Category: Action Items

Overlooked or Abandoned?

Every week I get one or another Google Alert about some group that is either not taking care of itself in an emergency or that has been overlooked by “the authorities.”

In our community CERT group, we do not have the where-with-all to take care of neighbors with disabilities. We don’t have specialized medical knowledge, or (expensive) specialized equipment or even the physical stamina to lift or move some of them. But . . .

We are aware of our neighbors and do our best to keep their needs in mind . . .

as we work on building our – and their — readiness to respond in the face of a disaster. As you build your own neighborhood group, here are

Some questions to ask:

from Lee Wilson, founder at The Egress Group. More at http://accessibleexitsigns.com/

Shelter-in-Place.  When a heavy storm hits, the best course for most people is to shelter in place, assuming they have stored food, clothing, etc.  The questions to ask your disabled neighbors:

1. Do you have food supplies that you are able to prepare for yourself (canned food, water) or do you depend on regular food deliveries from Meals on Wheels or other food service?
2. Do you use any electric or electronic devices to treat a chronic condition, such as breathing treatments or sleeping machines? What plans do you have for back-up power? (Oxygen tanks, battery back-up)

Needed travel.  Do any of your neighbors need regular trips away from their home to get medical treatments like as kidney dialysis? In a severe weather situation, can your neighbor answer these questions:

1. Do you know what to do if you are unable to reach your doctor for several days? (diet, hydration)
2. Do you know where to go for treatment if your local clinic is closed? (addresses of alternate locations)
3. Who would come to get you for dialysis if your regular caregiver isn’t available?
4. What if the elevator isn’t working?

Evacuation.  In the case of an evacuation, many people who may not appear disabled may need assistance.  For example, people who are hard of hearing might not recognize the signal to evacuate. People with difficulty walking might not be able to negotiate stairs. People who can walk may not be able to handle door handles or locks. Questions to ask:

1. Does our building/community have evacuation signage that incorporates signage for disabled people? (visual? touchable?)
2. Is there a plan to find people ready and able to assist disabled people to evacuate?
3. Is specialized evacuation equipment necessary, and available?

Practice and planning do make a difference.

The National Fire Protection Association’s 2007 Emergency Evacuation Planning Guide for People with Disabilities tells the following story.

During the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, a man with a mobility impairment was working on the 69^th floor. With no plan or devices in place, it took over six hours to evacuate him. In the 2001 attack on the World Trade Center, the same man had prepared himself to leave the building using assistance from others and an evacuation chair he had acquired and had under his desk. It only took 1 hour and 30 minutes to get him out of the building this second time. 

Perhaps you can share this story with friends and with your CERT team to stimulate some creative thinking.

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

Forward this email to someone you know who could use the information.  One out of five Americans has some sort of disability.

Challenging the neighbors

A couple of weeks ago I reported that our local CERT group was

PowerPoint presentation for group

scheduling a showing of “Run, Hide, Fight: Surviving an Active Shooter Event.”  Since it’s only 6 minutes long, we planned a brief half-hour meeting for intro, showing, and discussion.

(I embedded the downloaded video into a PowerPoint presentation – see photo — so I could create a complete talk, with intro and some follow-up questions.)

I announced the showing in our neighborhood newsletter (one small paragraph in a 20-page newsletter), on our neighborhood website, and also via email to my list of about 30 neighbors.

And I got a response I wasn’t expecting.

I’m sharing the story here because I’d like to hear YOUR comments.

As always, I try to create some curiosity with my headline to attract more readers. Here’s what I used this time:

“If it happens, you’ll have only seconds to react . . .”

Then I followed up with, “The chances of you finding yourself in the middle of an active shooter event are small, but that’s what the people in Ottawa probably thought, too.”  Details of the meeting followed.

Anyway, here’s a response that I received:

“Suspense, is that the answer to something so important to our lives?” 

 The writer went on for several long messages, criticizing me for not revealing immediately how to respond in an active shooter event.

 My reaction  . . .

•  At first I was surprised at the vehemence of the writer.
• Then I got defensive. (“I know from experience that simply reading a sentence or too won’t compare with making the effort to join a group to watch the video and discuss it.”)
• Finally I figured this subject had simply triggered something for this particular individual.

