Archive for January, 2010

Motorists Stranded without Food or Water

Posted on: January 13th, 2010 By: Paul Joshua | 1 Comment

Can you imagine being stranded in your car for hours without food or water? That happened to thousands of motorists in Wisconsin last year after a major storm. WISN reports:

The 18-inches of snow that fell in the Madison area presented the first test of a new state emergency communication system. The new system was enacted last year after a major storm stranded motorists on a stretch of the interstate for up to 12 hours. That scene of nearly 2,000 motorists, many without food or water, stranded on a snow interstate is one that state officials said that they never wanted to see repeated.

The sad thing is, no one needs to be stranded without food, water or medical supplies. Buying a car emergency kit is not a luxury for some anymore. It’s a necessity for every responsible individual. Not having water can lead to your death if you go too long without it, and there are a multitude of cases where people did not receive the medical attention or help they needed on time in an emergency. Don’t let that happen to you. Prepare now for road emergencies with a car emergency kit that has everything you need to evacuate or keep you safe and warm, while you wait for help.

Source:
http://www.wisn.com/news/21925862/detail.html

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Tips for Preparedness in Hazardous Weather Conditions

Posted on: January 12th, 2010 By: Paul Joshua | No Comments

Emergency management coordinators, whose job is to make sure their area, city or county is prepared for emergencies, are offering tips to residents for emergency preparedness. The Cleburne Times-Review reports on one coordinator’s preparations for hazardous weather conditions:

The city of Cleburne constantly prepares for hazardous weather conditions this time of year, said emergency management coordinator Randy Jenkins.

“We think ahead,” he said. “The National Weather Service lets us know when bad weather is on the way. For instance, we’ll have snow chains ready for our fire vehicles. We check the antifreeze in the vehicles in really cold weather. Public works takes care of sanding and things like water main breaks. Day to day, we have minimum staffing 24-7. We have minimal staffing at fire stations and at the police station on holidays. A lot of public works employees are on call.”

“People should keep blankets and flashlights in their vehicles in case they get stranded. People with medical conditions who lose power in their homes should call [the police department] and let us know. We can find the person shelter.”

This is a good start, but you’ll need to go beyond that to keep you and your family safe. Food and water would be a top priority, as well as a well stocked first aid kit. These are already assembled in car and home survival kits, as well as other light and communications supplies.

Source:
http://www.cleburnetimesreview.com/johnsoncounty/local_story_347203041.html?keyword=topstory

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Don’t Forget a Deck of Playing Cards

Posted on: January 11th, 2010 By: Paul Joshua | No Comments

‘Tis the season for widespread power outages, apparently. Chataqua County, New York braced itself for a winter storm, and the local Red Cross chapter told everyone to get ready in the event of a major power blackout situation.

Vince Horrigan, Southwestern New York Chapter executive director, warned residents to use caution when coping with power outages.

“Do not try to heat your home with open flame gas stoves and ensure proper ventilation when using emergency generators,” Horrigan said. “And flashlights are much safer than using candles. If you do use candles, do not leave them unattended and keep them out of the reach of children.”

It’s a good reminder to be thinking about winter time emergency preparedness, before an outage hits your community. Do you have a plan in place to keep yourself and your family warm if the electricity goes out for several days, or even weeks? You can’t fire up a gas-powered generator inside your apartment, so you’d better start thinking about how you’re going to stay warm.

A good plan is always have extra blankets stored in your home for an emergency. Candles and battery-powered light sources are another great idea, and so is having a means of food preparation. (You have plenty of extra non-perishable food stored, right?) A great way to jump-start your preparedness plan is to purchase an emergency supplies kit. Monitor the weather forecasts during the winter months, so you can know when there’s a potentially high danger of a power outage. Oh, and don’t forget to have a non-electrical powered means of entertaining yourself and your family during an outage, such as a deck of cards and plenty of reading material.

Source:
http://post-journal.com/page/content.detail/id/546777.html?nav=5004

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Community Input for Preparedness

Posted on: January 10th, 2010 By: Paul Joshua | No Comments

Residents of Hawaii are being asked for their take on how the government can help mitigate, or prevent, natural disasters. It’s part of an emergency preparedness plan revision:

“The multi-hazard plan identifies disasters that may impact the residents of Oahu, such as flash flooding, high winds, tsunami, hurricanes, etc.,” said Melvin Kaku, director for the Department of Emergency Management in a news release. “We have developed an online survey form that residents can quickly complete and submit via our Web site to give them a voice in the planning process.”

There are pros and cons to this approach. On the one hand, the government might get some really good suggestions on how to prepare for a disaster, or to minimize casualties and/or property damage in the event of one. On the other hand, how exactly do they plan to prevent a tsunami or any other potential disaster that could hit Hawaii?

Government agencies can plan until they’re blue in the face, but what it really comes down to is how prepared individuals, families, churches and neighborhoods are for these events. It’s impossible for local, state or federal agencies to prepare for every eventuality. The best plan of action is to get your own house in order, by storing safe drinking water, non-perishable food and other emergency supplies. You can’t prevent major weather-related disasters, but you can do your part to be prepared for them.

Source:
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20091211/BREAKING01/91211018/Input+sought+on+Hawaii+hazards

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Disabled Students Press for Emergency Preparedness

Posted on: January 9th, 2010 By: Paul Joshua | No Comments

Disabled students face extra challenges in emergencies. It’s even more important for them and their families to formulate and practice emergency plans that will help them evacuate buildings, or stay where they are safely for an extended period of time without power. One group of disabled students has banded together to try to address this and other issues. The University of Maryland’s Independent Daily Student Newspaper reports:

The tentatively named Disabled Students Union will serve as a venue for both disabled and able-bodied students to air their concerns on the university’s disabilities provisions. It will also serve as a social outlet, said women’s studies graduate student Angel Miles, who is spearheading the student group’s creation.

The club will also focus on raising university awareness of disability issues, advocating for student needs and helping the administration prioritize problems, she said. One pressing issue raised earlier this year was the need to create an improved emergency preparedness plan for disabled students in buildings with limited access.

All students need school emergency kits, but especially disabled and other students who cannot readily assemble the supplies they need and at the same time evacuate quickly. With a pre-made kit, they can grab it and go or have one in a vehicle ready to go.

Source:
http://www.diamondbackonline.com/news/disabled-students-form-union-for-lobbying-social-events-1.985907

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