Keep a Supply of Toilet Paper on Hand

People may not do much planning when it comes to their backsides, but they should give a little thought to what they would do during a disaster.

You will still need toilet paper in a disaster. So, shop the sales and always have a several month supply on hand for your family. It’s not that expensive and will make your life a bit more enjoyable with the “ship hits ths sand”.

I know some people think that toilet paper is a waste of the Earth’s resources. It does take resources to make toilet paper. However, you can now get toilet paper made from recycled paper. So, there is an alternative to the “brand-new” variety.

This was just a friendly reminder.

Red Cross FR300 Hand Crank Radio

Hurricane Katrina, the wildfires of Southern California, the blizzards this winter, the Haiti earthquake, and the Chile earthquake have caused many people to realize how unprepared they are for these uncontrollable forces of nature. Every home should have a minimum of one 72-Hour Emergency Kit stored in a safe place. Ideally, each member of the family should have their own kit.

Each kit should include a first aid kit, freeze dried food, water sanitizing tablets, a flashlight, and a hand-crank emergency radio. This last item is one that many do not consider, but it is essential to have in an emergency where power may not be available.

A powerful hand-crank radio can be powered either with batteries, with electricity, and by hand-cranking the handle on the side. Some of these radios have a small solar panel which allows them to also be charged with the sun,

Most hand-crank radios will come with several different bands of radio. Of course ,they all come standard with the public radio bands like AM and FM, and tuning in to these stations is very simple to do. What makes them also very special is that many units will come with the shortwave frequencies as well. Short wave frequencies will allow you to tune in to many home operated radio broadcasts which are ideal in emergency situations. Some of these radios will also come with special radio bands like weather, police, fire, or marine radio signals which are extremely helpful in emergency and disaster situations.

You will find the shortwave and specialized radio stations will get the clearest and best reception at night, while daytime signals are somewhat limited. Some of these special hand-crank radios come with their own antennas that you can uncoil and string across the room.

Here is a link to one example of a hand-crank emergency radio. This is a Red Cross FR300 Emergency Radio.

Check it out here.

Your Pets Need Emergency Planning Too

For some reason, Waldo the dog refuses to do any emergency preparedness planning. Perhaps it’s because he’s too busy chasing squirrels. He always has a lot of excuses.

I’m sure you realize your pets are never going to do any emergency planning. Face it. When was the last time you saw your dog checking his 72-Hour Kit? When was the last time you saw your cat putting a spare food dish and lead in their Grab and Go Kit? It just doesn’t happen.

Since our pets won’t do it, we must do it for them. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Put together a pet emergency kit together. Useful items include food, water, collar with ID tag, harness and/or leash, crate or pet carrier, and clothes. Experts recommend supplies to get you and your dog through the first 72 hours.
• Have a photo of you and your pet together. In case you two are separated, it will help you to be reunited with your dog or cat.
• Form an emergency plan. Decide which family member will be responsible for getting the pet, and who will get the emergency kit. Also decide where you will go and meet if you are not together when the emergency occurs.
• Have a list of pet friendly hotels and motels if you have to leave your home and need a place to stay.
• Form a partnership with neighbors who can access your pet in the case where you’re not at home during the event occurs.
• Get and/or display “Pet Inside” stickers in the extreme event you have to evacuate without your dog/cat and then followup with your disaster personel later to ensure your dog is rescued.
• In an earthquake, remember to “Duck, Cover and Hold.” Grab your pet, duck and drop to the floor, and find cover up against an interior wall or large piece of furniture, so that you can protect your head and neck, and hold on to your pet until the ground stops shaking.
• Compile a list of vets and veterinarian hospitals in other areas of your city where you might need to seek temporary shelter or assistance.

After reading this, you will probably come up with your own list that will be suitable to your situation. The main thing is to plan for your pets, just like you would plan for your family.

Latest Earthquakes in the World – Past 7 days

You’ve probably noticed that the frequency of major earthquakes around the world has increased. There have been many 5.0 and above earthquakes already in 2010.

Here is a list of some of the major earthquakes of 2010 from the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program website:

• Magnitude 5.9 EASTERN TURKEY March 08, 2010
• Magnitude 6.6 OFFSHORE BIO-BIO, CHILE March 05, 2010
• Magnitude 6.5 SOUTHWEST OF SUMATRA, INDONESIA March 05, 2010
• Magnitude 8.8 OFFSHORE MAULE, CHILE February 27, 2010
• Magnitude 7.0 RYUKYU ISLANDS, JAPAN February 26, 2010
• Magnitude 6.9 CHINA-RUSSIA-NORTH KOREA BORDER REGION February 18, 2010
• Magnitude 5.9 OFFSHORE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA February 04, 2010
• Magnitude 7.0 HAITI REGION January 12, 2010

This clearly underlines the need for emergency preparedness in governments from federal all the way down to the local level, but also of citizens. We must take preparedness steps in order to safeguard our families.

When you create a plan to survive, you are likely to survive. Start with 72-Hour Emergency Kits and 72-hour Emergency Meal Kits.

Please take time and prepare your family for the unexpected.

Here is a link to the USGS website:

USGS Earthquake Hazards Program

Executive 72 Hour Survival Kit with Solar Radio

In reading many articles on the Haiti earthquake, where survivors talked about their ordeal, one thing became clear. There are three items you must have available in your emergency preparedness supplies. You should apply this suggestion to your 72-hour kits.

Here are the three items:

1. Full, Unbreakable Water Bottle
2. Whistle
3. Respirator Mask (even if it’s just an N-95)

The water is self-explanatory. The whistle is needed for signaling, whether trapped in earthquake rubble, or lost in a forest. A respirator mask is essential as toxic fumes and dust are often released in large disaster situations.

You may be thinking you wouldn’t always have your 72-hour kit with you when disaster strikes. I’m just saying to think about this, add the items to your 72-hour kits, or office desk, or vehicles.

A little preparedness goes a long way.