Every Life Secure!

California: Time To Get An Earthquake Kit

Dear California:

May we humbly suggest that its time to either (1) take a good look at your current earthquake kit (checking for the stuff that has expired since you bought it years ago), or (2) get yourself an earthquake kit?  

We make this suggestion because Lucile M. Jones, a seimologist at the United States Geological Survey, told the New York Times this week, "The last 17 years has been the quietest time we have ever seen.  Maybe we're starting to turn back to more normal levels."

More normal levels included the devastating Northridge Earthquake of 1994 among others. We are glad that this week's California earthquakes left few injuries, no fatalities, and relatively minor property damage. Hopefully what they did leave is a bit of a wake up call for the need for earthquake preparedness.

So, take a few minutes to make the effort to make sure you are secure in an unsure world, by getting your earthquake kit all set.  If we at LifeSecure can help, you know where to find us.

Sincerely,

Your Lifesecure Friends

  

Over 600,000 lives secured. Is Your Life Secure?

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Has Your Emergency Kit Expired? Replacement Kits are the Easy and Inexpensive Solution

Remember the emergency kit you bought years ago?  Perhaps long enough ago that you aren't sure exactly what year you did buy it in?  Is it possible that it has been four or five years or more since you bought it?  Have you looked through it since?  If you had to use it today, would all of the supplies still be within their use by dates?  Would all of the supplies function fully?

Every emergency kit expires.  Actually the whole kit doesn't expire, just some of the supplies within the kit.  In fact many items in your emergency kit have an indefinite shelf life.  This means that these items will essentially last forever.  Other items do expire and need to be replaced on a regular basis (every few years).

Purchasing a replacement kit will allow you to replace expired items while leaving the other items in place. This is a less expensive way to make sure you have an emergency kit that is up to date than just replacing the whole kit every few years.

Here a list of common items that are found in most emergency kits with their typical expirations:

Light sticks - 5 years (older versions used to be only 4 years)

 

Emergency water - (the kind in packets approved by the U.S. Coast Guard) - 5 years

Emergency Food - (again the U.S. Coast Guard approved type) - 5 years

 

 

 

 

Batteries- most now at least 7 years

 

First aid - some components are up to 2 years while others are indefinite

 

 

At LifeSecure, we offer Replacement Emergency Kits for each of our most popular emergency kits.  These replacement kits only have the items that expire.  So, you don't pay to replace what doesn't need to be replaced.

Take a look at your emergency kit and then look at our replacement kits.  

For a limited time, you can use the coupon code REPLACE to save an additional 10% off the product cost on this or any other lifesecure.com purchase.  Any time of year is a good time to check out your kit.  So go check it out and save a bit as you make sure your kit is updated and youy are secure in case of an emergency or disaster.

 Over 600,000 lives secured. Is Your Life Secure?

 Every Life Secure

 

Emergency Kit Holiday Gift Savings for 2013

If you are thinking about buying a holiday gift that could really make a difference in someone's life (not an even larger screen TV than they already have), then we have got some help for you.  For a limited time, use the coupon code 2013HOLIDAY to get an additional 10% off the lowest sale price on emergency kits and supplies at www.LifeSecure.com.

It's that simple.  Just chose what you want to give from among the many emergency kits and disaser supplies that we have sold to help Secure over 600,000 Lives.  Then enter the code 2013HOLIDAY at checkout on www.LifeSecure.com to get an additional 10% off the lowest sale price.

It's a bright way to "lighten" your total at the checkout when you buy emergency kits as a holiday gifts (or to lighten the worry about emergency preparedness for a few more people on your gift list).

It's just another bright option in the LifeSecure 2013 HOLIDAY LIGHTS Promotion.

Happy and Secure Holidays,

The LifeSecure Holiday Lights Team

 Over 600,000 Lives Secured. Is Your Life Secure?

 Every Life Secure

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Sea Level Rising Faster Than Previously Thought - More Severe Storms

The latest report says the sea level is rising 60% faster than previously thought.  This means a greater frequency of severe storms with damaging surges like Hurricane Sandy.  Are you prepared to deal with these new realities? 

The newly released study indicates that ice sheets in Antarctica nad Greenland are disappearing three times faster than they were just two decades ago.

The study, published in the journal Science, is thought to be an extremely accurate analysis of polar region ice melts. The study indicates that the rapid polar ice melt has caused an increase in sea level that is expected to pose problems in low coastal regions.  These rising sea levels pose the greatest danger because they make it more liekly for storms to cause massive flooding. 

Among the alarming findings is that ice in Greenland is melting at a rate five times what it was in the 1990s. Melt from Greenland accounts for two-thirds of the polar ice melt.

Remember this is a study just of how the ice has melted and is melting in polar regions.  For those still worried about the existence of glabal warming or it's causes, it's time to quit worrying about that and just accept the fact that the ice is melting and the seas are rising.  Oh, and cigarettes do indeed kill you.  Those who fight against such data are very clearly finding themselves on a shrinking island of thought (pun fully intended).  It's time to accept reality, recognize the risks, and paln for the possibilities.

The bottom line is that we are going to see greater and greater damage from storms such as Sandy.  Though there is much data from other studies that indicates that the frequency of such large storms will also increase, you can leave that aside and still have cause for concern.  Those who live in costal regions must be increasing prepared for tyhe catastrophies that this seas level rise will make more prevelent.

Its time for all of us to be prepared to deal with disasters.  They are becoming an increasing fact of life in our day.  Make sure that you are prepared for any emergecny or disaster by having an emergency kit and supplies and making other preparations.

And if your friends and family are not yet prepared, emergency kits make a great holiday gift.  We are getting many orders each day from folks responding to recent events such as Hurricane Sandy by buying emergency kits for everyone on their list this holiday season.  Many employers are making an emergency kit their employee gift at their holiday party.

Every Life Secure... Is Yours?^TM -- Over 560,000 Lives Secured and counting.

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Polar Ice Sheets Melting Faster

Greenland, Antarctic Ice Is Melting Faster

Ice sheets melting at poles faster than before

Greenland and Antarctica 'have lost 4tn tonnes of ice' in 20 years

Researchers Find That Antarctic Ice is Melting Faster Than Previously Expected

Give An Emergency Kit - A Gift That Helps Friends and Family Be Secure

We've all received and given holiday gifts that are nice (perhaps even expensive) but that will make little difference in the life of the receiver. 

In these difficult times, we each want to make every dollar and every gift count.  An emergency or disaster can happen anywhere and at anytime.  In these times of crisis your emergency kit gift may help maintain calm, keep a friend or family member comfortable, or even save a life.

So this holiday season consider giving the gift of emergency preparedness.  Here's a way to do that and save an additional 10% off the lowest sale price...  Use coupon code BLOG2012 through December 7th, 2012.  http://www.lifesecure.com/holidaysales.asp.

Every Life Secure... Is Yours?^TM -- Over 560,000 Lives Secured and counting.     

We Are Proud to Secure the U.S. Embassy In Kuwait with Emergency Kits

Though I was born in Pennsylvania, I grew up overseas in Australia and the Philippines, so the U.S. Embassy has always had special meaning for me as a symbol of my mother country.  This is why it really makes me proud when the U.S. Government comes to LifeSecure to help keep our embassy personnel and their families secure in case of any emergency or disaster around the world. 

Just last week we delivered emergency kits to the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait for the first time.  We have provided emergency preparedness kits and supplies to U.S embassies in Asia, Europe, the Caribbean, Africa, South America, and now in the Middle East.  We are so pleased to be able to help keep our embassy personnel and their families safe in an emergency.

Thanks to the folks who represent our country acrosss the world in our emabssies and consulates.  I grew up with some of their kids and I respect them for the sacrifices they make in our behalf.

Every Life Secure... Is Yours?^TM -- Over 560,000 Lives Secured and counting.       

 

Colorado Wildfires Remind Us to Be Prepared to Evacuate

The sad scenes of hundreds of homes burned to the ground and tens of thousands of people evacuating in Colorado and elsewhere in the west remind us all of the need to be prepared to evacuate our homes on very short notice in case of an emergency or disaster.

Make sure you have an evacuation plan and the right emergency kits to take care of your own needs for up to 72 hours.  Government resources are quickly overwhlemed in a major disaster.  You need to be prepared to take care of yourself.

Every Life Secure... Is Yours?^TM -- Over 500,000 Lives Secure and counting.

Over 590,000 Lives Secured with Emergency Kits and Disaster Supplies!

LifeSecure has now secured over 590,000 lives in case of an emergency or disaster.

Our short term goal is now to reach over a million lives secured with emergency kits and disaster supplies. Our long term goal is to help make Every Life Secure. 

Over 590,000 lives secured. Is yours?

 Every Life Secure

School Emergency Preparedness Plans and Supplies: Emergency Supplies are Often the Weak Link

A Good Emergency Plan is Necessary But Not Enough

Every day in schools across America, students come to classes where teachers have diligently prepared a lesson plan. These lesson plans are key to the learning that will take place in each class that day. However, the success of the plan depends in part on the students’ preparation and the supplies that they bring or are provided.

Students must be prepared to learn and have the necessary prerequisite knowledge. In addition, these students must have the necessary relevant supplies that can support the plan of learning for the day: text books, notebooks, paper, pencils, pens, art supplies, computers, calculators, lab equipment, etc.

Every school in America has diligently prepared emergency plans. These plans are key to a successful response to various emergency and disaster scenarios that are possible in each area of the country. However, an emergency plan on its own with not be successful without (1) prepared students and staff and (2) the right emergency supplies for each staff member and all students.

Three Emergency Drills Prepare Students and Staff Be Ready

Emergency and disaster drills help to ensure that students and staff are ready to respond appropriately to any disaster. Many schools routinely practice the three necessary types of emergency drills: evacuation (for fire, bomb threats, etc.), lockdown (for violence and other scenarios where safety requires staying in place), shelter & protection (for earthquakes, tornadoes, and other destructive events). 

