image by frankpierson

Considering the horrific tornado season we’re having, this comment of his is rather chilling.

To get to Ground Zero, one has to walk thru a maze of 6-12 inch ash, paper, twisted iron, mud, junk, rubble….it looked like a tornado had hit the city.

Just in case you want to be prepared for another tornado, the upcoming  hurricane season, or just want to be prepared regardless of where you live, here are a few of his suggestions for providing medical care immediately following a worst case scenario.  Some suggestions will apply only to medical personnel but many are relevant to us all.

1. Get to the site as soon as possible. In this case, many of the rescue leadership (Fireman chiefs, higher level cops) were either taken out immediately or busy (physicians, nurses, techs) at local overwhelmed hospitals. Think about it, if the Pentagon and White House had been taken out as planned, all central leadership would have been out. Recovery and/or retaliation requires organization to be effective.  When I got there, there was mass chaos and a systematic medical infrastructure complete with an understanding of triage as well as a communication system of runners had to be made.
2. Take a large backpack so that supplies can be shuttled to the front zone.
3. Take water and a filtration system.
4. Take food, canned, MRE, bars, etc.
5. Wear boots and durable paramedical type pants with multiple pockets, not scrubs which provide no warmth and are for all intents and purposes useless.
6. A helmet, gas mask with filters and goggles, are a must. Asbestos levels are considered high at 1.25. They were measured at 5.2 at Ground Zero 48 hours after the fact and at 1.75 at the Stuyvesant High School “hospital” 72 hours after the fact. Without goggles, the dust was blinding. Eye washing consumed 75% of our effort. I had my eyes washed out 6 times and I never took my goggles off.
7. Fractures are common with ankle fractures being the most common. Take plaster with you to a MASH unit.
8. Nylon suture is needed for small lacerations to get these men back on the field working.
9. Silvadene is a must as is betadine.
10. We used literally cases of B&L saline contact eye solution to wash out glass, fiberglass, and dust from eyes.
11. Most injuries are extremity related, so roll type dressings (Kerlex) actually work much better that 4×4 with tape for example as these dressings fall off with sweat.
12. Headlamps¯remember there is no power and it is impossible to sew in the dark much less get anywhere in the dark without a light. Extra batteries.
13. Raingear, raingear, raingear…even if it doesn’t rain, the fire hoses drench everything.
14. Extra socks. In fact, all extra clothes packed in large zip lock bags to keep dry.
15. Anything can be made with duct tape, knife, pliers, and clothes hanger wire.
16. A large black marker for making signs.

Read his entire list and the article in full here.

© 2011, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

image by Aaron Gustafson

Recent reports of the horrific tornado season made me think of a common piece of advice, “Have some form of I.D. on yourself and your kids.”  Well, in the midst of chaos, I’ll be lucky to find my wallet much less my kids’ homeschool I.D. cards.  But what if there were something easier?  What if there was a type of I.D. that you could keep hanging on a bedpost?  Something like a lanyard would fill the bill.

The I.D. card itself doesn’t have to be official.  It can be as simple as a school photograph with information printed on the back: name, birthdate, address, parent’s cell phone, medical conditions (if any), and then laminated.  Lanyards are inexpensive enough, heck, you probably have one or two around the house, in order to have one by each bed, a set in an emergency shelter, and others in emergency kits.  They are even fashionable enough for Mom!

Instruct your kids to put on their lanyards as soon as they hear a warning siren go off or feel a tremblor.  Have a drill or two, or three, until you are sure they know where their lanyards are kept and know what to do with them.

Emergencies are scary enough without worrying about your kids wandering off or emergency workers finding family members injured or unconscious without any identification.  A lanyard I.D. for every member of the family is an easy way to make sure this small, but important, detail is covered.

© 2011, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

image by Valerie Everett

One of my Facebook friends, Ellen, asked the following, and I thought it would make a great Survival Survey question.

I’m in Alabama, where we are still digging out from the April 27, tornados. There are so many miraculous stories of people who survived with devastation all around. If you and your family managed to survive (like the folks in their shower stall that was tossed into the neighbor’s rubble), and there was NOTHING left – car gone, 72 hour kit gone, bugout bags gone, your grab binder is in the debris cloud 40 miles away, there is not one brick on top of another as far as you can see, what do you do? Where do you start?

