UPDATED SEPTEMBER 9, 2018.

Yes, it’s fun to pull together survival kits for yourself and family members. For some of us, getting more and better survival gear turns out to be a sort of addiction! (A healthy addiction, we believe.) And creating family plans is satisfying, even though they require constant updating.

But once your immediate household is organized, what then?

When the emergency hits, are your neighbors going to be knocking on your door, looking for help?

They may. And you may not want or be able to help them.

The only way to solve this problem is to encourage neighbors and co-workers to be as prepared as you are!

We have devoted a lot of our time over the past 15 years to helping our neighbors get prepared, trained and organized.  If you’ve been reading our Advisories, you know about some of what we’ve done.

Now we’re adding one more piece to the puzzle.

Building a Neighborhood Emergency Preparedness Team — getting more attention.

About 3 years ago, we started a whole new section on building a neighborhood group. Here’s how we started that section:

1. Step One was to pull together all our original material on team-building that we’ve created for Emergency Plan Guide readers. That list starts at the bottom of this post.
2. Step Two was to reach out to other organizations around the U.S. for their best ideas. In fact, many of our blog posts already link to others’ stories and skills, and we’ve added more and more.
3. Step Three was to solicit specific input for Emergency Plan Guide readers. We continue to do this, and you can help by referring us to people or sources you know, or by suggesting a topic you’d like to know more about. We’ll track down and share the best info we can find!

Let’s start with resources for those people who have already made the commitment to starting or building a neighborhood group.

We assume that as the leader, you will have found a way to get formal CERT training for yourself.  Not all members of your team may get training, but you need the framework and vocabulary of CERT so that your group can work effectively together and with local first responder teams.

So to start with Step One for building a neighborhood emergency preparedness team . . .

. . .here is a list of some original material from the Emergency Plan Guide collection. Most of this is ready for download as is, with the first couple of handbooks available for purchase.  We hope you’ll find what you need for YOUR group!

Comprehensive training manuals

• The Neighborhood Disaster Survival Series — our 4 books aimed at building groups in different kinds of neighborhoods. Each book is over 100 pages filled with specific steps and suggestions based on 15 years of growing our own group.  The books are at Amazon, in ebook (downloadable) or paperback.
• Meeting Ideas — A collection of meeting ideas, with a list of what you’ll need, how best to schedule the activities, what to watch out for, etc. $10 at Amazon. Get more details by clicking the link.

Stand-alone subjects for training or discussion

• UPDATED! How to Recruit Volunteers — We just updated this list. Download your copy now!
• How to Hold a Great Meeting — Event-planning basics that you’re probably familiar with, but that can help others on your team get up to speed. Since we started our own group, we’ve been able to provide a great overhead projection and sound system for our guest speakers.  That helps, as long as you have some skilled audio-visual people on hand!
• Finding Leaders — Every member of your team needs to be able to step up to lead. After all, when the emergency hits, you can’t be sure who will be on hand.
• Active Shooter Event — Worth a discussion, particularly given recent developments here and abroad.
• For more, just click on NEIGHBORHOOD in the category listing in the sidebar to the right.

Possible group investments

• Walkie-Talkies for Group Communications — We use our hand-held radios (walkie-talkies) every month and for many non-emergency events.
• Community Cache of Supplies — Read about our group’s decision in this regard.
• Financing Serious Emergency Equipment — These are items that take some real cash and consideration.

More to come! (Be sure to sign up to get our Advisories so you don’t miss anything!)

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

P.S. Step Two for Building a Neighborhood Emergency Preparedness Team is to reach out to other organizations. Just last week you saw the results of some of our outreach when we wrote about the Lamorinda California CERT team’s upcoming meeting. Please share what YOUR group is doing!

Have a flyer ready before the emergency!

When it comes to emergency planning for seniors, the basics really aren’t that different. After all, I am a senior myself and I don’t consider myself so different!

But . . . there are some issues that we face in our community-of-a-certain-age. This week, when I received info about a program being sponsored by one of the Northern California CERT groups, it caught my “senior” eye.

Interested residents of Lafayette, Moraga and Orinda are invited to a special meeting sponsored by the Lamorinda CERT: “Bring Your Stuff Workshop”

The agenda is very comprehensive. CERT members will be checking on 25 different emergency planning items for workshop participants. You may want the whole list, but for today, here are . . .

Three important issues that apply particularly to emergency planning for seniors.

Could any or all of these could be the subject for YOUR next workshop?

1. Getting an emergency alert in a timely fashion – including at night.
2. Having copies of important documents in case you need to evacuate.
3. Having a Lost Pet Flyer as part of your pet’s survival kit.

Let’s take a look.

1-Alerts are especially important for emergency planning for seniors.

Some of our neighbors are pretty anti-social. They actually have turned off the phone service here in our community that is aimed at promoting various social events, announcing utility turn-offs, etc.

Some of our neighbors are hard of hearing and when they take out their hearing aids at night, they are unable to wake for a phone call or even for police pounding on the door!

(There are special alert phones for people with hearing difficulties. These phones have loud alarms; some vibrate and blink. The best ones can be programmed to suit the kinds of weather disasters you could expect (tornado, for example), and to turn off those that don’t apply (flooding). And some of them allow for an extra strong strobe light to be attached. See research report at the end of the Advisory.)

Even when they hear the alert, seniors may need more time to get organized — so it’s important that we find out about danger right away!

Now, most people DO have cell phones. So the Lamorinda group is planning to individually help all their workshop participants:

• Sign up for their local community warning system and/or any regional alert systems.
• Add ICE (In Case of Emergency) contact information to their phones – including local non-emergency numbers.
• Make sure the people know how to get to the ICE numbers in an emergency!

2-Emergency planning for seniors needs to include getting copies of important documents!

This is a tough one for elderly people. First, the older you are, the more saved documents you may have. Some are irreplaceable because they were generated before the era of computer data bases. Many of the documents are odd sizes, faded, etc. making a commercial copying job expensive. Second, very few of my senior neighbors have scanning capabilities at home. Third, there’s the issue of privacy.

(A year or so ago we considered putting out a call to neighbors offering to scan their documents, but then we withdrew the offer, not being able to guarantee security.)

The Lamorinda group, which is holding its meeting at the local library and putting it on in conjunction with the police department, will be doing the scanning “in a secure environment with law enforcement present to eliminate privacy fears.”

They will also have thumb drives for sale so people can carry their documents home with them with the matching thumb drive tucked right into a purse or pocket!

3-Seniors who are pet owners need to have the proper ID and protections for their pet.

At nearly every meeting of our neighborhood group we discuss emergency planning for pets. For example, at our recent “show and tell” meeting we were able to compare a couple of different pet carriers, we discussed the importance of the right pet food (and what happens when a pet eats strange food), and, of course, we talked about leashes, collars (including glow-in-the-dark collars), and identifying a lost pet via an embedded microchip.

(Please note: microchips do NOT have GPS and are not designed to track your lost pet. The microchip has a registration number and a phone number of the registry for that particular brand of chip. A person with a handheld scanner (the vet) can read the chip and find the owner.)

At the Lamorinda meeting, pet owners will be helped to create a custom Lost Pet Poster to help save time in an emergency. The images at the top of this Advisory are examples of free templates.

You could consider having the basic flyer already prepared, with photo, name, etc., and then, as necessary, fill in the appropriate emergency phone number.

In any case, if everyone has to evacuate, you cannot assume that your local copy shop or your friendly computer whiz neighbor will be available to design and run out copies  for you!

I’m always on the lookout for meeting ideas, and I think all three of these are excellent. I will be checking in with my friend at Lamorinda CERT to see how their meeting actually goes, and and I’ll let you all know.  In the meanwhile, perhaps you could start planning on a similar meeting for YOUR group. (And if you want the full agenda from Lamorinda please let me know.)

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

Extra: Research Report on Emergency Alert Equipment for People Who are Hard of Hearing

Special alarms for hard of hearing: Three years ago our community participated with the local fire department to have over 400 smoke alarms installed. During that event I became aware of the challenges that some neighbors had in being able to hear the alarms, particularly at night. Ultimately we were able to get a couple of special smoke alarms installed that activated blinking lights and made the whole bed vibrate.

This week, as I followed up on the Bring Your Stuff Workshop, I checked again for emergency alerts. What’s available is essentially the same sort of technology as we found with the smoke alarms: louder alarms, strobe lights and vibrators. When it comes to emergency alerts, however, these “extras” are connected to a special NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Weather Alert radio

NOAA radios at the center. Unlike a regular AM/FM radio, weather alert radios sound an alarm even if the radio is in standby mode. NOAA weather alert radios with S.A.M.E. (Specific Area Message Encoding) technology allow you to enter local county codes and eliminate alerts that are not within your programmed Specific Area.

Weather Alert radios are available costing anywhere from $30 to $100 dollars. We have reviewed several of them on our Best Emergency Radios page.

We have bought Midland. When it comes to radios with more options for readability and hearability, we have chosen Midland for closer examination. We use Midland handheld radios in our neighborhood emergency response group and have found that although the models are frequently upgraded, the quality is consistently reliable.

Below is the latest Weather Alert radio from Midland. (Model 400) Notice the three color-coded alert levels: advisory (yellow), watch (orange) and warning (red). And the written alert TORNADO WARNING is big enough to read easily. You can program the radio for up to 25 counties, and it will announce alerts for 80 different weather hazards and emergencies including Biological Hazard Warnings, Fire Warnings and even Child Abduction Emergencies (Amber Alerts). This model has a USB port that allows you to charge devices directly from the radio. Includes an AC power adapter but can use four AA alkaline batteries for emergency power back-up (not included).

Earlier versions of this radio have a white or gray case, and the warning messages are black on gray.  (Not so easy to read in my opinion.) They do have the same NOAA alerts (only 60 of them!). AM/FM radio with alarm buzzer and battery back-up in case power goes out.

Click on the image or the link for full details and to check the current price at Amazon.

Midland Consumer Radio Weather Radio All Hazard Radio Gray (WR400)

And here’s an attachable strobe light that would improve the value of the radio for people with hearing problems.

Strobe for Midland Public Alert Weather Radio

We have several NOAA Weather Alert radios in our house. I recommend you consider one, too, and not just for someone who doesn’t hear very well! We all deserve to get warnings of impending emergencies as soon as possible!

How confident are you about your neighbors’ level of preparedness?

The title of this Advisory is taken from our Neighborhood Disaster Survival Guides. If you’ve looked at one of the Guides, you’ll remember that Part One is titled “Your Personal Safety,” and Part Two is titled, “Counting On Your Neighbors.”

