Emergency Disaster Survival

How to Survive a Volcanic Eruption

2Eklectik — Wed, 19 May 2010 02:53:30 +0000

Mt St Helens - 1980 Eruption

Today, May 18 2010, marks the 30th Anniversary of the eruption of Mount St Helens.

On May 18, 1980, a magnitude 5.1 earthquake triggered a massive collapse (debris avalanche) of the north face of the mountain. The magma that had been building inside the dome of Mount St. Helens burst forth into a large-scale pyroclastic flow that flattened vegetation and buildings over 230 square miles.

Being very unpredictable by nature, and containing such destructive power, is it actually possible to survive a volcanic explosion? FEMA offers some advice.

First of all, and most obviously, be aware if you are living in an area that may be affected by a volcano. In the United States, potentially active volcanoes are located in Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Myoming, Arizona and New Mexico. In addition to the above listed states, inactive volcanoes are also located in Nevada, Utah and Colorado.

If you live in a potentially affected area, your families survival kit needs to include the following additional items:

Goggles
An extra pair of Eyeglasses (for those who wear contact lenses)
Long sleeve shirts and pants for every family member
Dust masks
An evacuation route out of low lying areas (away from the volcano)

It is important to take all Civil Defense Emergency Warnings seriously. Even if you need to evacuate several times due to false alarms, it’s much better than staying put and gambling with your family’s lives. You will only get to be wrong once.

If a volcano does erupt in your area, evacuate immediately to avoid flying debris, gasses, avalanches, mud slides, and lava flows.

During an eruption, if you don’t already have an emergenyc reserve of water, save water in your bath, basin, or plastic containers as local services may become damaged and your water supply polluted.

Stay indoors as much as possible. Close all doors, windows, and all ventilation (chimney vents, air conditioners, furnace vents, etc).

If you are in a heavy ash fall area you may need to clear ash from flat or low pitche roofs and gutters (if it can be done safely) to reduce the risk of your roof collapsing.

If you do need to go outside, wear long sleeve shirts and pants, a dust mask and goggles to protect your skin and keep volcanic ash out of your eyes and lungs.

Avoid running your car/truck engine as it can stir up volcanic ash which can clog ingines, damage moving parts, and cause your engine to stall. If you absolutely must drive, keep your speed to less than 35 mph.

Listen carefully to all Emergency information on your radio and take all warnings seriously. Volcanic eruptions are typically accompanied by other natural disasters such as eqrthquakes, mud slides, flash floods, rock falls and land slides, acid rain, fires, and in certain cases tsunamis.

As always, the best way to survive a natural disaster is to be prepared and have a plan.

How to Prepare an Emergency Water Supply

2Eklectik — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 01:48:20 +0000

Water Bottles

The first item in any emergency survival kit should be water. An adequate supply of clean, drinkable water is a top priority during survival preparedness. The average, active person should drink approximately 2 quarts of water a day. If you live in a hotter climate you will need to drink more, as will children and nursing mothers.

Water may also be a part of your emergency food supplies, since it may be necessary for cooking. Water is also needed for hygiene. As a result, you should store at least a 2 week supply for each member of your family (remember, in case of evacuations, your portable survival kit should contain at least 3 days of water per person).

The safest and most reliable emergency supply of water is commercially bottled water. This water should be kept in its original container, and not opened until needed. Commercially available water should be stored until its expiration date.

If you are preparing your own containers of water, always use food grade water storage containers which are readily available from camping supply stores. If you are reusing containers, only use plastic 2 liter soda bottles. Containers that previously contained milk or fruit juice cannot be adequately cleaned to prevent bacterial growth. Also, cardboard containers are not designed for long term storage and may leak. Glass containers may break.

All containers should be thoroughly cleaned with dishwashing soap and thoroughly rinsed to remove all residual soap. Plastic soft drink bottles should also be sanitized rinsing every interior surface of the bottle (and lid) with a solution of 1 teaspoon non-scented chlorine bleach to 1 qt of water. After sanitizing, thoroughly rinse with clean water.

Each container should be completely filled with tap water. If your tap cater is chlorinated by your local utility company, tightly close the container, write the date on the outside, and store in a cool, dark place. If, however, your water supply is from a well or other untreated source, you will need to add 2 drops of non-scented liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of water. You can also use commercially available water treatment (purification) products. These must contain between 5.25 and 6 percent sodium hypochlorite as the only active ingredient, or they should not be used. If you are not using commercially bottled water, replace your supply every 6 months.