These drills are the basis for ensuring that staff, teachers, and students are ready to put emergency plans into action in the event of a real emergency or disaster.

Emergency Supplies Tend to Be the Weak Link In School Emergency Preparedness

In a major emergency or disaster, community emergency response resources may be stretched, and schools may need to rely not only on their own planning and previous drills, but also on their own emergency supplies. The U.S. government recommends that every institution have disaster plans and sufficient survival supplies for up to 72 hours after a major emergency.

Many schools have emergency plans, and drill them, but lack adequate supplies to carry out those plans if the emergency lasts for more than a few hours or if help from the outside community is not readily available.

Every school must be sure to have adequate emergency kits and supplies to support their students and staff.  LifeSecure is a leading supplier of emergency kits and supplies to schools.  We have helped thousands of schools across America to prepare for any emergency or disaster. 

We can help to prepare your school as well.  Contact us at 877-877-5522 or [email protected] for a free consultation to determine your school's emergency preparedness supplies needs.

Every Life Secure - Over 500,000 Lives Secure and counting.

 

 

Japan Warned of Potential 34 Meter High Mega-Tsunami

The Japanese government warned its citizens to prepare for a 34 meter mega-tsunami in the case of a triple quake.  Early warning and fast evacuation would seem to be the only hope in such a scenario.

While most of our readers don't live in Japan, all of them live where a potential disaster could require fast action and rapid evacuation.  Make sure that you have your emergency kit at-the-ready.

Every Life Secure - 490,000 lives secured and counting.

 

 

How Can Schools Prepare to Successfully Respond to An Emergency or Disaster?

I have answered this question in a guest blog post on the School Health blog: The Weak Link in School Emergency Planning.

In a major emergency or disaster, community emergency response resources may be stretched, and schools may need to rely not only on their own (1) planning, (2) previous drills, and (3) their own emergency supplies. The U.S. government recommends that every institution have disaster plans and sufficient survival supplies for up to 72 hours after a major emergency.

While each school should prepare to deal with each of the disasters or emergencies that are possible in its own location, there are three basic responses to any emergency:

1. Evacuation (for fire, bomb threats, etc.)

2. Lockdown (for violence and other scenarios where safety requires staying in place)

3. Shelter & protection (for earthquakes, tornadoes, and other destructive events

4. Each school needs to have plans for how to

Each school needs to have plans for each of these response scenarios, practice the plans, and ensure that there are adequate supplies to support a successful emergency response.

Unfortunately, experience has shown that:

• All schools have an emergency plan,

• Many schools practice the relevant emergency drills, yet

• Few schools have adequate emergency supplies

Emergency supplies tend to be the weak link in school emergency preparedness.  The good news is that school administrators are increasingly understanding that emergency preparedness in schools must be a three legged stool to be successful.  They are coming to understand that successful emergency response requires that each school:

1. Have the plans

2. Do the drills

3. Get the supplies

Contact us now if you need help determining which school emergency kits and supplies will best meet your school's needs.

Every Life Secure - 490,000 lives secured and counting.

 

Emergency Transportation - Prepare Your Bike For Any Disaster

My 21 year old son recently started his own bike repair business in our garage in the Chicago suburbs as a way to save money before he heads back to college.  His Beat The Bike Shop^TM bicycle repair business puts him in touch with both biking enthusiasts and people who just want to get their bikes "running" again.

There are hundreds of thousands of bikes in garages across america that are not in good working condition.  You may have one or two in your own garage.  Now may be a good time to get them to your local independent bicycle mechanic or bike shop for a good tune up.  In a disaster when gas may not be available or roads may be impassable to vehicles, a bike may be a good transportation option.  It isn't an option unless its running.

Prepare your bike now and think about how you will carry your emergency kit while you bike.  An emergency backpack is an obvious choice.

Every Life Secure - 475,000 lives secured and counting.

 

Emergency Preparedness Gifts for the Holidays - My #1 Recommendation

Emergency preparedness gifts are a great choice for the holidays.  They are practical, yet not as likely as a beef log or pair of fuzzy slippers to end up under the tree.  Plus everyone needs one for home, work, school or on-the-go.  Therefore, you can expect that your emergency preparedness gift will be genuinely appreciated.

The question then becomes which emergency preparedness gift to purchase.  My number one recommendation is an emergency kit that looks smart and has the right emergency preparedness products for one person wherever they may chose to use it - home, work, school or on-the-go (in their car).  response.

So, I highly recommend the Personal Grab-and-Go 3-Day Emergency Kit (80001).  This is the same emergency kit that my wife and I consistently give for wedding gifts (forget the marble rolling pin - that as so 1980's - we got two or three for our wedding) and we always get a very positive "thank you".

The reasons I like this personal grab-and-go emergency kit as an emergency preparedness gift are:

1) It has a great presentation (it looks really nice as a gift)

2) It is indeed personal so it makes it easy to give to a single person or to give in the appropriate multiples for a gift to a couple, family, group of employees, etc.

3) It is appropriate for use at home, work (we get a lot of corporate orders), school (I send them off to college with my kids) or on-the-go (many of those we have given them to keep them in their car).

4) It has the basic survival essentials for up to three days in a very compact and smart bag that can be carried by hand or over the shoulder.

5) It provided just enough extra room to add personal items (glasses, some cash, emergency meds, etc.).

Here is a list of all of the features and contents of this Personal Grab-and-Go 3-Day Emergency Kit :

Meets U.S. Government All–Hazard Preparedness guidelines for 3 Days (72 hours) of personal emergency support.

Includes supplies for breathing protection, first aid, water and food [5–year shelf life], warmth, communication, light, hygiene and sanitation.

Heavy–duty 600 denier shoulder bag has 3 zippered compartments and a cell phone pocket.

Stores easily in drawers, shelves, cabinets, and vehicles.

Special Features:

• Compact: compact emergency–grade supplies cover all U.S. Government recommended personal basics
• Durable protection of supplies: rugged 600 denier construction bag with enough room for additional emergency as well as personal supplies
• Comfortable transport: shoulder strap is padded, and adjustable; easy–grab top handles
• Quick–access organization: 3 storage compartments plus a pocket for a cell phone; easy–pull ergonomic zippers; double zippered main compartments; internal key clip; internal organization for writing supplies and personal items
• Long life: water and food has 5–year shelf life and are US Coast Guard approved

Contents:
For protection and shelter:

• (1) N–95 respirator (face mask)
• (1) Emergency thermal blanket
• (1) Emergency poncho

For communication and light:

• (1) Metal whistle with lanyard
• (2) 12–Hour light sticks

For hydration and nutrition:

• (6) 4 oz. emergency water pouches [5–year shelf life – U.S. Coast Guard approved]
• (1) 2,400–calorie food bar (12 individually wrapped 200–calorie portions) [5–year shelf life – U.S. Coast Guard approved]

For medical, hygiene and sanitation needs:

• (1) Personal First Aid packet
• (6) Moist towelettes

For storage and easy transport:

• Emergency preparedness supplies are packed in a rugged carrying bag with padded shoulder straps and quick–grab top carrying handles.

Dimensions and weight: 9'' x 4.75'' x 11''; 5 lbs.

So we have lots of choices of emergency preparedness gifts for the Holidays at www.LifeSecure.com, but this would be my top choice for "sure to please" emergency preparedness gift for anyone on your Holiday list.

Every Life Secure - 475,000 lives secured and counting.

How To Survive an Earthquake - Video - Drop, Cover, Hold On

Here is a good video on how to survive an earthquake.  It's very simple, Drop, Cover and Hold.  You can increase your chances of survival by following these three steps.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8mUZFeMwhE&feature=player_detailpage

Make sure that you have the only earthquake emergency kit that actually helps protect your supplies from falling debris.  Your kit can't drop, cover, and hold on, so it is important that it be crush resistant so that you have the best chance of actually having usable supplies once the shaking stops.

Every Life Secure - 450,000 lives secured and counting.

Hurricane Irene Could Be a Monster Storm on the East Coast

East Coast: Brace yourself and prepare to evacuate or shelter in place as Hurricane Irene may be a Category 4 monster storm with winds in excess of 131 MPH.  Do you have your emergency kit and emergency supplies?

Every Life Secure - 440,000 lives secured and counting.

First An Earthquake, Now a Hurricane - Be Prepared and Hang on East Coast

Hey East Coast, don't get so focused on the ground shaking from the Virginia earthquake that you forget to prepare for the greatest hurricane threat in the last three years, Hurricane Irene.  Some forecasts are calling for Irene to strengthen to up to a Category 4 Hurricane with winds of over 155 miles per hour. Make your evacuation and shelter in place plans now. 

The combination threats that have been evidenced in both the earthquake and this hurricane, make it clear that we all need to have an emergency kit and emergency supplies ready for any emergency or disaster.  Don't wait to prepare until the threat is evident.  Be secure by being prepared at all times.

Every Life Secure

Twin Earthquakes In Colorado and Virginia Remind Us of the Risks Throughout the United States

A powerful 5.9 magnitude earthquake in Virgina today follows on the heels of a significant quake in Colorado last night.  These are two regions not used to significant seismic activity. 

This reminds us that much of the U.S. is at risk of significant earthquakes.  No matter where you live, you need an emergency kit and emergency supplies.  If you live an an area specifically prone to eathquakes, we recommend an earthquake kit specifically designed for such events.    Our MobileAid earthquake kits are designed to protect your supplies from falling debris and then support you in the aftermath.

No matter where you live, let these quakes be a reminder of the need to be prepared for any emergency or disaster.  Make your emergency plan and get an emergency kit today.

Every Life Secure

What Do You Put In A Tornado Emergency Kit?

When answering the questions, "What do you put in a tornado emergency kit?", it is important to know that a tornado emergency kit is really just an all-hazards emergency kit.  Your tornado emergency kit should have the supplies you might need after any emergency.  Thus it should be an "all-hazards" kit.  You don't need to have one kit for tornadoes, another for earthquakes, and yet another for floods or some other natural or man-made disaster.