• How confident are you about your neighbors?
• Are they prepared for emergencies?
• Would they be able to step up to help you, or others?
• Would they be able to evacuate?

Heck, do you even KNOW your neighbors?

Every community is different, of course. And the make up of communities can change rather quickly. So while a couple of years ago you could answer the questions above, you may not be so sure today.

That’s why building a local Neighborhood Emergency Response Team that keeps going is so important!

Our neighborhood keeps changing.

Our local community here is pretty diverse, and as residents move out and in, we’re getting ever more new neighbors who . . .

• don’t know what threats they should anticipate (earthquake, tsunami, flood?)
• don’t know about our city and county emergency services
• have never even heard of emergency preparedness.

Moreover, many of our new neighbors do not speak English as a first or even second language.

When someone asks me, “Are you counting on your neighbors?” it’s tough to answer affirmatively!

How to reach new neighbors?

I’ve written before about some of the activities we’ve sponsored in order to attract interest, educate neighbors, etc.

(One of the most popular was putting a bottle of water on each doorstep with a message saying, “Here’s a start for your own emergency supply kit. Don’t expect your neighbors to do anything more . . .!”  Well, it didn’t say that exactly, but that was the message!)

Today I wanted to report on yet another outreach event that happened just last week. It was a first for us.

Pick a specific target audience.

A growing number of our senior neighbors are coming directly from China and Taiwan. They haven’t lived in the U.S. before, so while they may know a few words of English, it’s not something they used in daily life or even studied in school. (Today, of course, all Chinese school children are learning English.)

Engaging these folks in our emergency response activities was pretty impossible until we tried several things:

1. A few of our community leaders got together to teach a series of informal English classes. The classes were fun and funny – and students and teachers got to know one another.
2. After the classes were over, some of the Chinese-speaking students kept meeting. One of their standing “agenda items” is to go over the community calendar with a group leader who translates everything.
3. Finally, after our city’s CERT group came to give a presentation to our entire resident community, the Chinese-speaking group leader and I decided to put on a repeat performance – just for the Chinese speakers.

That’s the picture you see above. Our evening started with a pot luck dinner, then continued for a full 90 minutes while our Mandarin-speaking police officer went through the basics of emergency planning, earthquake preparedness etc. She was talented and the audience was totally engaged!

I even sneaked in another English lesson. And I passed along the discount coupons made available by our local hardware store.

Follow up!

As a result of this meeting, my own circle of friends has expanded. (My Chinese vocabulary remains stuck at 3 words.) I’m working with the leader and her core group to make sure these folks get more good training on a regular basis. First on the agenda, a great handout – in Chinese – from the Earthquake Country Alliance.

The group members are all looking forward to the training, and actually to a repeat visit from the policewoman. I’m looking forward to counting on these neighbors when the disaster hits!

Expect some push-back.

A couple of days after the dinner meeting, I mentioned it in a different setting. A long-time neighbor commented: “Well, as long as we keep doing things for them in their own language they will never learn English.”

Hm. I agree with that statement. I think everyone in the U.S. should learn English. (That’s why I was part of the teaching team! For that matter, I’ve taught ESL in a variety of settings over the years.)

But when it comes to an emergency, I am not willing to watch people get into trouble – or get ME into trouble – when some basic information would make all the difference!

And at Emergency Plan Guide the concept of “us” vs. “them” isn’t too popular! We don’t think anyone is unworthy of assistance or training. Our goal is all-inclusive — to help individuals and their communities become stronger and more resilient.

Where do you go from here to have a better chance of counting on your neighbors?

What challenges do you have in organizing YOUR community? What successes have you had in attracting people to emergency preparedness activities? What hasn’t worked? Who have you called on as resources?

Please send a message and share a story about your best meeting, of just drop your story into the comment box below to share with everyone!!

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide team

P.S. I’ve mentioned a few resources in this Advisory. Here are some direct links if you want to track them down:

• The Neighborhood Disaster Survival Series —  Each of the three books in the Community series has hundreds of ideas for building a neighborhood group and a “durable” emergency preparedness plan.
• Message in a Bottle This is an inexpensive, one-time activity designed to remind everyone in the community about building up a supply of emergency food and water.
• Partnership with the Local Hardware Store  You may be familiar with multi-tools or gas-shut-off wrenches or fire starters, but that doesn’t mean everyone is. Here’s how we partnered with our local hardware store for a great show-and-tell meeting.

What are the chances of you or Mom ending up in a nursing home?

Updated statistics will be coming out after the next census, but right now it looks as though the chances of a senior citizen spending time in a nursing home or skilled care facility are about 1 in 4.

This should immediately bring to mind the 14 people who died last year in Florida when their nursing home air conditioning failed. You may even remember tragic images from Katrina.

Reassure yourself about emergency preparedness in care facilities you are considering!

I’ve been searching for professional advice on this topic, and I found it on one of my LinkedIn groups.  After a series of back and forth messages, Nicholas Thorpe kindly agreed to provide Emergency Plan Guide readers with questions to ask.

You’ll see that his questions fit right in with the way we try to learn more about being better prepared.  Please check out his expert article below, and share with other family members and friends. 

Long-Term Care and Emergency Preparedness — Knowing the Right Questions to Ask

By Nicholas Thorpe,  8/2/2018

When considering long-term care facilities, we all look to ratings, accreditations and high standards.  One of the most overlooked considerations, however, is emergency and disaster preparedness.  Does the facility you are considering have plans in place for adverse conditions, be it man-made or natural disaster?

New rules for emergency preparedness in care facilities are now in effect.

Following Hurricane Katrina, the Center for Medicare/Medicaid Services (CMS) began to work on new rules to govern how emergency preparedness should be handled at various medical facilities. In the fall of 2017, the new rules for emergency preparedness went into effect for seventeen (17) health care provider types (to include long-term care facilities). These rules are meant to correct the lack of preparedness that was seen following Hurricane Katrina and other major disasters.

These seventeen (17) provider types are now required to be in compliance with the emergency preparedness rule as part of their eligibility to receive reimbursement for services and care through Medicare and Medicaid. These rules can be found on the CMS website at New Rules .

My role now in a health care preparedness coalition in central North Carolina is to work with health care facilities so they are better prepared for emergencies and disasters and to help them comply with the new CMS emergency preparedness rule.

Ten questions to ask as you evaluate emergency preparedness in care facilities.

The following questions will help you evaluate the level of emergency preparedness as you consider care facilities for your family member:

1. Are you regulated by CMS and do you comply with the new Emergency Preparedness Rule?
   1. Have you been surveyed recently?
2. What methods will you use to contact me should something happen to my family member or following an emergency or disaster?
   1. Do you have any additional methods you can utilize to contact me?
   2. Who/how can I contact the facility to learn the status of my family member during/following an emergency or disaster?
3. Does your facility have a way to transport residents that is not reliant on local emergency services agencies in the event an evacuation is necessary?
4. Does your facility have any agreements in place with other sites to relocate residents in the event of an evacuation?
5. Does your facility have a generator that powers the HVAC system (heating and air conditioning) and refrigeration for the entire facility?
6. How many extra days of food do you have on site should your supply chain be disrupted?
7. How is security maintained in the facility?
8. Has your staff had active shooter response training?
9. Is your staff trained in providing first aid, CPR, and applying tourniquets?
10. How often do you practice emergency procedures that aren’t fire drills?

Choosing a facility should not be solely based on how prepared it is for an emergency. How it is prepared, however, should be high on your list of criteria when deciding who should take care of the people who mean the most to you.

Nicholas Thorpe works for the CapRAC Healthcare Preparedness Coalition in Raleigh, North Carolina.  He has completed more than 1,000 hours of emergency preparedness training, trained over 200 first responders and over 1,000 volunteers in emergency management procedures. Nicholas holds a Graduate Certificate in Homeland Security from the George H.W. Bush School of Public Service at Texas A&M University, and a Bachelor of Arts in history with a minor in political science from The American University in Washington, DC.

Please share this important information widely. There are other questions you can add to this list, but these will get the conversation started.

Thanks again to Nicholas!

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide team

A couple of years ago we wrote an article that’s a good companion to this one: Leave the disabled behind? 
This is a topic we’ll be addressing more in the future.

At any given moment, take a look to your left. Then to your right. If disaster hits right now, one of those people is going to be your “first responder!”

Given what you see, what are your chances???

“We are all in this together.”

Here at Emergency Plan Guide you’ll see our wholistic approach again and again: “We are all it this together.” That’s why we extend our concern beyond individuals to the groups they find themselves in.

In our new book, Emergency Preparedness for Small Business , we point out the many groups connected to a business. Here’s an abbreviated look at some of them, and how they fit into the “wholistic” approach.

Every business community plays a role in YOUR business’s ability to survive a disaster, . . . and needs to be included in your “wholistic” emergency preparedness plan.

Your relationship with each of these groups can impact your brand and your reputation. Your community relationships impact your employees’ skill levels and quality of life. And your communities play a role in your ability to respond to emergencies.

If you’re a business owner or an employee, are you including these communities in your wholistic planning? 

What follows are excerpts from Chapter 3 in the book. (More communities are identified there.)

-The physical location

If you are in a business or industrial location your primary official contacts are likely the city government and local fire department. They will be concerned about providing immediate response to the threat of toxic chemicals, fire, flood, etc.

Other nearby businesses will have the same concerns – and will compete for the same official resources.

If your business is located near (or in) a residential area, nearby residents may have additional concerns about safety and security, including the company being prone to looting or other potential lawless activity.

-Employees and their family members

Communications with staff and family members are absolutely critical.

You probably already have an Emergency Contact form for employees. Does it have contact info for ALL family members plus an out-of-area contact? Do you know about special skills employees may bring to the emergency response table?

-First Responders, hospitals and other health care resources

How close are you to fire and rescue installations, hospitals, emergency care facilities? Under normal conditions, how long does it take them to respond to an alarm in your neighborhood?

Within your organization, what medically trained people are available, and what first aid and medical supplies do you have on hand for them to use?

-Utilities

Have you met with representatives of your different utility companies? What is their ability to respond to disruptions? Who in your organization should be trained on utility protocols?

-Telecommunications Companies

What level and type of services do you receive for voice, data, internet, video and restoration services in an emergency?

-Local, State and National Governments

What kind of resources can be mobilized at the local city level to deal with a crisis? The county or state level? How/when could you receive assistance from a National Guard deployment? FEMA?