The meeting came and went.

We had a modest attendance with a number of good comments and questions. This was a senior audience, so the discussion about “FIGHT” was different from what a younger crowd might have had. And it was also agreed that a new version of the video could profitably be made with the setting in a mall or retail establishment instead of in a workplace.

People were interested and participated, and several thanked us for “good information.”

With the meeting over, we went home. But I keep remembering that email exchange.

So now, it’s your turn to comment.

Have you shown the video to a group?  If so, what message did you use to attract attendance?  How did your promo work? How was the video received?

If you haven’t shown the video, please take the time to watch it now, and let me know how you would promote it to YOUR neighbors (work group, classroom)!

 You can go right to YouTube to watch it now: http://youtu.be/5VcSwejU2D0

A big part of our sharing these posts is to get MORE information to MORE people in such a way that they will INCORPORATE it into their daily lives.

It’s a big challenge . . . so I’d appreciate any suggestions or comments you have.

Thanks in advance!

Virginia Nicols
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

The terrible snow storms this week may have prompted you to consider buying a generator. Before you do, read this . . .

By way of background, Virginia and I have played a key role in building a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) in our neighborhood. We even have a budget from our Homeowners Association. And a couple of years ago the group agreed to purchase a gas generator to support our emergency planning team.

We originally purchased two, each of which put out 6,000+ running Watts, with 8,000 Starting Watts. On sale, each cost about $800, and was compliant with California environmental laws.

Then reality set in.

First issue: “Pounds per Watt!”

Portable generator with wheels, handles

Our big generators were deceptive. Their wheels and handlebars make them look portable. After jockeying one of them around it became painfully clear that their weight – as well as their appetite for fuel – was greater than we had foreseen. Also, they have to be started and run for 15 – 20 minutes every month or two or they will require resurrectional service (cost around $100 . . . if WE take it in to the shop).

We returned the unopened generator, and went back to the drawing board.

What had seemed like a good idea at the time turned out poorly. We kept the one generator and plan to use it to power our Command Post in an emergency. There, we’ll need it for lighting and computers and other communications. We’re still debating about purchasing any additional generators.

Second issue: Realistic output. 

You probably know that a portable generators isn’t going to power your home around the clock during an extended power outage.

Standby, or permanently installed, generator

With careful management, however, an emergency generator can keep a minimum number of appliances operating in order to provide more comfort and convenience during an emergency. And with careful purchasing, you might be able to get what you need for less than $400.

For example, you can apply your power 3-4 times a day for 15-30 minutes to keep your refrigerator/freezer operating. (Exact times depend on the size of your appliance). Charging up electronic devices (laptops, tablets, cell phones, etc.) can be done at the same time since most generators have more than one plug-in socket. But plugging in an appliance that generates a lot of heat – such as a hair dryer or toaster or portable heater – may overload the generator.

Hence, managing run times and appliance combinations is required.

It’s up to you to do some homework by listing the power requirements of your various appliances, combining appliances for a reasonable total power requirement, then finding the smallest unit that will do the job.

Third issue:  What fuel to choose?

Most of the portable generators for sale at your local hardware store or online will be powered by gasoline. So, consider where and how you’ll store the gas you need. Gas is easy to get most of the time (though probably not during an emergency). But gas is messy, is highly flammable, and degrades after 12 months or so.

But what about diesel, you ask? Compared to gasoline, diesel is cheaper, lasts twice as long in storage, is more fuel efficient and less dangerous. But typically you’ll need to install a storage tank to hold it. So, while some generators are set up to burn diesel, they are mostly the larger, permanently installed models that are planned to run for longer periods at higher load.

Some portable generators burn liquid propane and some can burn either propane or gasoline.  Storing propane is easier than storing either gas or diesel; it can be stored in a tank or in cylinders. And propane is the cleanest burning fuel of them all. Naturally, a combo unit (running either gas or propane) is more expensive that a single-fuel generator.

You want to consider all three fuel options.

But, keep in mind that NOT ONE OF THESE MACHINES SHOULD BE RUN INSIDE!  They have specific directions for their use and warnings that should be respected by all users.

Some Guidelines to Help You Make Choices.