Your "tornado kit" or all hazards emergency kit should be packed using U.S. Government guidelines.  You can find these guidelines at Ready.gov.  We developed all of our LifeSecure emergency kits based on these US Government guidelines.  So the best way for us to answer, "What should be in my tornado emergency kit?" is to tell you what we put in our LifeSecure All-Hazards kits...

So here are the special features and contents of our 4-Person Roll-and-Go or Shelter-In-Place 3-Day Emergency Kit:

Special Features:

• Compact/Comprehensive emergency kit: compact emergency-grade supplies cover all U.S. Governments recommended basics
• Easy-roll/flexible transport:Easy-rolling wheels and telescoping handle avoid back strain; double hand straps and adjustable shoulder strap provide go-anywhere flexibility
• Travel safety and emergency identification:Re-positionable LED safety signal visible up to 800 yards
• Durable protection for supplies: rugged rolling duffel with 600-denier construction; hard-sided cases for personal supplies
• Quick-access organization:large-mouth opening to main compartment with two side pockets and two compression straps; easy-pull ergonomic zippers; personal supplies stored in four carrying cases
• Long life:Water, food, batteries have 5-year shelf life

Contents:
For protection and shelter:

• (4) N-95 respirators (face masks)
• (4) Emergency thermal blankets
• (4) Emergency ponchos
• (1) Roll plastic sheeting
• (1) Roll duct tape

For turning off utilities and other tasks:

• (1) Multifunction tool [needle nose pliers, regular pliers, wire cutter,file/cutter, flat file, pointed screwdriver, mini-screwdriver, small screwdriver, screwdriver, Phillips screwdriver, can opener, bottle opener,punch, knife blade]
• (1) Pair leather-palmed work gloves

For communication and light:

• (4) Metal whistles with lanyard
• (1) AM/FM radio with two sets of AAA batteries
• (1) Flashlight with two sets of D batteries
• (8) 12-hour light sticks
• (1) LED Safety Signal
• (1) Notepad
• (1) Pen
• (1) Waterproof document pouch

For hydration and nutrition:

• (1) 2-gallon water bag for carrying, purifying and storing water
• (4) 2,400-calorie food bar (bar contains 12 individually wrapped 200-calorie portions) [5-year shelf life - U.S. Coast Guard approved]
• (24) 4 oz. emergency water pouches [5-year shelf life - U.S. Coast Guard approved]
• (50) water purification tablets

For medical, hygiene and sanitation needs:

• (4) Personal First Aid packet
• (1) Family First Aid kit
• (1) First Aid Guide
• (3) Bio-hazard bags
• (1) Toilet paper roll
• (24) Moist towelettes

For storage and easy transport:

• Emergency preparedness supplies are packed in a rolling duffel with double hand straps and adjustable shoulder strap.

You will note that these LifeSecure emergency kits contain supplies that meet each of the 10 basic emergency needs: water, food, breathing protection, first aid, shelter, warmth, communication, light, tools, sanitation & hygiene.   Note also that this version of our emergency kit has rolling wheels.  We sell rolling and backpack versions of each of our family emergency kits, but we have a preference for wheels (with an option to carry).

The key is to buy or your own "tornado emergency kit" before a tornado or other disaster actually hits.  It isn't hard to do, but after the fact is... well, after the fact and won't do any good.

Every Life Secure

 

What is a Tornado Emergency Kit?

Many people are asking about Tornado Emergency Kits.  They are looking for a kit that is uniquely designed to deal with the aftermath of a tornado.  The truth is that a tornado emergency kit is really just a regular 72 hour all-hazards emergency kit.  You will have the same emergency needs after a tornado as you may after any other catastrophic natural disaster.

So our suggestion is that you buy or make an emergency kit that meets the 10 basic emergency needs: water, food, breathing protection, first aid, shelter, warmth, communication, light, tools, sanitation & hygiene.  Your kits should be designed using the U.S. government guidelines available at Ready.gov.  This is how we design all of our LifeSecure emergency kits.

So get an emergency kit - if you want to call it your tornado emergency kit, that's fine.  Then learn what to do in a tornado and what NOT to do in a tornado.  Just remember, when the tornado sirens go off, take cover and be safe.  Don't take chances with something as potentially deadly as a tornado.

Every Life Secure

What Emergency Supplies Do You Need to Respond to a Tornado?

Someone recently asked, "What emergency supplies do you need to respond to a tornado?"  The answer is that you need essentially the same emergency supplies that you would need to respond to any other disaster.  If a tornado hits close enough to do damage to your home or knock out essential utilities and services, you may have to evacuate or be prepared to shelter-in-place without the benefit of all of the conveniences which we take for granted.

Whether you have to evacuate of shelter-in-place after a tornado of some other disaster, you may need to provide for 10 emergency essential needs: water, food, breathing protection, first aid, shelter, warmth, communication, light, tools, sanitation & hygiene.  A well designed 72 hour emergency kit with basic supplies can help you meet each of these needs whether you stay or have to go.

Ready.gov provides a helpful list of emergency supplies.  You can build your own tornado emergency kit or purchase one.

Every Life Secure

 

 

You Don't Have to Be A Survivalist to Be A Survivor

It's true -- you don't have to be a "survivalist" to be a "survivor."  I'm a "survivor" of many disasters, but I'm not a "survivalist."  Though I have learned much from those who are self-identified survivalists and have great respect for their knowledge and skills, I believe all of us as "regular people" can take basic steps that allow us to be a survivor in case of a severe emergency or disaster.

To increase your chances of being a disaster survivor you can:

1) Learn about what to do in various emergency or disaster scenarios.  All of us can identify various kinds of disasters or emergencies that are common to where we live and learn about how to appropriately respond to them.  For example, I live in Illinois and as such should know the basics of what to do in case of earthquakes, tornadoes, blizzards, chemical spills or explosions (freight trains come within a mile of my home), nuclear accidents (we have 11 nuclear reactors in Illinois), and floods.

Such knowledge is readily available on the web (from this emergency preparedness blog among other sources), in books, in pamphlets, from local emergency responders, etc.  You don't need to become an expert in emergency response to learn and remember such basics "Drop, Cover, Hold On" in an earthquake, "get out of your car and into a ditch" in a tornado, or  "have a 72 hour emergency kit in case you have to evacuate or shelter-in-place" in any number of disaster scenarios.

I used to worry about trying to memorize and keep in mind the "10 bullet points for how to respond to each type of disaster".  I have come to believe that one can get and retain most of the "survivor knowledge" they will really need by just occasionally learning about these events and thinking about the key things to do and not do.  A lot of it comes down to common sense once you learn some of the basic principles of response.

When it comes to knowledge of how to respond, you don't have to be a trained survivalist to survive a disaster.

2) Have an emergency kit and emergency supplies.  As I share constantly in this blog and as the U.S. Government has told us for years now, everyone should have an emergency kit and adequate supplies to last for at least 72 hours (3 days) on their own after a disaster.  Hurricane Katrina taught us that even in America, you can go hungry and be thirsty if you are not prepared to meet your own needs after a catastrophic disaster.

I personally am prepared to support my family's basic needs for much longer than 72 hours, but this minimum is a good place to start.  For relatively little money you can either build your own emergency kit or buy an emergency kit that will meet your basic needs.  Remember, its about "sustaining life" not "sustaining lifestyle" for those few days after a disaster.  Your absolute survival essentials can be fit into one backpack.  That same backpack of supplies can be used to help you evacuate or shelter-in-place.

You don't have to own the ultimate survival knife in order to survive most disasters and emergencies. I love cool survival gadgets as much as the next guy, but basic supplies will do for most scenarios.  Any regular person can obtain an emergency kit that may not contain all the high-end specialized gear a trained survivalist may desire, but that will work just fine to help you be a survivor in a disaster.

3) Have a basic plan of how to evacuate or shelter-in-place.  If you have the basic knowledge of how to survive a given catastrophic event, and you have the supplies to meet your basic needs for a period of time, you can top that off by thinking through your emergency plan. 

The appropriate response to most catastrophic disasters will require you to do one of two things to avoid harm or to deal with the event's aftermath: evacuate of shelter-in-place.  If you have to evacuate, you'll need to know how you will gather family members, and where you will go before you actually have to leave.  Evacuation can happen in a real hurry in some scenarios and the time for preparation is over when the time for action has arrived.  Plan in advance.

Shelter-in-place plans also require some forethought.  Thinking through your plans will help you better ensure that you have the right emergency supplies in place to respond to an emergency at a moments notice. 

As in other aspects of emergency preparation, your plans don't have to be elaborate.  SEAL Team Six level planning and practice is not necessary.  Just think through the basics and make sure that all family members or colleagues in the workplace know what the plan is.

Following these basic approaches to emergency preparedness will allow you to survive most of what might come at you in this life in the way of emergencies or disasters.  Don't be intimidated by the emergency preparedness process.  You don't need to be a survivalist to be a survivor.

Every Life Secure

Preparing for the Worst Case Scenario - Catastrophic Disaster

Prepare for the worst case scenario -- a catastrophic disaster.  This is sound advice. We spend much of our lives preparing.  Most of us spend from 13 to 17+ years in school as a preparation for our life's vocation as well as just for living a productive adult life.  Each job we have prepares us for the next. We prepare for countless specific events in our lives: graduation, marriage, births, moving, etc.  Preparation is part of our daily routine, but how well prepared are we for the ultimate challenge - the worst case scenario?

The worst case scenario may come in various ways.  It may come as a personal tragedy or as a critical accident.  In the unsure world in which we live, it will come to many in the form of a catastrophic disaster.  This may be an earthquake, a tsunami, a flood, a hurricane, a wildfire, a tornado, a chemical explosion, a volcanic eruption, a mudslide, a blizzard, a terrorist attack or any one of many other potential natural or man-made disasters.  My first catastrophic disaster was the disasterous Super-Typhoon "Yoling" in the Philippines that left my family with readily available food, water, or electricity for two weeks.

