Are You Prepared?
By Lon Stuart, Tech Pubs
If you have an idea you would
like to submit for inclusion as the Tip o 'da Week, you can now submit
a tip!
This is a past episode of the Emergency Preparedness "Tip o' da Week".
To see the current episode or any past episodes,
please follow this link.
The material presented on this page is intended to help you to start thinking
about what you can do today that might save your life some day. If nothing
else, our "Tip o' da Week" might just make your life a bit easier when
a disaster strikes. We are not going to present topics that will cost a
lot of money. All the topics we will present on this page are "do it yourself"
projects and are relatively inexpensive.
This weeks Emergency Preparedness "Tip o' da Week" comes from a recent
visitor to our site.
Epicenter has formatted the information below but has only made minor editorial
changes with the submitters approval.
The tip below comes from Lon Stuart from Salt Lake City,
lon_stu@burgoyne.com.
Some background about this weeks submitter:
Lon Stuart is a Technical Writer at OEC Medical Systems, Salt Lake City.
Lon is an active Ham Radio Operator and has been Chairman of the North
Salt Lake Emergency Preparedness Committee for about 3 years. Besides being
committee chairman, he is also communications manager for the city Emergency
Preparedness Committee. He is also active in several other Emergency Preparedness
organizations, including an ad hoc committee at work.
-
"I highly recommend amateur radio as a way to prepare for disaster. Hams
can communicate when the rest of the services are down. There are clubs
in each city usually, and they can provide clases and help for anyone interested
in getting their amateur license."
-
"Our plant is located West of the SLC airport in an industrial center that
is fairly isolated from the city, hense the concern for Emergency kits
should the big shaker come along. We're overdue for it as we haven't had
one in nearly 400 years here and the average is about one every 400 years,
so we're getting ready to dive under our desks..."
-
"I am married. My Wife, Colleen, and I have four children, Three girls
and a boy. Two girls are married and a third is in college, with the youngest
boy a junior in high school this year."
Are You Prepared?
By Lon Stuart, Tech Pubs
Imagine the following scenario:
While working at your desk, you hear a distant rumbling. It's not a
jet taking off at the airport. The building begins to shake, lights flicker
and you realize that a major earthquake is in progress.
The natural thing to do is dive under your desk or the most sturdy piece
of furniture close by. Meanwhile, debris is falling from the ceiling, bookcases
are tipping over and calamity reigns for several minutes (it seems like
an eternity - ask anyone who has been through a big quake...).
If debris traps you under your desk, what can you do until rescuers arrive?
Do you have a survival kit nearby? If not, you are trapped without food
or water for several hours or maybe several days.
But, what if you have a 72-hour office survival kit stashed under the
desk? Sit back, crack open the box, pull out your flashlight and wait in
relative comfort with the non-perishable food and three-day supply of water
you have on hand. Water in sport plastic bottles is great for this use,
but remember to change the water on a regular basis.
Did you cut yourself on a broken vase as you were diving under the desk?
No problem - the first aid kit in your 72 hour supplies will fix you up
with a Band-Aid or even a substantial bandage, if you need it.
If trapped inside a building, a 72-hour kit could save your life or
make you more comfortable for the duration. Life gets lonesome in a hurry
if you have to live underneath a desk.
Suppose you are able to exit the building after the shaking stops. Your
first thought is of home and family.
No way - If the shaker was around the 6.5 - 7.5 on the Richter scale, every
freeway bridge in the valley may be down, starting with the one at the
entrance to the freeway close to your workplace.
I hope you brought your 72-hour kit out of the building with you. Better
let, do you have another kit in your car? Great! You're going to need it!
Do these disasters strike at high noon when the temperature is mild
and balmy? Never!. They usually come when the weather is gray, mean and
nasty. Do you have a heavy jacket, blanket or space blanket in your 72-hour
kit or car? We do have cold winter temperatures nearly half the year, you
know.
After a disaster, you have two choices:
-
Stay at work until things settle down and roads are cleared or...
-
Head for home on Shank's ponies (your own two feet).