These examples come directly from Amazon, where you’ll find literally hundreds of different generators on sale.  We have picked these as having representative prices and positive customer reviews.  As you shop, compare:

• delivery costs
• warranties
• environmental standards (for ex., CARB = OK to be sold in California)

Live in an apartment, condominium or modest home with access to an outside patio or small back yard, you’re looking at a small, portable unit that’s as quiet as you can find. (Propane generators are quieter than gasoline.) An example: the Champion Power Equipment 42436 1500-Watt Portable Generator, CARB Compliant costs $201.88 as of today. These items have to be shipped via ground so it may take longer than you’re used to for delivery.

Live in a Single Family Home, 3-5 Bedrooms, with outside access to patio or private yard? You can probably use a larger unit and won’t worry so much about noise or fuel storage.  For about $330, you can get something like the DuroStar DS4000S 4,000 Watt 7.0 HP OHV 4-Cycle Gas Powered Portable Generator.

Large Home or Small Business that still needs to continue running, even on a reduced basis, may require something like this model.  (It’s the one in the photo above, with wheels and handles that make it LOOK portable, but it weighs a good 200 pounds! ) Westinghouse WH7500E Portable Generator, 7500 Running Watts/9000 Starting Watts at $865, with free scheduled shipping.

Medium-Size Business that cannot afford to shut down for any sustained period, you’re looking at what’s called a “standby” generator. These are installed permanently and go on automatically even if you’re not there.  This example (shown in photo above.) runs on propane or can be connected to a natural gas supply (probably not the best idea if you live in earthquake country). Cost: $2,549 with extra $20 for shipping.Generac 6439 11,000 Watt Air-Cooled Steel Enclosure Liquid Propane/Natural Gas Powered Standby Generator (CARB Compliant) without Transfer Switch

This should be enough to get you started on some sensible shopping!

Joe Krueger
Your Emergency Plan Guide team

Looking for a bit more background? Here are a couple of Virginia’s recent posts:

• For more on alternatives for emergency power, including solar as well as generators, https://emergencyplanguide.org/choices-for-emergency-power/
• For a list of common appliances, to help build a “use schedule” for your generator, check out: https://emergencyplanguide.org/when-less-is-more/ 

(This article first appeared in 2014. As you can imagine, it has been updated since then — mostly because I have learned more about the ins and outs — or offs and ons and chirps — of smoke alarms!)

We remind everyone that when Daylight Savings Time comes round, it’s time to check the fire alarms.

So it’s now two weeks after the date, and I finally got around to practicing what I preach. Keep reading for what turned out to be an eye-opener!

Just looking up at the smoke alarm tells me nothing.

I seem to recall that my old alarms had a blinking light, but I see nothing like that on this one. My old alarm also once emitted a chirping sound — but I have heard nothing from this one.

Anyway, on with the test.

• I haul out my trusty step stool, position it properly and climb up.
• I look for the round test button (while being careful not to overbalance).
• Hey, look there! I discover a green light, deep in a recess. Is this what I was looking for?
• Well, since I’m up here . . .I press and hold the round button.
• Eeeeehhhh!

O.K., we know it’s working!

Now what about the other alarms in the house? Before I take a look at them, let me do some quick research.

I always thought fire alarms were pretty straightforward.

Here’s what I discover about the alarms in my house.

1. Code for fire alarms changes on a regular basis. My home is relatively new, so it has hardwired alarms that have a back-up battery. It’s that battery that we’re testing. (There are also alarms that operate solely on batteries. I used to have that kind.)
2. In my home, all the alarms all connected. If one goes off, so do the others. Still, I have to check each one individually to be sure about the batteries.
3. The requirement for alarms in California indicates that starting 2015 new battery-operated alarms must have a non-replaceable battery that will last for 10 years. After ten years, the whole alarm will simply be replaced. Some of those alarms are already on the market. So the question then becomes, do I have one of these models in my house? It’s back up the ladder. And the answer is no.

But here’s the discovery of the day . . .

I have always used the words “fire alarm” and “smoke alarm” and “smoke detector” pretty much interchangeably. It turns out that alarms are NOT all the same.