Whatever the worst case scenario may be that invades your life, you can prepare for it now. One of the keys to being prepared is to have adequate emergency supplies to meet your own basic needs for at least 72 hours (three days).  It can take at least this long for authorities to begin to deliver aid to most people after a major disaster.  Personally my family is prepared to go it alone for much longer if necessary (remember, I went the two weeks with little help so I have learned by experience that three days is a minimum).

Because not everyone can afford (either in storage space or cash) to have more than a three day supply, I suggest that you follow the U.S. Government Guidelines and have an emergency kit that can either be used to support you as you evacuate or as you stay put and shelter-in-place.  I like to say that with such an emergency kit "you can evacuate or stay, and you are covered either way." 

Whether you build your own emergency kit or buy an emergency kit don't delay this important step in being prepared for the worst case scenario - a catastrophic disaster.  Get an emergency kit now and make sure that you are well prepared.  We do live in an unsure world, but we can be more secure if we are prepared.

Every Life Secure

Bin Laden's Death - NOT an End of the Need to Be Prepared for Terrorism

While there is justified relief that Osama Bin Laden is dead, the threat from terrorism in the United States and abroad remains high.  This fact has been reiterated time and again in the newscasts of the last 24 hours.  No one is under the impression that the news that Bin Laden is no longer personally a threat, is an indication that the terrorist threats that he came to symbolize in our generation are a thing of the past.  These attacks will go on as carried out by others.

This means that terrorist attacks are among the many threats, natural and man-made, that we still need to be prepared for.  How do we as ordinary citizens perpare for such events?  We prepare just as we would for other catastophic events.  We have an emergency kit and emergency supplies ready to evacuate of shelter-in-place (according to the need), we have a plan as to what to do, and we stay informed both before and after such an event.

Though there are areas of our country that naturally are more likely targets of terrorist attacks,  experience have taught us that no place in our country is completely safe from such attacks from foreign or domestic terrorists.  Therefore all of us should be prepared for the impact of such terrorist attacks.

Every Life Secure

Japanese Disaster Threatens the United States

I have commented before on the tendency in the United States to pay relatively little attention to disasters that don't happen within the United States. I have noted that a catastrophic earthquake in Pakistan or in some "remote" area of the world causes very little emergency preparedness activity in the United States. In contrast, Katrina, caused tens of thousands for families to perk up, pay attention, and get prepared.

Because of its severity and the close ties that the U.S. has with Japan, many in the U.S. have taken note of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami disaster and are getting an emergency preparedness kit for the first time, replenishing expired items, or taking other steps to improve their preparedness. So there are those who are learning lessons from overseas in this latest round of natural destruction.

But we may find that this particular disaster will have an even more direct impact on the United States than most overseas catastrophes even though it is still an ocean away. Because of the important place that Japan holds in the world economy and its very direct role in the United States economy, our own economic recovery may be threatened by the economic aftershocks of this tragedy in Japan itself. Stock markets are already responding to the threats to global supply chains.

Disruptions to supply chains in manufacturing sector such as automotive, electronics, and aviation could begin to be felt very quickly. In a manufacturing environment that has gotten use to JIT (Just In Time) production, reserve stocks are generally very low. We will begin to feel the impact of the Japanese disaster on our factory floors and showrooms very quickly.

Every disaster we witness brings an opportunity for us to learn and prepare. One of the key learnings is that in this global economy, the disaster of our neighbor can become our own disaster in a very real way. This can be true even is that neighbor lives "across town".

Every Life Secure

 

Earthquake Kit: Japanese Earthquake Makes Us Ask - - Are We Prepared With the Right Earthquake Kit for Survival In the United States?

Earthquake Survival Priorities...

Priority #1: Make sure that you survive the earthquake.

Priority #2: Make sure your emergency earthquake kit survives the earthquake.

In a severe earthquake, second only to surviving yourself is making sure that your earthquake emergency survival kit makes it through the initial earthquake with your emergency supplies intact.

As we have seen once again in the aftermath of the 8.9 Japanese earthquake (2011) and the tsunamis that followed, after a big earthquake you'll need to be prepared with an earthquake kit to meet your own emergency survival needs for at least 3 days (72 hours) or longer. No government is prepared to immediately meet the needs of its entire population after a devastating earthquake.

 

It is critical then that your emergency supplies be protected from the falling debris that can crush your unprotected earthquake supplies. Your earthquake kit may have adequate emergency supplies to help you survive the first few days after an earthquake, but is it built to survive the initial earthquake and to protect your supplies?

Do you have an earthquake kit that is built to survive the quake and then to help you survive?

MobileAid 3-Day Emergency Earthquake Kits for 1, 2 or 4 people provide crush-resistant protection for your emergency supplies. These kits have a super-durable aircraft grade aluminum frame that can support over 300 lbs, but which weighs less than 9 lbs. This protective frame features a perforated exoskeleton design with secure joints, and chrome-plated screws with shake-proof nylon aircraft lock nuts for extra strength.

These features mean that your emergency supplies will stand a much better chance of making it through a major earthquake undamaged in a MobileAid Emergency Earthquake Kit than will earthquake supplies stored in a regular backpack or plastic bin.

The crush-resistant frame of these MobileAid 3-Day Emergency Earthquake Kits can help get you through the earthquake while these additional features can help you cope with the aftermath until help arrives:

Compact/Comprehensive Emergency kit: emergency–grade supplies recommended by the U.S. Government and numerous others supplies for increased protection and comfort.

Quick–access organization: Emergency preparedness supplies are organized in Quick–Response vinyl–lined pouches with carrying straps. This means that you will be able to quickly identify and access your emergency supplies.

Easy–roll/flexible transport: dual 4" polyurethane wheels aid in rapid–response and climbing curbs or other uneven surfaces with little effort. In an evacuation, it will be much easier to roll your emergency supplies a long distance than it will be to carry them on your back.

Seating and gear-carrying platform: allows for people to be seated to rest and can be used to transport additional equipment and supplies (supports up to 300 lbs). These features can be critical if you are left out-of-doors and have to transport additional belongings as you find suitable shelter.

Easy identification: highly visible orange bag and flashing (red/blue) LED wheels make this earthquake kit bag easy to find and identify in a disaster.

MobileAid Emergency Earthquake Survival Kits provide superior crush protection, mobility, functionality, organization, and design. All of these features together will allow you to respond immediately, effectively and confidently to a major earthquake and its aftermath.

To help you be prepared for an earthquake, see the LifeSecure full line of earthquake preparedness kits and earthquake supplies.

If you are helping to prepare a school, workplace, or other large facility, you may need to provide emergency first aid. MobileAid Multi-function Trauma First Aid Stations featured the same crush-resistant frames as our earthquake kits and provide comprehensive trauma first aid supplies that meet OSHA guidelines and ANSI standards. These stations also feature such practical extras as a flexible stretcher and first aid flag.

MobileAid Emergency Earthquake kits and Emergency Trauma First Aid Stations can help you survive by helping your earthquake supplies survive.

Every Life Secure

 

The 10 Deadliest Earthquakes in U.S. History - Loss of Life In New Zealand Earthquake Makes Us Consider Earthquake Risks in the United States

With the news that the death toll from the Christchurch New Zealand earthquake is expected to top 300, many are thinking about our own history of devastating earthquakes in the United States and considering the risks from future quakes. A reader of this Every Life Secure blog sent me this link to an article on "The 10 Deadliest Quakes in U.S. History".

I share this link in the hopes that reading the article might help those who live in earthquake risk areas make a greater effort to be prepared for such devastating quakes by ensuring that they have earthquake kits and earthquake supplies and that they take other precautions before an earthquake hits.

Every Life Secure

Dramatic Aerial Video of the 6.3 Magnitude Earthquake In Christchurch New Zealand

As dozens are reported killed and many more injured in the February 22, 2011 New Zealand earthquake, we are reminded by this dramatic aerial video footage of the devastation that can accompany such strong earthquakes.

If you live in earthquake country, please be prepared to respond. An effective response may include being equipped to evacuate or to shelter-in-place without access to the basic necessities that are so readily available in our every day lives: water, food, breathing protection, first aid, shelter, warmth, communication, light, tools, and sanitation. Unless you are prepared with an emergency kit and supplies, you may not have another source for many of these basic necessities for hours or days.

No government in the world is prepared to immediately meet the needs of all of its people after a major disaster. You must be prepared to survive on your own for three days (72 hours) or longer.

Every Life Secure

New Zealand Earthquake Reminds Us to Be Prepared for Earthquakes in the United States

A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck southern New Zealand on February 22, 2011. Early reports are that several buildings in Christchurch have fallen and that there are multiple injuries and deaths. This powerful earthquake follows an even more powerful 7.1 magnitude quake that hit the same area on Sept. 4th of 2010 and caused and estimated $3 billion in damage.

This is just another reminder of the need to be prepared for earthquakes here in the United States. Although most Americans know that California and other parts of the west coast in the United States are at risk for major earthquakes, many are unaware that even in areas such as the mid-west there is a risk of devastating earthquakes.

What is the lesson? Be prepared for any emergency including a devastating earthquake with at least a 72 hour emergency kit designed to provide supplies to shelter-in-place or evacuate in the event of an earthquake or other major disaster.

Every Life Secure

How Do I Survive a "SuperStorm"?

How do I survive a "superstorm"?  This is the question many are asking in the wake of the U.S. Geological Survey release of what it calls its "ARkStorm Scenario" in which it predicts that California could suffer devastating storms that could dump up to 10 feet of water over 40 days, flood one fourth of the homes in the state, and cause over $300 Billion in damage.

