Totally unaware of her surroundings . . .

Next week our city police force and first responders are holding a mock active shooter exercise in a local shopping mall. Inspired at least in part by the 2013 invasion of the Westgate Mall in Kenya, it’s also a response to the growing numbers of “home-grown” or self-radicalized would-be terrorists. In many ways these self-styled terrorists seem to pose a bigger threat than actual members of terrorist organizations.

Real Terrorists Plan Their Attacks

At least real terrorist cells fit a profile. They belong to a network, they prepare for a strike, and they pick targets that are likely to generate mass casualties and publicity. They are also more likely to be in communication with known terrorist cells, at least some of which could already be under some level of surveillance. These and other factors make it easier to identify and track them.

Lone Wolves Act on Impulse

The self-motivated, lone wolf actor is harder to identify, is more likely to be mentally unstable and less likely to pick rational targets. Perhaps the most worrisome aspect is the likelihood that this person is likely to act spontaneously and against a target of opportunity . . . virtually anyone that happens to be in their range. And, the mere fact that we live in a world where guns proliferate means that the tools of terrorism are readily available even to the least mentally competent. As scary as this may seem, there are some positives.

Self-Motivated Actors Often Fail to Follow Through on Threats

First, while these individuals may be numerous and hard to identify prior to an event, the attacks are likely to involve fewer people and less prominent targets. And, without direct connections to actual terrorist cells, they are less likely to be successful in mass attacks. Also, many will ultimately lack the courage to actually carry out the often gruesome and heinous acts these individuals conjure up in their fantasies.

Protect Yourself by Staying Aware of Your Surroundings

The best protection you have is your situational awareness . . . the same situational awareness that can keep you out of harm’s way. This means keeping your eyes on the way ahead, the road ahead and your surroundings – discipline yourself to avoid being glued to your smartphone while walking through alligator alley! Have your keys at the ready as you approach your car. If you notice someone strange for whatever reason, don’t ignore your instincts. Take evasive action. Turn in a safer direction. Whatever!

So many victims have reported that they were operating “on autopilot” and just kept going – right into danger!

A Single Lone Wolf Can be Taken Down by a Group

If you are in a life-threatening situation, instead of simply waiting for it to happen, consider a counter attack. A group of determined adults can very likely take down any single gunman. Yes, this goes against our training (“Keep out of trouble.”) but in the case of a Lone Wolf Terrorist, “Get him!” may be the only way to save more innocent people from being injured or killed.

Joe Krueger
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

Do you know what to do in each of these situations?

Last Wednesday was the regular meeting for our local Neighborhood Emergency Response Team volunteers. Lately members have asked for “more training” on a variety of threats – threats we don’t normally spend much time on here in Southern California.

So we decided to devote this meeting to some dangers that most people in the room had heard of but probably never faced.

In fact, before the program, we took a poll of the people in the room. Not one person had ever encountered killer bees. No one had landed in a canal or river in their car, although two of them had temporarily lost control of a car in flooding water on city streets. And only three people had ever actually used a fire extinguisher to put out a fire.

Keeping CERT Training Interesting With a “Movie Night”

The meeting went well! We had searched carefully on YouTube for short (4-5 minute) videos. Before showing each one, we prompted people to watch for a particular scene or to note the answer to a pertinent question.

Here are three of the videos we used for the program, along with the questions for each.

• Fire extinguisher training:  https://youtu.be/ktrv34zW7-A

“Where is the nearest fire extinguisher to the room we are in right now?” “ Where’s the next nearest one?” “ Do you know if they have been recently checked?”  (We were in a large meeting room that had an extinguisher on the back wall. Only one person had already noted its location! No one knew where any other extinguisher was located.)

This particular video is aimed at employees in a work setting but applies just as well to residents of a home.

• How to survive an attack by killer bees: https://youtu.be/UeV3wtA4UAY

“Where are killer bees in the U.S.?” “Are there any where we live?” (I was prepared for this question and had downloaded an interactive graph that shows how bees have spread in the U.S. since 1990. Here it is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Killerbees_ani.gif )

• How to escape a sinking car:  https://youtu.be/fymjbkGSta8

“Are we located in an area likely to flood?” (Consider the Red River’s recent flooding in Louisiana!) “What about electric car windows?” “How do you break a window?” (One of our volunteers had a spring-loaded window breaker on his key chain, just like the one demonstrated in the video. You can see one here and get it in time for your own upcoming meeting: resqme The Original Keychain Car Escape Tool, Made in USA (Black) (Use it as a door prize — always popular! Or get several and share the fun.)