In this thought experiment, no fair saying, “I’d have a better shelter”, or “My stash is protected”. I’m talking about dealing with a disaster that wipes out all your preparation. These storms peeled pavement off the roads and carried giant trees for miles. How do you deal with it?

What a question, and yet, something we should all consider.  It may not be a tornado that wipes out life as you know it, but all of us are vulnerable to something.

My own first thought is that my family would first rely on any and all help available, even though being dependent on others isn’t something we relish.  Hopefully, family or close friends would be able to provide temporary housing and maybe even a short-term loan until we could access funds from the bank.  My second choice would be asking our church for help, and a distant third choice would be staying in a Red Cross or FEMA shelter.  Shelters require that you give up a lot of your basic rights, and that would rub me the wrong way.  If we didn’t have a satisfactory living situation, I’d buy a big tent and camping supplies.

Transportation and communication would be two immediate needs.  We would need to contact insurance companies and start the claim process as soon as possible, and then have a way to get supplies, provisions, and to and from our new living quarters.  Additionally, I would get my hands on as much money as quickly as possible.  We would need everything: clothing, toiletries, shoes, bedding, you name it, and we’d need a way to get to stores in areas unaffected by the disaster.   We would also want to reimburse our family members/friends for fuel, food, and other expenses.   It’s possible that a local church or charity would be able to help, but that’s not something I’m counting on.

As soon as we had a form of transportation and communication, we would start trying to track down our pets.  School would be put on hold, but since we homeschool, that wouldn’t be an issue for a while.  We would have to become accustomed to being displaced refugees until our home could be rebuilt and would probably end up living in a rental of some sort. My husband would start looking for work in order to bring in regular income again until he could re-establish his business.  I’d start blogging as soon as I had a laptop and an internet connection!  You would all hear about my trials and tribulations!

Our emotional and mental well-being would take a serious hit, so I would do my best to establish a routine, get the family active physically, and look for ways for us to have fun.

To tell you the truth, I’d also be so ticked off that all my buckets of wheat and Mountain House food was gone that I would probably need to take an anger management course!   I also have to admit that there are catastrophes that are impossible to prepare for.  The recent earthquake/tsunami/nuclear meltdown in Japan come to mind.  A mile-wide tornado is another.  All of us Survival Moms prepare for the worst, but we should all think about the ultimate worst case scenario: having nothing left but the clothes on our back.

How would YOU go about re-building your life?

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© 2011, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

image by mccun934

1.       Buy a home with a storm cellar.  Reinforce it with steel doors.

2.       Make sure you have up-to-date homeowner’s insurance.

3.       Have a To Go Bag ready at all times.

4.       Check the FEMA website for helpful information regarding tornado preparedness.

5.       Have at least three days (72 hours) worth of food and water stored in a cellar, interior closet, or other safe place.

6.       Know where the nearest shelters are and make sure your kids know their locations, too.

7.       Stay tuned in to local news, either TV or radio.  After the storm passes, old fashioned rabbit-ears (TV antenna) might help you get local channels if your cable is down.

image by paz leonel

8.     Know all the safest or safe-ish locations to shelter, e.g. a bathtub or a closet.  You may be visiting friends, out shopping, or at the park when a tornado hits.  Know how to be as safe as possible wherever you are.

9.     Have flashlights, oil lamps, and other sources of light.  Extra batteries are a must.

10.   Have an emergency, hand-crank radio.

11.   Have a cell phone charger.  During tornado season, always have your phone charged.  An Enercell from Radio Shack would be a good idea.  Keep it fully charged in a To Go Bag.

12.   Some TV stations offer free weather warnings via text messages.  Check the websites of your local TV and news/talk radio stations to see if they are offering this service.  Police and fire departments may also offer this service.

13.   Have family drills so everyone knows what to do and where to go.  Have an occasional drill in the middle of the night.  Who says tornadoes only strike during the convenient daylight hours?

14.   Make a Grab-n-Go Binder and keep at least one copy with a trusted family member out of state.

image by GDS Infographics

15.   Put on sturdy shoes as soon as a siren goes off.  A tornado produces enormous amounts of debris, including broken glass, nails, metal, and wood.  The last thing you need is a foot injury that would keep you sidelined.