-Stakeholders

Keeping the various stakeholders (board of directors, financial advisors, etc.) apprised of business conditions is an important management commitment. All stakeholder groups will have questions and will likely demand updates as to the company’s status in an emergency.

-Suppliers and business partners

What contingency plans do your suppliers have in case they run into problems?

-Customers

How will you support customers – local, long-distance, international – if the business is interrupted? How will customers be contacted in an emergency?

-Social Media

We have seen repeatedly how “news” of emergencies spreads dramatically via smartphones. Keeping the company’s messaging consistent to prevent rumors and speculation is a primary requirement in an emergency. Do you have protocols set up?

OK. These aren’t all the “communities” associated with a business. One of the reasons they all need to be considered?

Neighboring business communities may have conflicting interests in a disaster.

Bear in mind that the interests of these different groups can vary greatly.

Most will likely be sympathetic to your emergency situation and even helpful in the recovery process. Others may jump at the opportunity to take advantage of your problems. Still others might feel you were negligent in not taking reasonable or sufficient precautions to protect them from your problem – not to mention protecting your own employees, visitors, etc.

As always, thinking your situation through before an emergency hits will help you anticipate everything that could go wrong – and help you start setting priorities for building the processes and the relationships within the community that will make your response easier and more effective.

You might want to take another, closer look at Emergency Preparedness for Small Business. You can see the entire Table of Contents at Amazon.  

Virginia and Joe
Your Emergency Plan Guide team

P.S. We’re not lawyers but we have had enough business experience to be able to warn our readers of some of the legal dangers of not having a business emergency plan. We include those warnings in Chapter 8 in the Book.

Now available:

Emergency Preparedness for Small Business

The book that closes the gap in disaster survival between a business and its family communities.

The series expands: Emergency Preparedness for Small Business

No longer do small businesses have to put their business, their lives and their employees’ lives — and livelihood — at high risk in a catastrophic event. Emergency Preparedness for Small Business makes writing a simple Business Continuity Plan manageable and even easy. And we know that having that up-to-date, workable Plan improves the odds of business survival by an order of magnitude.

The foundation already exists.

This fourth book in the Neighborhood Disaster Survival Guide series has one unique purpose — to get business owners and leaders of their workforce community to adopt the widely acclaimed FEMA Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) process as an already-existing foundation for their Plan. CERT is provided free by over 2,500 cities and counties across the U.S. as well as on the FEMA website.

Authors Nicols and Krueger are themselves CERT graduates, and in the book have combined their years of working with business with their years of developing and leading a neighborhood emergency response team.

The first three books in the series were devoted to fulfilling the promise of CERT, giving individual members a way to leverage their training by reaching out and connecting neighbors and even whole neighborhoods.

This book extends CERT basics to the business community.

There’s no longer any excuse.

Joe Krueger says, “Whether you’re at home or at work, there’s no excuse for simply rolling the dice in an emergency. In fact, at work that attitude could be grounds for a lawsuit!”

Now businesses as well as neighborhoods have a simple roadmap for preparing for the natural disasters that threaten, as well as the even-more-frequent man-made ones. Each book presents options and real-life examples, offers step-by-step guidelines and adds references to dozens of other resources. There’s an occasional legal warning, too.

The message to all:

Disasters have surged 400% over the past 20 years – and they are bigger, often overwhelming official First Responders. It’s up to citizens to know what to expect and how to react, because they become the real “first responders!”

All 4 books are available as ebook or paperback at Amazon. Here are direct links:

1. Emergency Preparedness for Apartment Communities
2. Emergency Preparedness for Mobilehome Communities
3. Emergency Preparedness for Homeowner Communities
4. Emergency Preparedness for Small Business

When the disaster hits, it’s too late for preparing or for training.  Take the first step now.

Joe almost drowned.

It was summer in West Virginia and we were eagerly looking forward to our fourth river rafting trip. We had previously gone rafting in California so this would be a different sort of adventure.

Oh, it turned out to be different all right!

The rafting company was operated by the usual mix of tanned young outdoor types, who got us suited up with some smelly half-damp life vests and loaded us into a clumpy bus for the 20 minute ride to where we would put in.

I seem to recall that the trip included some Class III and just one set of Class IV rapids.  That’s where the raft simply rose up on one side and flipped Joe right out. We all laughed a bit and watched as he was swept ahead of us downriver. We couldn’t catch up right away so he rode the rapids the whole way, feet up in front to keep them from getting snagged, just as he was supposed to.

What we didn’t realize was that his life jacket wasn’t supporting him. Because it was already partly water-logged, and probably too small, every time he got his feet up his face went under. At the bottom of the rapids we finally pulled the raft up beside Joe. He stared up at us blankly, his chin under water, unable to speak or even reach out. Thank goodness the guide saw what was happening, reached over the side, grabbed the front of the vest with both hands and hauled Joe headfirst right over herself into the boat.

For the next 15 minutes Joe lay face down, gasping and coughing and hardly moving while the guide scrambled and got us a place to land. He didn’t say anything at all for the next couple of hours either, as we finished the run. (No more rapids.)

OK, you know he is now recovered. After all, that was a good 20 years ago. But we have never again gone rafting; the memory is just too painful for him.

What’s the point of the story? There are actually 2 of them.

• First, someone could be drowning and you might not even know it.
• Second, even a strong swimmer can be let down by bad equipment.

Here’s more . . .

Drowning doesn’t look like drowning.

I was reminded of our rafting story when I came across a super article last week published in one of my LinkedIn groups. It was written in 2010 by a Coast Guard rescue swimmer named Mario Vittone, published in the Coast Guard magazine, then republished and read 574,000 times since then! Here’s the link: http://mariovittone.com/2010/05/154/

If you don’t have time to read it right now, some highlights:

• Drowning is NOT what we see on T.V. – screaming, wild splashing, arms waving. In fact, drowning is deceptively quiet. That’s why we read so often of children drowning just a few yards from their parents or other adults. In fact, the CDC said 10 percent of parents watch their children drown because they don’t know it’s happening!
• Drowning people cannot call out. They are desperate for just one breath in before going under again.
• Drowning people cannot reach for a float or pole. They instinctively press down with their arms on the surface of the water to try to raise themselves.

Other signs: mouth at water level; head tilted back with mouth open; hair over eyes or face; eyes unable to focus; not using legs.

Joe fit all the symptoms. He was drowning.

Please become number 574,001 on the list of people who have read the WHOLE STORY  and know what to do in the 30 seconds or less you have to save someone.

Bad equipment is like no equipment.

If you’re using rental life vests – known as Personal Flotation Devices or PFDs — check them out thoroughly for fit and floatability. And, of course, the same with any life vests you intend to buy for your family.

Fit: My granddaughters are very young. They love their water wings and are fearless around deep water. However, like all kids they GROW. That means their parents are replacing not only swimsuits at least once a season, but also life vests/water wings and all other water paraphernalia.

It turns out that life vests may be measured by weight or by chest size or both. The vest that Joe was wearing on the river trip was measured by his chest size only – not by his total weight! A mistake!

For children, the most common mistake is a vest that is TOO BIG. It it’s too big, it can slide off or be so uncomfortable the kid takes it off.

For adults, particularly big ones with a belly measurement bigger than your chest measurement, using only chest size may suggest a vest that is TOO SMALL for you.

Take the time to be sure you have the right size!

Function: Different life vests are available for different water sports. For example, you can find vests specifically for learning to swim, for boating, paddle boarding, fishing, kayaking, etc. Then there’s a whole other series (tighter!) designed for more active water sports like waterskiing, wakeboarding or wake surfing. And there are newer waist vests that only inflate when you want to inflate them.

As always, one size or style doesn’t fit all. And people, being people, won’t wear a vest that is too uncomfortable. Shop to pick the best style for your body and your water plans – and always start with a vest that is U.S. Coast Guard approved.

Floatability: Joe’s vest may have been the right size, but it had not been properly taken care of. The nylon was ripped and inside foam was already water-logged, which meant the jacket could not keep his nose and mouth above water.

Now, not all vests are designed to do this even when they are new – so once again, take the time to figure out where you’ll be in the water (close to shore? raging river? out in the middle of Lake Superior?), what you’ll be doing (sailing? snorkeling? jumping off the rocks?) and who is likely to be nearby to help.

Here are some examples of life vests to get you started on your shopping. I picked these because they got good reviews from other buyers and because they offer features I’d want. I’ve given an idea of cost at Amazon — where we are associates — but be sure to click on the image or link to get the accurate price and delivery details. Different colors may cost different prices, and sometimes the best price doesn’t include shipping. Again, these are all-round, everyday vests. The cost of specialty vests for a particular sport can quickly reach $100 or more.

1-Infant/toddler swim vest that won’t accidentally come off.

For an infant or toddler weighing less than 30 pounds, this jacket has features you’d want to look for: a strap that goes between the legs so the vest can’t ride up or slip off; a grab handle at the top so you can easily scoop the baby out of the water. The most popular and cheapest model is blue. I’d choose red because it would be more visible in the water. On the day I searched for this, the cost was right around $20. US Coast Guard-approved, of course.

Classic Vest Infant/Red

2-Vest for child learning to swim.

The Body Glove vest below, with chest vest and arm bands, is designed to help a kid learn to swim. It is NOT a classic life vest like the red one above. Rather, it’s meant to be used where watchers are close by to give an immediate hand in case of trouble. What I think would be important is the fact that the child can’t take this off by him or herself! (Fastens in back.) For a child weighing 30-50 pounds. And naturally there are other “motifs” including mermaid and pirate. Great presents!  Prices range from $20-30.

Body Glove 13226H  Kids 13226M Paddle Pals Motion Swim Life Jacket, Race Car

3-Life jacket for active kids.

The kids I know would not be happy wearing a stiff or bulky life jacket and would surely find a way to get it off. This one they might leave on because it is slim and smooth and has 5 “built in” hinges for flexibility and comfort. (The flex-back jackets seem particularly popular for adults, too.) This fits kids from 50-90 lbs, comes in a different color scheme, too. (There are a number of vendors selling this jacket; only some are eligible for Amazon’s Prime. Check carefully.) Price on this one was $40-$50 the day I shopped.

Full Throttle Youth Hinged Rapid-Dry Flex-Back Vest, Blue/Green, Size Youth

4-Classic life vests for adults.

There are lots of choices for adults. The first one here seems to be a good all-round life vest. It features light-weight flotation foam covered with a smooth nylon shell. You can adjust buckles for comfort, and the vest has open sides for even more comfort. Cost is around $30.

