle" kit for about $20. It has the virtue of being compact.


Quake Pro offers up water in a box with a 5-year shelf life here. They sell personal-sized survival packages (3 days of food and water & a space blanket) for $21. See here. Water in 4 oz pouches available here 100 pouches for $30.

Emergency Essentials sells fill-it-yourself boxed water kits (25 gallons) for about $30, as well as many other useful items.

You might want to add a folding shovel to the kit - this place sells one for about $8. Good idea for travel in snow country.

Some companies will sell you complete kits with items you might not have thought of - a 5-person kit from iPrepare.com has a lot of stuff and you can add more. The kit contains:

5 Person Kit Includes:
5 2400-Calorie Food Bars, 15 8.5 Oz. Water Boxes, 5 Solar Blanket, 1 Pair of Work Gloves, 50 Purification Water Tablets, 12 Sanitary Waste Bags, 1 Pkg. Sanitary Toilet Chemicals, 1 Box Waterproof Matches, 1 AM/FM Radio with Light & Generator, 4 12-Hour Light-sticks, 5 Dust Masks, 5 Tissue Packs, First Aid Kit, Latex Gloves, 5 Candles. Comes packed in 1 Port-A-Potty Bucket.

Runs about $160 and weighs 26 pounds.

And don't forget the radio. Information is everything in an emergency. Get a good hand crankable radio with a weather band. The Hurricnae Store.com offers up one for about $25. Amazon has a Grundig for $40:

At slightly more than a pound in weight, and with dimensions of 6.5 x 5.75 x 2.25-inches (WxHxD), the FR200 is designed to be tucked neatly into its handy nylon carrying case and can be easily stored in an emergency box, or packed neatly for a camping trip. An LED flashlight is set on the front of the radio, just to the side of the analog tuner. The flashlight is designed to help you down an unlit stairwell or enclosed hallway in a pinch, but the light is not directed or strong enough to help you much in a pitch-black forest or other open area. The radio and light can be operated simultaneously, though of course at the expense of power.

Build a couple of kits for your cars and the house and rest a little easier.