16.   Know how to safely shut off your electric service, gas line, and water.

17.   Keep a small refrigerator/freezer in the basement.

18.   Keep cash on hand.  You’ll probably have to pay for those Red Cross doughnuts!

19.   A local map will help you keep track of weather alerts.

20.   Talk with old-timers and find out how they have weathered past tornado seasons.

21.    If your kids have friends they spend a lot of time with, find out what those families have planned in case of a tornado, or any other emergency, for that matter.

22.   Keep the tank of your car filled with gas.  You may need to evacuate to a safer location.

23.   Stay calm.  A terrified parent is going to send the kids right over the edge.

© 2011, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

image by adria.richards

Last year, Kathlyn Smith of Texas shared with me some of her hurricane experiences.  She’s a single mom in her 50′s and has managed to ride out two recent hurricanes, Ike and Rita, on her own.  A portion of this interview is in my upcoming book, but I thought you might be interested in her entire story.  In the comment section, tell us the main thing you learned from this interview!

Survival Mom: How many evacuations have you experienced?

Kathlyn:  Three – Hurricane Alicia (1984 ); Hurricane Rita (2005); Hurricane Ike (2008)

Survival Mom:  In regards to Hurricane Ike, when did you decide you would evacuate?

Kathlyn:   I work on Galveston Island but could not leave work until our office was secured for the hurricane, could not leave until Thursday evening before the storm hit on Friday night/Saturday morning.  I wanted to get on the road Thursday, but could not due to the huge traffic jams on the major thoroughfares.  Police prevented taking back roads to get out of town.  They wanted everyone on the freeways.

By Thursday night the news reporters and weather people had frightened the general public to the point that those who lived north of Houston at elevations of 250-300 ft. got on the roads ahead of the people who were forced to leave under mandatory evacuations so they were stuck in traffic for hours.  Lots of cars ran out of gas so stations were closed because the owners/operators had left to secure their own properties.  Cars out of gas were pushed off the road and the people in them were just left by others, including the elderly and infirmed.

image by CoreBurn

When I evacuated before Hurricane Rita, it took me the better part of a day to drive what should have taken about an hour.  Again, gas stations were quickly out of gas and people were fighting over gas at the pumps.

During Hurricane Alicia (1984), we got stuck on the road in our car with an 18 month-old as the storm passed over.  Again, we left in plenty of time but did not anticipate the problems with traffic.

Survival Mom:  Did you think about staying home and what changed your mind?

Kathlyn:  I ended up staying home for the duration of Hurricane Ike due to the massive traffic jams but left immediately after because of the lack of power and the potential that it would be out for as much as 21 days in 100 degree heat.  I had water from the storm in my home and did not feel that it was safe to stay.  I mopped up what I could and turned the A/C down so it would come on if power was restored.

Survival Mom:  What do you pack for evacuations?

Kathlyn:  If you live on the Gulf Coast for any period of time, you learn to keep prepared for the next storm.  The stores are stripped within a couple of hours and are filled with frantic people looking for something to drink and eat.  The cash registers and electronic pay systems are quickly overwhelmed and eventually shut down.  Take cash with you.  Even if you are able to find something, you will stand in lines for hours.  The same thing goes for gasoline and ice – try to keep you auto as full as possible ahead of a storm in case you can’t get what you need.

I pack the following:

• Food, perishable & non-perishable snacks & “real-food” like sandwiches, fruits & vegetables that can be eaten raw.  Try to stay away from salty foods that will require more to drink and make more frequent bathroom stops.  The most perishable foods are eaten first.  We are campers so I almost always have freeze dried, dehydrated & things that are easily eaten without cooking.   Fresh fruits and raw vegetables should be eaten first.  Items such as granola bars, dried fruits are good & unsalted nuts are filling and can substitute for a meal.  Get the freeze dried meals from places like Mountain House that have the built-in heaters.  You can add water from a bottle, pour it into the bag with the food and 25-30 minutes later you can have a pretty decent meal.  Never underestimate the value of a good tasting, warm meal for morale.
• Water & drinks – I carry two cases of water in the back of my SUV all the time.   Kids get tired of water really quickly so the kool-aid & other flavored products you can buy in packets sized for the amount of water in the bottles really helps.  Cokes will dehydrate you faster than water, tea or fruit drinks so try to stick to those.
• 

  image by adria.richards

  Gasoline in containers that you can strap to the top of the car with bungee cords or strapping materials.  I take enough to re-fill my car and extra in case someone else is in need.  You do not want to place gas in the car along with the passengers.  First it is flammable, and second, it emits fumes that make the passengers sick.