Though there is no specific answer as to how to survive such a superstorm in California or elsewhere, the truth is that there are simple steps that everyone can take to be prepared for such a disaster.  In the most basic sense, under any severe flooding scenario, there are two possible ways that one might be forced to respond in order to survive.  They may either be forced to evacuate their homes or they may be forced to shelter-in-place (hunker down and stay put).

My own personal experience is one of having to shelter-in-place for about two weeks without the benefit of running water, electricity, or even the availability of food beyond what was in the house.  This came, as I have described in another blog post, after a major typhoon and its accompanying destruction.  I have also lived through shorter periods of sheltering-in-place caused by significant flooding that essentially shut down travel for several days.

One may prepare to either evacuate or shelter-in-place in very similar ways.  The preparation for one event is the subset of the preparation for the other.  By this I mean that one might prepare supplies for up to two weeks or more if they have to shelter-in-place in their homes with no water, electricity, and additional food or other essentials.  Then they might have a portable kit of supplies that would sustain the basic necessities of life for up to three days (72 hours) should they have to evacuate.  The portable kit can be the source of some of the supplies necessary for sheltering-in-place.

In this way, one is covered whether they need to stay put or they need to get out.  It is difficult to practically carry more than three days of supplies on your person.  If you are able to take a vehicle in your evacuation you can always add extras, but one should be prepared to evacuate on foot and survive outside during that time for up to three days.

People are gaining in their understanding of the need to prepare to meet their own needs for 3 days or more as they are increasingly aware that no government agency is prepared to care for everyone's needs during or immediately after a devasting event such as the predicted California SuperStorm.

Visit us at www.LifeSecure.com for emergency solutions that meet the need to prepare for either evacuation or to shelter-in-place.  If you haven't already done so please make the effort now to make a plan and get the emergency kits and supplies you need to survive in any emergency or disaster.

The bottom line is the best way to survive a California Superstorm is to prepare to care for your own essential survival needs.

Threat Of California "Superstorm" More Devastating Than A "Superquake"

Unfortunately, California has another disaster threat to add to its long list... a "superstorm" that could cause massive flooding and destruction 4 to 5 times what might be expected in a major earthquake.

In a new report from the U.S. Geological Survey, more than 100 scientists and experts indicate that California faces the risk of a massive "superstorm" that could flood a quarter of the state's homes and cause $300 billion to $400 billion in damage.

U.S. Geological Survey scientists warned emergency officials that California's geological history shows such "superstorms" have happened in the past, and should be added to the long list of natural disasters possible in the state.

There has not been such a cataclysmic storm in California for about 150 years, but the risk of a repeat of past "superstorms" is now growing due to the rising temperatures in the atmosphere, which have generally made weather patterns more volatile.

Geological Survey director Marcia K. McNutt indicates that a 300-mile stretch of the Central Valley experienced massive flooding from 1861-62. Geological evcidence indicates that even larger storms happened in past centuries in the years 212, 440, 603, 1029, 1418, and 1605.

One scientific model referenced in the report showed that a storm could last for more than 40 days and dump 10 feet of water on the state of California. In this scenario, an "atmospheric river" would move water "at the same rate as 50 Mississippis discharging water into the Gulf of Mexico,". Winds from the storm could reach 125 miles per hour and the storms would likely cause massive landslides.

It is easy to dismiss such predictions as something for the next century to have to worry about, but as Geological Survey scientist Lucy Jones has indicated, "We think this event happens once every 100 or 200 years or so, which puts it in the same category as our big San Andreas earthquakes". So given that the last occurrence was 150 years ago, this is very possibly an issue for current residents of California and not just their great-grandchildren.

Federal and state emergency management officials are taking the threat seriously and met last week to discuss preparations for a potential California superstorm.

Emergency preparedness just makes good common sense. Whether you live in California, or elsewhere, please consider your own level of preparedness for a major emergency or disaster of any kind and make sure that you have an emergency plan and adequate emergency kits and supplies.

Every Life Secure

 

Respond With Confidence! MobileAid Helps First Responders in Any Emergency of Disaster

We are pleased to announce the launch of our redesigned MobileAid website with an expanded line of MobileAid products. This expansion of our MobileAid line (new emergency response backpacks, bags, kits, and stations) and the accompanying website redesign allow us to better serve the core customers of the MobileAid brand, professional and lay first responders. Visit us now at www.Mobile-Aid.com.

The MobileAid brand is committed to helping both professional and lay first reponders respond with confidence in any emergency or disaster. We do this by custom designing our MobileAid emergency response kits, bags, and backpacks to deliver superior mobility, functionality, organization, and design.

Confidence in an emergency comes from training, experience, teamwork, and having exceptional emergency response gear. At MobileAid, we focus our own training, experience, and teamwork on developing and manufacturing the exceptional emergency response gear needed when responding to an emergency or disaster.

We design and build each MobileAid product as if we, ourselves, were going to use it to respond to an emergency. This is why you can be sure that with MobileAid, you can "Respond with Confidence!"

Take a closer look at all of our new MobileAid emergency response backpacks, kits, bags and stations at www.mobile-aid.com.

Continuing to build our MobileAid emergency response product offering is just one of the ways that we at LifeSecure are helping to make Every Life Secure in any emergency or disaster.

Earthquake Preparedness: Many in California Still Not Fully Prepared for the Big One

A recent survey in California shows that the weakest link in California eathquake preparedness is citizen preparedness.

“The recent earthquakes in Chile and Haiti are unwelcome reminders of the devastating impact earthquakes can have on people and communities,” said Secretary Matthew Bettenhausen of the California Emergency Management Agency. “It calls attention to the need for Californians to do even more to prepare for the big one. This study confirms that Californians need constant reminders and a steady stream of earthquake preparedness information to motive people to act. We continue to urge Californians to prepare now.”

One of the puroses of this emergency preparedness blog is to lend an additional voice to the "steady stream of preparedness information" that most us us seem to need to encourage us to be fully prepared for whatever hazards we may face where we live.  Californians are actually among the very most prepared people in the country because of their high awareness of the risks they face.

The unfortunate fact is that many people across the country have not taken even the smallest steps to be prepared for an emergency or disaster.  No place on earth is immune to sudden emergency or disaster.  This means that all of us need to be prepared.

In many areas of the country, people are not even aware of very serious risks that exist in their location.  A good example of this is the relatively low awareness and understanding of those who live in the Midwest of the potential for a devastating central USA earthquake.  Preparation for the "big one" should not be an activity limited to the west coast.

An earthquake was felt in the Chicago area, where I live, just this past month.  It was realatively small, but none the less a reminder that we do have earthquakes in this area, and because of the proximity of the New Madrid fault, we have the potential for a "big one".  Recently I reinforced storage shelves in my home and outfitted them so that the contents cannot fall onto the floor in a earthquake.  This is a small step, but one that may limit the damage should we experience a larger earthquake.

So, once again, we encourage all people everywhere to take even a small step towards greater emergency preparparedness.  The first, and often easiest, step is to purchase or assemble an emergency kit that provides you with at least three days worth of basic emergency supplies. 

Every disaster we experience in the world reminds us that no government can meet the immediate needs of all of its citizens after a major disaster.  We have to be prepared to meet our own needs for the first 72 hours or beyond.  The 10 basic emergency needs are: water, food, emergency first aid, breathing protection, shelter, warmth, light, emergency tools, communication, hygiene and sanitation.

If you live in an area of high risk for a catastrophic earthquake (a "big one") you may wish to have an emergency earthquake kit that is designed to withstand crushing from the falling debris that is common in such disasters.

Wherever you live in the United States, don't forget to have a well-supplied car emergency kit in your vehicle in case an emergency or distaster happens when you are on-the-go or you have to quickly evacuate.  In the California earthquake survey, the lack of emergency supplies in private vehicles was discovered to be one of the key weaknesses in citizen preparation.

Every Life Secure

Earthquake Kits: Is Your Earthquake Kit Built to Survive An Earthquake?

Earthquake Survival Priorities...

Priority #1: Make sure that you survive the earthquake.

Priority #2: Make sure your emergency earthquake kit survives the earthquake.

In a severe earthquake, second only to surviving yourself is making sure that your earthquake survival kit makes it through the initial earthquake with your emergency supplies in tact. 

As we have seen once again in the aftermath of the 8.8 Chile earthquake, after a big earthquake you'll need to be prepared with an earthquake kit to meet your own emergency survival needs for at least 3 days (72 hours) or longer.  No government is prepared to immediately meet the needs of its entire population after a catastrophe.

It is critical then that your emergency supplies be protected from the falling debris that is common to a major earthquake and can crush your unprotected earthquake supplies.  Your earthquake kit may have adequate emergency supplies to help you survive the first few days after an earthquake, but is it built to survive the initial earthquake and to protect your supplies?

MobileAid 3-Day Emergency Earthquake Kits for 1, 2 or 4 people provide crush-resistant protection for your emergency supplies.  These kits have a super-durable aircraft grade aluminum frame that can support over 300 lbs, but which weighs less than 9 lbs.  This protective frame features a perforated exoskeleton design with secure joints, and chrome-plated screws with shake-proof nylon aircraft lock nuts for extra strength.

All this means, that your emergency supplies will stand a much better chance of making it through a major earthquake undamaged in a MobileAid Emergency Earthquake Kit than will earthquake supplies stored in a regular backpack or plastic bin.

The crush-resistant frame of these MobileAid 3-Day Emergency Earthquake Kits can help get you through the earthquake while these additional features can help you cope with the aftermath until help arrives:

Compact/Comprehensive Emergency kit: emergency–grade supplies recommended by the U.S. Government and numerous others supplies for increased protection and comfort.

Quick–access organization: Emergency preparedness supplies are organized in Quick–Response vinyl–lined pouches with carrying straps.  This means that you will be able to quickly identify and access your emergency supplies. 

  Easy–roll/flexible transport: dual 4" polyurethane wheels aid in rapid–response and climb stairs or curbs with little effort.

