Every Life Secure!

Wildfire Evacuation Kit - Smoke Mask and Emergency Kit All-In-One

The wildfires in Colorado, Utah, and elswhere in the west have caused tens of thousands to evacuate their homes.  You may wonder what kind of wildfire evacuation kit you might need if you live in an area that might be affected by wildfires in the future.

At LifeSecure we developed a wildfire evacuation kit that has the two components we consider essential: (1) a smokes mask and goggles, and (2) a personal emergency kit with the basic supplies necessary to go it on your own for several hours or up to three days.  You can't count on being able to evacuate before the flames and smoke are near your home and you can't count on the government or other organization being able to meet immediate meet your basic survival needs.

The !Extreme High-Rise, Wildfire, Disaster, & Fire Evacuation Kit (80020) combines the Xcaper smoke mask and goggles with our most popular LifeSecure Personal 3-Day Emergency kit to give you an all-in-one solution for wildfire evacuation.  This compact kit is carried in a grab-and-go shoulder bag.  It is small enough to keep in your car or store where it can be easily grabbed as you head out the door.

Wherever you live, be sure to have an emergency kit ready for fast evacuation in case of an emergency or disaster.  If you do have notice before an evacuation, you want to spend your time gather precious personal items, rather than trying to gather the emergency basics that you will need for a safe and comfortable evacuation.

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

9.0 Japanese Earthquake Shows the Importance of Having An Emergency Natural Gas Shut-Off Tool

In thinking about what we can learn from the horrible devastation that has followed the largest Japanese earthquake in recorded history, one key take-away is the need for an emergency gas shut-off tool. The images of burning houses have made this very clear. In a major disaster (earthquake, tornadoes, violent storms, etc.) gas lines can break and the natural gas that may be used for cooking and heating in your home can ignite and cause a deadly explosion. The fire from such an explosion can quickly spread to other homes or buildings as well.

A few years ago I showed my wife and children how to shut off the gas in case of the kind of catastrophe that we have seen in Japan. I not only have gas shut-off tools in my emergency kits, but I have a gas shut off tool (the one pictured here) hanging in our garage in a special place for immediate access to use in shutting off the gas.

Japan has created a billion dollar earthquake early warning system designed to give residents of Japan several seconds (up to 30 seconds for some residents in this earthquake) warning before feeling the earthquake. Though this might not seem like much time, it does give enough time for some people to shut off the natural gas supply to their homes and get beneath a table or other protective object. If you know what you are doing and you have the right tool handy (there is no way to do it by hand) it only takes a few second to secure yourself again a possible explosion.

Make sure to learn the basics of how to shut of the gas to your home. Then make sure you have an appropriate gas shut off tool. There are many available in the market. I like the 2-in-1 POGO (Pry Off, Gas Off) Pry Bar Emergency Tool (pictured above) as the pry bar can be used to deal with jammed doors or debris that might need to be pried off in a disaster. I also like this 4-in-1 Emergency Tool (pictured here). It is more compact (good for putting in your emergency kit) and can also be used to turn off water as well as to pry open jammed doors and dig through debris.

If access to your gas shut-off is secure (no one can randomly access your shutoff and turn it off as a prank - or otherwise), you might consider storing your shut-off tool right next to your shut-off valve. Otherwise store it in a secure place that is in your natural path to get to the shut-off. Should you ever need it in an emergency or disaster, it will be well worth the few dollars you will spend to make sure that you have a gas shut-off tool.

Every Life Secure

 

 

What Causes Most Fire Related Deaths? How Smoke Masks and Smoke Hoods Can Prevent More than 2000 Deaths Per Year.

According to the CDC (US Centers for Disease Control) "most victims of fires die from smoke or toxic gases and not from burns."  Some sources indicate that "inhalation injury from smoke and the noxious products of combustion in fires may account for as many as 60-80% of fire-related deaths in the US, many of which are preventable."

With approximately 2,755 people (not including firefighters) in the United State dying from fires each year, this means that over 2,000 people might be spared death each year if they were to have a smoke mask or smoke hood in the event of a fire.

Quite simply, smoke masks and smoke hoods can save lives in a fire.  No matter how quickly firefighters respond to a fire, the danger from smoke inhalation has already begun before they can arrive on the scene.  By the time smoke and toxic fumes begin to form and set off smoke detectors, people are already in danger. 

That's why it makes sense to have a smoke mask or smoke hood to give you time to safely exit a burning house, office, or other building.  Smoke and toxic fumes will often spread faster throughout a structure than the flames themselves.  This means that safe evacuation is often possible if one can just protect their breathing long enough to get out of the building and away from the smoke and toxic fumes caused by the fire.

In many cases the 15 minutes or so of protection provided by some smoke masks (eg. Xcaper Smoke Mask) may be adequate for safe escape.  In other cases, such as in a high rise or large facility, it may be important to have up to 30 minutes to escape.  Some smoke hoods (eg. IEvac Fire Escape Hood) provide this length of protection or more.

Some smoke mask kits also provide eye protection from smoke.  All Smoke hoods  provide eye protection and some smoke hoods provide a certain level of heat protection for the whole head.  Not all smoke hoods are of the same quality and protection level.  Make sure you are getting a lot more than a simple plastic bag with a filter.

