To Go Pack - Part 1

Sorry everyone!  I have been dealing with some bad migraines and working on the computer doesn't help much.  So here is the first part of my important messages to you!

When I teach my classes at church, I have been really stressing the importance of  "To Go Packs".
It doesn't matter where you live in the world having a pack that has everything you may need in for an Emergency is Key.  With all the things that are going on in the world right now we don't know what will happen from day to day.  We may have a natural disaster like an Earthquake, Floods, Volcano Eruption, Tornado's or whatever Mother Nature wants to throw at us.  There could be Terrorist Attacks, a Train, Truck, or Boat that may be carrying chemicals could have a spill.  Something could happen while you are at work, a gun man could come in, a fire could happen, and the list goes on and on.  Knowing that you have a bag with you in case help doesn't come right away, could save your life or the life of someone else.

To Go Packs - Are bags that you have somewhere close to your front door, under your desk at work, or even in a gallon sized zip lock bag in your child's back pack. When an emergency happens and you need to evacuate your bags is packed with everything you will need to survive for at least 72 hours (in a full To Go Pack) or a least a 48 hours in a work or school pack.

I encourage everyone in my classes, when packing a full pack, to make sure you pack for at least 7 days not just 72 hours.  As we have seen on the news, it may take emergency personnel days to get to you depending on the emergency.  The following are areas I believe you should have a small 72 hour kit for.

1. Work Pack - having a kit at work can be helpful.  Whether you work in a large or small building many of the same things can happen.  Knowing that you have a large fanny pack or small back pack with food, water, a medical kit, daily medication, dust masks, whistle, small flash light, your emergency phone numbers, and even a note pad and pen, could save a life!  Keeping your work pack in grabbing distance, will help you not to forget it on the way out.  One other thing you should have in your pack are your work keys. Many people throw their keys in their desk drawer and when there is a building evacuation the keys get left behind, (This happened to someone I know recently.) so try and get in the habit of tossing them in a easy to get to pocket in your work pack. 

When we are at work we don't know what could happen. As I said earlier it could be an earthquake, a piece of equipment falls, a fire, a gas leak, etc.  We just don't know what each day has in store. Knowing that you have a few things on hand can give you a little bit of comfort, and make dealing with an emergency that much easier.  Also knowing where all the exits are and the emergency routes out of the building are will be a life saver to.  Most building have their emergency exits and routes posted by the exits, but knowing  for yourself where they are is important, along with keeping up with changes in your work area or on your floor.  Things are always changing so keep an eye on what you may have to move to get to a stairway, how far is it to an exit (especially in a fire situation) etc.

My goal here is not to use scare tactics to get people more aware of their surroundings... my goal is to help people be able to get out of an emergency easier and safely.  Plus you may become the person people turn to for help if something were to happen.  One last thing... don't be afraid to talk to the boss about everyone having a kit at their desk, especially if you are in a tall building.

Now you see why I have been having a hard time conveying this message.... the next step is even harder for me to write, because it involves our kids and preparing them for an emergency at school and home.  These are the times when you can't be with them!!    

A Little Writes Block

Good Evening Everyone!

We are actually seeing sunshine here in the Seattle area, after several week of rain, snow, ice, and wind. It has been fairly warm also. I have to laugh at my kids because every time they open the blinds or the front door they act like vampires by saying, "The Light it Burns!" leave it to the kids!  ;0)

So I have been having a little bit of writes block, well not really block just having a hard time getting what I want to say in my next post come across as important as I feel it is.


Question: Do you ever get the feeling that something is coming or going to happen but you are not sure what it is? That is the way I have been feeling for months. I think that is one of the reasons I started this Blog.  I really want to reach lots of people and make sure they are ready for anything,

Here in the NW we have been waiting for THE BIG ONE (earthquake) to happen, ever since the Nisqually earthquake happened in February 28, 2001.  It registered 6.8 for 45 seconds, and there was a lot of damage.  They say the next one is going to be bigger. Not only will Washington be affected but Oregon and California will be also, if it happens on the San Andreas Fault Line.  Knowing that an earthquake that big or bigger could happen again,  seeing the devastation that happened in the Japan or Joplin earthquakes, I think it started to  open peoples eyes to the importance of being ready.

