Week 4: Communications

Tess Pennington

We have all witnessed a “communications down” scenario when going through natural disasters.  One thing that all of these natural disasters have in common, besides the disruption of our daily lives, is that they are immediately followed by an almost total loss of the ability to communicate with the outside world.  Power is lost, telephone services are discontinued, and cell phone service is either non-existent or is so congested that no one can get through.  When experiencing these “communication down” situations we realize how vulnerable and dependent we are on the system that failed.
Having alternate communication devices on hand during a disaster can help maintain some sort of communication, as well as help maintain a sense of self reliance during difficult times.  Have at least one of the following alternative communication systems:

• Wind up radios
• Emails (if there is a power source)
• Amateur radios
• Family radio services offered by the FCC
• CB radios 

When making your choice, you should examine your own needs and match them with the appropriate communication system.
Here are some criteria for setting up an emergency communication system:

• It should be easy to operate.
• Have effective range.
• Have a modest amount of protection against interference.
• Be inexpensive (low initial cost, low maintenance cost and no monthly fees).
• Be readily available.
• Be able to operate “off the grid”.

Preps to buy:

• Signal flares, flashing beacon or flashing emergency light. (I bought mine at a camping store.)
• Compass for all members of the family over the age of 6.
• Two-way radio.
• Battery operated or wind-up hand radio, preferably an NOAA weather radio.

Action Items:

When a hurricane threatens an area, the city suggests families back up important documents e.g., personal ID, security card, I.D. cards for the kids, proof of residence, insurance information, medical records, bank and account information, and place the documentation in a waterproof container or reasonable plastic bag.
Don’t forget to include documentation records for your pets, e.g., IDs, immunization records, and medications.  Having this information prepared and set aside will help save precious time when preparing a home for a disaster.

Author: Tess Pennington
Web Site: http://www.ReadyNutrition.com/
Date: May 20th, 2011

Week 3 of 52: Emergency Medical Supply (List 1)

Tess Pennington
Ready Nutrition
May 2011

  

Experts suggest that each home have a basic medical supply that is unique to your family’s needs.   Many of us have our fair share of band-aids and antibiotic ointment, but do you have medical supplies that can stop dehydration or bleeding, or diarreah?   In the event of a major disaster, such as a hurricane or earthquake, if someone in the home is injured, emergency responders cannot always get to the injured victims in time.  Therefore, having necessary medical supplies in the home could save some one’s life if they need immediate medical assistance.
Keep in mind that medicines can break down and spoil if they are subject to natural elements such as moisture, temperature fluctuations and exposure to light.  Did you know that aspirin has a tendency to begin breaking down when it is exposed to a slight amount of moisture?  Find an area in the home that has easy access and preferably located in a cool, dark area that is out of children’s reach.   Also, check expiration dates periodically to ensure the medicines are still good to use.  The below list of items will serve as a foundation for future medical supply lists.

Preps to buy: 

• Antacid
• Aspirin or non-Aspirin pain reliever
• Stool softeners
• Kleenex
• Feminine hygiene supplies
• Disposable hand wipes
• Band-aids
• Antibiotic ointment
• Extra baby needs (diapers, wipes, pacifiers, bottles, medicine, etc)
• 1 week of prescription medications
• Extra pair of reading glasses (optional)

Action Items:

Buy a local and state map to put in your vehicle.
Create an evacuation route in case you have to evacuate your town due to a disaster.  Map out mulitple escape routes to fall back on.  Click here to know  the signs of when to evacuate/bug out your home or community.
Sign up for a CPR/First aid class with your local area Red Cross or through your local Emergency Management Service department.  For those of you who are short on time, you can find online disaster skills training courses that can be done in the convenience of your own home.  Click here for a list of  organizations that provide online emergency education courses.

Author: Tess Pennington
Web Site: http://www.ReadyNutrition.com/
Date: May 13th, 2011

52 Weeks to Preparedness: Week 1, Short Term Emergency Food Supply (List 1)

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Create a preparedness foundation that you and your family can rely on when unexpected situations present themselves.