In general, the more severe the potential fire and smoke environment one might anticipate, the more advisable it may be to have a smoke hood.  For less extreme environments, a smoke mask kit may prove adequate protection.

As fires may often be associated with wider disasters from terrorism or other man-made or even natural events (eg. earthquakes, hurricanes), one might also consider a combination evacuation kit.  Evacuation kits such as the !Extreme™ Disaster & Fire Evacuation Kit (80020) are designed to get you out of a fire safely and then to support you for up to three days in a more widespread disaster in which help may not be immediately available to all victims. 

A combination emergency evacuation kit helps you to cover all emergency bases and can be used in a non-fire emergency as well.  Such kits can make a lot of sense for use at home or at work and can be kept at one's bedside at home or in a desk drawer or office shelf at work.

No matter where you live or work, fire and the related smoke and toxic fumes are one of the greatest dangers you may face.  As with all emergencies, advanced preparation can often help avoid injuries or death and allow one to be calm when faced with a threatening situation.

As literally thousands of lives could be saved with the use of a smoke mask or smoke hood, its worth considering the purchase.  This is especially true as such protection can now be purhcased for less than $100.  Even very sophicated smoke hoods can be purchased for less than $200.  This puts such protection within the reach of most businesses and families.

While a smoke detector may be the key to an early alert in case of fire, a smoke hood or smoke mask may be the key to a quick and safe evacuation from a burning building.

Consider your risk and be sure to chose the smoke mask or smoke hood that is best suited for the potential risks where you live or work.  At LifeSecure we have chosen to carry the Xcaper smoke masks and IEvac Fire Escape Hoods as we consider them to be among the best and most user friendly fire evacuation protection devices in the industry.  Both of the these systems are well suited for quick and easy deployment in a fire evacuation.

Click here for more information on preparing to survive a fire.

Click here for more information on preparing to survive a wildfire.

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.

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

LifeSecure.com
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

Blackouts - Candles Pose a Fire Hazard - Use Light Sticks

With blackouts making the headlines once again due to severe winter weather, it is a good time to be reminded of a very important blackout safety tip:

"Avoid using lighted candles."

Over 15,000 residential fires and 150 deaths occur each year in the United states due to fires started by candles.  In a blackout, the use of candles to provide light significantly increases the chances of starting a house fire.  The irony is that the same conditions that caused the blackout in the first place (severe storms) can often delay firefighters in responding to a house fire.

While there are safety tips for use of candles in the home, it is better to avoid them altogether when planning for any emergency, including a blackout.  Some emergency kit manufacturers include candles in their emergency kits, but we do not use them as we think there are better alternatives that do not pose a fire risk.  We have also been guided by the fact that the Amerian Red Cross discourages their use in a blackout because of the fire hazard.

When I was growing up overseas in the Philippines, we had a lot of blackouts.  We typically responded with a combination of candles, kerosene lanterns, and flashlights. While flashlights remain a good solution and battery or crank driven lanterns are another alternative with no associated fire risk, I never use candles or fuel burning lanterns indoors today in the case of an emergency.  There is really no reason to use candles if one is prepared with appropriate alternatives.

If you have a hard time keeping batteries on hand or you don't want to have to "crank" for your light, the best alternative to candles is to use glowing light sticks.  One can find good quality light sticks that will last for up to 12 hours in any camping supply store or on-line from any emergency preparedness company.  Avoid the toy-grade light sticks often sold around Halloween time.

At LifeSecure.com we sell military-grade 12-hour light sticks and pack them in most of our emergency kits because they are:

• non-flammable (generate no heat or spark)

• non-toxic (so they are safe for children to use)

• waterproof (so they can be used in any weather conditions)

We also like the fact that they have a long shelf life - certified to last for 4 years - and are extremely easy to use.  Just bend them in half and the non-toxic chemicals mix and you have instant light.  Most military or emergency grade glowing light sticks put out about as much light as a typical candle.  I have read with them in the dark as well as moved around a dark house with ease.

In a blackout you can easily put one in each room or move them with you for light.  There is no need to shield a flame as you move, keep children and pets away from them, worry about leaving them unattended, or to remember to blow them out when you go to sleep.  I have found that the green (or yellow) glow is actually comforting to children and it is easy for each child to have their own light in a blackout situation.

I also like that they are very thin and compact and many are designed to be worn on a lanyard or hung from a hook or nail if desired.  They are compact enough to stick an extra few just about anywhere you might need them.

I keep several on hand in the house, in my car, and in each of my 72 hour emergency kits.  I always feel better prepared with a combination of a flashlight and some light sticks to provide an instant, reliable source of light.  I have picked up many flashlights in my life only to be disappointed that the batteries were dead, but I have never had this issue with a light stick.  As long as it is within its dating, you don't have to worry about whether its power will be drained when you need it most.

At about $1.50 or so each, they really are a great and affordable emergency lighting solution for a blackout or any other emergency at home, at work, at school or on-the-go.

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

Fire Preparedness - Smoke Masks and Fire Hoods Can Save Lives

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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