Water is a critical resource in an emergency disaster survival situation. A top priority of your emergency preparedness should be to make sure you have an adequate supply for the longest possible time. This means not only having water, but making sure that it is bacteria free (properly chlorinated).

Emergency Water Sources in Your Home

2Eklectik — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 03:25:56 +0000

A safe and secure water source is always a top priority when you are preparing for an emergency disaster situation. Unfortunately, natural disasters and emergency survival situations are not known for being predictable. If you should find yourself in an emergency disaster situation, without a supply of fresh water, you still have several options.

It is critical that you listen to local news reports (on a battery operated radio) to determine your water supply has been contaminated by broken water or sewage lines. If this is the case you must first isolate the water already in your home by shutting the main incoming water valve. You should know where this valve is located beforehand, and keep a suitable wrench nearby if required.

Your house still contains several sources of water such as in the hot water heater, pipes, and ice cubes. Do not use water from toilets, radiators, waterbeds or swimming pools/spas as they will contain chemicals/additives that are harmful to your health. To use the water in your pipes, first vent the pipes by opening a faucet at the highest level of your home. You can then obtain water from the pipes by opening a faucet at the lowest level of your home. Water can be drained from both the hot and cold pipes.

To use the water in your hot water heater, first make sure that the electricity is turned off. Even if there has been a power failure, make sure to shut/trip the appropriate breaker to insure it doesn’t start unexpectedly. Open the drain at the bottom of the hot water heater tank. In order to start the water flowing, turn off the water intake valve (plan ahead and label the valve so you know which one it is) on the tank and open a hot-water faucet. Once the disaster is over and all utilities have been restored, remember to refill your hot water tank before restarting it.

The last hidden source of water in your home is the ice in your freezer. In an emergency disaster situation, if power is expected to be out for an extended period of time, it is more important to have water to drink, than food to eat. You can either eat the ice before it melts, or allow it to melt into the cleanest, sealable containers available, such as empty commercial water bottles, if available.

Remember, a normal, healthy adult can survive up to 8 weeks without food, but only ~5 days without water. Knowing where to locate emergency sources of water within your home could be the difference in disaster survival situations.

Additional Items for an Emergency Preparedness Survival Kit

2Eklectik — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:42:44 +0000

Your basic emergency survival preparedness kit will contain the most essential items such as water, food, a battery operated radio and flashlight. But it is also important to remember that other factors such as your particular location (flood, tornado or hurricane zone), your local weather, personal/family medical needs, and pets, will also impact what your survival kit should contain.

In an emergency disaster survival situation, you want to try to be as prepared as possible. It is better to have something and not use it, than to need something and not have it. So in addition to your basic survival preparedness kit, here are a few more items to consider when putting together your survival kit.

Prescription medications for yourself and family members (also note if these are to be taken with food, water, milk, etc)
Eyeglasses and/or contact lenses
Infant formula and diapers
Pet food and extra water for your pet
Copies of important family documents stored in a portable, waterproof container. These could include insurance policies, birth certificates, identification (passport ID page), bank account records, etc.
Cash, travelers checks and change
Emergency first aid reference material
Sleeping bag or blanket for each person (additional bedding if you live in cold climate)
Complete change(s) of clothing including long sleeve shirts, pants and shoes (boots). Again, additional clothing as appropriate for cold-weather climates
Household chlorine bleach (unscented without additives) and an eyedropper. This can be used as a disinfectant (1 part bleach to 9 parts water) or in extreme situations to treat water (16 drops bleach to 1 gal of water)
A fire extinguisher
Strike anywhere matches in a waterproof container
Feminine personal hygiene products
Mess kits, one per person, including paper cups and plates, plastic utensils, and towels
Paper and pencil
Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children

Depending on your personal requirements, your emergency preparedness survival kit may include some, none, all or more of the items listed. Remember, the most important thing is to not just prepare your survival list in advance, but then to assemble it, since it’s better to have something and not use it, than to need something and not have it.