Now, it says the vest is designed for adults weighing 90 pounds or more, but if I were BIG, I’d probably be looking at the second vest below, the red one, also made by Stearns.

Stearns Adult Watersport Classic Series Life Vest, Yellow

Compared to the Watersport Classic, the Classic vest from Stearns comes in larger sizes: “Oversized” and “Universal.” Read the instructions and dimensions to be sure to get the right one. This costs a few dollars less than the Watersport model above (three sets of buckles instead of 4?).

Stearns Adult Classic Series Vest, 3000001412, Red, Universal

In the U.S. there are about 10 deaths a day from drowning, and another 1 of drowning as a result of a boating-related incident.

You and family members will ALWAYS be around water, one way or another. Learn to swim. Learn more about water safety so you don’t become a statistic – and learn how to save someone who’s in trouble so they don’t become a statistic, either. There’s a simple “How to save someone from drowning” lesson here.

Oh, and don’t let our story about river rafting deter you. It is REALLY EXCITING and GREAT FUN! Just be sure your equipment is sound!

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide team

I first saw this “placebo” expression a week ago in an article on LinkedIn. I liked the article (about the failings of FEMA) and liked the expression, in particular. It inspired me to write again about survival kits!

Just as a reminder, a “placebo” is defined as “a harmless procedure prescribed more for a psychological benefit than for any physiological effect.” (Other words that appear in other definitions for placebo are “fake” and “inert.” I love words!)

Do you have a survival kit?

As you know, we recommend kits for everyone, and often more than one per person. One of our most widely read articles offers a handy chart  to help you figure out how many you need.

Could your current kit be considered a “placebo?”

• A harmless survival kit would probably be a kit that contains just a few miscellaneous items and hasn’t been updated or replenished in a long while. Actually, this kit might actually be harmful if you are counting on it to meet your needs in a real emergency.
• What psychological benefit do you get from your survival kit? Do you feel you’ve done your part? Taken all the steps that could logically be expected of you? Does your kit give you actual peace of mind?

How do you answer? Unfortunately, in answering this question, many people who own pre-built survival kits will have to agree that their kits ARE placebos.

What makes a “real” disaster kit?

It’s going to be one you built yourself!

Whether you call them disaster kits, preparedness kits, survival kits, 72-hour kits – doesn’t matter. Putting them together yourself offers important benefits.

• Figuring out where you need kits – at home, in the car, at work, at school, on vacation – starts you thinking about all the potential threats you and different family members face.
• Building a kit for yourself and another one for your 8-year-old makes you realize that one size does not fit all. Why, your identical twin would need different stuff than you need!
• Packing for self-sufficiency for 72 hours – and getting it all into a kit you can carry — makes you realize what is really essential and what is a convenience you can do without.
• Sorting through a first aid kit, a set of hand tools or a box of snacks forces you to evaluate benefits, uses, and quality of each item. You’ll discover you want the best, not the cheapest.

What goes into every “real” disaster survival kit?

I am assuming that since you’re reading this at Emergency Plan Guide, you already have an idea of the basic list.If you need a review, here’s a link to our lists. (The first list is the basic 72-hour list – pick what you can use.)

How should I customize my kits?

Here’s where your disaster kits stop being “placebos” and start being really meaningful to your successful survival!

We’ve pulled five interview questions from our Survival Kit Workbook, so they may be familiar to you. They’re worth answering again.

Question #1. What emergencies could actually arise?

Your answers will depend largely on where you live. For example:

• Sun. Say you live in the moderate climate of Southern California, and have everything organized for that. But, you decide to drive from LA to Las Vegas! Now that takes you into real desert! If your car broke down you would need MORE water, sunscreen, hats, dark glasses, maybe even reflectors (mylar space blankets) to stay alive! Add these items to your car kits as necessary. (Also, don’t start walking . . .)
• Damp. Whether you live in the jungle, or take a trip there, you don’t want to forget to pack a poncho and rain hat, mosquito repellent, snake bite kit, etc. Once again, your pre-built kit may have a poncho, but is VERY unlikely to have any of these other items. Don’t forget a plastic bag to pack INSIDE your kit to keep things dry, and another one to put OVER your kit to keep things dry!
• Cold. Most life-saving items for extreme cold won’t fit in a regular back-pack, so if you live or travel in these conditions, pack a second bag with gloves, boots, warm hat, a cold-weather sleeping bag, hand warmers, fire igniter.
• Coastal area. It’s probably going to be cold even in the best weather, so consider warm clothing. If there’s the possibility of flooding, have an escape tool that will get you out of a seatbelt and out of a car being threatened by deep water.
• Hurricane or tornado zone. You want to know when the storm is arriving! So have an emergency alert radio or mobile phone app for warnings. Have storm or rain gear. Consider tools to help you escape from a damaged building, and a signal device to warn rescuers if you can’t escape.
• Earthquake. Add to your escape tools and signaling devices some extra items to help with digging out – like gloves and a dust mask.

We’ve mentioned natural disasters. Don’t overlook man-made disasters that could require special equipment, too! The list is long: bomb blast, gas line leak, power failure, water supply problem, etc. We’ll take a look at the whole list another day. Back to the interview questions.

Question #2. Where am I likely to be when disaster strikes?

If you are a commuter or driver (soccer mom), you could be in your car. Your car survival kit should include the basics, plus specialty items like decent walking shoes, maps (GPS may be out.) and car safety gear in its own pack (flares, tools, etc.).

As a student away from home, your dorm room or apartment is where you’ll want to store your kit. Be sure it has the basics, plus a copy of the family emergency contact list!

If you are retired, spending most of your time at home in familiar surroundings, your kits can be handy in the closet or near the door. Don’t forget to include medicines enough for 3 days. (If you had to leave home, it might take that long to get hold of replacements.) How about glasses, hearing aids and batteries?

Do you have pets? They’ll need kits, too! Start with a container, and put into it leash, food, dish, pee pee mats and/or dog poop bags. Don’t forget medical needs and a photo ID of you and the pet together. (Don’t want a lost pet sent off with the wrong person.)

Question #3. How capable and strong am I?

There are some pre-built kits on the market that are very complete – and they weigh so much you probably can’t lift them! So, can the person the kit is meant for actually carry it? Unzip and unpack it? It makes no sense to have a full kit for someone who can only manage a half dozen items in an old purse.

Your general level of competence will also have something to do with whether you pack these items: cash, keys, copies of important documents (on flash drive, I hope).

Question #4. What skills do I have and what tools could I realistically use?

One of the most popular items for a kit is a multi-purpose tool, with knife blade, scissors, can opener, pliers, etc. However, not everyone can use one of these. Some people wouldn’t even be able to open it! Maybe a simple knife or pair of scissors would be better suited. Don’t include items – tools, medicines, rope, matches, weapons, etc. – that waste space or worse, become dangerous in the wrong hands.

Question #5. Where will I store my kit?

We already talked about this. The idea is to have the kit handy, so you can grab it and go.

It doesn’t make sense, by the way, to broadcast that this is a survival kit. Avoid bright red cases with the words “Emergency Supplies” on them! We prefer non-descript or even used backpacks or duffle bags.

Whew. We jumped right into this, didn’t we! But I am confident that if you answered all the interview questions, and made appropriate adjustments to your survival kits, not one of them could be considered a placebo.

Here at Emergency Plan Guide, our kits are “the real thing!”

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

P.S. What have you included in your survival kits that wasn’t mentioned here? Let us know so we can add it!

A blog post on emergency preparedness every single week?

Six years ago when I started writing the Advisories for Emergency Plan Guide, my daughter assured me that I’d have no problem coming up with an article every week.

“After all, Mom, you’ve always been indiscriminately curious.”

I’m not sure that was a compliment. But it IS the truth, so every week I am inspired to learn more and write about some aspect of preparedness. Sometimes they are pretty unconventional – like volcano insurance, or museum putty, or the difference between threat and risk.

But there’s one topic I don’t write about: guns.

You will have noticed that Joe and I pretty much stay away from writing about guns.

We take this editorial posture for several reasons:

• Our focus at Emergency Plan Guide is mostly on people working together to improve their chances in a disaster. When people use a gun in a civilian setting, it’s not usually an indication of “togetherness.”
• Most of our recommendations are for things that ordinary people can see the value of and can be put to use with minimal training. Guns take a whole lot of practice and STILL may not turn out to be effective. On the contrary . . .
• Our readers come from around the country and increasingly from around the world. (Recent subscribers have come from The Philippines and Spain.) Rules and regulations regarding firearms vary tremendously; I don’t want to get any reader into trouble because I misled him or her or overlooked something critical.

All that said, I know that . . .

Many of our readers ARE interested in guns — just like I am!

Somewhere along the line I’ve written about my teenage days hunting quail and pheasant with my Dad. (I carried a double barrel 20 gauge – and was quick off the mark!)

I could certainly write about my eye-opening experience at the gun range in Las Vegas a couple of years ago – the first time I had fired a handgun.

And I could include info from other prepper blogs I subscribe to, and the endless stream of offers I get for free Glocks, free laser sights, free ankle holsters, plastic guns you can make yourself, bulk ammo, cheap ammo, bulk cheap ammo – you name it!

What prompted me to write today’s Advisory about guns?

With all that activity and interest, sometimes it doesn’t feel right just ignoring the subject. So when I came across the resource I’m recommending today, I was delighted!

One of the survivor blogs I get and read regularly comes from Aaron at In The Rabbit Hole. His focus in on “urban survival” and he offers blogs and videos to his fans: “How to Stop Worrying And Actually Be More Prepared.”

Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?!

Anyway, over the past couple of weeks he’s been running a training series made up of short videos. I started watching because they are short, and discovered a certain engaging quirkiness and a perspective I appreciate.

The third episode inspired me to action.

When I got to the third episode of the current training series, I knew I wanted you to see it too!

Whether you are a gun lover, a gun hater or scared of the whole issue, you need to see this short video, hear the story, and consider the advice. I haven’t seen anything as good for a long time.

I contacted Aaron and he kindly sent a link where you can sign up for the free series. It will be delivered one day at a time.  I suppose you can wait for the 3^rd day to get the episode on guns, but you’ll want to watch day 1 and day 2, too. Same quirkiness and same refreshing perspective!

 https://www.intherabbithole.com/7-day-course/

Let me know what you think!

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

I just got episode 6 today, and am going  to go watch it now.

If you are prepared for emergencies at home, and have a survival kit at work and at least one in the car – Congratulations!

(I don’t think you’d be reading this if you didn’t have at least some of those kits!)

