AUGUST 2022 HURRICANE DISTRICT 10 PREPAREDNESS LETTER
So, folks, we didn’t do an entry in July. We were so busy camping, working around the yard and doing a Trek that we just never got to it. Our alibi is that we were practicing using some of our preparedness items.
This month we want to focus on Emergency Kits, sometimes known as 72 Hour Kits. We never know what kind of emergency we might have to deal with at any given time. Because of the Hurricane Fault within our city limits earthquakes are far more likely than a tornado, but we have actually had a tornado in Hurricane in my memory (fortunately it was out by the airport). The quake of 1992 didn’t cause damage to every home, but the widespread damage to homes all over the area that were built on unstable soil demonstrated the fault’s capabilities. There are also possibilities of supply chain disruptions due to events in other parts of the world. It used to be ridiculous to even think of civil unrest in our area, but such events seem to be ramping up all over the world. An understanding of history tells us that the possibilities are unpredictable. You might be chortling at that idea, but then your house could catch on fire. The point is, it’s always a good idea to be prepared.
In cases where you won’t need to actually carry everything on your backs or might be just hunkered down in your own home, FEMA recommends longer than a 3 day’s supply because their response time is at least 2 weeks, or longer…you may be low on their priority list (however, our goal is that our blocks, areas, district and community will be organized and prepared to work together enough to keep ourselves afloat even if FEMA never shows up!). There are some things we have learned over the years. Let’s see if I can remember them all. Hopefully this will give you something to think about until we find a real expert:
1- In the case of an earthquake or anything that could potentially damage natural gas lines, have a wrench stored PERMENENTLY near the gas meter on the outside of your house that you can use to shut off the valve as soon as it’s safe to do so. Do this even if your home is too damaged to stay in it, if it’s safe. More on this below. And if power lines are down, stay COMPLETELY away from them. Instead, go put your tag on your door knob with red or green showing.
2- You can’t take the whole house. Remember, if you have to leave your home you won’t be able to carry enough on your back or even in your trunk to enjoy “life-as-we-know-it”. You want to be able to travel light, yet have enough to actually survive without being in panic-mode all the time. There’s a balance there that you and your family will have to decide on. We, nor anyone else without a lot of experience can magically say “You will need exactly this and this and this…”. Unfortunately, you’re going to have to do some research. That brings us to…
3- Watch out for hucksters. It seems like once the internet figures out you are interested in emergency preparedness, you will get 8,000 ads a day on kits and all kinds of stuff that you just cannot do without. It’s easy to “Click” on something while telling yourself “Ahh. Now we’ll be safe and secure. I can forget about the Furse’s bugging me to have a 72 hour kit. The world is at peace.” Not that simple! Check out the details. It is high quality equipment or just stuff that will fall apart or not really function as intended? Will that 12-inch wire-thin cable with plastic handles really cut enough firewood to keep your family warm in a three-day raging winter storm? Is it food that will really meet basic nutritional needs or will you be eating small dry granola bars three meals a day for three days? Again, there’s a balance between “What is the minimum we can actually get by with?”, “What can we reasonably transport?”, “What can we actually afford?” and “Is this stuff going to be reliable and provide adequate nourishment and protection?”
4- Are all the important areas covered? When we go camping I invariably forget things. My wife keeps saying we should write a list (she actually did once, but who knows where I put it?). Instead, I rely on making sure the few basic areas I have floating around in my mind are covered. This is useful, but have a list too …one that breaks down these areas into detail: Drinking, Eating, First Aid, Hygiene, Sleeping/Comfort, Protection, Mobility, Communication. One local preparedness expert, Chris Woodbury, made the following list: Knowledge, Clothing, Water, Sanitation, Nutrition, Shelter, Tools and Wellness.