52 Weeks to Preparedness

Week 1 of 52: Short Term Emergency Food Supply (List 1)


FEMA suggests that each family have a 2 week supply of food and water for their home. Starting a food supply does not have to be a budget breaker. By slowly accumulating emergency supplies, you will not feel the financial “burn” compared to having to pay for everything up front. Therefore, keeping in mind what type of emergencies that you are planning for, if there are any family members with medical needs, how long you want your food supply to last, and so on, will help you make the best choice for your family.

Taking time to read the nutritional information on the back of the food source and knowing other considerations, will help a person make the best choices for their needs. If a person needs to use their stashed food supply, having foods high in vitamins, nutrients, and proteins will provide their body with what it needs for needed energy and mental clarity.

Preps to buy:

• 1 gallon of water per day for each family member (But enough for 2 weeks and remember that having more water stored up is better than being short on your supply)
• 2 jars of peanut butter
• 2 cans of juice per family member
• 2 cans of meat per family member
• 2 cans of soup or stew for each family member
• 3 non perishable items such as saltine crackers, graham crackers, etc.
• 1 hand operated can opener
• Permanent marker
• Additional supplies for infants or elderly – 2 weeks worth (diapers, wipes, children’s medication, formula, protein/calorie drinks, prescription medications, extra pair of glasses)

For those who have pets:
1 large container of dry food – This amount should last 2 weeks or longer

Action Items:

• Date perishable goods with a marker
• If possible, set aside $20 to use for emergencies
• Make a disaster plan and decide what types of disasters you are planning for (weather related, natural disasters, economic or personal disasters)
• Decide upon an out-of-area contact who can coordinate information with friends and family members.
• Once the out-of-area contact has been decided, email or call the newly designated emergency contact and provide phone numbers and names of family members for them to call

The content of this post was provided by Tess Pennington at
http://readynutrition.com/

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The First 60 Items to Disappear after a Disaster

The First 60 Items to Disappear After a Disaster

Whatever the type of disaster, whether it be a hurricane, earthquake, tsunami or economic collapse, those who have lived through catastrophic events know that certain items become scarce real quick leading up to and following a major disaster. Below is a list of the first 60 items that typically vanish first (in no particular order of importance). Is there anything on this list that's missing in your preps?