Now, if you are a business owner, manager, or business board member, I don’t make the same preparedness assumptions. In fact, my assumption based on national statistics is that you are NOT prepared for a workplace emergency!

Today, having no plan might be considered negligence!

The word for the unprepared business owner is — Watch out!

Joe and I just finished putting finishing touches on the fourth book of our Disaster Survival Guide Series. This book is aimed at owners and employees in small businesses (or larger ones, for that matter).

One thing that pops out of is that the list of threats for family preparedness is nowhere near as long as the list of threats for business. Our list of threats for families has something like 59 items on it. Our current list of threats for businesses has reached 83!

And as I added a couple more items to the business list, I knew I wanted to get some information out to you today. It can’t wait until the book is published!

This Advisory isn’t the whole story, of course, but I hope it will at least start you thinking about the . . .

You run the risk of being sued for not having a plan.

One thing we have found out about small business owners — they know their businesses better than anyone. They also are often short on money and time and suspicious of “experts” telling them what to do.

These may be some of the reasons that many new businesses delay getting valuable accounting and legal advice. And they postpone planning for emergencies, too. For new businesses, perhaps that’s understandable. But what we know is that the majority of even mature small businesses postpone planning for emergencies!

If an emergency DOES hit, even a new or an established company that survives the disaster could be destroyed by a lawsuit brought after the fact.

Some examples of legal risks associated with preparedness.

You’ll recognize these examples of not-so-rare situations where owners could be sued. Picture yourself . . .

• You know that an ex-employee has threatened retaliation, but you don’t warn current employees or make any changes to the way people can get into your building. The ex-employee shows up and shoots 3 people before killing himself.
• It’s common knowledge that the back-up generators for your business are essential – but unreliable. When disaster hits, all equipment shuts down, and a number of employees and customers are injured.
• Your emergency plan recognizes the risk of flooding at your location, but doesn’t include plans for how to keep dangerous chemicals from contaminating the neighborhood. Hurricane Harvey hits with historic levels of rain and the neighborhood is inundated with contamination from your plant.

All three of these “examples” are taken from actual news reports. I found others describing similar circumstances. (See the P.S. for the outcomes.)

Here’s the negligence argument that applies in all these cases.

“Employers can be considered negligent if they do not take reasonable steps to eliminate or diminish known or reasonably foreseeable risks that could cause harm.”

From our standpoint, this definition has three key concepts:

1. The employer is liable. As the owner of the business, you are that employer. Senior managers and Board Members could be caught up in this, too.
2. To protect the company, you need to be aware of known or reasonably foreseeable risks. And,
3. You must have taken reasonable steps to eliminate or diminish those risks.

Ask yourself: Does your company have an emergency plan? Even with a plan, how well are you positioned right now to protect your business from lawsuits that involve preparedness?

Our book is designed to give you sources to help you determine your potential vulnerabilities and thereby help you avoid them. You can wait to get a copy as soon as it come out (maybe next month?) but I couldn’t wait until then to share some of this vital information with you.

And you shouldn’t wait, either, to make a commitment to emergency preparedness for your business. You can start right now by reviewing a couple of our earlier Advisories.

• The Prudent Man Rule
• OSHA’s Emergency Action Plan

As always, seek qualified legal advice for your particular questions. We are NOT licensed legal professionals.

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

P.S. In the three legal “examples” above, each business lost the lawsuit brought against it.

UPDATE as of JULY, 2018 — the book is now available at Amazon. Here’s the direct link: Emergency Preparedness for Small Business.

“It’s just part of living here,” one of Hawaii’s residents is quoted as saying over the weekend. He wasn’t planning to evacuate from his home, even though fissures were opening in his neighborhood and lava flows from the Kilauea eruption on Friday were approaching. “I’ve been through this a dozen times.”

As of today, though, he may be joining the nearly 2,000 people facing mandatory evacuation, not only because of fire and lava but because of dangerous gases.

If you have friends in Hawaii, or anywhere where volcanoes threaten eruption, you naturally have some important questions about protecting yourself. I had the questions – but wanted good answers. So, I started my research online . . .

l. is there such a thing as volcano insurance?

No. According to a CNN news report, “There’s no such a thing as volcano insurance or lava flow insurance.”

Yes. But the very next news item, coming from The Insurance Information Institute, https://www.iii.org/article/volcanic-eruption-coverage says the following: “Most home, renters and business insurance policies provide coverage for property loss caused by volcanic eruption when it is the result of a volcanic blast, airborne shock waves, ash, dust or lava flow. Fire or explosion resulting from volcanic eruption also is covered.”

Maybe. And a third news feature says, “It’s going to come down to your policy and your underwriter.”

Hm. So, onward . . .

2. So what MIGHT be covered?

State Farm insurance has a 2-page document about eruption coverage that feels authoritative. https://www.statefarm.com/simple-insights/residence/how-volcano-damage-is-covered-on-your-insurance  The article starts with the exact same quote that we saw above, from the Insurance Information Institute, namely . . .
“Most homeowners policies provide coverage for property loss caused by volcanic eruption when it is the result of a volcanic blast, airborne shock waves, ash, dust, or lava flow. Fire or explosion resulting from volcanic eruption also is covered.”

3. That language sounds encouraging. So what’s the problem?

First, note these two important weasel words that appear in both sources: “Most policies” and “[damage] resulting from.”
When you read “Most ” you must assume that there are some policies that do NOT cover volcanic eruption. And when you see “resulting from” you must ask, “What else could cause this damage?” That’s what brings you to the exclusions.

4. What are the exclusions?

If you’ve been subscribing to Advisories from Emergency Plan Guide for a while, you probably can provide at least some answers to this question.

Here’s more quoting: “Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover damage from earthquake, land tremors, landslide, mudflow, or other earth movement regardless of whether or not the quake is caused by or causes a volcanic eruption.”

The key word here is “earth movement.” THAT seems to fall under coverage provided by earthquake insurance. Here in California it’s a totally separate policy offered by companies through the CEA – California Earthquake Authority: https://www.earthquakeauthority.com/ (There are limits on how much coverage you can purchase for the building and for personal property, and  also on what is actually covered. For example, demolition is typically NOT covered by the policy.)

And I take the sentence quoted in red above to mean further that if earth movement causes a lake to slosh over or a stream to divert onto your property, then the resulting “flood damage” would also not be covered. The typical homeowner’s policy does NOT cover flood damage. For that, you need a separate policy for flood insurance! (More on flood insurance here.)

OK, I now know more about separate earthquake insurance and flood insurance.

5. Can I get a special endorsement to my homeowners’ policy to cover volcanic eruptions?

If you live in a low-risk area, probably yes. But consider this list of states with ACTIVE volcanoes, meaning, you may NOT be in a low risk zone:

Alaska (98 known active volcanoes!)
California (21)
Hawaii (16)
Oregon (42)
Washington (16)
Wyoming

I could find no reliable info about possible costs for volcano endorsements.

6. What about damage to my landscaping, garden sheds, ditches and berms I put up to divert the lava flow, etc?

Not covered. And you won’t be reimbursed for efforts to remove lava or ash from the land afterwards.

7. What about my car?

If you have comprehensive coverage at the time of the eruption, and your car is overtaken by lava or burned up by flying cinders, it’s probably covered. And a vehicle crash that happens during or after a volcanic eruption would likely be covered just like any other crash. If you leave the car behind, and it is damaged over time by falling ash or dust, it probably WON’T be covered.

8. I rent. What about my personal possessions I had to leave behind?

Your landlord has no responsibility for damage to your personal possessions, so take as much as you can with you if you evacuate. If you have renter’s insurance, be sure take photos of your items (before and after if possible) so you can file a claim.

9. What about my lease if I have to leave my apartment or house?

Generally, your landlord must provide a “fit and habitable” place for you to live. If you can’t return to your rental because of damage, your lease will determine if you are eligible for any refund, if you have to pay any back rent, or if and how you can break the lease with no penalty. You should read your contract NOW so you are familiar with its terms. You should take those photos of your possessions now, eruption or no eruption. And if you try to cancel any long-term lease, be sure to get legal advice.

10. What else do I need to know?

Just as with flood and earthquake insurance, you must have the coverage before the disaster hits. In some cases, there’s actually a waiting period before coverage goes into effect.

A personal comment from Virginia – I’ve rented and owned and had both kinds of insuance. I’ve lived in flood country and earthquake country and climbed to the top of a smoking volcano. I even held an insurance license at one time. None of this makes me an expert on this particular subject. What I do know for sure, though, is that insurance policies by their very nature are difficult to understand. This may be a good time to review whatever policies you have so you know just what will be covered in a disaster — and what won’t be covered. Having that knowledge will make you sleep better and you’ll probably be able to negotiate better insurance coverage, too.

The more we know, the better prepared we can be!

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

Identity theft – the fastest-growing crime in America.

Here at Emergency Plan Guide we examine a wide variety of threats to our safety and security, and certainly, identify theft belongs on our list.

Over 16 million people became victims of identity theft in 2017 – nineteen every minute!

So, on World Password Day, it’s worth taking another look at some common frauds from both sides – the scams that threaten us, and the actions we can take to avoid falling prey to them.

A scam is designed to trick or cheat you directly to get your money. When identity theft is involved, the criminal takes your identity to sell the information to a third party or to steal money in other ways, often after a delay.

Who gets scammed?

Most of us know that older people are targeted more than other groups. Most of us don’t know, however, that it’s Millennials who have the highest ratio of actually becoming victims!

The June 2018 issue of Consumer Reports takes a look at victims not by demographics (age, income, etc.) but by personality type. Here are some excerpts from their article that I found valuable.

• Eager for bargains – These victims are people who willingly open and read emails and snail mail that advertises investments, contests and drawings, special time-limited discounts, even a message or an envelope stamped “You’re a winner!”
  Does this sound familiar? The danger is, every time you respond in any way, you will be identified as potential prey and you are likely to get follow-up letters, phone calls, etc.
• Susceptible to persuasion – You may get a fund-raising phone call from a veteran’s group or a fire fighter or other special group with an emotional appeal. They ask for and get your personal information along with your donation. Phishing emails work this way, too. You are “persuaded” by well-designed emails that the message requesting your response is coming from a legitimate source – your bank or credit card company or even someone in your own company. A study from the internet security firm F-Secure reports that more than one-third of all security incidents start with phishing emails or attachments sent to company employees.
  Again, their goal is identity theft — stealing your personal information which may include passwords and/or login sequences.
• Make an immediate decision out of fear or greed – Are you a person who can make a spontaneous purchase without doing any real research about where the offer is coming from, without reading “the fine print” of the contract, etc.?
  I’ve never gotten the famous “grandmother” call (“Grandma, I’ve been in an accident and I need your help!”) — UPDATE as of 10.2019. Yes, I have received this call! Moreover, TODAY I have received 2 separate phone calls from the “Criminal Division of the IRS!” (Slightly different messages, one female voice and one male voice.) This IRS scam has been around since 2016 but apparently is still going strong.
  And I have also been shocked a couple of times by a wildly blinking pop-up on my computer with a message that reads something like — WARNING YOUR COMPUTER IS COMPROMISED CALL IMMEDIATELY FOR TECHNICAL HELP!
  I get the same kind of message by phone, too. “This is the technical department. We can see that your computer is having problems.”

