Emergency Supplies Blog

The thing we found out when we did a practice complete building evacuate was that we were missing proper traffic control people and tools, both in the building and out in the parking lot.  If it had been dark the sitauation would have been even worse.    People tend to panic in an emergency situation and proper crowd control in the building and in the parking lots is key in a total evacuation situation. 

What we did was to enlist more floor captains and we supplied each floor with emergency wands and lantern flashlights.  The wands work great for directing people and cars and really what you want to get is the biggest flashlight or lanters you can find.    Get your emergency lighting before you need them.

A disaster situation can be a true test of leadership. People can panic and forget their common sense. They need someone to guide them on the next practical steps to take.

But in a panic situation, the leader should be heard above the crowd.  A bull horn is a practical gadget that should be included on the list of items in a community-disaster-management plan. This will help the designated official to be heard when he gives out his instructions.

Everybody’s outdoorsman needs a good first aid kit.  The outdoor first aid kit below is perfect for the sportsmen in our family. 

Knowing that the guys have this kit and a couple of extra solar blankets helps me feel more comfortable about them going out hunting, as I know they have some emergency supplies and a few first aid supplies. 

One of the most important things to add to or have in your auto emergency kit is a thermal blanket or solar sleeping bag.   These item are small and fit easily in your glove box.  Great for auto emergencies and outdoor survival.

These blankets generally retain 90% of your body heat, can be used as a ground cover, and will protect you from the elements.

I can’t believe how many houses I have been to that do not have a first aid kit.  It happens all the time, and I always urge each of my friends to keep one inside of their homes just in case anything happens.  Nobody ever expects a disaster, but that is really the crux of the issue isn’t it?  Disaster always strikes at the worst possible time and the only thing that we can do is to prepare ourselves as best as possible.

A first aid kit is a simple, inexpensive way for us to have something available at the drop of a hat.  Although when we are at home, emergency services are available for us to utilize, having full reliance on these services might not be the wisest thing.  Being prepared in advance at home and out on the road is.

With the devastating damage that Hurricane Katrina left in its wake 4 years ago, the common citizen is yet to wake up and take charge. Hurricanes can be massive in their effect, with damages in both life and property loss amounting to thousands and millions. Hurricane Katrina itself cost about 2000 lives and over $100 million in property damages. Hence, it is crucial to know exactly how to be prepared to survive a hurricane, as well as get through the aftermath of the same. A good Emergency Kit is the first things to get have while preparing to withstand the force of a hurricane. Disaster medical kits and trauma kits can also come in handy, especially, if you have kids and aged persons to take care of. These kits and emergency preparedness supplies do not cost a fortune (usually $50-$150), but can certainly save you your life, which is priceless, isn’t it?   

• Pack emergency supplies such as emergency food kits, water, first aid supplies, emergency radio, emergency lights, pet safety products and similar items into a waterproof and easily portable plastic container or bag. 

•  Place one in the car and one in your personal backpack. Keep the extra kit with your spouse or someone reliable. If none is available, make sure you keep the third kit in a position where it can be easily accessed in case the first kit becomes out of bounds.

• Make sure that you have stored sufficient amount of water (one gallon per person) and emergency food supplies to last at least a fortnight.

• Pack some of the vital documents, including identification information, a substantial amount of cash money, telephone numbers, credit card numbers, etc. in a clear, waterproof and tough bag (preferably plastic).  

• Pack spare clothing and footwear into the survival kit as well. Warm clothes and windcheaters can come in handy. Check whether the sole of the footwear is sturdy, as you might have to walk or run through water or over debris. Flimsy footwear can be useless as well as dangerous.

• Also include some basic tools into the survival kit, such as a hammer, nails, screwdriver and flashlights.

With such a kit at hand, you will be better prepared to face a natural disaster like a hurricane. And even if you are forced into a situation that requires evacuation or emergency supplies, you have your back covered.

Here is a nice list of additional items to add into your auto emergency kit if they are not included.

A tire pump or an aerosol tire inflator

A car battery charger that can jump start your car through the car’s cigarette lighter. Amazing devise if its fully charged.

Duct tape and wire to fix a window, a dropped tail pipe, etc…

A fire extinquisher

A first aid kit

A plug in spot light and/or a shake flashlight

A tow rope

For winter gear, a shovel, a scraper, and some traction panels to put under your tires to get unstuck.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), more than 1.6 million fires were reported in the United States of America in 2005, and they caused about 3,700 civilian deaths and 18,000 injuries. In addition, for years from 2002-2004 an estimated yearly average of 166 deaths from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning exposure that had nothing to do with fires.I think one of the most important emergency preparedness ideas is to get a good carbon monoxide detector combined with the smoke detection feature and replace your batteries annually.  Approximately 97 percent of U.S. homes have at least one smoke alarm—according to a national telephone survey.  Nevertheless, without fresh batteries the alarms won’t work when it is time to sound a life-saving warning. Another potential problem, and another good reason to check smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms annually, is that environmental contamination and age will cause the sensors in alarms to degrade and become less effective over time.   Its a fact that millions of Americans are without adequate protection from fire and carbon monoxide because the alarm’s battery is dead or the alarm is too old, alarms don’t last forever, and old ones need to be replaced.”

Tips to Help Prevent Fires and Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
The CPSC advises all consumers to remain vigilant against fires and carbon monoxide poisoning, and recommends three simple tips to help you protect your life, your loved ones, and your home:

Every home and building owner should have a gas and water shut off tool and know how to use it.  Also, others in your home should be trained on how to shut off the gas and water.  In an emergency, like an earthquake, fire, flood, or evacuation, you’ll need to shut off your gas and water service to your building.  I work in a real estate office and these emergency gas and water shut off tools make great gifts for our new home owners.

Every year, many people lose their lives unnecessarily because of a smoke alarm or lack thereof.  They either have a smoke alarm that doesn’t work because of one of three reasons:  a)  the batteries don’t work  b) there are no batteries in the smoke detector or c) there is no smoke alarm in the house.

You need to have more than just a smoke alarm where you live.  You need to have a working smoke alarm.  Having a smoke alarm in your place of residence doesn’t do you or your family any just if it falls within one of the first two reasons above.

Having a working smoke detector can save you and your family from further danger if you have one that works.  To ensure that it works, you should test the batteries periodically (every few months).

When you get the smoke alarm, if you are not familiar with how to install it, there are instructions that come with it.  Or you can have someone more experienced to install it for you.  The important thing is to have a smoke alarm that is working properly.

In addition to having a smoke alarm, nowadays, it’s good for people to have a carbon monoxide alarm or a combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarm.  Since carbon monoxide is invisible and odorless, you won’t know something is wrong unless you have one of these alarms.

Some people may not realize how dangerous it is to ingest carbon monoxide.  The bad thing about this is that most of the time, people don’t realize it until it’s too late.

A detector that can spot a flow of carbon monoxide can help to assist those that may be in the midst of it to get out quickly.  Carbon monoxide has proven to be deadly in a lot of instances.  This alarm can help people to realize what’s going on and alert everyone else that is around you.

In fact, both the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are good to have in your home.  You want to divert a disaster either way.  There are too many people that don’t think that this is important, but it is.

Some people don’t realize how much until it happens to or affects them with their family or someone else that they know.  So it’s important that you and your family are educated about smoke alarms as well as carbon monoxide alarms.  The time is now to get all of the emergency preparedness information you can so that you and your family will be able to save lives.