Every Life Secure!

How Many Volcanoes are there in the USA? Where are the 18 considered "Very Dangerous"? Do You Need to Prepare?

Can such a magestic mountain as this...

   wake up one morning looking like this?  

Apparently so, as that is just what happened to Mount Redoubt Volcano in Alaska in 1990 and what scientists fear is about to happen again.  When I read about this breaking story this morning, I wondered how many volcanoes there are in the United States and where they are.

The answer: 169.  Click here to see where they are and when they last erupted.

As I did a bit of research, I was more interested to find out that 18 are considered "Very High Threat Volcanoes."  Twelve of these have been active or erupted within the last 200 years and 8 since 1984.

As indicated on geology.com, "These volcanoes have devastated large areas with volcanic blasts, invaded their surroundings with lava flows, produced large mudflows that have swept over hundreds of square miles, emitted noxious gases that have caused lung ailments and produced ash clouds that have brought down passenger jets and blanketed thousands of square miles."

The lesson is clear... whether you live in Alaska, Hawaii, California, Oregon, Washington state or any of their neighboring states, it is wise to be prepared with at least a complete 72 hour emergency kit and a good supply of respirators (good quality breathing masks).  Click here for more on what to do before and during a volcanic eruption.

Note as well, that the effects of large eruptions can be felt thousands of miles away as the volcanic ash clouds travel.  So just because you don't have a volcano next door, doesn't mean that you may not be impacted by a volcanic eruption.  Here is a good article on the dangers posed by volcanic ash.

What have you done to prepare for a volcanic eruption?  If you have ever lived through one, please share your "secure survivor story" with us by commenting or emailing me at [email protected].

Every Life Secure
An Emergency Preparedness Blog helping to make "Every Life Secure" in any emergency or disaster... at home, work, school, or on-the-go

Secure Suvivor from Latin America - Emergency Preparation Saves the Family

This week I presented a seminar on emergency preparedness and 72 hour emergency kits to an inner city hispanic church congregation.  Their women's auxiliary had asked me to help their group learn how to prepare for potential disasters.  As we started, several people in the audience shared their secure survivor stories.  Given that most of the participants had grown up in Latin America, all but one person in the audience had experienced some type of man-made or natural disaster at some point in their lives.

One story that stood out for me was told by a 40-something year old mother of three who had grown up in a Central American country but has been living here in the United States and raising her family for the last several years.  When she was a teenage girl, her family had been warned that they needed to prepare for an emergency by having food, water and other basics on hand to last for several days.  As a teenager, she had paid little attention to the warnings and found them annoying.  Luckily her parents heeded the warnings and did prepare by storing some basic emergency supplies for survival.

Without warning, her family awoke one day to serious political violence in their city.  They were forced to stay in their home for over a week as people were being shot in the streets by one faction or another.  She knew people who had not prepared for an emergency and had thus quickly run out of food.  When the violence extended beyond just a few days, these families were forced to send family members out to try and find food.  Some of those who went to get food never came back because they were caught in the streets, shot, and killed.

She and her family remained safe inside their home until the violence had subsided.  They were able to safely shelter-in-place because they were prepared in advance of any indication that there was about to be a life-threatening emergency  Their was no need to convince this mother of three to be prepared with basic emergency supplies in case of a disaster.  She was there at my class to learn how to improve upon the supplies she already had rather than to be persuaded to prepare for an emergency.

I find that those who have been through some kind severe emergency or disaster have the need to be prepared pressed into their minds for the rest of their lives.  This is true whether they were well prepared at the time or they had to suffer in some manner because of lack of preparation.  I also find that sharing such stories can help to motivate those who have yet to experience a disaster or severe emergency to become prepared. 

These stories can also share key insight into how to best prepare for certain kinds of disasters.  In this case, having basic supplies (such as extra food) to shelter-in-place for several days was key to the survival of this lady's family.

Do you have a secure survivor story?  If so, please share it with us by commenting or emailing me at [email protected].  How did you survive a disaster or emergency and what did you learn from the experience that might help others?

Every Life Secure
An Emergency Preparedness Blog helping to make "Every Life Secure" in any emergency or disaster... at home, work, school, or on-the-go

Trauma First Aid - Get it Off Your Shoulder, Off The Wall, and Rolling On Its Way!