These scams are designed to frighten you into giving out your personal details and your credit card account information.

Ransomware is a variation on the theme of fear. It is malicious software that takes control of your computer, encrypting your files and blocking your access to access them. The thieves tell you to pay a “ransom” in order for the lock on your files to be removed. You can be infected by clicking on links in emails or social media messages or by clicking on links in compromised ads (apparently often those ads that stream video).

With all this danger out there, what can we do?

Recommendations for basic protection against identity theft.

I hope some of this is familiar to you!

On the phone – Don’t answer calls from numbers you don’t recognize. A legitimate caller will leave a message so you can do your research before you call back. If you are called by the IRS or by a computer “technician” or someone announcing you have just won some sort of prize, just hang up.

On the cellphone .–.Same as above, but in addition, if you click on a link in the text of an email or text, the scammer may be able to install malware that can collect personal info from your phone!

On the computer —

(1) Even if a message comes from what looks like a friend, stop before you click on a link or download a document. Check the “from” portion of the email. You may see the name of a friend or colleague, but a closer look at the domain will reveal a completely unknown or a foreign mail service.

(2) Disable pop-up advertising so you don’t accidentally click on a dangerous link.

(3) Keep your operating system and browser software updated.

(4) Back up your files so if you are truly the victim of malware or ransomware attack you will be able to restore your files.

(5) Install good antivirus software and keep it updated.

Which brings us back to celebrating World Password Day!

Take the time TODAY to examine your passwords.

Once again, I  hope this is review for you!  But if not, you can start making some changes today to protect yourself from identity theft.

Use different passwords!

Make sure you aren’t using the same password for more than one account. 60% of people make this foolish mistake – if hackers get ONE of your accounts, they will then have access to others! By the way, here’s a list of the most common passwords, from Keeper Security:

Note #1. If you’re creating websites, don’t use “admin” as your password!

Note #2. If you are happily installing smart home management devices – voice-activated or smart-phone activated cameras and temperature controls, security systems, etc. – think through the passwords you’re using there, too.

Change out OLD passwords.

Change one today! Many older passwords are probably too simple and easy to guess. Many experts recommend a password made up of at least 16 digits including capital and lower case letters, numbers and symbols.

Read below for a resource to help you come up with longer, stronger passwords.

Add a second layer of security.

Add “multi-factor authentication” to your favorite email, bank or social media apps and websites. This adds a second step to your login – it may be a fingerprint scan on your phone, or a request for a PIN that is sent to your phone for one-time access to your computer account.

Make a plan for tracking your passwords.

One way to keep track of your passwords is simply to write them down. It may be slow, and you’ll have to look them up regularly, but it’s a tried and true and reliable method (as long as you protect your list from fire, flood and theft!)

I own the book shown. I selected it because its pages were large enough actually write in, unlike many of the “notebooks” you’ll find advertised for this same purpose. And it doesn’t advertise “SECRET PASSWORDS” on the cover! Click on the image and you can go to Amazon to check prices and other options.

Find out more about digital security.

There are hundreds of articles and books available on the topic of passwords and identify theft. You can find instructions for creating strong passwords that are easy for you to remember but difficult for anyone else to figure out.

A side note. You may want a way for someone else to get into your accounts if you have been incapacitated. Think about that . . .!

Use a password manager.

Many password products are available, at costs that range from free (simple versions for just one device) to several dollars a month (multiple devices, syncing, etc.) These managers store all your passwords safely, automatically “remember” them so that sign-ins are automated, and some even have a “legacy feature” so someone can inherit your passwords. In any case, you only have to remember the one, master password.

A recent article by PC Magazine compares the top dozen paid password manager products and gives its recommendation for free products, too. https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2407168,00.asp

Amazon offers a free download for two of the free popular password managers mentioned in the PC Magazine article: Roboform and LastPass, images shown below. Click and you will go directly there. (Review carefully to be sure you’re getting all you need. You may find that a premium version will suit you better.)

Get and use the best anti-virus programs.

Over the years we have used a number of anti-virus products. For the last 7 years or so we have been using Avast – first the free, and now the Premier version. The company has provided good service in a couple of what I will call “sticky” situations and we feel more secure having them on our side.

I checked costs today and you can save quite a lot of money by buying through Amazon. (We are Associates.) Click on the image for current prices. Be sure to understand exactly which version of the product you are getting, for how many computers and for how long. It’s easy to mis-read the advertising (even though it’s perfectly clearly laid out!).

Disclaimer – This Advisory is not necessarily all you need to improve your security and avoid identity theft. But, it’s a start. If any of the stories or recommendations sound like they might fit you or family members, take the time to find out more about how to protect yourself.

Maintaining password security is an ongoing project. Might as well establish good habits NOW — so you can celebrate next year!

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

Summer’s coming! Are you planning a vacation that includes travel by RV?

(If that would NEVER be in your plans, keep reading anyway. You may get some hints for other people you know and care about!)

In this article, I’m defining RV as including motor homes, 5th wheels, trailers or pop-ups. Our emphasis is on being prepared for emergencies, no matter what your rig!

Disclaimer: Joe and I aren’t RV vagabonds but we have driven across the country and back a couple of times in a 32 ft. Fleetwood, towing a car trailer. That doesn’t make us experts, but at least I’m writing with the benefit of some experience, plus a lot of story-telling friends and online research.

Getting started by being prepared as a driver

As you might expect, RVs get into accidents because they are big, have big blind spots, aren’t as maneuverable as a car, and are sometimes driven by inexperienced and elderly drivers.

Moreover, when an RV does get into trouble, it can cause a LOT of damage.

That being said, it turns out that fatality rates for RVs are less than half the rate of auto accidents. Still, with over 75,000 accidents a year, if you are planning an RV trip, be sure to get some real practice behind the wheel before you set out!

(Joe and I have taken hours and hours of driver training as members of a sports car club. Can’t express how valuable it has been over the years! A class may cost $100 but when you compare that to the cost of an accident . . .!)

Loading your RV

It just makes sense that you organize your RV so that the load is equally distributed or, if it’s a trailer, that heavier items are in front and not in back. Note: if you’ll have water at your destination, wait to get there before filling your tank completely. No use driving with that extra weight or with water sloshing around!

Check with other drivers with the same set-up (same type and size of towed vehicle, same kind of car or truck doing the towing) to see what they recommend. You can always hang out at an RV sales lot or visit a nearby campground to find friendly people to talk to!

Resource: As for what to pack, you’ll find some excellent and very comprehensive lists at http://www.rvforum.net.

The biggest risk for your RV — Fire!

Fire is usually caused by overheating in the engine compartment, wheel bearings and tires, battery compartment, propane system or refrigerator or by having something catch fire (curtain, paper towels, etc.) while you are cooking.

And as one RV blogger says, “Everything in an RV is an accelerant!” (We know from personal experience that older trailers and mobile homes burn to the ground in less than 10 minutes.)

Four recommendations for safety

1-Stop and check your entire rig on a regular basis.

Before you start, within 20 minutes of taking off, at every rest stop, when you get gas, etc. Walk all around, check the hitch, eyeball the tires and undercarriage, test to see that latches are secure, look for leaks, etc. You will likely be able to spot and smell leaks or friction before flames burst out! If you own a diesel pusher, you may want to investigate installing an engine fire suppression system.

2-Install smoke detectors.

If you’ve read our earlier Advisories about smoke alarms, you know there are a couple of types. One type (ionization) is activated when smoke gets into the detector and blocks the electrical current. The other type (photoelectric) activates when smoke blocks light receptors. Whichever type you have, it is likely to go off more frequently in the confined space of your RV, so be sure to have plenty of ventilation when you are cooking. (Use the exhaust fan!)

Two leading brands of smoke detector are Kidde and First Alert. We have used both. For your RV, you’ll want battery-operated models (not hardwired). Here are some examples. Click on the images to go to Amazon where you can look at a number of models.


3-Install a carbon monoxide detector.

Your RV will likely use propane for cooking and heating, and you’ll have a gas generator. Anytime there is an open flame, carbon monoxide is being released.

In November, 2017, 2 people were found dead of carbon monoxide poisoning in a mobile home in Hays, Kansas. They had left their generator running overnight . . .

Here’s an example of a well-regarded carbon monoxide alarm from First Alert.

You can also get combination alarms that warn of both smoke AND carbon monoxide, like this one, also from First Alert.

4-Install fire extinguishers.

Plural! If a fire starts, get people to safety immediately. Then, you can attempt to control the fire if possible. Have an extinguisher in the driver’s area, one in the bedroom and one in the kitchen area so you’ll be able to react immediately to a threat.

Because space is limited, and because we know that shelves are often crammed full, INSTALL your extinguishers so they are visible and will be where you reach for them in case of an accident!

We recommend two types.

First, consider aerosol extinguishers. They are easy to pack and work instantly and instinctively. I’d want several, and I’d prefer the comprehensive A,B and C models. Also, be sure the one you buy is allowed in your state.

Here’s an example. It comes in a 2-pack with brackets for mounting:

Second, get a larger extinguisher of the traditional type that you’re probably familiar with. Yes, it’s heavier, but also has more fire-extinguishing power. We own several similar to the one below, of different sizes – 2.5 lbs., 5 lbs., 7 lbs.

And the extinguisher below comes in a 4-pack – one or two for your RV, the other two for your home!

A few other safety tips for vacation travel by RV.

• Get in the habit of locking your RV or trailer every time you leave it – whether that’s on the street in front of your home, or in the national park. Close the curtains. Discourage the casual thief or mischief maker.
• Invest in a trailer hitch lock. Serious thieves have been known to hitch up and pull away homes that didn’t belong to them!
• While we’re on hitches, practice so you can unhitch your rig quickly to move your car away from it in case of a fire or other emergency.
• Be sure everyone in the family knows how to open the door (some door and screen latches are complicated!) and how to close the propane valves and unhook the electricity.
• As always, keep your gas tank half full so you have more options in case of something unexpected happening.