According to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) there are two main technologies at work in fire alarms: ionization (alarm is set off when ion flow is interrupted by smoke) and photoelectric (alarm is set off when light is reflected off smoke).  (You can get the whole scientific description at http://www.nfpa.org/safety-information/for-consumers/fire-and-safety-equipment/smoke-alarms/ionization-vs-photoelectric

Ionization technology works best on a fast, flaming fire; photoelectric works better on slow, smoldering fires.

Logically, the very best fire alarm combines both technologies!

And also, logically, the combination models cost more.

So what alarm technology do I have in my home?

Ta da! . . .Looks like ionization smoke sensing technology! (This model seems particularly made for home builders, since it comes in a six pack.)

Where does all this take us?

1. Check your own fire alarms to be sure they are working.
2. Check to see how old the alarms are and if they are over 10 years old, get rid of them an install new ones.
3. Get the best replacements you can.I just added the best photoelectric/ionization model I could find at Amazon to our own list of recommended products. Here’s a link to that model.

Let me know how your alarm testing goes!

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

What are the chances?

A little over two years ago I wrote for the first time about “active shooter events.”  Yesterday I saw in a recent FBI report such events have doubled in the past seven years.

And more than 2/3 of them take place at businesses or schools.

Do you work, or do you know people who work in office settings? Are you a student, or do you know students?

If so, do they know what to do if they suddenly find themselves in the midst of a live shooter event, or even hear shots?

Over in five minutes or less.

Link to this video below.

Two thirds of active shooter events are over in less than 5 minutes, and one-third are over in less than 2 minutes.

This means If you find yourself in such an event, you have to make QUICK decisions.

Freezing or waffling or screaming are NOT good responses, and in fact may get you killed!

The City of Houston, with the assistance of a Homeland Security Grant, created a training video that is really worth watching. We saw it first at city hall, shown and discussed by our local police department.

The video seems to have become somewhat of a standard for how to respond – and my recommendation today is that you make sure your co-workers have seen it.

The Standard — Run, Hide, Fight: Surviving an active shooter event

 Run, Hide, Fight shows a simulated event taking place in an office setting.  The whole video runs only 6 minutes.

 CAUTION: Although the action is simulated, it contains some intense scenes.  Prepare your audience before showing it.

You can view the video on YouTube at:  http://youtu.be/5VcSwejU2D0?hd=1

The FBI report mentioned above has not gone unchallenged. Criminologist James Alan Fox at Northeastern University in Boston points to the fact that there is no official tracking mechanism for active shooting and mass shooting events. And USA Today’s separate report showed different totals based on their own news sources.

For this Advisory, it doesn’t really matter whether the FBI’s definitions or totals correspond to USA Today’s. What is important is to know how to respond  or even prevent such an event.

Can such events be prevented?

Of course, prevention would be the most desirable option. As someone in a work situation, here are some statistics from the 64 incidents documented by the FBI that should give you pause for thought:

• All but six of the shooters were male, nearly always acting alone.
• In about 10% of the incidents, male shooters targeted current and former wives and girlfriends.
• Other family members were targeted almost as often.
• Almost all of the shooters had a “real or perceived, deeply held personal grievance.”
• Shooters were inspired by and copied other attacks.

Are there warnings?

As we have learned, many – although certainly not all – shooters have been identified by family, fellow students or co-workers as exhibiting disturbing behavior well before they go on their killing spree. Even psychologists or other professionals have known of these people’s troubles.

Unfortunately, most people do not say anything for fear of civil lawsuits or for fear of being branded alarmists.

Take a look at your own school or workplace. Are you all watching out for fellow students or co-workers?  Are you aware of some of the most common triggers for violence, such as divorce, financial problems, or other legal issues? Do you have someone to whom you can report unusual or threatening behavior without fear of reprisal?

You may not be able to stop a shooter event. However, you may be able to save lives by making sure everyone knows the survival principles illustrated in Run, Hide, Fight.

The principles aren’t difficult, but having them top of mind could make all the difference.

Share the video!

We are planning to show the video in two weeks as part of our regular neighborhood emergency planning meeting. Some of the audience members will be very senior citizens; it will be interesting to see how they react.  I’ll report on how the showing goes!

And if you show it to your CERT team or your co-workers or classmates, let us know what questions it brings up.  We want to share every good idea we can. Here’s the link to the video again, http://youtu.be/5VcSwejU2D0?hd=1

Virginia 
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

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I admit, the word “preparedness” is pretty dull. Besides, it has too many syllables.