As we speak to facilities safety professionals around the country, many feel hampered in their response to major medical emergencies because their trauma first aid supplies are either contained  in heavy duffel bags that are hard to carry for any great distance (say across a large facility) or, worse, stocked in bolted-in, stationary wall-mounted first aid units that are really designed to require the patient to come to the kit vs. allowing the kit to move to the patient.  Though, some wall units can be removed and carried, once again, the weight and bulk becomes an issue if any distance is involved.

We believe that we have found a way to speed trauma first aid supplies directly and easily to any medical emergency - near or far - large or small: the LifeSecure MobileAid Mobile Trauma First Aid Station. 

This compact Mobile Trauma First Aid Station was developed in an exclusive partnership with ZÜCA, the makers of truly unique rolling transport solutions.  

Over the past several months, we have shown the MobileAid Mobile Trauma First Aid Station in security and safety shows from coast to coast and the response has been universally and enthusiastically positive.  Safety, security and emergency preparedness professionals have commented on the Mobile Trauma Station's unique features and its ability to...

Go -

Double wheels climb curbs and steps easily and roll anywhere quickly and effortlessly.

Sit - Patients can sit on the specially designed platform to rest or be treated (hold up to 300 lbs.).

Haul - The mobile station carries extra equipment on the gear platform (up to 300 lbs.) - AED/Oxygen/Hydration.

Protect - A super-durable areospace class exoskeleton frame and heavy duty weather-resistant bag protect supplies in poor weather conditions.  This exoskeleton frame may prove especailly important in a disaster in which debris may fall and strike the station.  I don't know of any tougher protection available for first aid supplies.

Treat -

Extensive first aid supplies (260 pieces) meet OSHA requirements and ANSI guidelines for the workplace and are organized in Quick-Response modules for fast access and effective treatment. The clearly marked individual modules can be easily removed and accessed as needed throughout the treatment process.  The station even includes a foldable full-size stretcher that can be carried by two to eight people.  

Store - With the telescoping handle down, the compact mobile station stores in less than 2 cubic feet (12.25"w x 18.5"h x 14.0"d)

Flag - An 8 foot collapsible First Aid flag and high visibility markings make sure the station can't be missed.  In a major emergency, the station can be rolled into the middle of a field, parking lot or large facility and the flag clearly signals where first aid is available.

The more we demonstrate this unique new product, the more clear it is that this MobileAid Station provides several features that are well beyond those provided by regular first aid kits and trauma first aid bags.  We believe that the this Mobile Trauma Station is truly a next-generation trauma treatment solution.

Though this Mobile First Aid Station can be used in any office or workplace situation, it will be especially valuable in large facilities such as factories, office complexes, university and college campuses, schools, museums, etc.  The units can also be easily transported in trucks, vans, and trailers.  The greater the distances that may be involved from where the trauma supplies are stored, to where they may be needed, the more helpful it will be to have a fully mobile station.

In addition to the mobility, the well organized and clearly marked Quick-Response modules will allow people with any level of first aid training to respond more effectively in an emergency.  We have found that even fully trained professional first responders have found this station to be a postiive addition to their equipment.  As these professional first responders have very specific supplies and equipment, these units are available empty so that the first aid contents can be fully customized.

Click here to take a closer look at the LifeSecure MobileAid Mobile Trauma First Aid Station.

Every Life Secure
An Emergency Preparedness Blog helping to make "Every Life Secure" in any emergency or disaster... at home, work, school, or on-the-go

Fire Preparedness - Smoke Masks and Fire Hoods Can Save Lives

Shortly after starting LifeSecure, one of our co-founders, Larry Ginsberg, lost a friend to a high rise fire.  Larry's friend died in the locked stairwell of a downtown high rise building in a major US city.  Though the flames never reached his friend and the others who perished with her, the smoke from the fire did.  The firefighters had responded quickly but didn't get to them in time to save them.   

Larry commented to me that if his friend and the others each were to have had some kind of fire mask or hood, they likely would have been able to move through the smoke to safety on another floor or been able to successfully exit the building.

This tragedy sparked in Larry a determination to find simple, effective, and affordable smoke protection solutions for high rise workers and dwellers.  Because of his personal experience and desire to help others avoid injury in fires, we agreed that Larry would take the lead in finding fire protection products to add to our LifeSecure Emergency Solutions offerings.

Larry found that most fatalities from fires (about 75%) are caused by inhaling smoke and gases, especially carbon monoxide, rather than from the actual flames.  He also understood that few employers and individuals could afford or would be adequately trained to use full protective fire suits.  Therefore, a practical and affordable  smoke mask or hood would provide the greatest opportunity to protect the most people in case of a fire.