• Money – Cash may be the only thing accepted after power is lost.  Also, the cash machines will be emptied in no time at all.  Keep money in the house to take with you, again, you don’t want to waste time sitting in lines or make yourself a target of someone who needs cash and cannot get it by any other means than taking it from you.
• Clothing – appropriate for the weather and enough for at least 3 to 4 days, depending on room.  This includes protective shoes & socks.  I work at the medical center down here and lots of folks wear flip flops.  There were injuries to their feet due to stepping on storm debris & getting wounds when they returned to the island.
• Don’t forget bedding & towels especially if you have a large family.  Your friends & family may not have enough and we heard reports that some of the hotels could not keep up with the demand after a couple of days.
• First Aid Supplies – Realize that if you are in the hurricane zone others who live there will be in similar situations as you.  While they tried to keep the hospital emergency room open, there was no way to send ambulances, helicopters and other rescue transportation for 12-15 hours.  Learn basic first-aid as you may be on your own for quite some time.
• Pets & their supplies.  In previous evacuations, one of the things many people found out was that they could not take their pets with them on public means of transportation so many stayed with their animals.   This changed a bit for Ike and people were told that they could bring their pets, but they had to be in appropriate transport crates (pet taxis no boxes), must have their vaccination records with them, and bring their leashes and food & water.  Some people turned their animals out to fend for themselves and others left their animals in the house or the garage to starve to death when they were unable to return for longer that they thought.  Many of the animals left with others (shelters or boarding facilities) in Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Ike were not returned to their owners for various reasons. Animals left at shelters were considered abandoned when the people who owned them were not able to get back or contact the shelters when they thought they would.  Contact was impossible for several weeks due to cell towers being out & service overloads, so was internet contact.  People were not allowed back to their homes for over 3 weeks.  Many of these poor animals were shipped to other SPCA’s & shelters when the food ran out and were adopted out in other parts of the country.  My fur babies go with me no matter what.

Survival Mom:  Had you made any preparations prior to this or was it a rushed event?

Kathlyn:  Like I previously stated, many people who have been through this before keep supplies ready so I was, for the most part prepared, and all I had to do was pack my containers the car, get gas in the gas cans and head out.  Getting the patio set and all my potted plants inside the garage was harder and took longer than I thought it would, mainly due to the extreme temperatures and the fact that I was doing this by myself.

The main problem was the getting on the road because of all the traffic.  I decided not to get stuck once the roads were jammed and waited the storm out at my home then got out of here.

image by adria.richards

Survival Mom:  In retrospect, was that sufficient?

Kathlyn:  Yes, the only thing I ran out of was wee-wee pads for my Yorkies, and I was able to get them in New Orleans while I was staying there with my daughter.

Survival Mom:  Did you pack anything that you didn’t need?

Kathlyn:  No, not really. There is limited room for the essentials so start with them and pack the unnecessary stuff last, if there is room.

Survival Mom:  What do you wish you had packed?

• More gasoline.  It took me almost 5 hours to get out of Houston and I had used most of my standby gas by the time I was able to find a station to refill near Baton Rouge.  Most of the stations between here and Baton Rouge were not open and the ones that were had long, long lines – blocks long. You must have enough fuel to get yourself out of the disaster area – that may be more than one tank full, depending on the range of your car.  Consider covering your gas supply with a tarp or something to make it not so obvious to others that you have gas with you.  I heard on the radio reports that people were pulling weapons and taking gas, money and other supplies from those who had it on their cars.  The veneer of civilization is thin, especially in situations like this.

• I also wish I had a Garman or other navigation device for directions. While I had my cell phone with me and this kind of service through Verizon, some of the towers were damaged and I could not get reception in many areas.   Some of the main roads were closed and traffic had to re-route.  I just followed the pack and was able to find my may back.  It would have been less stressful if I had one of those with me, especially after dark.

image by richardmasoner

Survival Mom:  Describe your experience with the evacuation.

