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Tip o'da Week

Are You Prepared?
By Lon Stuart, Tech Pubs

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 week's 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.

Some background about this week's 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...).

Stay calm and stay put! 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.

Drive home? 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.

What to do? 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?

Shoes: 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?

Portable radio: 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.

Money: 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)