Recent experience with an increasing number of wildfires in the West made us determined to find solutions that work for high rise fires and for wildfires as well.

After considerable research and interaction with manufacturers of various smoke masks and hoods, LifeSecure has introduced both the Xcaper series of smoke masks and the iEvac Fire Escape Hood.  You can see our full fire protection product offering in the Fire Preparation section of LifeSecure.com.

Here are a few fire protection products that we now feature at LifeSecure.com and that may help you prepare for a fire in your home, office, or facility:

The Xcaper series of smoke masks uses the same patented technology that has been used for many years to protection wildland firefighters.  After the September 11 attacks, the Xcaper series was launched specifically to provide ordinary people with a product for use in evacuating high rise buildings during fires or a terrorist attack.

 Xcaper Enterprise Smoke Mask Kit (34120)  This kit includes a longer shelf life mask - 5 years.  It provides a minimum of 15 minutes of protection (depending on conditions) against hazardous toxins including carbon monoxide and absorbs nearly 100% of particulate matter common to smoke from fires.  This kit is packed in a Hip Pac that can be attached to a belt, and in addition to the mask and a set of Xcaper goggles, also includes the Xcaper emergency whistle and LED flashlight on a lanyard.  This fire protection product is a good option for protecting employees in most high rise offices and may be preferred by people looking for protection in their high rise dwellings.

Many businesses will find the longer shelf to be of value.  High rise office workers and people using this kit for protection in a condo or apartment may like the flashlight as it can provide emergency light while putting on the mask as well as while making one's way through what may well be darkened rooms and hallways in a fire situation.  The whistle can help rescue workers find the user more easily in the smoke and darkness.

This smoke mask kit has a suggested retail price of $54.95. This equates to about $11.00 per person per year of protection.

iEvac Fire Escape Hood (34100)  For those situations in which an evacuation may take up to 30 minutes or increased protection is desired, this fire escape hood may best meet your fire protection needs.  The iEvac Fire Escape Hood provides protection again carbon monoxide, smoke, hydogen cynide, chlorine, ammonia, sulfur dioxide and hydrogen chloride for up to 30 minutes. The iEvac is the first fire hood certified to the American National Standard for Smoke Escape Hoods (ANSI/ISEA 110-2003) - Respiratory Protective Smoke Escape Device (RPED).

The hood is easy to put on and protects the full head against radiant heat.  One size fits all adults.  It can be used to escape fires in homes, offices, high-rise buildings and other fire causing disasters.  The iEvac has a 5 year shelf life and a suggested retail price of $189.95.  This equates to about $37.99 per person per year of protection.

As is common with so many other emergency preparedness products, one can get signicant protection from the hazards of smoke from fires for relatively few dollars per year over the lifetime of the product.  When one considers the very real hazards from fire, the investment in a smoke mask or hood amounts to just good common sense for those who live or work in high rise buildings or who are in other environments where there is a high fire risk.

Every Life Secure
An Emergency Preparedness Blog helping to make "Every Life Secure" in any emergency or disaster... at home, work, school, or on-the-go 

Emergency Preparedness at Home - "I have a smoke detector; now what?"

Perhaps the largest step forward for emergency preparedness at home in the last several decades was the introduction of mass produced home smoke detectors in the 1970's and 80's.  Today about 93% of homes have a smoke detector to warn of fire.  Countless lives have been saved by these devices over the years and most people would agree that having one or more in the home improves safety and just makes common sense.

For years we have been encouraged by the government and disaster response organizations to take another step forward in preparing ourselves and our families for an emergency or disaster.  We have been encouraged to have an emergency preparedness kit on hand to provide basic survival supplies to last for at least 72 hours (3 days) on our own in case of an emergency or disaster.  Despite the encouragements, a survey by the American Red Cross and The Council for Excellence in Government indicates that:

"The majority of Americans remain unprepared.  Only 4 percent have taken all of the preparedness actions recommended in the RQ and 23 percent have not taken a single step."

(The RQ, or Readiness Quotient, is a tool used to evaluate one's level of readiness for an emergency or disaster based on several suggested steps including having an emergency plan and an emergency kit.) 

 

View the full survey results.

Test your own RQ - Readiness Quotient.