Final suggestion: Consider your vacation travel and camping as practice for sheltering in place.

In a disaster, you may want to use your personal RV as a bug-out vehicle, or as a temporary home if your house has been damaged. Assume you would have no hook-ups. You can pick a day or two on your trip to “camp dry” as a test for what might happen in a real emergency.

The dry run exercise will be challenging! You can test all your gear (lanterns, generator, whatever) and you will learn things you maybe never knew. (On our first dry run, we discovered that the gray water and the clean water spigots under the RV were reversed . . .!)

You can make it fun!

All this makes me want to plan another trip myself.

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

Neighbors getting important safety answers.

How does your Property Management Company Stack Up When it Comes to Emergency Preparedness?

Do you live in an apartment complex, a mobilehome park, a condo complex, a retirement community, a gated community, or any kind of community with a Home Owners’ Association?

Does your community have a property manager hired by the owner or by the Association?

Or maybe you yourself are a property owner, doing your own managing?

No matter the exact ownership circumstances, it is important to

Include a property manager in your emergency preparedness planning!

Two important outcomes are possible.

1. You could uncover that you have been making unfounded assumptions about the role and capabilities of the manager to protect residents in an emergency.
2. Your investigation and follow-up discussions may allow you to improve emergency response for all your neighbors1

Emergency Plan Guide is not a professional property management company, of course, but we have owned rental property, lived under property managers and served on various boards and homeowners’ associations making decisions about most of the topics that follow.

And of course we do not know where you live as you are reading this, so we can’t know the regulations that apply in your state and city.

Still, we understand basic management responsibilities and can pose general questions that EVERY one should be able to answer!

Disaster survival questions for tenants, owners and managers.

Personal experiences give us a place to get started with questions. If you have ever lived in a property with a property manager, consider these:

1. When you moved in, did you get a list of emergency procedures for the building or for the community? For example, did you receive a map showing the buildings and/or homes (including their addresses), location of fire extinguishers or hydrants, list of local emergency contacts including who to call after-hours, information about evacuation routes, etc.?
2. Is there any specific info on disaster planning for people with disabilities? Older people with mobility challenges? How about planning for pets?
3. Has that emergency information been updated regularly?
4. Do you know where to find the most recent copy of emergency procedures?
5. Has the community ever practiced an emergency drill or evacuation?
6. Do you know the location of all the exits from the property? If they are habitually kept locked, do you know who would open them in an emergency?
7. If you are on the second floor, or higher, do you have an emergency ladder? Are you allowed to practice evacuating?

Multi-story buildings have particular emergency preparedness issues. If you haven’t lived in a multi-story building, you surely know someone who does. Be sure they are asking questions like these . . .

1. Have you been told/shown where all the stairs are? Do stairs lead up to the roof as well as down to the street? Are doors in stairwells locked?
2. Do you know where fire alarms and fire extinguishers are located in or outside the building? (We assume you have a fire extinguisher inside your own dwelling.)
3. Do you know what happens when the fire alarm goes off? For example, what does the elevator do? What happens to interior doors, if anything?
4. Do you know what happens when power goes out? Again, what happens to elevators, doors, gates?
5. Are all dwelling units on all floors protected with a sprinkler system?

The 22017 Grenfell Tower fire in London – in which 71 people died — raised the question of sprinklers. And more recently a fire in the Trump Tower in New York – in which 1 person died and 6 firefighters were injured – revealed that its upper floors (exclusive residential apartments) also did not have sprinklers. Moreover, the apartment where the one victim died did not have a working smoke alarm.

Every property manager should be able to answer these questions:

1. Who makes the decision that there is an emergency? If the manager isn’t available, who makes it?
2. How are residents alerted or notified about a weather emergency? Can they be notified if power is out?
3. After a disaster, does the management company maintain a website where updates could be obtained?
4. What procedures are in place for ongoing communications if the emergency lasts for hours or days? (For ex., a widespread health emergency requiring closure of the pool and clubhouse.)
5. How would the community fare in a longer-term emergency? What about rent payments, trash collection, security? What about management personnel?
6. Does the management company store any kind of emergency supplies? How are they rotated, inspected, etc.? Who has a key? How would supplies be distributed?

How to use these emergency preparedness questions.

• As someone concerned with emergency planning, you can use this list to be sure you haven’t made any assumptions about your community that turn out to be incorrect. In some cases you may be able to come up with alternatives to what look like problems.
• As a member of a community preparedness group, you can use this list to suggest improvements to your neighbors and to your management company.
• As a member of an HOA Board, you can use this list to help your group identify and hire the best possible management company for your property!

Again, every community is different, so there is no one-size-fits-all management standard. But property managers play an important role in emergency planning and, in particular, in responding to an emergency. Whether they are prepared or not, people will turn to them for answers.

You may be able to reassure residents and management alike by making sure common questions get answered well before a disaster happens.

Follow through with your own property manager, and share with others who live in communities with managers. This is essential info.

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide team

Addendum: It seems that most property management contracts do NOT include requirements for protecting residents. (I conducted an informal survey online with a group of professionals and received a couple dozen responses.) Nevertheless, as more attention is paid to disaster prevention and emergency response planning, the concept of a “standard of care” needs to be considered. In this case, if most professional management companies in your area are incorporating emergency preparedness education and practices into their services – or at least adding in a budget line item for it — the few that ignore it will stand out as not being up to standard. This could have a legal impact. Certainly, it should have an impact on the company’s ability to win business.

Embarrassed???

British Columbia recently completed a poll to gauge the extent of personal preparedness throughout the province.

Now you may not live in BC, or even in Canada. But Canada’s history of developing a culture of preparedness pretty much mirrors ours in the U.S., with some of the same ups and downs.

And Canada has experienced many of the same kinds of disasters: floods, fires and terrorist attacks.

So, their surveys are worth looking at.

Unfortunately, this survey led me to this “April Fools Day” theme.

Pretend these are answers YOU are giving to survey questions.

“Sure, I know the threats we face.”

The British Columbians identified their top hazards as earthquakes, wildfires, extended power outages and severe weather. And they distinguished between these based on where they lived: residents living in Vancouver and on Vancouver Island (on the coast) listed tsunamis and earthquakes as hazards; people living in the interior and the north cited wildfires and floods.

So far, so good. But let’s take a closer look in the mirror.

Take me as an example. Here in Southern California even I think first about the risk of earthquake. But as we have reported repeatedly, the most LIKELY emergency is power outage. (Already 3 this year.) Second could be a railroad car accident, since tracks run right behind our neighborhood. Third, a gas line break since there is major construction planned right across the street!

Drive just 2 miles east, and you’ll be in a wildfire area and you’ll face the possibility of flash flooding – even though we get less than 15 inches of rain a year!

Turn around and head 5 miles west, and the list of hazards changes again. First, you’ll be in a liquefaction zone, so if the earthquake hits, damage will be different, and greater. Second, you’d be within the reach of a tsunami.

The point of all this? A simple answer may be TOO simple. You may be fooling yourself if you think your first fast answers are sufficient.

“I know who will be there to help out.”

Most people make some poor assumptions, here, because they are used to one-off emergencies, where police and fire respond, often within minutes.

In a major emergency, First Responders will NOT be able to come by to give you a hand! They will be stretched out serving the entire community – often, with fewer than a half dozen First Responders per 1,000 residents!

In a real disaster, it will take hours, maybe days, for the first wave of organized assistance to arrive. Then, it will take days and maybe weeks for real support — food, water, utility repair crews, etc. – to show up. Yes, Puerto Rico breaks all records for non-response in the U.S. But some people in Texas and Florida are still in short-term housing. . .

The correct answer to the question of assistance is actually two-fold. First YOU are responsible for helping yourself. Second, you and your neighbors may be able to help each other.

And that takes planning in advance!

“Of course I’ve got a personal emergency plan.”

In the Canadian survey, 54% of respondents said they had an emergency plan. . . but only 13% said it was complete. Most households had emergency supplies for up to 3 days, but often with some important items still missing. As for emergency kits in the car, at work, or for evacuation, only about 30% had them.

When it came to insurance for the likely hazards (flood, earthquake) only about half the Canadian respondents had any.

How well do you compare?

“I admit I’m not fully prepared. You wanna know why not?”

The Canadians said they weren’t prepared because of “personal laziness” and “apathy.” And before we point derisively at the Canadians, let’s look at the reasons Americans give for not being prepared. (Thanks to Lucas Gregson for some of these.) Do any apply to you?

• There’s no real threat of the world ending. Maybe not, but what about “minor” disasters, like being laid off your job? Construction that tears up your street? A wreck that takes down the power grid? It doesn’t take total annihilation to mess up your plans for life.
• Too complicated — I can’t prepare for everything. I’ll just deal with it when it comes. Hm. Well, a 72-hour survival kit will address the majority of issues that you’ll encounter. Kits will give family members a chance, too.
• I have faith in the government. Talk about April Fool!
• My sister is prepared; we’ll just go there. What if the disaster hits her, too? How will you get there if roads are impassible? And how welcome will you really be?
• I was a boy scout (alternative: I was in the military). I know how to survive. Starting from scratch, with no tool or supplies? And what about your family if something happens to take you out of the picture?
• I don’t want to be one of those weirdo preppers. Well, you probably buy insurance. Does that make you a weirdo home or car owner? Same concept . . .!

“I’d find it easier to build a survival kit if . . .”

These answers come from the Canadians and from my neighbors, over the years.

• If I knew how to get started.. That’s why we publish so many lists! Survival kit items, step-by-step preparation for a hurricane, etc. If you haven’t yet found a list that works for you, I think that may lead back to the first excuse above, that is, “personal laziness.”
• If I had money to spare. No one has all the cash available for an instant, complete survival set-up. But everyone can add one or two survival items to the stash every month. Start slow – just start!

“What would really get me started on disaster preparedness would be . . .”

• If I had experienced a disaster myself.

Do you detect the problem here?!?  (We do regularly start our meetings by hoping for just a small earthquake!)

OK, back to April Fools’ Day.

Wikipedia defines it this way: “ . . . an annual celebration commemorated on April 1 by playing practical jokes and spreading hoaxes. The jokes and their victims are called April fools.”

This Advisory shares some long-standing hoaxes — not to mention some delusions — about the topic of preparedness. Most aren’t really jokes, although I tried to give them a touch of humor. The problem? You could be a victim of any of them!

I hope you’ll treat this seriously so you don’t become one of those April fools.