Your Personal Emergency Preparedness Survival Kit

2Eklectik — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:45:04 +0000

Prescription medications for yourself and family members (also note if these are to be taken with food, water, milk, etc)
Eyeglasses and/or contact lenses
Infant formula and diapers
Pet food and extra water for your pet
Copies of important family documents stored in a portable, waterproof container. These could include insurance policies, birth certificates, identification (passport ID page), bank account records, etc.
Cash, travelers checks and change
Emergency first aid reference material
Sleeping bag or blanket for each person (additional bedding if you live in cold climate)
Complete change(s) of clothing including long sleeve shirts, pants and shoes (boots). Again, additional clothing as appropriate for cold-weather climates
Household chlorine bleach (unscented without additives) and an eyedropper. This can be used as a disinfectant (1 part bleach to 9 parts water) or in extreme situations to treat water (16 drops bleach to 1 gal of water)
A fire extinguisher
Strike anywhere matches in a waterproof container
Feminine personal hygiene products
Mess kits, one per person, including paper cups and plates, plastic utensils, and towels
Paper and pencil
Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children

Emergency Disaster First Aid Supplies

2Eklectik — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:34:34 +0000

Image by Mat Honan

Being prepared for a disaster is the easiest way to improve your chances for survival. Emergency preparedness will also help to reduce the fear, anxiety and losses that are associated with disasters. An important element of any emergency disaster survival kit is a first aid kit.

An emergency first aid kit should contain a variety of basic supplies that will enable you to handle the most typical, non-life threatening injuries. You can either purchase a pre-assembled first aid kit, or create your own. In either case, your first aid kit should contain at least, the following items.

Bandages:

Adhesive bandages of various sizes
5” x 9” sterile dressings
3” square sterile gauze pads
4” square sterile gauze pads
Roller gauze bandage
Triangular bandages
A roll of 3” cohesive bandage
2” wide adhesive tape

Antibacterial Items:

Germicidal hand wipes or alcohol based hand sanitizer
Antiseptic wipes
Antibacterial ointment
Pairs of medical grade, Non-latex gloves

Miscellaneous:

Tongue depressor blades (can be used as finger splints)
Cold packs
Scissors (small, personal)
Cotton balls
Tweezers
Safety pins, assorted sizes
Thermometer
Tube or small jar of petroleum jelly
Sunscreen
CPR breathing barrier (face shield)
First Aid reference manual

This basic list should be customized based on where you live (hot or cold climates) and the most probable type of emergency disaster situation you expect to encounter (do you live in a flood plain, a hurricane or tornado region, earthquake zone, or an area prone to wildfires, to name a few. Additionally, if you or your family members have any special medical needs (such as prescription medication) these should also be included in your emergency first aid kit.

In an emergency disaster situation, there are basic supplies that will greatly improve your chances of survival and an adequate first aid kit is one of them.

Emergency Disaster Survival Supplies

2Eklectik — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:08:01 +0000

The ability to survive an emergency disaster situation does not depend as much on luck, as it does on being prepared. There are several simple steps that you can take immediately to increase your preparedness for an emergency disaster situation.

The first thing you need to consider is if there are any disaster situations that may be specific to where you live. Do you live in a flood plain, an earthquake zone, or a region that is prone to hurricanes or tornados? Each of these events will require you to customize your basic emergency survival kit.

Your basic emergency survival kit should contain the following items:

Water – At least 1 gallon per person, per day, for at least 3 days. This will be for both drinking and sanitation
Food – At least a 3 day supply per person of non-perishable food
A can opener, if your emergency supply contains canned food
A battery powered radio or weather radio with extra batteries
A flashlight or lantern with extra batteries (or fuel)
A first aid kit
A whistle to signal for help
A dust mask, to filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting (like a painters tarp) and duct tape to create a shelter-in-place
Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for sanitation
A suitably sized wrench and /or pliers to shut off utilities
Local maps

It is important to remember that this is not an all inclusive survival kit, but more of a basic emergency preparedness kit. You will also need to account for unique family needs such as prescription medication, eye glasses (or contact lenses), infant formula and diapers, and pet food, just to name a few.

To insure you have the ability to evacuate at a moments notice, your emergency disaster survival kit should be stored in a portable container, and its contents should be reviewed yearly as your family’s needs change.

Your emergency disaster survival plan should not be based on luck. It is important to be prepared, and a little advanced planning can go a long way to improving your chances for survival.