I am hoping to have the next post completed for tomorrow and I am working on getting pictures attached. I hope and pray that you all will be ready for anything at Home, Work, School, and on the Go. I will be touching on these over the next week. I think I will do one a day instead of them all at once. It could make things easier!!

Until Tomorrow!

Last of the Storm Tips

This will maybe the last of the Storm tips I have for now!.  In the newsletter that I do for our church I followed the evaluation one of our Pastors did on himself.  He broke it down into these sections and gave himself a grade between 1 -5 on how prepared he was during this last storm. 

So I took it one step further and gave some tips that will help in any emergency but it is mostly focused on the snow we just had.  Many other states are having issues with snow and ice now too, so I thought this would be a good end for our winter tips.  

General Preparation: 

How organized and be able to get to things quickly where you? Here are a few things to think about when trying to get organized.

1. Having some labeled (water proof) containers for your emergency supplies would be key. One for food, candles, batteries, flashlights/lanterns, radios (with the weather channel), blankets, clothes, etc.
2. This method would also work well with your tools. Maybe you have shelves for your larger tools such as chainsaws, branch cutters, etc. Having these items easy to get to will keep you from being cold looking for them, then colder using them. Or just being cold using them.
3. The easier it is to get to your supplies/tools, the less time it takes getting settled in during an emergency.

Food: 

Canned foods are always good to have on hand, especially if you can eat it hot or cold.  Dried foods, pouched foods, or even having healthy snacks, and yes even candy bars on hand, can keep you going.

1. When putting your emergency food storage together think about two things.  
2. One- I have a heat source to cook with what am I going to make? If you have a wood stove, gas stove, fireplace, or even a bbq outside. Make sure it is something that you can make quick.  It may take longer to cook on these surfaces, so being able to boil water for cup-of-soup is one idea?
3. Two- I don't have a heat source like a wood stove, etc., what am I going to make? If you do not have a heat source to cook with, have peanut butter and crackers are always a great stand by. Canned food that does not have to be heated like pork and beans, chili (movie cliche), or even cans of Chief Boy Ardy are good to have on hand. It depends on your families likes.

Shelter: 

This will depend on whether or not your home is damaged.

1. If you have a heat source stay where you are.  Make sure you have plenty of wood/pellets to last more than one or two days, do not forget to stock some gas if you have a generator.
2. Double check that you can get to blankets, sleeping bags, and warm clothes easily.  Are they in a container in the garage or on a shelf in a hall closet or a bedroom?
3. What if you do not have a heat source? One things your kids may enjoy is setting a tent up in the living room. Bundle up and pretend your camping. Lay out some sleeping bags and extra blankets. Body heat in a close quarter will help for awhile. Always have a back up plan to stay with family or friends if the power is out for too long, it may be saver in the long run.
4. If you do need to leave because of no heat or damage to your home, do you know where you are going to stay? Are you set up to stay with family, friends, or a hotel?
5.  If you do go to family or a friends... take some of your extra food to share with them.  It will benefit everyone, and it is a great gesture.
6. If you do decide to go to a hotel, make sure you have cash on hand because bank cards may not work.

Power:  

We are so use to having power that sometimes we forget to have things on hand, for those few times we lose it.

1. We all have a flashlight or two around the house to work on the house. But we may need to have a few extras on hand. Tap lights that you can hang on the wall or set on a counter are always great too.  They are much safer than candles for families with small children.
2. Candles, crank flashlights/lanterns are always handy in case your batteries die. Kerosene lanterns put off a lot of light. Just remember not to use propane in your home.  Propane can cause CO2 poisoning,  you may not know it until it is to late.
3. Heat we have talked about.  Wood/pellet stoves, fireplace, warm clothes.
4. Generators are nice but they also need to be use outside.  Not in a garage or enclosed area.  Again this can cause CO2 poisoning.
5. Buddy burners are easy to use but make sure they are on a surface that can handle high heat, and make sure they are out completely. Since they are fueled by candle or paraffin wax  it can cause a fire if not use wisely.

