Prepare for an Emergency or Natural Disaster

A Sunday night calm was interrupted when a 4.7 magnitude earthquake hit Southern California, Sunday, May 17, 2009. The jolt occurred at 8:39 pm. The tremor was enough to rattle nerves and serve as a wakeup call for people to update their emergency supply kits.

If you ever find yourself in an emergency situation such as this one or in any type of disaster, a key point to remember is that the first 72 hours are the most critical. During that time attempts to contact a public safety service department by phone might be virtually impossible to do, especially since landline circuits will be overloaded due to the extremely high call volume following such incidents. In the case of the California earthquake, the public was asked to avoid the use of landlines and instead use cell phones to make calls outside of the area. We soon learned that the cellular circuits overloaded immediately causing a fast-busy signal to be relayed. Use of any phone will require that you exercise patients.

Do not be caught off guard when an emergency situation arises. During the calm is the time to adequately prepare for the families personal needs. Emergency service organizations recommend that you have a three day supply of items stored for each person living in your home. What does this mean for your family? Here are tips to help you prepare for everyone's needs.

Emergency supplies checklist: Water 1 gallon per person per day (a week's supply of water is preferable), Water purification kit, First Aid kit, freshly stocked, First Aid book, food, can opener (manual), blankets or sleeping bags, portable radio, flashlight and spare batteries, essential medications, extra pair of eyeglasses, extra pair of house and car keys, Fire Extinguisher A-B-C type, cash and change. Baby supplies: Formula, bottles, pacifiers, soap, baby powder, clothing, blankets, baby wipes, disposable diapers, canned food and juices. Every six months or so, check the expiration dates to ensure that your supplies are up to date. If you can make time for it, make a checklist and include your perishable items, place the expiration dates on the list for a quick and easy way to see when it is time to replace items. Safety and comfort: Sturdy shoes, heavy gloves for clearing debris, candles and matches, light sticks, change of clothing, knife, razor blades, garden hose for siphoning and firefighting, tent, communication kit, paper, pens and stamps. Cooking: Plastic-ware as plastic knives, forks and spoons, a metal serving spoon and fork, paper plates, cups, paper towels, heavy-duty aluminum foil, camping stove for outdoor cooking. Sanitation supplies: Large plastic trash bags for waste; tarps and rain ponchos, large trash cans, bar soap and liquid detergent, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, feminine hygiene supplies, toilet paper, household bleach. Tools and supplies: Axe, shovel, broom, wrench for turning off gas etc, tool kit screwdriver, pliers and a hammer, coil of rope, plastic tape, staple gun, sheeting for window replacement, bicycles and a city map. Pets: Food, water and restraint (leash or carrier) for pets.

You may also check with your local Disaster Relief Agency for additional points on Emergency preparedness.

Remember to stay as calm as possible, think somber thoughts and follow all necessary steps to ensure that your family has up to date supplies on hand at all time. BePrepared.com