5- Consider your possible scenarios along with your budget. Again, a balancing act. What type of emergencies are most likely to occur where you live that would necessitate your family needing a 72 Hour Kit? Are you going to be hunkering down in a church gym, or more likely to be travelling? One good option is sturdy backpacks that can serve a variety of scenarios. Design a kit that will cover any reasonable possibilities. For instance, you probably won’t want a rubber raft in Hurricane, but you will want something to protect your skin. At the same time, can you afford a Katadyn Hiker Pro for everyone, or more like a few bottles of Gatorade at this point? (Incidentally: https://www.amazon.com/Katady.../dp/B075TTTX2R/ref=sr_1_4...)
6- A very important thing to consider when getting ready physically for an emergency, is something not very physical at all: Emotional Resiliency. How are you doing? How will you act in times of crisis? Do you need some therapy or other help to put yourself in a better frame of mind to handle emergencies? Could you even be of help to others? Considering these questions and doing something about the honest answers will go a long way in making something scary into something you can look back on and say “Yaa, it was tough, but we worked together and pulled through. We can handle just about anything!”
Here are a few resources that may be of help:
KNOWLEDGE:
https://beprepared.com/blogs/articles (Lots of GOOD information here)
A LIST (If you really want one):
PRODUCTS (You may find that there are a lot of good ideas on the following pages, but perhaps you can find some of the products cheaper at a local department store or on other websites. Make a categorized list of things as you browse and then search around for the best deals.):
-Drinking (You need to have hydration supplements with sodium and potassium. Consider that you should be able to get around 1 gallon of water per day)-
https://beprepared.com/collections/water-storage-1 (would a collapsible bottle be useful?)
-Eating (2500 to 3000 calories a day, depending on how active you will be. Again, consider “Mobility” as you look through these pages)—
https://peakrefuel.com/collections/meals (Chris Woodbury recommends this brand because they’re high in protein, low in sodium and need less water)
If you google “Where to find MRE” you will get a plethora of sources, including many on Amazon.com
-First Aid (Make sure you have a “Complete” set that addresses multiple medical issues. Be sure to add specific medicines members of your family may need)-
https://bereadyfoods.com/product.../uncategorized/first-aid/ (look at the page 2 as well)
-Gear and Kits-
(Also, you can just go to https://bereadyfoods.com/ and look over the “Gear” menu)
https://beprepared.com/collections/survival-kits (be sure to look “kits” over carefully; you can add things they may lack)
VARIOUS ITEMS TO CONSIDER (some from https://www.ready.gov/kit):
knife, multi-tool, small folding shovel, scissors, duct tape, work gloves, manual can opener,
eating and cooking utensils, mess kits or paper eating supplies
personal hygiene and sanitation, first aid kit, prescriptions, tissue, hand sanitizer, wet wipes, extra glasses or contacts with fluid, dust masks, feminine supplies, infant supplies if applicable
clothing, sleeping bags or emergency blankets, waterproof clothing or poncho, extra glasses or contacts, hand warmers
headlamps with backup batteries, glow sticks, candles, matches,
communication device (such as “walkie-talkies”), whistle, phone with backup batteries
bear spray, self defense items
copies (all kept together in waterproof packaging) of birth certificates, insurance policies, passports, marriage documents, naturalization certificates, Social Security or Medicare cards, title or lease documents, cash or travelers checks (about $100 per person), paper and pencils
EMOTIONAL RESILIENCY:
(Copy-paste this into a url window. Strategies start on about page 20) Chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.fema.gov/.../tuesday_1045am_resiliency_in...
HOW TO TURN OFF YOUR NATURAL GAS VALVE, etc. (keep the tool zip-tied to the meter or stored nearby where everyone in the household has access…then train them how to shut it off if you are not home when there’s an earthquake or something. DO NOT allow this tool to be used for anything else, but train other residents to leave it there and how to shut off the valve.):
With a multi wrench (“On Duty” that you can order at https://disastersurvivalskills.com/.../duty-utility-shutoff or https://disastersurvivalskills.com/.../duty-utility-shutoff): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFiIjyIZOWU
With a wrench (I use an adjustable one, but probably should keep it at the right size or lubricate it): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0vB06CmlTA
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ADD COMMENTS if you have additional pertinent information we didn’t cover or know of good resources or sources for items. THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
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