Kathlyn:  It was a very stressful situation.  If there is any way to shelter in place and be safe, that would be optimal.  I am planning to purchase a natural gas driven whole house generator to make that more of a possibility.  The heat, lack of comforts of home and being trapped in your car makes everyone cranky.  After I was able to get on I-10 headed east from Houston to New Orleans, I followed the National Guard as they cleared I-10 of debris.  There were abandoned cars, cars containing bodies of people, dead animals of every description and huge amounts of vegetation.  I was able to follow the guard unit until the Texas border with Louisiana then I was on my own along with some other drivers headed the same direction.  The roadway was blocked much of the way so you had to travel slowly and weave in and out to avoid hitting items in the road.

You can’t predict what others will do in similar situations with a lot of stress.  We heard reports of fights at gas stations because someone cut in front of someone already in line, people pulling guns and robbing people of money and supplies.  I kept my automatic loaded and under the front seat in case I needed it.  Thankfully, I did not although none of us in New Orleans left the house without protection.  They were still recovering from Hurricane Gustav from just a week earlier.

Survival Mom:  How did your kids cope with everything?

Kathlyn:  No children at home with Ike.  During Hurricane Alicia I had an 18 month-old.  She did not like being confined in a car seat and diaper changes were hard in a fully loaded automobile.  She slept after crying it out but until then it was stressful for us all.

Survival Mom:  What did you do to try to make the whole experience less traumatic for them?

Kathlyn:  I would bring more to entertain her.  Today’s cars are sometimes equipped with video players and older children should bring their video games and movies.  There is comfort in things familiar so let them bring some old movies and games as well as some newer ones.  When she got older we kept a little plastic box where we stored new color books, colored pencils (crayons melt in the heat down here), stickers and the like.  Each child should have their own so as to avoid arguments.

Survival Mom:  What did you learn from this experience?

Kathlyn:  If you are leaving, plan to leave early, before a mandatory evacuation is called.  Make your plans in advance.  People will call hotels and motels to reserve rooms in advance of the storm, so there may be nothing available, even if you can get there.

Even if there are evacuation plans for targeted times to leave you cannot plan for others leaving outside of their window.  There will be traffic jams and you don’t want to waste precious gas and patience sitting in traffic.

Be ready – spend the days ahead of the storm preparing your home by boarding windows, and getting your bug out supplies ready to go.  Decide what you will take and what must stay.  After you have decided and packed what you are taking you can spend some time to place items that must stay into waterproof containers, place furniture on top of canned goods wrapped in foil or plastic bags and cover with waterproof tarps.

image by Coy!

Hurricane Rita hit the summer before my daughter’s wedding.  We were making her gown and her bridesmaids’ dresses. I had hundreds of dollars of silk and lace that I was not leaving behind as well as my sewing machine and other things critical to make the gowns.  I could not replace them so I had my sister park her small car in my garage and drive my big Expedition filled with supplies, the fabrics and machines.  While everyone else was looking for boards and plylox hurricane clips I was searching for PVC pipes to wrap the silk around to keep it from becoming creased!

Survival Mom:  What advice would you give to moms who may face a future situation?

Kathlyn:  Prepare ahead of time so that you will not be in a panic.  Your children will pick up on your anxiety.  Convey to your children why you must do this and let them know you have a plan.  Allow them to help to the degree that they are able.  Let them pack their own things to take for entertainment.  They will probably ask a lot of questions so be prepared to answer them.

Survival Mom:  Is there anything else important you would like to add?

Kathlyn:  If you are leaving, plan to leave early, before a mandatory evacuation is called.  Make your plans well in advance.  People will call hotels and motels to reserve rooms in advance of the storm, so there may be nothing available for many miles, even if you can get there.   Consider what you will do or where you will go to ride out the storm.  Lots of folks headed in the direction the storm eventually took after leaving the coastal area and spent the storm in parking lots because there was no place for them to stay.

Even if there are evacuation plans for targeted times to leave you cannot plan for others leaving outside of their window.  Don’t wait for mandatory evacuations orders to be called.  There will be traffic jams and you don’t want to waste precious gas and patience sitting in traffic.

Be ready – spend the days ahead of the storm preparing your home by boarding windows, and getting your bug out supplies ready to go.  Do this early as high winds and rain bands can be experienced days before the storm arrives.  You don’t want to be on a ladder trying to install covers on second floor window if there is a stiff breeze.