On the other hand, “alive” is exciting! Easy to say, easy to grasp!

How do we convert “dull and boring” into “interesting” if not actually into “fun and exciting?”

The answer: “Questions for Survival!”

If you’ve been reading our Advisories, you know that for the past dozen years Joe and I have worked closely with our community emergency response team.

And for 12 years, we’ve done our best to convert staid old “preparedness,” and its cousins “advance planning” and “disaster prevention” into bits and pieces of information that will help keep people interested – and alive.

I just counted: we’ve published 109 Advisories on these topics!

1. We’ve tried guilt. “How will you feel when your children turn to you and ask why you don’t have any food for them?”
2. We’ve used cynicism. “Oh sure, the authorities will come to rescue us . . .some day!”
3. We’ve appealed to the universal love of gadgetry. “The best single tool you have ever balanced in your hand!”
4. Competition works sometimes. “Don’t let someone else take credit for the work you’ve put in.”
5. Then there’s plain old fear. “Buried under a pile of rubble, will you be able to signal where you are? Will people even be looking for you there?”

All these approaches work to a certain extent. When we see that people have been looking at our equipment reviews, or commenting on our blog posts, or actually buying emergency supplies, we know it’s all worth it!

But, of course, we can’t stop.

Awareness is a perpetual mindset.

If preparedness is important to you, YOU can’t stop reminding other people about its importance, either.

So here’s another tool for you to use to turn a preparedness conversation from something boring into something that could be really interesting!

Questions for Survival – Series One

This is a series of simple “problems” that you are likely to face if, for example, the electrical power goes out.  Some ways to use the list:

• At home.

Bring up one or a group of related problems at the dinner table. Spend 5 minutes, or twice that, coming up with solutions. You’ll be amazed at what family members will come up with (or maybe WON’T come up with) – and having once talked about it, they’ll be ready to respond when the problem really occurs.

• In a group.

Use a few of the questions to stimulate discussion at work, or in a group setting at your church, your child care center, your AA meeting, wherever. You may uncover some things that people have completely overlooked BECAUSE IT WASN’T THEIR JOB! Interesting how disasters don’t discriminate . . .!

• Forward to others.

Our goal is simple: to make people aware of potential risks, give them a sense of confidence that they will know what to do and thus have the best possible chance of surviving whatever emergency arises!

Click here to get your free copy of “Whew. I’m alive! Now what?! — Questions for Survival”

And share it!  Simply forward this email to friends, or via Facebook. We’re busy putting the finishing touches on Series Two, and will have it out soon.

Don’t miss any of them!

Joe and Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

Where’s the radio?

The recent earthquake in Napa, California happened at 3:20 a.m. The electricity immediately went out, so no TV, no radio, no news! And for most people, no light. If you have seen any pictures of the insides of their homes, with furniture tipped over and everything strewn around, you can imagine how terrifying and how dangerous the situation was.

So it’s back to the basics. Having a good battery-operated or crank emergency radio HANDY will provide news and light to help you navigate the disaster. You can get a very serviceable radio for under $50, and more elaborate ones for less than $100. You probably want more than one radio.

I went back to our radio reviews to be sure that our recommendations still hold.

The best emergency radio of the bunch: Ambient Weather

The least expensive of the radios we tested is still the best, overall.  It’s the Ambient Weather Adventurer.  Sturdy, compact, lightweight. Charge it by cranking or with solar, and when fully charged it can power your phone. Use it to get NOAA weather alerts and local news.

As you know we use Amazon to deliver our recommendations, so I went further into the Ambient Weather site as well as the Amazon site to see what else I could find.

There are a couple of newer, more powerful models.

Add a siren: The original model 111 that we own has been upgraded to the model 112 with the addition of an emergency siren, a flashing red light (there’s already a really good   regular LED flashlight), and some internal improvements for charging. You have the option of getting a whole “connections” package to hook up to your various electronic devices.

Add AAA batteries:  The 333 models add AAA batteries to the mix, giving you a sixth way to charge the radio. (It already comes with a Lithium-ion battery, has solar, connects to AC — the wall — and DC — car battery — can charge from your computer, and, of course, cranks.) In direct sunlight the 333 will charge itself and play continuously, which means it’s pretty strong. (No solar charging at 3:20 a.m., of course.)