Seating and gear-carrying platform: allows for people to be seated to rest and can be used to transport additional equipment and supplies (supports up to 300 lbs).  These features can be critical if you are left out-of-doors and have to transport additional belongings as you find suitable shelter. 

Easy identification: highly visible orange bag and flashing (red/blue) LED wheels make this earthquake kit bag easy to find and identify in a disaster.

MobileAid Emergency Earthquake Survival Kits provide superior crush protection, mobility, functionality, organization, and design.  All of these features together will allow you to respond immediately, effectively and confidently to a major earthquake.

To help you be prepared for an earthquake, see the LifeSecure full line of earthquake preparedness kits and earthquake supplies.

If you are helping to prepare a school, workplace, or other large facility, you may need to provide emergency first aid.  MobileAid Multi-function Trauma First Aid Stations featured the same crush-resistant frames as our earthquake kits and provide comprehensive trauma first aid supplies that meet OSHA guidelines and ANSI standards.  These stations also feature such practical extras as a flexible stretcher and first aid flag.

MobileAid Emergency Earthquake kits and Emergency Trauma First Aid Stations can help you survive by helping your earthquake supplies survive.

Every Life Secure  

U.S Geological Survey Director Urges Preparedness for A "Big One" Earthquake in The United States

Referencing the devastating 8.8 earthquake in Chile, Marcia McNutt, director of the U.S. Geological Survey warns:

"It's not a matter of IF, only of WHEN an event like this strikes the people of the United States.  Shame on us if we don't prepare." 

McNutt said,"We know earthquakes are not uniformly distributed in time; they cluster. Now suddenly the earthquakes are lighting up again."

The 8.8 Chile earthquake this past weekend should remind us of the need for emergency preparedness no matter where we live.  If you've been waiting for "another day" to get an emergency kit and survival supplies prepared, it's time to take some action.

Though we often think of California, Oregon and Washington State when considering earthquake risk in the United States, there is a significant earthquake threat even in the Midwest.  No matter where you live, disaster preparation is just prudent risk management.

Every Life Secure

What Should be in An Emergency Kit?

I have had the chance to teach numerous emergency preparedness seminars to community groups.  One of the key questions that I answer in these seminars is, "What should be in an emergency kit?"

Rather than just rattle off a list of supplies, I try to help the audience understand the "10 Basic Emergency Needs".  Once they understand these needs, they can better evaluate various options of emergency supplies that will meet their specific needs while passing the "CLAD Emergency Kit Test" (more about the "CLAD Emergency Kit Test" after the "10 Basic Needs").

The "10 Basic Needs" in an emergency or disaster are essentially the same that we have in our daily lives but which we tend to take for granted unless we come under some stress that causes us to struggle to meet them. 

For example, if we lose power or water due to an accident, storm, or other cause, most of us will begin almost immediately to feel inconvenienced.  Should the outage continue past a few hours, we would begin to scramble to find alternate ways to hydrate and feed ourselves, to stay warm or cool, or to maintain proper hygiene and sanitation.  We would then become more aware of the fact that there really are basic needs to be consistently met if we are to stay comfortable, safe, and healthy.

These "10 Basic Emergency Needs" to be met to keep us comfortable, safe and healthy in an emergency are:

• Emergency water
• Emergency food
• Breathing protection
• Trauma First Aid
• Shelter
• Warmth
• Communication
• Light
• Emergency tools
• Sanitation & hygiene

When I give these 72 hour emergency preparedness seminars, I like to play a game in which I have 10 participants each hold an item that might go in an emergency kit.  Each of these emergency preparedness items represents one of the 10 essential emergency needs.  So one person has a light stick, another a pouch of water, another a food bar, and so on. I then ask them to line up in order of the importance of their "basic need". 

It is always interesting and funny to watch the interaction as the participants each have different perspectives on what items are the most important in case of an emergency. Is it water, is it first aid, is it shelter?  

As we talk through various disaster scenarios, it quickly becomes apparent that the items of most importance depend on the specific emergency situation. If you are losing large amounts of blood due to a wound, you most need a bandage, not a pouch of water.  If you are uninjured but left outside in the heat of summer, you need a pouch of water, not a first aid dressing.  Because emergencies by their nature are not totally predicatable, it is important to have supplies from each category of the "10 Basic Emergency Needs" in your emergency kit. 

Having a feeling for the importance of all 10 basic needs helps people move beyond just filling a backpack by checking off a list to instead preparing a comprehensive emergency kit that they actually understand how to use.  If there is little thought put into the actual supplies and packing of the emergency kit, the likelihood is that it will fall short of meeting the person's specific needs.

Once the audience understands the "10 Basic Emergency Needs", we then talk about various kinds of emergency supplies that can help them meet these needs.  For example, when we discuss the need for light, we talk about light sticks, conventional flashlights, crank flashlights, lanterns and so forth.

As we discuss alternative supplies, I encourage the audience to use the "CLAD Emergency Kit Test" to guide them in choosing the emergency supplies that are most appropriate them. 

What is the "CLAD Emergency Kit Test"? Well, a dictionary.com definition of "CLAD" is "To cover with a protective or insulating layer of... material."  So, with your emergency kit, "Are you properly 'CLAD' to survive an emergency or disaster?" 

As we develop each LifeSecure emergency kit, (like the Extreme 30-Person Evacuation & Shelter-In-Place Kit pictured at the beginning of this post) we use the "CLAD Emergency Kit Test" to make sure that we are providing an emergency kit and supplies that balance and optimize four key attributes of a good emergency kit:

C - Compact - small enough to reasonably store and transport

L - Lightweight -light enough to be practically transported in difficult conditions by the person who plans to use it

A- All-Hazards equipped - comprehensive and versatile for use in any emergency; with each supply item being as multi-functional as possible

D- Durable - able to perform in the tough conditions that often accompany an emergency

If your emergency kit balances these four attributes well, you stand a better chance of successfully and comfortably surviving an emergency or disaster.  These attributes are especially important in an emergency or disaster that might require an evacuation.

So while you can find very helpful emergency kit supply list like this one from www.ready.gov ,it is important to do more than just throw the items on the list into a backpack.

My answer to the question, "What should be in an emergency kit?", is emergency supplies that:

1) meet all the "10 Basic Emergency Needs", and

2) that pass the "CLAD Emergency Kit Test."

Every Life Secure

Emergency Kit Information at www.EmergencyKit.tel

FEMA Emergency Kit Guidelines Information at www.FEMA.tel

What About Emergency Preparedness Gifts for the Holidays?

LifeSecure.com Holiday Gift Section

As you consider giving meaningful gifts this holiday season, think about helping family and friends be secure in any emergency or disaster.  As relatively few people are fully prepared with emergency kits and supplies, you can be sure that your gift will be appreciated.

Each holiday season, many people look to LifeSecure to provide them with emergency preparedness gifts for their friends and family.  Our broad range of emergency preparedness solutions offers gifts to cover the similarly broad range of holiday gift giving needs -- from stocking stuffers to large gifts.  We can help you with a gift for everyone on your holiday list.

Each holiday season we offer a specially selected list of emergency preparedness gifts in our Holiday Gift Section on www.LifeSecure.com.

This season we are introducing our new LS Extreme Disaster Gear line.  LS Extreme Disaster Gear products are a great choice for those on your list who will appreciate emergency gear designed to go "beyond the basics" to prepare them for extreme disasters.

For those for whom nothing but the very best emergency response kits and supplies will do, MobileAid is your best possible gift choice.  You can find the full line of MobileAid Emergency Response products at our newest website, www.Mobile-Aid.com.

Have a safe and secure holiday, and consider helping everyone on your gift list to do the same.

On-Site Emergency Responders & Safety Personnel Can Now ... Be the First Responder!

 
With the launch of www.Mobile-Aid.com, on-site emergency responders and safety personnel now have easy on-line access to the full range of MobileAid Emergency Response products from LifeSecure.  MobileAid provides these safety professionals with superior quick-response mobile stations that include comprehensive trauma first aid and emergency supplies.  With compact MobileAid stations, on-site safety personnel can quickly and effectively deliver the best possible first care in any  
emergency or disaster.

In an emergency, precious minutes can be lost waiting for outside responders to arrive.  While it's important to immediately contact emergency authorities (dial 911), trained on-site responders with the right MobileAid equipment can respond immediately, effectively, and with confidence.  In a severe emergency or disaster help may actually be hours or days away.  Every facility needs to have safety personnel trained in basic first aid and emergency response procedures to ensure that they can meet their own immediate emergency needs.

Click into www.Mobile-Aid.com and let us know what you think of our expanding line of MobileAid Emergency Response products.

Be the first responder!

10 Basic Emergency Needs: "What Emergency Tools do I Need?"

Emergency tools are one of the "10 Basic Emergency Needs" that each of us should consider when preparing for any emergency or disaster.  The complete list of 10 emergency basics includes water, food, breathing protection, First Aid, shelter, warmth, communication, light, tools, and sanitation & hygiene.

Effective response to many emergency situations requires some form of physical labor.  Very often, tools will be necessary to accomplish emergency tasks successfully and safely.

While a wide variety of tools (including power tools) may ultimately be used in response to a disaster or emergency, I'll focus on basic tools that one might reasonably carry in their emergency kit or store with their emergency supplies.  Given that these basic tools would potentially need to "travel", it will be important that any tool you select meets the "CLAD" test I discuss elsewhere in this emergency preparedness blog, and is thus (1) lightweight, (2) compact, (3) multifunctional, and (4) durable. 

Tools that don't meet these tests (e.g. chainsaws, generators, etc) may indeed prove very helpful and might be a very good thing to have on hand, but a discussion of their merit will be left for future postings.  For now, we will focus on "portable" tools.