#1. Generators
#2. Water Filters/Purifiers (Shipping delays increasing.)
#3. Canned Foods - Fruits, Veggies, Soups, Tuna, etc.
#4. Seasoned Firewood
#5. Lamp Oil, Wicks, Lamps (First choice: Buy CLEAR oil. If scarce, stockpile ANY!)
#6. Coleman Fuel
#7. Guns, Ammunition, Pepper Spray, Knives, Clubs, Bats & Slingshots
#8. Hand-Can openers (Life savers!)
#9. Honey/Syrups/white, brown sugars
#10. Rice - Beans - Wheat (White rice - 50# bag. Sam's Club, stock depleted often.)
#11. Vegetable oil (for cooking) (Without it food burns/must be boiled, etc.)
#12. Charcoal & Lighter fluid (Will become scarce suddenly.)
#13. Water containers
#14. Mini Heater head (Without this item, propane won't heat a room.)
#15. Coffee/Tea
#16. Propane Cylinders
#17. Mantles: Aladdin, Coleman, etc. (Without this item, longer-term lighting is difficult.)
#18. Baby Supplies: Diapers/formula/ointments/wipes, etc
#19. Cookstoves (Propane, Coleman & Kerosene)
#20. Vitamins
#21. Glue, nails, nuts, bolts, screws, etc.
#22. Feminine Hygiene/Haircare/Skin products
#23. Thermal underwear (Tops and bottoms)
#24. Bow saws, axes and hatchets & Wedges (also, honing oil)
#25. Aluminum foil Reg. & Hvy. Duty (Great Cooking & Barter item)
#26. Gasoline containers (Plastic or Metal)
#27. Garbage bags (Impossible to have too many.)
#28. Toilet Paper, Kleenex, paper towels, paper plates
#29. Milk - Powdered & Condensed (Shake liquid every 3 to 4 months.)
#30. Garden seeds (Non-hybrid) (A MUST)
#31. Clothes pins/line/hangers (A MUST)
#32. Cold Weather/Rain Gear, rubberized boots, etc.
#33. First aid kits
#34. Batteries (all sizes... buy furthest-out for Expiration Dates)
#35. Garlic, spices & vinegar, baking supplies
#36. Wine/Liquors (for bribes, medicinal, etc.)
#37. Flour, yeast & salt
#38. Matches ("Strike Anywhere" preferred. Boxed, wooden matches will go first.)
#39. Writing paper/pads/pencils/solar calculators
#40. Insulated ice chests
#41. Workboots, belts, Levis & durable shirts
#42. Flashlights/LIGIITSTICKS & torches
#43. Garbage cans (Plastic - great for storage, water transporting - if with wheels)
#44. Men's Hygiene: Shampoo, Toothbrush/paste, Mouthwash/floss, nail clippers, etc
#45. Cast iron cookware (sturdy, efficient)
#46. Fishing supplies/tools
#47. Insect repellent
#48. Duct tape
#49. Tarps/stakes/twine/nails/rope/spikes
#50. Candles
#51. Laundry detergent
#52. Backpacks & Duffle bags
#53. Garden tools & supplies
#54. Scissors, fabrics & sewing supplies
#55. Portable Toilets (Increasing in price every two months.)
#56. Bleach (plain, NOT scented: 4 to 6% sodium hypochlorite)
#57. Canning supplies (Jars/lids/wax)
#58. Knives & Sharpening tools: files, stones, steel
#59. Bicycles... Tires/tubes/pumps/chains, etc.
#60. Sleeping bags & blankets/pillows/mats

52 weeks to Preparedness

Welcome to week 2 of our 52 Weeks to Preparedness series, which focuses on finding cost-effective ways to get you prepared for disasters.
This week we are going to focus on investing in basic hardware items. In later weeks, we will add additional hardware items to the list, but this week we are going to focus on laying a foundation.
A good rule of thumb when planning for emergencies is that a person is only as good as their tools. Good, quality tools are a sound investment and can last a lifetime if they are properly cared for. When purchasing hardware items such as the ones provided in the list below, take take to read online product and customer reviews before you make an investment. Also, avoid these 8 Rookie mistakes often made by preppers.

Preps to buy for Week 2:

• 32-gallon garbage can or- a sturdy storage box to hold disaster supplies
• Flashlight with alkaline-batteries or a hand-crank flashlight for each member of household that is over the age of 6. (Don’t forget extra batteries for the flashlights). Flashlights should also be purchased for each car, as well.
• Batteries in multiple-sizes.
• Heavy rope
• Duct tape
• Bic lighter and matches- to be stored in a waterproof container
• Multi-tool
• For furry friends, purchase a leash, or pet carrier and an extra set of I.D. tags.

Action Items:

1. Involve your children in your family preparedness efforts. Educate them on the different types of disasters and on your family’s disaster plans. Check out websites like Ready Kids for methods to teach your children about what to do in an emergency.
2. You should ask your child’s school and/or day care about what their disaster plans are. Here are a few questions that I asked our school:

• How will you communicate with a child’s family during a crisis?
• Do you store adequate food, water, and supplies for a disaster?
• Are you prepared for a shelter-in-place situation?
• If you have to evacuate, where do you go?

3. Find up-to-date pictures of each family member in case one of them gets separated from you during a disaster event, put the pictures in a waterproof or Ziploc bag, and place it in your emergency kit.
4. Prepare a personal information card for each family member.
5. As a family, discuss your emergency meeting places, contacts, and plans. Give your children the opportunity to express their feelings and to ask questions so they fully understand the disaster plan.
6. For family members who have special needs, ensure that those needs are accounted for in your emergency plan.

  Author: Tess Pennington
Web Site: http://www.ReadyNutrition.com/