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

P.S. We regularly involve members of our HOA in discussions like this one. Here’s a true story about emergency supplies from about 6 months ago:

“Raise your hand if you have emergency water supplies at home.”  (Just about everyone raises their hand.)

“Raise your hand if you would be willing to share your water with a neighbor who runs out.” (Every hand goes down.)

Makes you think, eh?

Wilderness survival is still — and always — a hot topic. But according to the most recent census, only 14 percent of Americans live outside a metropolitan area — 86 percent of us look to a metro area for jobs, activities and amenities. So when it comes to disaster preparedness, we need urban survival skills!

A safe room anywhere?

As far as I can tell, urban or suburban survival translates directly into being prepared to shelter in place.

Let’s take another look at some of the requirements for being able to effectively shelter in place.

First choice for a great place to shelter — a safe room

Even in an urban setting, you may be able to construct a traditional safe room inside your house. If you are in full construction or upgrade mode, you would build your room to code and include safety and comfort features.  You might even go to the effort to make the room unobtrusive or even invisible, with a hidden door.

If you live in an apartment, though, choices are different. For you, the best idea would probably be to turn an existing room or an interior walk-in closet (big enough for everyone)  into a strengthened room that could better withstand a storm or even an incursion by bad people.

In either case, designing and creating a special room would take money — probably anywhere from $1,000 (VERY low end) to as much as $10,000.Whatever your budget, and whatever the home you’re starting with, here are 5 major areas to focus on.

1. Door and walls: reinforced steel door frame, exterior-style reinforced door that opens INWARD, and heavy-duty deadbolt locks. Get the best you can afford that won’t totally overwhelm the space or stick out like a sore thumb. Whatever you do, be sure to secure hinges with 3-inch screws and use 3 inch screws on the strike plate of your lock, too. Here’s an example of a deadbolt lock highly rated by Consumer Reports. The lock is expensive — over $100 — but as Consumer Reports points out, it’s probably not more than your insurance deductible.

Paint the door and trim to match the rest of the house. You may even want to consider a hidden door; take a look at this model, built by the well-known Murphy bed company:

As for walls, they can be reinforced by pouring concrete into the spaces between the studs, or adding a layer of kevlar or steel sheeting and then covering it with drywall.

2. Windows are difficult to reinforce, so plan a safe room with NO windows.

3. Water and sanitation: It would be great if you had a bathroom built in. If not, store water and get a camping potty, realizing you’ll have to empty it at some point. I’m a big believer in 5-gallon buckets for a variety of uses. Here’s one that serves as a portable toilet. (If you already have a bucket, you can probably get an attachable toilet seat for about $10.)

4. Ventilation: If your room is too tight, you won’t be able to breathe. Figure out appropriate ventilation (not requiring fans — remember, the power will be off).

5. Food and other emergency supplies: Your room is a good place to store your emergency supplies — food, emergency radio, lights, first aid, warm clothing, tools, etc. Don’t forget your prescription medicines.

Interested in more about safe rooms? FEMA has produced some very detailed plans, suitable for a professional builder. (Start your search here.)  And Wikihow’s article about building a safe room, here, is a good overview.

In the aftermath of the storm

Assume the storm is over, you and your family are safe, but your home or building has been partly damaged. What might you need in order to make sure it’s habitable for a while, since you have no place else to go?

1, Basic hand tools and construction supplies

If the power is out, power tools are out, too. You’ll need battery operated tools to start — and you’ll soon be down to hand tools. You probably have some of the following tools at home now, or can get them locally. Just be sure to have them BEFORE the disaster threatens. Your local hardware stores will sell out immediately.

And as you shop, consider quality. Poor quality tools are dangerous and ineffective.

This is a simple starter list. The more skill or experience you have, the more you’ll want to add.

With a good hammer, saw and/or hacksaw, and pry bar you can remove debris. I have used tools like these many times, and as a non-professional I’ve found that the right weight and size is really important. Too heavy, you just can’t wield the tool for very long.  Too light, it won’t do the job. Below, you’ll see some examples along with my comments.

• Hammer 16 oz one piece flat for ripping. We’ve all used hammers, but the standard home hammer has a rounded head (so it doesn’t damage the wood) and a rounded claw (for pulling out nails). If you build a lot, your home hammer probably has a wooden or a rubberized handle to lessen the vibration. If you’re not really into tools, you may have a short handled hammer or tack hammer that you use to hang pictures. But for emergency use you need something different — something  TOUGH and HEAVY enough to rip apart debris. This one looks great, and isn’t expensive. (Click on the image to get current prices.)

• These days we don’t use hand saws much, since everybody has a power saw. However, in an emergency your power tools will be useless. You’ll need a traditional, all purpose saw. This Stanley version is only 18 inches long, not as long as a carpenter’s serious wood-cutting saw, but I think it would be just right for in-close work.
  

• Use leverage instead of your own muscle power!  Again, the right length and weight of a prybar is important. We have several prybars in our shed, from 12 in. long up to 30 in. (and one giant one for rescue). I find that a 24 inch bar is carryable, packable, and still long enough so you can apply the pressure you need.
  
• You will definitely want a tarp and tape to keep out the weather. This tarp is big enough but not too big, and it’s not too thick, either. (The heaviest quality might work fine for a semi-permanent install, but in our experience is just too difficult to work with in a temporary emergency situation.) As for duct tape, I just assume you already have some!  (Again, click on the image below to see full details and price for this tarp, and to compare to others.)

Store these materials where you’ll be able to get to them when the storm is over.

2. Specialty tools for dealing with debris

Work gloves – get the right size!  These gloves, for example, come in six different sizes; they have a wrist adjustment, leather palms for a good grip, etc. Actually, Joe and I  have two pairs of gloves each in our Survival Kits, to start with.

3. Dealing with metal

Not everything can be disassembled by force. In an urban setting you may need to open metal cabinets, remove fallen ceiling ductwork, get into utility closets, etc.. To do this, you’ll need to unscrew, unlock or cut wire or metal. (A pair of safety goggles is a good idea, here.)

A very good multi-tool can be easily stored and can serve a number of these construction purposes. (Avoid a multi-tool with hammer. It won’t be heavy enough to do the debris management we’re talking about.)

Some of the very best Swiss army type tools have the usual blades and saws, including metal saws, and also include different size screw drivers plus a ratchet with multiple bits.  There are different models, and prices vary from around $120 to over $200, so it’s a good idea to shop.

Start your shopping by looking at the Victorinox Spirit Plus model, shown below. This is one of the very few products on Amazon that gets awarded five full stars by users. I’d look carefully at this one. It’s pretty pricey (around $150 as I write this), but superior in every way. Click on the image to get current pricing.

As a comparison, the Leatherman Wingman Multi-tool is one we recommend for carrying in your 3-day survival kit.

It has basic blades and screwdriver, and costs $35 – $40. (Click image to get exact pricing at Amazon.) Both the Leatherman and the Victorinox weigh about the same amount – 5-7 oz. – so that’s not a deciding factor.

As always, pick tools appropriate for the person using them.

Good tools leverage the strength of the user, but only when they are properly used. Be sure children know how to use any tools before including them in a child’s survival kit or handing them over for a child to do a job. (As I am sure you  have found, some kids are really very capable — but they need training!)

OK, that’s it for now. In an upcoming Advisory we’ll be talking about staying warm in an urban setting. Stay tuned. . . and in the meanwhile, get those multi-tools!

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

We so often prepare for big weather events that it’s easy to overlook everyday situations that could turn into disasters in just a minute —  or even a second. This Advisory addresses some of those emergencies-waiting-to-happen.

Remember “the old days” when we used to look forward to seeing signs along the highway?

Burma-shave signs were the best. Of course you had to be able to read them backwards. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, check with a friend who roamed the roads in the fifties. And see the P.S. for an example!

These days roadside billboards are restricted in many places, but as we drive we still are likely to see directional signs, advertising signs, and dozens of hazard signs.

Ignoring or not recognizing hazard signs could be life-threatening.

But, which ones are which?

A while back, we presented a quiz with some common signs. Today we have six more – and these are a lot less obvious. (There’s one easy one in the collection below, to be sure everyone gets at least one right!)

Which ones do you recognize FOR SURE?
Know what these signs mean!

1. Danger of optical radiation – refers to light: ultraviolet, visible and infrared. Too much can damage the cornea or retina of the eye.
2. Flammable or highly flammable – readily combustible. (Note: the words flammable and inflammable can be used interchangeably!)
3. Radio frequency hazard — danger to heart/pacemaker.
4. Carcinogen – capable of causing cancer, particular danger to reproductive or respiratory organs.
5. Pinch hazard – A point in between moving and stationary parts of a machine where — in this case – your hand can get caught.

Now, here’s one more that you have seen hundreds of times but may never have really focused on.

The NPFA “Fire diamond” or “Safety square”

The National Fire Protection Agency started using these signs in the 1960s to help emergency crews know what is being stored inside a building, a tank, a truck, a pipeline, etc. Once you become aware of these signs, you’ll see them everywhere.

But exactly what do the colors and numbers mean?

Briefly, red indicates flammability, blue indicates level of health hazard, yellow indicates chemical reactivity, and white contains codes for special hazards. The numbers range from 0 (no hazard) to 4 (severe risk).

So our example #6, above, would be read as follows:

• Red, Flammability — 3. “Can be ignited under ambient conditions”
• Blue, Health –- 1. “Could cause irritation or temporary incapacitation”
• Yellow, Chemical — 0. “Normally stable”

Here’s the full chart – thanks to ComplianceSigns.com

(When you see the symbol at the bottom, right, you’ll see how important these are to fire fighters.)

Setting off on a family trip? You can encourage “reading hazard signs” and “reading diamonds” as entertainment, as long as you can pry the kids away from their devices.

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide team

P.S. More about Burma-Shave jingles. Burma-Shave was a brushless shaving cream that advertised its product on a series of signs along the road. Each line appeared on its own sign; you read them one at a time as you passed by. (If they were on the other side of the road, then you read them last-to-first, of course!) The signs often dealt with romance and grooming, but some were totally off the topic, like this one (Thanks to  https://fiftiesweb.com/pop/burma-shave-1/    )

Her chariot
Raced 80 per
They hauled away
What had
Ben Her
Burma-Shave

P.P.S. And don’t forget the Beginners Hazard Sign Quiz –  https://emergencyplanguide.org/nine-hazard-signs-a-quiz/.  Use these quizzes to start a conversation with your family and your neighborhood emergency response group. This is stuff we all should be familiar with.