The first choice is preferred, if at all possible, but if you feel the
extreme urge to head home, it's going to be a long walk. Be sure to let
company disaster officials know what you plan to do and where you plan
to go. (They might hog-tie you until the urge passes...)
Stay away from telephones - they probably won't be working anyhow.
What else will I need?
It would be nice if you had a decent pair of tennis shoes in your 72-hour
kit. Dress shoes or high heels won't cut it for cross country hiking, you
know. And since it's going to be a long walk home - maybe several days
- how about taking along the sleeping bag that is stashed in your car trunk?
A must for checking out the Emergency Broadcast System for the latest scoop
on conditions throughout the rest of the valley. Extra radio batteries,
candles and matches are also a necessity.
That green stuff we all work so hard to accumulate - do you have a few
bucks in your 72-hour kit? Plastic and checks generally won't pass in a
disaster area.
Editorial note from Epicenter:
Below is a list of supplies that Lon has compiled and recommends.
OFFICE 72-HOUR KIT
ITEMS INCLUDED IN BASIC KIT
SIZE DESCRIPTION SHELF LIFE
1 each FOOD ENERGY BAR
(3600 calorie, 1 person for up to 3 days) 5 years
6 4oz WATER POUCHES 5 years
1 btl WATER PURIFICATION TABLETS 3 years
1 each BLANKET (emergency reflective)
1 each PONCHO (emergency)
1 each TUBE TENT (2 person / with rope)
1 box MATCHES (windproof / waterproof)
1 each CANDLE (100 hour)
3 each LIGHT STICKS (12-hour, non-flammable) 4 years
1 each FLASHLIGHT
1 each FIRST AID KIT
(moderate level care, with book (see list) 3 years
1 each KNIFE (Swiss / pocket)
1 each WHISTLE
1 each WASH CLOTH (handy-wipe)
1 roll TOILET TISSUE (in bag)
5 each DUST MASK'S
4 each ZIPLOCK BAGS
1 each GARBAGE CAN LINER
1 each BACK PACK (to hold 72 hour kit)
1 each SOAP (hand, antibacterial (Dial brand)
1 each CHAP-STICK (Blistex, PF 10) 3 years
1 tube SUNTAN LOTION
(full block, wet/dry Face Aloeap/, 1 oz, PF 25) 3 years
1 each TOOTHBRUSH & PASTE (travel kit with case) 3 years
1 each CONTAINER (1 quart / sized for water tablets)
2 each BATTERY
(D, for flashlight/with bag) 2 years
(Durracell, "copper top")
4 each BATTERY
(AA, for radio/with bag) 2 years
(Durracell, "copper top")
1 each RADIO (small / in bag)
Total price for all items including tax = about $67.40
(depending on where you buy)
OPTIONAL ITEMS (essential)
SIZE LIFE DESCRIPTION
1 each CASH
$75 paper and coin
(Do NOT store money in your 72hr kit)
1 each JACKET & GLOVES (keep in car)
1 each CHANGE of CLOTHES (with walking shoes)
1 each BLANKET (wool blend)
1 each dated MEDICATION (prescription and over-the-counter)
1 each SLEEPING BAG (keep in car)
3 each PERSONAL HYGIENE
OPTIONAL ITEMS (for consideration)
SIZE LIFE DESCRIPTION
1 pack dated FRUIT, DRIED
1 each COMPASS
1 each 2nd EMERGENCY REFLECTIVE BLANKET (use under tent)
1 each WASH CLOTH (white)
1 each HAND TOWEL (white)
1 each TENT 2-MAN (Odyssey)
4 each WARMER PACKS (18 hour / hand and body)
3 day 5 year MRE
(food 10-lbs, MRE, Side, Fruit bars, Desserts, Hard Candy)
3 each MRE HEATER (to heat 3 entree / 1 a day)
There it is - food for thought - and we've covered most things you need
for an office 72-hour kit.
Remember, it's not IF it happens, but WHEN!
Thanks again to Lon Stuart for submitting this weeks Emergency Preparedness
"Tip o' da Week"!
Drop us a note if you find this type of "do it yourself" information helpful!
Remember, you can now submit a tip to the "Tip
o' da Week"!
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