Decide what you will take and what must stay long before you plan to leave.  After you have decided and packed what you are taking you can spend some time to place items that must stay into waterproof containers, place furniture on top of canned goods wrapped in foil or plastic bags and cover with waterproof tarps.

Remember that nothing is as important as the lives of your family and loved ones so prepare for them first – including the pets.

Survival Mom:  Is there anything you’ve done to make future hurricanes and evacuations less traumatic?

Kathlyn:  Some things I have done to make it safer for me to stay or easier to leave:

image by Big Sean

Note that all of this was not done at one time but over the course of the last several years:

• I hired a handyman to make custom storm windows out of 5/8” polycarbonate (Lexan).  These are permanent and stay up year round.  You can’t even tell they are there because they are so well installed.  I do not have to board up every time there is a storm in the Gulf.  While they may or may not be bulletproof they do not shatter like glass to allow access into the home.   This will help deter looters since they cannot obtain access to my home by simply breaking a window.
• In a few months I will have polycarbonate placed in my storm doors for the same reasons as stated above.
• I had a metal roof placed on my home. It has a Kynar coating on it to make it look like standard shingles so the HOA is happy.  The roof locks into place and is installed with screws – not nails – to make it more secure.  While it is a bit more expensive than a regular roof, I did not have to replace my roof after Hurricane lke like the neighbors did.
• I have a system to brace my double garage door to keep it from being blown down in the event of a storm.  The system is easy to put in place and I can do it after I have everything in the garage.
• I will be installing a whole house natural gas generator later this year in order to have power to the whole house in the event of an electrical outage.  This will make it easier to shelter in place if I have to.
• I have placed power strips with surge protectors on all of my appliances to protect them from a potential power surge when the electricity is restored.
• I keep most of my bug out supplies in Rubbermaid containers so I can pack those items into the car with little or no notice. This includes supplies for the people and pets.
• I keep gas cans filled with gasoline and a stabilizer so that I don’t have to wait in line for gas.  The gas can be used throughout the year for the car or for lawnmowers & other gas powered uses then refilled as used.  The tarps to cover them and bungee cords to secure them are stored near them in a Rubbermaid container.
• I keep cash hidden in the house so as not to have to wait in line at an ATM.
• I keep and rotate food supplies for emergencies.  If I must shop for something, I do it early and a little bit at a time, again storing much of it in a Rubbermaid container.
• NOTE:  Plastic containers should have flat lids (some are rounded) so that they are secure when placed one on top of another and do not fall if the load shifts – lesson learned the hard way   ~:o)

© 2011, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

image by martinluff

Whenever I get panicked about something scary, the end of the world, for example, I wait a few minutes and the feeling goes away.  I’m not panicking about earthquakes, but after I watched this video, I think each of us should have an earthquake emergency kit and a family meeting, just in case.

Will there be a large earthquake in the coming days or weeks right in our own backyard? I don’t know, but I do know that I haven’t given earthquakes much thought since we don’t exactly live near the Ring of Fire. However, just as we’re beginning to see economic repercussions here in America due to the Japanese quake, a large enough jolt here in the U.S. could have similar consequences. Just as 9/11 affected the entire country in one way or another, a massive disaster will do the same.

I’ve written about earthquake safety and making plans for an evacuation here and here.

You might also find helpful Not-Just-For-Alaska Earthquake Survival and Seven Ways to Prepare for an Earthquake.

Leon Pantenburg, who writes at Survival Common Sense, explains how to put together an emergency survival kit here.

And, back in February, Leon interviewed James Roddey, Earth Sciences Information Officer with the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries. You can listen to the interview here.

Above all, it’s important to have a family meeting about your family’s plans in case of an earthquake, or any other type of disaster, really.  If your kids are young, turn the meeting into a game and a challenge, as in, “How fast can you grab your overnight kit and run outside?”  This Masters of Disaster program is an excellent tool for teaching about scary subjects, such as earthquakes or tornadoes.  Whatever emergency you’re preparing for, the whole family must be involved and informed.  You and other adults in the family can have more serious talks later.  Here are some ideas for a kid’s emergency kit.  Be sure to read the comments also for more ideas.

Prepare, stay calm, and stay safe!!