Add Shortwave:  All these radios have Digital AM/FM and NOAA Weather Alert channels; the 335 models add shortwave. According to the description, the 335 can charge your cell phone, MP3, MP4, Kindle, iPod, iPad, and iPhone. And your computer. The package comes with various adapter cords including, of course, an AC adapter.

From our experience with shortwave radios, if this is important to you, you may want to spend time looking at some of the other radios on our list that specialize in shortwave.  Professional shortwave (with fine tuning ability, for example) adds cost and you really want to be sure you have top-rated equipment if this is what you need.

We’ve added more to the reviews of the other radios in our list, too.

We have added new remarks to all our Radio Reviews, and upgraded to newer models.  Before you buy, take a look at all the comments here.

But do buy. Having an emergency radio that works is essential. And knowing you can get to it in the dark at 3:20 a.m. makes sense, too.

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide team

P.S. Don’t let your good intentions fade.  Sign up below to get regular reminders and tips.

Got a flyer in the mail, today. On the front, this statistic:

• 94% of small business owners believe a disaster could seriously disrupt their business within the next two years!

And then, reading on a bit further:

• 74% of small businesses do not have a disaster recovery plan.
• An estimated 40% of businesses do not reopen following a major disaster.

So if you own or work for a small business, let me ask you,

Just how secure do you think your job is?!

The chances that you DO work for a small business are pretty good. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2011 99.7 percent of all businesses had fewer than 500 workers, and 89.8 percent of them had fewer than 20 workers!

So combine the statistics from the flyer with the statistics from the government, and you can see why I am addressing this message to the small business owners and employees in the big bucket.

Disaster Preparedness Academy

But back to the flyer that started this off. It is a promotion for a 2-day conference being held in October in Anaheim, California (home of Disneyland – one of the sponsors).

The DPA has been in business for some 30 years; this year’s Academy presents 23 workshops in eight tracks.  Two of the tracks are specifically for business: Workplace Preparedness and Workplace Recovery. 

Some of the sessions for business:

• Communicating the Unexpected “through the chaos”
• Maximizing Your Disaster Cost Recovery; Lessons from Joplin, MO. (“Cost recovery can last years . . .”)
• Where Do Your Emergency Management Professional Skills Stack Up? (“Are you beginning, intermediate or advanced?”)

Other tracks include Seismic Safety, Terrorism/Active Shooter and School/University Preparedness.

Now, I would certainly attend this conference if they offered a “trade show floor only” ticket.  (That’s often the most valuable part of any conference, in my opinion!) The list of presenters – 27 of them – is impressive, and the cost is reasonable: under $250 for the two days.

Getting out of the big bucket

But the question I have for you today is . . .

What is YOUR business doing to get out of the big bucket that is NOT prepared, and into the smaller bucket – that is, the bucket of businesses that have emergency plans, have invested in emergency supplies, and practice emergency training on a regular basis?

If you think you’re still in the big bucket, there’s a lot you can do, even if you don’t own the business. For example, you can . . .

• Find out about conferences being held in your local area and ask if someone from the company is attending. If not, ask if you can attend.
• Sign up on your own for Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training either with a local group or online. If you can get a whole team interested, they may put on a course just for your company!
• Download our Emergency Plan Guide Seven-Steps poster, talk it up and post it up in the coffee room. https://emergencyplanguide.org/work/seven-steps/

Something’s going to happen one of these days.

At the risk of being too blunt, I can say that you will feel pretty dumb if you have done nothing to prepare your company to survive an emergency.  And you’ll feel even worse when you and your family discover you are out of a job.

Let’s work on creating awareness and action together. Let us know what YOU are doing this week to raise the issue of emergency preparedness at work by leaving a comment in the box!

We are ALL looking forward to what you have to say!

Virginia Nicols
Your Emergency Plan Guide team

Do you recognize this warning?

Do you have basic survival gear packed and ready? The dozen or so basics plus personal items? Water for at least three days?

What about supplies for the longer term?