Tips for increasing your RQ - Readiness Quotient

 

Of 1,000 adults surveyed nationwide, only 42% had some kind of emergency supplies or kit on hand.  Other studies, and my own experience in the emergency preparedness business, indicate a much smaller percentage of people actually have a full three day supply of emergency basics as recommended by the Department of Homeland Security and the American Red Cross. 

The percentage of individuals and families with a fully stocked emergency kit varies widely from location to location throughout the country.  In many neighborhoods one would be hard pressed to find a single "prepared" family on any given block.  My experience would indicate that well less than 10% of households are fully prepared for a disaster.

The media coverage following Hurricane Katrina brought home the reality that federal, state, and municipal authorities will not be able to immediately help everyone in case of a major disaster.  Just as there is a need to have smoke detectors because we can't each have a firefighter on duty 24/7 in our own home, we each need to prepare to be able to provide for our own basic needs in an emergency or disaster. 

The recommendation to prepare for at least 3 days comes from the fact that experience has shown that it will take at least that long (and maybe longer) for authorities to provide assistance to most of the people who may be affected by any given large disaster.

If you find yourself among those whose current level of preparedness is at the "Well, at least I do have a smoke detector" stage, we suggest that you take the "next step."  The next step as outlined by the Department of Homeland Security on  www.ready.gov is to "Get a Kit".   

A well stocked emergency kit should meet your basic needs for up to three days (72 hours) and should include supplies that provide for the 10 BASIC EMERGENCY NEEDS:

• water
• food
• breathing protection
• first aid
• shelter
• warmth
• communication
• light
• tools
• sanitation/hygiene

Click on each of these links to see checklists from the Department of Homeland Security and the American Red Cross on what should be included in each in each 72 hour emergency kit. These are the two lists we use to guide our development of LifeSecure home emergency preparedness kits.

Whether you buy an emergency kit ready-assembled by an emergency preparedness company or build your own, beyond the 10 BASICS, you will also need to add several personal items to increase your comfort and preparedness.  Both the Department of Homeland Security and the American Red Cross lists address suggestions for added personal items.

Though it is helpful to have several items that can be used in your home if you need to shelter-in-place, it is critical to have a compact, light-weight grab-and-go kit in case you need to evacuate.  Consider how much you can realistically carry should you end up on-foot.  We find that many people prefer to have a rolling bag kit in case they need to travel on-foot for some distance.  Some of these bags convert to backpacks or have a shoulder strap should they have to be carried over debris or rough ground.

One other important consideration when preparing an emergency kit is the shelf-life of the components.  Most people don't care to be constantly inspecting and updating their kits nor paying to replace outdated items.  If you value the ability to "buy it once, pack it once, and forget it", make sure that you select food, water, light and communication options that will last for 4 to 5 years or more.  Most comercially assembled kits provide long-shelf life options for these supplies.  Because of their long-life, kits purchased from reputable emergency preparedness companies can help to prepare a family for in the range of only $7.00 to $14.00 per person per year.  That's not a lot of money to spend to secure one's family in case of a disaster.

On the Ready America website, the Department of Homeland Security recommends 3 Steps to be Prepared for an emergency or disaster: Get a kit, Make A Plan, Be Informed.  Getting an emergency kit is a concrete and achievable "next step" for most people to take in increasing their personal and family preparedness for any emergency or disaster.

Need personal help in meeting your home preparedness needs?  Just contact us at LifeSecure.

Every Life Secure
An Emergency Preparedness Blog helping to make "Every Life Secure" in any emergency or disaster... at home, work, school, or on-the-go

Earthquakes - Potential Impact on the Central USA

Though it's commonly known that people who live on the west coast need to be concerned about the devastating effects of earthquakes, many who live in the central states may be surprised to learn that earthquake preparedness is needed not just in California, but in their own neighborhoods. The New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ), centered in southeastern Missouri, holds the potential to cause catastrophic earthquakes that could have disastrous effects in at least eight states: Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee.

The NMSZ has experienced four of the largest earthquakes ever recorded in the history of North America.  The quakes (in 1811 and 1812) were powerful enough to have actually changed the course of the Mississippi River.  Smaller quakes, some large enough to be felt and to do damage, continue to occur on a regular basis today.  This seismic zone remains active and unstable.

As this historical map illustrates, due to the nature of the New Madrid fault and other contiguous fault lines, a moderate to severe earthquake in this part of the country would have a much wider impact than that caused by some of the most severe California earthquakes on record.  A recent study (September, 2008) conducted by the Mid-America Earthquake Center at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana concluded that “the total economic impact of a series of NMSZ earthquakes is likely to constitute by far the highest economic loss due to a natural disaster in the USA.”

