Preparing for Disaster with Small Children

Everyday we are faced with challenges, some minimal and some larger than life. It is important to know what to do should you face a challenge, such as a natural disaster. Like many American families, you may have small children at home, so it is important to take necessary precautions to prepare yourself for the worst.

Natural disasters include, but are not limited to Tornados, Hurricanes (see Preparing for a Hurricane), Earthquakes, Fires, Floods, Tsunamis, Volcanic Eruptions, Wildfire, Landslides, and even Terrorism.

To prepare yourself, the first thing you should do is create an Emergency Supply Kit. When putting your kit together, it is important to remember that in case of an evacuation, you may be away from home for a short to long while, and so you should have an adequate amount of supplies. Following is a short list of necessities:

-Drinking Water

-Food (if you are packing canned food, be sure to pack a can opener as well)

-First Aid Kit

-Clothing (keep in mind that weather conditions vary and so it is advisable to pack long-sleeve items, jackets, etc.)

-Medications (if you have a family member with a disability, handicap, or illness, be sure to pack medications and supplies accordingly.)

-Blankets

-Money

-Important papers

As part of your preparation, you should devise a Plan of Emergency, complete with details regarding escape routes, meeting places, ways of communication. If your children are in school, inquire as to whether or not the school has an Emergency Plan should an emergency arise and what this plan entails.

However, most importantly, REMAIN CALM. Your children will look to you for strength and support during a frightening situation.

Quick Tip! – Contact your local chapter of the American Red Cross to find out which hazards can possibly strike your community and what risks or effects may result from it.

Survival Information: How to treat water so it’s safe to use

Water is the most important aspect in our survival, and obviously the best course of action is having some stored in case of emergency. One source of stored drinking water that is often over looked is the water in your hot water heater, maybe 55 gallons worth!!! If you do happen to find yourself in an emergency situation with no available drinking water, here are a few simple tips to help treat the water you do have access to. If you are in doubt of the quality of any water source, it is best to treat it first using these methods.

Straining and Aeration

A recommended first step would be to run the water through a clean cotton cloth, such as a handkerchief. This filters out some of the larger particles (like dirt and tiny organisms). Aeration just adds air to the water and reduces substances that affect the taste and smell of water. Partly fill a container with water and shake it vigorously.

Three Container System

According to the WELL Resource Center for Water Sanitation and Environmental Health, simply letting water sit in a container will also improve its quality. They recommend a three-container system. Container one stores newly collected water. After one day (24 hours), pour the water from container one into container two. Be careful to leave the particles or cloudy layers behind, which are at the bottom of the container one by now. Discard the rest of the water from container one, and then fill it again so that you are constantly repeating this cycle. The next day, pour the water from container two into container three. Once stored for two days, the water in container three can be used for drinking.

Disinfection

After straining the water, the most common way to disinfect the water is to boil it. There is some question about how long exactly to boil water in order to kill all the pathogens. The U.S. Center for Disease Control recommends boiling water for several minutes.

Another common method to disinfect water is to chemically treat it by adding chlorine or bleach to it. This method is a bit trickier as there are many different kinds of bleach. Household bleach has been known to lose its strength over time, whereas powdered chlorine can last 10 years without losing its strength. Ensure you use pure bleach, and not anything that has other additives (like laundry chemicals). For bleach that has 6-10% chlorine, you can use 3 to 4 drops per gallon of water. Let it sit for about thirty minutes, and then smell the water. You should faintly smell the chlorine. If you don’t smell it at all, repeat the procedure and then let it sit for another half hour. After a few hours, aerate the water by shaking the bottle vigorously, which helps reduce the smell and taste of chlorine.

Another way to deal with and treat water so that it is safe to drink is use a water filtration bottle that filters out 99.99% of pollutants and contaminants found in water sources. Find one that uses a proprietary Ionic Adsorption Micron Filtration System, and can produce up to 100 gallons of filtered water on one filter. Keep one of these in the car at all times as well as in your home.

It’s best to know all ways to be able to protect yourself and your family completely, because you never know where you will be when disaster strikes!

Are You Prepared To Take On Mother Nature?

Are You Prepared To Take On Mother Nature?

Click on the link to see the entire article.

The Dangers of Extreme Heat

Heat can kill by pushing the body beyond its limits. Under normal conditions, the body’s internal thermostat produces perspiration that evaporates and cools the body. However, in extreme heat and high humidity, evaporation is slowed and the body has to work much harder to maintain a normal temperature. Most heat related problems occur because someone has been over exposed to heat or has over-exercised for their age or physical condition. The elderly, young children, and those who are sick or overweight are more likely to be affected extreme heat. Conditions that can cause heat-related illnesses include no air movement, and poor air quality. People living in urban areas may be at greater risk from the effects of a heat wave than those living in more rural areas. Another contributing factor is that asphalt and concrete store heat longer and gradually release heat at night, which can produce higher nighttime temperatures known as the “urban heat island effect.”

Some things you can do to beat the heat:
• Install window air conditioners snugly, insulate if necessary.
• Close any floor heat registers nearby and use a circulating or box fan to spread cool air.
• Check air-conditioning ducts for proper insulation.
• Install temporary reflectors, such as aluminum foil covered cardboard, to reflect heat back outside and be sure to weather-strip doors and sills to keep cool air in.
• Cover windows that receive morning or afternoon sun with drapes, shades, awnings or louvers. Outdoor awnings or louvers can reduce the heat that enters a home by up to 80 percent.

Prepare for Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

Avian Influenza is an infection caused by the bird flu virus.

Although Avian Influenza is an infection typically affecting birds, infections can also occur in humans. This factor makes it important to educate yourself and be aware in an attempt to decrease your risk of contracting it. The virus has been contracted by at least 340 humans and more than 200 have died from it across the span of three continents. Virus infection usually occurs from direct, close contact with sick or dead infected poultry.

In 2005, a bill respectively titled The Pandemic Preparedness and Response Act was introduced by U.S. Senators as a resource meant to assist in responding to the growing threat of Avian Influenza outbreaks.