Enough for 10-14 days

We work on a 10-14 day plan, since that’s how long it could take in a widespread emergency for rescue workers and government agencies or the Red Cross to reach us. And when we look at that time frame, we see an immediate problem. It’s medicines.

Many prescriptions can’t be renewed in advance.

Most medical and pharmaceutical offices have a policy of not renewing prescriptions until the last possible minute – that is, not until the current supply is exhausted, or, at the most, 2-3 days before the last pill or dose is due.

On its surface this seems like a rational policy, and, of course, is probably the best way to manage inventory.

But, on closer examination, the logic breaks down completely. If the disaster hits when you’re down to your last 3 or 4 pills, you could be facing a compound emergency.

“Do not skip doses or discontinue.”

You may survive the disaster only to have created a medical emergency for yourself! How often have you seen a message like the one in the image:  “Do not skip doses or discontinue unless directed by your doctor.”

Power outages will make purchasing medicines impossible.

Following a major disaster, entire regions may be without electricity. This means ATMs, credit cards, and gas stations won’t be working. Mail won’t be delivered.

This also means medical offices and pharmacies, along with all other businesses in the region, may be closed entirely. It could be days or weeks before life returns to normal – and thus days or weeks before you can get your prescription refilled in the normal way.

Discuss this with your physician and pharmacist.

Could your first prescription be renewable after two weeks instead of only after 30 days? Or could the initial prescription contain enough for 45 days, and not just the usual 30? You’d then at least have a chance of having enough pills so you could continue your prescribed treatment even if your normal source of medicines is unavailable.

We suggest that you have this discussion with your physician and/or your pharmacist. Surely they will see the logic of your request — unless they simply don’t see the benefit of preparing for emergencies. You might want to put your request in writing to get “on the record” and give them something to work with.

Consider this fall-back strategy.

In the face of this problem, we order refills as soon as we can: in 25 or 26-day increments. This gives us the chance to build up an extra 14-day supply, 3 or 4 pills at a time.

We keep the extras in our survival kit, rotating them regularly to be sure they are fresh. Naturally, this means the kit has to be opened up and closed up again pretty often.

It seems a shame to have to “outwit the system” this way, but when health (or even survival) is at stake, it’s simply necessary.

Don’t overlook this survival kit item.

If you know friends or family dependent on medications, send this post to them and suggest they print off a copy for their doctor and their pharmacist. And encourage them to consider how they will get that extra 10-14 days’ supply of prescription medicines to keep them going in an emergency.

Emergency Plan Guide
Joe Krueger and Virginia Nicols

Remember 1982? E.T. had a problem! He’d been accidentally left behind by his family of extra-terrestrials. In the film, he built a communicator that magically reached them through space, and he was able to “go home.”

Today, you won’t have to invent a new device on the spot if communications go down at your business.

VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) has some magical features you may be able to plug into immediately.

Imagine this scenario.

Your business is located in the center of an area where a severe storm has crippled communications. Phone lines are down, cell towers are down, electricity is out.

Your business is “dead in the water!” How long can it survive if customers, suppliers or the bank can’t get through?

VOIP may mean they WILL get through!

Because it is based on the cloud, if you or one of your employees can access the internet from anywhere, you can still conduct business. With VOIP, all you have to do is get online to your account and reprogram your service to allow employees to work from home or from any remote location. For example, with VOIP you can:

• If possible, physically take your phones with you when you evacuate the office and plug them in at a new location.
• Forward the office main line to ring to your personal home or mobile phone.
• Forward lines to home computers to handle voicemail and for softphone (internet) calls.
• Add temporary extra lines to handle a higher volume of emergency calls.
• Add new greetings to let callers know office hours have changed.
• Set up conference or teleconference calls.

Get set up before the emergency.

Naturally, you need to have your plan in advance for re-programming the system in an emergency. And everyone needs to know how to use all the features of the system.

(Consider having everyone work from home from time to time – maybe just a half-day? – to practice.)

There are a number of VOIP services; prices start at 10/mo.; most are around $25/mo. and depend on features, number of lines, number of minutes you need, whether you call internationally, etc. You can check some of them out here: http://voip-service-review.toptenreviews.com/

VOIP has become an important option to consider for business communications and continuity. Check it out for YOUR business.

Virginia Nicols
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

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