This study predicts that a severe earthquake could result in economic losses totaling over $400 Billion with hundreds of thousands of buildings damaged or destroyed, hundreds of thousands of people displaced, and tens of thousands injured or killed.  Though it is difficult to predict the timing and magnitude of future earthquakes, earthquakes of the magnitude that would cause such predicted damage are certainly possible anytime within the next few decades.

To me, the clear the message is that, even in the Mid-West and Mid-South, businesses, families, schools and other institutions should have emergency preparedness plans, kits and supplies that take into account the possibility of significant damage from earthquakes as well as other natural or manmade disasters.

I live in the suburbs of Chicago. When I founded LifeSecure in 2005, people from the mid-west that I met were often skeptical about the need for emergency preparedness.  They fully understood the need for people on the West Coast to prepare for earthquakes, for people on the Gulf Coast to prepare for hurricanes, and for people on the East Coast to prepare for terrorist attacks, but they couldn't see much of a need for preparation for those in the "protected middle."  The sheer vastness of the destruction from Hurricane Katrina began to change those views.  Increasingly we have seen people from throughout the U.S. interior states begin to take preparedness seriously.

For those people from the Mid-West and Mid-South who might still need a bit more convincing of the importance of emergency preparedness, this study might be some helpful reading.  Click here for the full study.

Oh, and since those of us in the Mid-West and Mid-South have little training on how to respond in case of an earthquake, this fun and quirky visual "QuakeQuiz" on responding to earthquakes may be useful.  I found it on the San Francisco emergency preparedness website (www.72hours.org), and I learned a few new tips from it.  Take the QuakeQuiz.

Every Life Secure

Emergency Preparedness at Work is Prudent Risk Management

Being prepared in the workplace for a major emergency or disaster is simply a matter of prudent risk management.  Every year American businesses spend large sums of money on insurance coverage in order to mitigate potential economic damage from an unforeseen or accidental event.  These businesses spend thousands or even millions of dollars annually to insure their various assets like buildings, vehicles and equipment yet often fail to spend just a few dollars a year to ensure the safety of their most valuable asset, the people who work for them.

In the event of a major disaster, the health and safety of a business’ employees is critical to the continuity of the business.  If employees and their families aren’t safe and provided with the basics to sustain life after a disaster, they won’t be back to work to sustain the life of the business.  An employer significantly increases the chances of quickly resuming operations after a disaster by ensuring that every employee (1) safely survives the initial disaster, (2) has adequate survival supplies to get home or shelter -in- place at work until help arrives, and (3) has adequate disaster supplies at home to be ensured that his or her family will have its emergency needs met.

An employer-supplied emergency kit that provides for basic emergency needs like water, food, breathing protection, first aid, shelter, warmth, communication, light, tools and sanitation will cost a business approximately $5 to $6 per employee per year.  Such an emergency kit can provide useful supplies to help employees safely evacuate a facility or shelter-in-place if evacuation is not the most appropriate response to a given disaster or emergency.  Depending on a business’ geography and the likely emergencies it may face, a small, portable evacuation kit with enough supplies for one day, may be adequate to help the employee evacuate and return home safely.  In other situations, the business may need to equip each employee to survive in place or in transit for up to three days (maybe more).  In this case bulks supplies, group kits or individual 72 hour kits may be most appropriate.

I've found that an increasing number of employers not only provide emergency preparedness kits for their employees at work, but also purchase emergency kits for their employees’ families.  Other businesses are partnering with emergency preparedness providers to encourage employees to purchase their own family emergency kits by providing a purchase discount at no cost to the business.  Many businesses actually provide employees with these kits as a Holiday or safety program gift.  Because each commercially produced emergency kit is designed for long life, its costs only a few dollars per year per person to ensure secure survival with a basic emergency kit for the home or vehicle.

Protecting one’s employees and their families in case of disaster makes good business sense and requires a very small investment.  The best way for a business to secure its own future after a disaster is to ensure that each of its employees and his or her family is secure.  The best way to secure the people that make a business work is to ensure that they have basic survival supplies ready for any emergency.

Learn more about How to Be Secure at Work.

Need personal help from an expert in meeting your workplace emergency preparedness needs?  Just contact us at LifeSecure.

Every Life Secure