© 2011, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

image by bjornmeansbear

When an earthquake shakes and rattles your world, there are three parts of your body that are particularly vulnerable: your head, feet, and eyes.  When the earth shakes, everything shakes, and that includes shelves, cupboards, appliances, mirrors, office equipment, and anything mounted on a wall.  As those things come tumbling down, and shattering, not only are you dealing with the fear factor but also dodging falling objects and trying to get to safety quickly.

An earthquake doesn’t announce itself like a hurricane, so when you begin feeling tremors, you have only seconds to act.  To protect your head, along with the rest of your body, dive under the nearest sturdy table or desk.  Once the rattling stops, you’re still not safe from falling beams, ceiling tiles, light fixtures, etc.  Believe it or not, an inexpensive hard hat, stored in an accessible location, may turn out to be your best friend.  You’d be surprised by how many injuries during an earthquake are caused, not by people falling through fissures in the earth (that’s 100% Hollywood!) but by the ordinary injury of being knocked on the head by a lamp or a flying copy of a Tom Clancy book.

Anything breakable is a likely casualty during an earthquake, and as heart-breaking as it might be to discover the shattered remains of your favorite china or Grandma’s collection of porcelain dolls, a more serious casualty could be your feet.  Unless you wear shoes 24/7, there’s a good chance you’ll be barefoot.  Many earthquake-savvy Californians have learned to always keep a pair of shoes at their bedside, specifically for this reason.  If your feet are cut and bleeding, you’ll have a much harder time getting to safety, much less helping other members of your family.  Here’s where a pair of Crocs might come in handy.  Love ‘em or hate ‘em, they are great for slipping on, they’re wide enough to allow for thick socks (important if you’re dealing with chilly temperatures), and because of their sizing and design, it takes a while for kids to outgrow them.  No, they aren’t Red Wing work boots, but neither are they $200+.   If you have panicking children nearby, your first thought will be to get to them, even if it means walking over broken glass, so protect those feet!

So how is protecting your eyes important in an earthquake?  Well, I’m not going to suggest having safety goggles handy, but I am highly recommending keeping a pair of eyeglasses or your contact lens case close by, always.  I’m particularly sensitive to this because one thing you probably don’t know about me is that my eyes are about as sharp as a naked mole rat’s.  One optometrist told me that my vision was in the 20/800 range (compare those numbers to the ideal 20/20).  In layman’s terms, that’s blind!  If you wear contacts or eyeglasses, even if your vision is better than mine, you absolutely must have your glasses or contacts within arm’s reach, especially at night. When the earth starts shaking and you hear glass breaking (and kids screaming), you can’t afford to be stumbling around, unable to see potential hazards.  If you can’t see those hazards, you may be in more danger than you realize.  Make it a habit to keep those eyeglasses or your contact case right next to your bedside, and preferably in a drawer where they can’t slide off.

For more information about preparing for an earthquake, check out these links.

Not-Just-For-Alaska Earthquake Survival

Protect Yourself During an Earthquake

Seven Ways to Prepare for an Earthquake

© 2010, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

The earthquakes caused the ground to rise and fall - bending the trees until their branches intertwined and opening deep cracks in the ground. Deep seated landslides occurred along the steeper bluffs and hillslides; large areas of land were uplifted permanently; and still larger areas sank and were covered with water that erupted through fissures or craterlets. Huge waves on the Mississippi River overwhelmed many boats and washed others high onto the shore. High banks caved and collapsed into the river; sand bars and points of islands gave way; whole islands disappeared.

image by martinluff

I don’t know about you, but that would sure get my attention!  However, people in the area were completely unprepared for the quakes, and no wonder.  They lived decades before the advent of 24-hour news, text messaging, and phone apps!  Today, those living in the area of this fault line are without excuse, but how many of them are actively putting together plans should a much larger quake hit?  My guess is, not very many!

It’s surprising how often predictable natural disasters and other crises take us by surprise, but as SurvivalMoms, we don’t have the luxury of remaining oblivious, do we?  You may not be a fan of the six o’clock news in your town and perhaps you barely have time to visit important websites like this one (ahem!), but it’s vital that each of us pay attention to current events, especially as they relate to our families well-being.