The first step in selecting the emergency tools that are right for you, is to consider the types of emergencies that are common to your specific geography.  As you identify these potential events, think about the types of emergency scenarios they might create that would cause you to have need of tools.  Successful response to most disasters will likely require one or more of the following emergency activities (1) evacuation, (2) protection of self and/or property (3) search & rescue, and (4) survival living.

Before covering the types of tools that may be important for each type of emergency activity, I would suggest that one tool should be at the top of the list for any emergency or disaster: work gloves.  I find that my ability to perform manual tasks is greatly improved when I have a pair of sturdy work gloves.  This is why I consider work gloves to be a "tool" in and of themselves.  When used alone, work gloves provide protection from injury and pain that can limit one's ability to complete manual tasks.  When used with other tools, they often allow the application of greater strength and leverage to the job.  A sturdy pair of leather palm gloves is inexpensive and can be a very effective tool for many emergency tasks.

Now let's consider four types of emergency activities that may require the use of emergency tools:

Emergency Evacuation Tools

The goal in an evacuation is to "get out and away."  In some scenarios one's exit from a house, apartment, or building may be blocked by jammed doors or fallen debris.  This can often be the case in earthquakes, tornadoes, fires, hurricanes, etc.  My favorite tool for use in this type of scenario is the 4-in-1 Emergency Tool.  This tool was designed by professional firefighters specifically to pry open jammed doors and remove debris created by a catastrophic event.  This 4-in-1 Emergency Tool is an excellent example of one that meets the "CLAD" test as it is lightweight (about 1 lb.), compact (only 11 inches long), multifunctional (can also be used to turn of gas and water lines), durable (tough heat treated metal alloy that won't spark or rust).

This type of a tool may make the difference in your ability to successfully exit a structure and avoid injury or death.  There are many scenarios in which one's bare hands will not be adequate to complete a successful evacuation.

Emergency Tools for Personal and Property Protection

Avoiding or limiting personal injury and property damage is one of the highest priorities in a disaster. Therefore, one of the most important types of tools to have is one that helps to protect you and your property.  This often means being able to turn off utilities.  In earthquakes and various types of storms including hurricanes and tornadoes, gas and water lines can be broken.  This damage can threaten additional damage to property and may even be life threatening.

Shutting off the natural gas in a disaster may help avert an explosion that could injure or kill you and others as well as destroy your home or office and start a fire that can spread to other structures.  The POGO (Pry Off, Gas Off) Pry Bar is a very effective emergency tool for turning off the gas at the meter. I like this tool because it is tough yet lightweight (1.25 lbs. - manganese steel), compact (only 15 inches long so it fits in most backpacks), and multifunctional (can also be used for a variety of prying applications). 

Like the POGO (Pry Off, Gas Off) Pry bar, the 4-in-1 Emergency Tool can be used to turn off the gas, but it also turns off the water main and can help to stop flooding in the event that water lines break and that water cannot be turned off using the regular turn-off valve.

Emergency Search and Rescue Tools

All major disasters involve some type of operations to help find and rescue those who may be trapped or incapacitated in some way by the event.  It is very common for average citizens to end up working side-by-side with professional responders or to have to conduct these operations on their own in the absence of emergency response professionals.  

In search and rescue operations, emergency tools that can be used to pry open doors, pry off fallen materials, and clear or break through debris may be essential to reaching and freeing a victim.  In too many instances we have seen that survivors are left to use just their bare hands to perform these functions.  This limits their ability to help others after a disaster. 

Emergency tools like the POGO (Pry Off, Gas Off) Pry Bar and the 4-in-1 Emergency Tool can be used for several prying and debris removal activities.  A shovel can also prove very helpful in removing debris or digging under them to reach and release trapped victims.  The 6-in-1 Survival Shovel Emergency Tool is a good multifunction shovel for such functions.  I find it to be an excellent companion emergency tool to either the POGO Pry Bar or the 4-In-1 Emergency Tool.  Once again, this tool is compact, lightweight, durable and multifunctional.  It includes a shovel, hatchet, saw, hammer, nail puller and even a can opener.

Emergency Tools for Survival Living

Finally, one should consider what tools might be needed should they have to live outdoors (or at least away from traditional shelter) for a period of time.  Not everyone who is forced to leave their home ends up in a comfortable Red Cross shelter within the first 24 hours of a disaster.  Therefore, each emergency kit should have simple tools that might be used to "set up camp". 

Certainly a tool that help one build or clear ground, set up shelter, cut or chop firewood, etc. might become very valuable in a scenario in which one must provide their own "survival living area" for even a day or two.  Here again an emergency tool similar to the 6-in-1 Survival Shovel Emergency Tool would be very helpful.

One might also consider the need for basics like a knife, pliers, screwdrivers, can opener, etc.  The need for such smaller, yet equally important tools, can often be met with a hand held multifunction tool such as this 14-in-1 Multifunction Emergency Tool.  This is a basic for various needs around the "survival camp".  While I won't cover cooking utensils in this article, a handheld multifunction tool can help meet many of the needs one might have around the "camp kitchen" should they be equipped with less than adequate cooking utensils.

What Emergency Tools do I Need?

So, "what emergency tools do you need?"  Well, each of us needs simple tools that can help us to (1) evacuate safely, (2) protect ourselves and our property, (3) aid in search and rescue efforts, and (4) live in an outdoor survival situation.  These tools should be (1) lightweight, (2) compact, (3) multifunction, and (4) durable. 

Where do you start?  Make sure to have a good pair of work gloves for every member of the family.  Beyond that, consider what you can carry.  It is usually not too difficult to have each family member carry at least one emergency tool.  In a real disaster, you'll be thankful you have the proper emergency tools to help you be secure.

Every Life Secure

How do we prepare for earthquakes? Lessons from the L'Aquila, Italy Earthquake

Unfortunately, we have seen once again the destructive power of earthquakes in the latest tragic tremor (6.3 on the Richter Scale) in L'Aquila in central Italy.  As of this writing, over 150 people are believed dead with 1,500 or more injured.  With some 10,000 to 15,000 buildings damaged or destroyed, over 100,000 people have been left homeless.

Some takeaways from this tragedy in Italy are:

Disasters can happen at any time of day.  This quake occurred at 3:32 a.m., so most were caught in their sleep -- at their most vulnerable.  The stories emerging speak of many fleeing in their pajamas and barely making it out of their houses and apartments as they crumbled around them.  This speaks to such easy preparedness steps as having a pair of shoes or slippers at your bedside, a light source (light stick or flash light) handy, and a robe or some other covering close by to grab for warmth in case of a need to evacuate without warning.  It also speaks to having your emergency supplies were they can be easily grabbed as you exit your home or workplace.

Basic services were immediately disrupted.  It is clear from images of damaged streets and infrastructure that water, sewer and electricity were instantly cut off to many homes.  As I viewed images of regular citizens helping in the rescue efforts (digging through debris with their bare hands), I noticed one young man with a military style canteen strapped around his waist.  I realized that he was probably among the few that was prepared to hydrate himself during the initial hours of response.  I was reminded that without emergency supplies on hand, we may be left without survival basics for hours, days or longer after a major disaster.

Don't expect the government to be able to immediately respond to your basic needs. One civil protection official was quoted as saying that the key priority was to provide shelter for everyone by nightfall.  One can only imagine the challenge of trying to shelter over 100,000 people "by nightfall".  One can also image that attempts to provide food, water, and sanitation facilities would be less than 100% successful, at least in the short-term. 

Access to basic tools will allow you to aid in rescue efforts.  As video images show many people working with their bare hands to assist professional responders in clearing rubble in an attempt to find survivors, it is apparent that they lack no willingness to do all they can to help rescue others. It is also clear that simple tools and supplies like gloves, shovels, picks, sledgehammers, axes, etc could significantly aid their efforts.  Having your own basic emergency tools will significantly increase your usefulness should you remain among the able-bodied people who survive the disaster.

Medical facilities may not be immediately available to treat injuries.  Sections of the main hospital in L'Aquila had to be evacuated because they were at risk of collapsing in the aftershocks.  People were being treated on the street and in the hospital courtyard.  Many bloodied victims had to await treatment as the facilities and personnel that were available were overwhelmed by the massive need for medical attention.  Each of us should think about having basic first aid supplies on hand to stop bleeding, help someone to start breathing again, splint a broken limb, etc. 

Obviously, basic training in first aid, CPR, and other skills will be invaluable as we help our own families, neighbors and others in the absence of immediate professional medical attention after a disaster.  Be aware that many basic home first aid kits are designed for minor day to day "cuts and scrapes" and provide little to help in more advanced, yet basic life saving situations.  Trauma first aid kits and supplies will be of greater help in a true disaster.  I keep a lot of trauma bandages and supplies on hand at home as even untrained individuals can help stop bleeding if they just have the right basic supplies.  I also figure that I can help resupply professionals if supplies of such basics as blood stopping bandages run low in the initial hours of response.

Here are some links that provide more information on how to prepare for an earthquake and how to respond if you are hit by one:

Selected information from Are You Ready?, FEMA

CDC - Earthquakes - Before, During, After

The greatest lesson from every disaster we witness around the world is that the time to prepare to be secure in an emergency or disaster is BEFORE one strikes.  No measures taken after the fact will fully compensate for lack of preparation before the event.

What are you doing to be prepared for an earthquake or other disaster?  If you are already prepared, how can you encourage and help others to be prepared at home, at work, at school, or on-the-go? 

Comment or email me to let me know what you are doing to help make "Every Life Secure" (even your own).

Every Life Secure - over 190,000 Lives Secured and counting...

Emergency Kit - Does Your Emergency Kit Pass the "CLAD" Test? Is it Compact...?

When evaluating your existing emergency kit or considering the components for a new one, you may want to make sure that your kit passes the "CLAD" Test.  

A dictionary.com definition of "CLAD" is "To cover with a protective or insulating layer of... material."  So, with your emergency kit, "Are you properly 'CLAD' to survive an emergency or disaster?" 

Or as we might say, "Does your emergency kit have you covered?"