Vehicles: 

Our vehicles we talked extensively about in our last issue.  Here are a couple other things to keep in mind when you are at home and need to get out of your area.

1.  With all the snow and ice we had in the last few weeks keeping a large bag of salt on hand is a good idea.  Not only will it keep your side walks and stairs saver, but you can put it around your vehicles tires, if you get snowed in.
2. Parking your vehicle in the garage will cut down on your warming up time. A soft garage is nice but you have to be mindful of the weather. Too much snow can make it collapse, too much wind can cause it to rip or flip.
3. Being in the habit of checking your fluids and keeping the coolant, oil, steer fluid, and transmission fluids filled will help your leaving easier. Another good habit is to get in, is keeping at least 1/2 tank to a full tank of gas, at all times. You never know how long it may be before your next fill up.
4. Remember to check that your spare tire is filled and damage free.  There is nothing like freezing on the side of the road, with a flat tire and a bad spare.
5. Double check your 72 hour kit.  Make sure you have high energy foods and plenty of water, warm clothes, hats, gloves, and blankets, along with good warm shoes or boots.  Hand and feet warms come in handy also. 

 Now that we have evaluated ourselves, and we have a few things to keep in mind while refilling our emergency supplies. We should get better grades in the next storm. One last reminder... whether you are going to a hotel or not during an emergency.  Make sure you have some cash on hand.  Please do not carry anything larger then $20 dollar bills.  Our bank cards may not work in a power outage and we do not want to draw attention to how much money we may have on hand.   

Back on Track

Hello Again,

Sorry I have been gone for a few days.  The storm through off my schedule and I am trying to get
Back on Track.  Do you feel like that when things happens in your life?

For me right now it kinda feels like after Christmas or a Vacation.  You have to pack up/unload everything, get the kids ready to go back to school, grocery shopping and whatever else needs to be done.  The same things happens when there is an Emergency of any type.  You have to re-evaluate what you used and what you would have done differently?  Depending on the Emergency you may have to look at what house hold things need to be replaced or if you have anything you can salvage. (Sorry that sounds harsh but it is true.)

What need to be restocked?
1)  Did you use some of your stored food, batteries, medications, candles, water that you may
     have stored for washing up in or flushing toilets with?
2)  Do you need more wood, pellets, press board logs, matches, paper to start the fire, maybe
     gas for the generator?
3)  Do you need the simplest things like toothpaste to bigger things like lantern oil.

The things that may need restocked will be different for everyone.                            

What would I do differently?
1)  Did I have enough food that did not have to be cooked?
2)  Did I have enough water to clean up in, flush with, or just for my family to drink?
3)  Did I have enough wood to sustain heat and be able to cook with?
4)  Did I have enough of the medications I needed and a cold source for the ones that
     needed to be cold?
5)  Did I have enough blankets and warm clothes to make it through the cold days/nights?
6)  Did I have enough batteries and were they good?
7)  Did I have a charging source for my cell phone?  (We had one but it was the wrong size for
     my phone.  My phone had a smaller port then the connector I had to do the charging with.)
8)  Did I have a radio so I knew when people where getting power back, knew if my kids were
     going to school, and most importantly... when was the weather going to let up?                                

Some people are going to say, "Why is she saying Duh things?"  My response would be, "I know people who thought they had everything, thought their batteries were good, and the didn't or were not."  In all honesty I teach classes to check your stuff ever 6 months or so to make sure your stuff is always updated and ready to go.  Well even the best prepared people can forget to double check or blow it off, cause they know they have it.  We know we had D batteries for our large flashlights.  Well, they were close to dying when we put them in the flashlights.  My head lamp batteries, that I have not checked in awhile were leaking.  Luckily they were not in the light or out of a zip lock bag.  So again I teach these classes and we forget ourselves even though we see all the stuff ever 6 weeks or so.  Here's hoping you all were able to get Back on Track easily and praying that everyone who had lost power for up to a week or more are back up and running again.


My Motto: You Can Never Be Too Prepared!!


Tell us what you would do differently next time or things that worked best for you.