Another recent story you may have heard about is taking place thousands of miles away in Hungary.  There, another predictable crisis has occurred.  This time a reservoir holding back toxic sludge burst, killing and injuring multitudes of people who, no doubt, believed they lived in relative safety.  Flooding is one thing but dealing with a flood of toxic waste is quite another.  At present, it’s unknown what the long-term effects will be, both to the environment and people in the area.  Once again, awareness is vital.  Do you live in a flood plain, near a fault line, or in the vicinity of a factory or plant that produces dangerous chemicals?  It pays to know what’s upstream, so to speak.

To find out more about potential dangers in your area, use Google Earth to browse around your part of the country.  Talk with state agencies.  Does your state have an Emergency Management Agency?  What types of emergencies have they planned for?  Do a little research at the EPA website by plugging in your zip code to learn about pollutants and risks specific to your town.  Local law enforcement might be an additional resource, but remember to also rely on your own common sense and observation, not just what you’re told by authorities.

It’s possible that what you discover might be reason enough to make plans to relocate.  Stay safe and be aware!

© 2010, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

I’ve discovered a wonderful disaster preparedness curriculum for families with children, Masters of Disaster.  This program has been developed by the American Red Cross and includes fantastic online resources and free printable activities for children ages 5-14.  Activities focus on such disasters as tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, and hurricanes and give age-appropriate information and tips.  What a great resource!

© 2010, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

image by jcantroot

What natural disasters are most likely to affect you and your family, and are you ready for them?  Walk through this simple exercise, and you’ll soon have a master disaster plan in place.  First, check out the top disasters that affect the United States.

1. Floods
2. Hurricanes
3. Droughts/water shortages
4. Earthquakes
5. Tornadoes
6. Wildfires
7. Blizzards

Other possible disasters include landslides, sinkholes, tsunamis, heat waves, and volcanic eruptions.  Take a minute to rearrange these disasters in the order of most likely to least likely where you live.  My list looks like this.

1. Heat wave
2. Drought/water shortage
3. Floods
4. Tornadoes (In my case, our wild thunderstorms sometimes toss out a microburst or two.)
5. Wildfires (Not in my neighborhood but highly likely if we were vacationing in the mountains.)
6. Earthquakes
7. Blizzards (Again, only if we were up north in the mountains.)
8. Hurricanes (Not a chance.  Ever.)

Once you’ve identified the most likely natural disasters that might affect you, determine your level of preparedness for at least the top three.  The beauty of having a preparedness mindset is that the steps you take to prepare for one type of disaster overlaps and helps you prepare for others.

In my case, a long-term  heat wave might result in a power outage.  This is my very top concern since it takes two to three weeks for the human body to naturally adjust to higher temperatures.  Back in 1995, 700 people died during the five day Chicago heat wave.  Imagine how many more people in the Phoenix area would die during a hot summer heat wave without air conditioning, swamp coolers or even simple electric fans.  So, our summertime practice is to keep most of the windows covered on hot days and have battery-powered fans on hand.  Our portable swamp cooler could run on a generator.  I’ve stored water, which is a huge help in staying cool, and our gas grill outside would be helpful in cooking, especially all the meat that would be in our freezer.  We might also have the ability to escape the heat by traveling to the mountains for a while.  (You’d better believe during the first few minutes of a power outage I’d be checking to make sure it wasn’t an EMP!)

I have plenty of water stored, but long-term droughts have wiped out entire civilizations!  It’s not possible to store enough water to last for months or years, and drilling a well on our property isn’t feasible.  Our best bet is to relocate to an area not susceptible to this particular disaster.  Just a week ago, our local newspaper published a story stating that nearly every county in Arizona is facing a water shortage.  When that happens, our first steps will be the logical ones: stop watering the yard and garden, stop washing our vehicles, limit the amount of laundry we do and how often we flush the toilets.  I was encouraged to see that our state has a Drought Plan already in place, but  I’m not depending on any authorities to do what’s best for me and my family.

It sounds strange that floods would hold such a high place on my list considering that droughts are a real and present concern, but the fact is that in the desert, even a little extra rainfall can result in flash floods.  I’ve seen our riverbeds go from dry to roaring rivers, and all that water has got to go somewhere!  Our best bet in being prepared for floods is always keeping a close eye on weather reports and being ready to evacuate, with a destination in mind! I can’t overstate  how important it is to stay informed.

What are the most likely disasters in your area, and how well prepared are you?

© 2010, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.