At LifeSecure we use the "CLAD" Test to evaluate our emergency kit designs (like the Grab-and-Go 1-Person 3-Day Emergency Kit pictured above) to make sure that we are providing an emergency kit and supplies that balance and optimize four key attributes of a good emergency kit:

C - Compact - small enough to reasonably store and transport

L - Lightweight -light enough to be practically transported in difficult conditions by the person who plans to use it

A- All-Hazards equipped - comprehensive and versatile for use in any emergency; with each supply item being as multi-functional as possible

D- Durable - able to perform in the tough conditions that often accompany an emergency

If your emergency kit has the proper balance of these four attributes, you stand a better chance of more successfully and comfortably surviving an emergency or disaster.  These attributes become especially important in any emergency that might require an evacuation from your home or office.

In this first part of a four part series, I'll discuss the importance of making sure your supplies and your emergency kit are compact. 

I was helping a woman on the phone one day as she selected emergency supplies for her family.  After listening to her give me a long list of what she wanted, I asked her a simple question, "How do you intend to carry all of these supplies if you should end up on foot?"  When we discussed the bulk of the total supplies she wanted, she realized that there was not a practical way for her and her husband to carry all these supplies and bring along their two young children.  We pared down her list and ended up with a 72 hour emergency kit solution that was more compact and that better met the practical needs of her family.

The key to keeping an emergency kit compact and manageable, while still making sure that all essential survival needs are met, is making sure that the supplies in the kits are compact.  Two emergency supply items come to mind as excellent examples of this principle. 

The first is a new emergency supply that has just been introduced to the market: the compacted Emergency EZ Towel. 

These compacted emergency towels are activated with a few drops of water, turning the small towel tablet into a 9" x 12" towel for use in emergency sanitation, hygiene, and First Aid (wound cleaning).  These Emergency EZ Towels take the place of a large towel or multiple washcloths.  They are disposable and bio-degradable.

The towels comes in a waterproof tube of 10 towel tablets.  The compact tube is not much bigger than a roll of quarters. 

This video clearly illustrates the compact nature of this product.  A small roll of compacted towels can save a lot of space when compared with the room that a full towel or multiple washcloths might take in a backpack or duffel bag.

The second example of a compact supply is a traditional emergency basic found in most emergency supply kits: the emergency thermal blanket.  This metalized foil blanket measures just 5" x 2.5" x 1" (that's about the size of a man's wallet) when folded but expands to cover 84" x 52" in use.  This compact blanket provides warmth (retains and reflects up to 90 of body heat), a waterproof and windproof shelter barrier, and a covering to help reduce shock when someone is injured.

Emergency thermal blankets have several qualities that, in an emergency, are actually superior to those of regular blankets, and they take up a fraction of the space.  Many traditional blankets would fill almost an entire backpack, leaving room for little else.  So for emergency use, this supply gets high marks for being compact and versatile.

  In addition to choosing compact supplies like those detailed above, it is important to properly size your emergency kits to fit the storage space that you can practically devote to it.  For example, many people may find it difficult to fit a whole backpack in their office or workstation at work.  This doesn't mean that you can't store the essential personal basic supplies to last up to 72 hours. 

Compact kits like the Personal 3-Day Emergency Response Kit or the Personal Grab-and-Go 3-Day Emergency Kit can easily be stored in a desk drawer, on a shelf, or in a cabinet.  While these kits may not be as extensive as a full 72 hour emergency kit in a backpack, they will give you the basics for survival in a very compact storage and transport solution.

When considering supplies for your emergency kits, make sure that you consider products that are compact.  In doing so you'll be able to include emergency supplies that meet all your essential emergency needs without needing a bag or other container that is so big that it is difficult to store or impractical to transport.

What are some of your favorite compact supplies for including in an emergency kit?  Is there something bulky for which you have found a more compact substitute?

Every Life Secure

How to Prepare for a Wildfire - Australian Wildfire Tragedy Reminds us of the Need to be Ready

LifeSecure.com

As a boy, I lived for two and a half years in Sydney, Australia with my family.  I went to kindergarten, first grade and half of second grade in an Australian public school (uniform with a tie, shorts, knee socks and all).  I had a great natural Australian accent (which I eventually lost).  I was pretty much an "Australian" kid for my few years there (although I could never quite bring myself to try Vegemite). 

Because of my time there, as an "Australian" I have a love for Australia and its people.  Perhaps that's why it made me sick to read of the 135+ people killed there in the last few days in dozens of wildfires that literally wiped out whole towns and killed people in their homes and in cars and on the street as they fled the inferno.  This is the deadliest disaster in Australian history.  See the most recent report I read.

What makes it worse is that some of the more than dozen bushfires that engulfed more than 750 homes are thought to have been purposely set.  That is just so sick. 

After years of drought and a run of temperatures as high as 117 degrees Fahrenheit, the high winds (up to 60 miles per hour) swept the walls of fire so quickly that many just didn't have time to escape.  As I have read some of the miraculous escape stories that are now emerging from survivors, it at least reminds me that there are things that can be done to prepare now to survive such a horrible experience.

Given the much publicized California wildfires of last year and the continuing drought conditions in many areas of the West and elsewhere, it makes sense for those who live in risk areas to think now about how to prepare for potential wildfires.  Here are some links that may help in that wildfire preparation:

Selected information on Wildfire Preparation from Are You read?,FEMA.
Prepare for a Wildfire
Before a Wildfire
During a Wildfire
After a Wildfire

As FEMA encourages in its wildfire information, "Always be ready for an emergency evacuation.  Evacuation may be the only way to protect your family in a wildfire.  Know where to go and what to bring with you." In line with this advice, here are a few suggestions that may help:

• Make sure you have a 72-Hour Emergency Evacuation Kit ready to go at a moments notice

• Be sure to keep copies of important documents in this emergency kit

• Consider having a smoke mask and goggles or fire hood to protect you from smoke as you evacuate.  For more information on smoke masks and fire hoods, see my previous post on Fire Preparedness - Smoke masks and Fire Hoods Can Save Lives)

Here is a full list of LifeSecure products that may help you prepare for a wildfire.

If you live an area that might be impacted by a wildfire, please take some time to prepare now.  Though such preparation might not have saved all those who perished in the Australian bushfires, it may have made a difference for some.  Certainly emergency preparation can saves lives and at the very least can lessen the discomfort and loss experienced in a disaster such as a wildfire.

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

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An Emergency Preparedness website offering emergency kits and emergency supplies to help keep people secure in any emergency or disaster... at home, work, school or on-the-go.  Over 170,000 Lives Secured!

Earthquake Preparedness - POGO (Pry Off Gas Off) Combination Gas Shut-Off Tool and Pry Bar

The other day I was hustling indoors from 15 degree weather when I about ran into my wife heading out the garage door with a post-it note and a pen.  When I found out she was going out to the gas meter (through 6 inches of snow) to take a reading and contest our gas bill because it was so high last month (turns out record low temperatures will do that), I volunteered to do it for her.  After pushing back the bushes, kneeling in the snow, clearing off the frigid (now mostly dead) ivy that had grown over the meter and straining to read the ridiculously small little dials (I had to turn my head almost upside down to see them), I wondered why I had been so quick to volunteer.

One thing it reminded me of was the need to have a good gas shut-off tool handy to turn off the natural gas in case of a leak caused by some kind of disaster.  In our area, that could likely be an earthquake.  Read my post on the potential for earthquakes in the Central USA.  If you suspect a gas leak after a natural or man-made disaster (smell gas or hear a blowing or hissing noise), open a window, quickly get everyone out, turn off the gas (use the outside main valve if possible), and call the utility company from a neighbor's phone.  This action can avert a potentially deadly explosion. 

As FEMA says, "Natural gas leaks and explosions are responsible for a significant number of fires following disasters.  It is vital that all household members know how to shut off natural gas."

WARNING: Once the natural gas is turned off, it must be turned on again by a professional.

I you aren't sure how to safely shut off the gas, contact your utility company.  Here is a site that will show you the basics of shutting of the gas.

Assuming you know how to turn off the gas in an emergency, the next most important thing is to have a specific tool handy (in a predetermined place - note: outdoors next to the meter where Joey next door can turn off the gas as a prank may not be the smartest place to store your tool).  There is no way you can turn of the gas without a tool.  Though many kinds of wrenches and other tools may work to shut off the gas, I have a new favorite, the POGO (Pry Off Gas Off).

One of our supplier partners from California (earthquake country where they know the value of a good gas shut-off tool) recently developed what they call the POGO (Pry Off Gas Off) combination gas shut-off and pry bar.  I like it because it combines two important tools that are likely to be needed in the same emergency.  The emergency that caused enough jostling of your home to break the gas line in the first place, can easily bring with it the need for a solid pry tool for dealing with debris, jammed doors, and other search and rescue functions.  So the POGO (Pry Off Gas Off) is a very smart combo in a compact 15 inches (this means it will also fit in most backpacks or duffles - for your 72 hour emergency kit).

Some of the main features we find valuable are:

• Stong, lightweight construction from manganese steel

• Integrated shut-off valve notches (two different angles for ease) for quick and easy gas shut off

• Durable, high visibility powder coating

• Well ground pry tangs for easier prying in tight seems

• Notch for hanging on a nail or screw to keep at-the ready for an emergency

• Compact and easy to handle at just 15 inches (fits in most backpacks and duffles for your emergency kit)

If you are interested in this combination emergency tool, check your gas shut-off valve to make sure the 1 6/16 inch notches will fit your particular shut-off valve.  These notches were designed to fit most gas shut-off valves.

At the end of the day, this is one of my favorite emergency tools because it has several attributes we look for in any disaster tool.  It is compact, strong, lightweight, multi-functional, and versatile.

Click here to see or purchase this POGO (Pry Off Shut Off) gas shut-off and pry bar.

Click here to see all of our emergency preparedness tools.

Earthquake.tel

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

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

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