CERT As Entertainment?

One of the LinkedIn groups that I follow has been debating the necessity of sticking to CERT training as laid out by FEMA. Obviously, a meeting such as the one described here is not covered in the official training materials.

However, in my experience, there’s a difference between training for dedicated CERT graduates and awareness training for ordinary citizens.

Of course, those of us who are CERT graduates attend the follow-up trainings put on by our city. (Next week it’s a Light Search and Rescue refresher.)

But as a Neighborhood Emergency Response leader I am committed to my entire community. So we do what we can to attract all people and engage them in emergency preparedness activities.

Our Movie Night was one of those efforts.

Would something like this work for YOUR group? Try it, and let me know!

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

P.S. If you haven’t yet heard, I pulled together over two dozen different meeting planning ideas for use by community leaders. You can get more info and order a copy at https://emergencyplanguide.org/CERT-meeting-ideas/

(This isn’t the kind of blog post we normally write. But because it’s so much in the news, it seemed important to touch on this emergency situation.)

The more details we learn about the recent home invasion in Washington, D.C., the worse the story gets: loss of property, torture, murder. And a fire set to conceal the evidence.

Secure enough?

Statistics about the frequency of home invasion are hard to come by. But authorities do seem to agree on some basic characteristics of home invasions, and basic steps to combat and even help avoid them. It just seems smart to review them all.

How does a home invasion differ from robbery or burglary?

Robbers and burglars usually act when they see an opportunity. Their crime typically takes place in public, so they are in a hurry and eager to get away as quickly as possible. They resort to force usually only to escape.

Home invaders are very different.

• Most all home invasions are perpetrated violently by a team of two or more people.
• Working together, they deliberately scope out the home and the habits of the family members, planning the crime for days or even weeks.
• They are looking for people who have something of particular value to steal: money, jewelry, drugs.
• They look for households where security is lax or non-existent.
• They count on duplicity, force and intimidation to get into the home and overcome any resistance.

Once inside, they can relax and take all the time they want. In Washington D.C. the invaders made arrangements for money to be delivered, ordered pizza . . . and, of course, ultimately killed the inhabitants before setting fire to the house. Most home invasion robberies result in the death of family members since they have become witnesses to the crime.

What can you do to protect your home?

A home invasion once underway simply can’t turn out well.

So you have to put maximum effort into not letting it happen in the first place.

Recommended measures:

Heighten your awareness.

The better you know your neighbors, the more you and they will know about “what’s normal in our neighborhood.” Get used to noting travel patterns, visitors and their cars. Make note of strange cars driving slowly by or parking on the street. Such behavior could be someone “casing” your neighborhood. Share your concerns with law enforcement.

In an emergency, whether it’s an earthquake, a weather event or a home invasion, your neighbors are the best immediate source of help. Having an active neighborhood CERT group or a Neighborhood Watch program can help bring neighbors together and increase their knowledge and awareness.

Harden your perimeter.

Make sure you have lockable and locked doors and strong, locked windows. A simple door chain or glass door bar is useless in the face of a good kick. And a security system that is left turned off when you are at home is doing no good at all! Keep your system on so a door being opened alerts the house. Know how to use the panic button on the system.

Keep porches and alleyways well lit; check bulbs regularly. Plant bushes with thorns underneath window to discourage people from hiding there or approaching the house that way.
Without becoming totally paranoid, consider what you can do to make it harder for someone to break into the house.

Train your family.

Strong locks and a powerful security system provide no security if family members leave doors unlocked and readily open the door when they hear a knock.

A common ruse employed by home invasion teams is to send someone to the front door pretending to have a package to deliver. (As I was researching this article I read about situations where the “delivery person” was wearing a UPS, a pizza, and even a police uniform.) When the family member opens the door, other team members rush inside, overpowering all residents.

If it makes sense, install a wide-angle peephole in your door and train family members to use it. If you aren’t expecting a delivery, have the person leave the package outside the door and retrieve it later.

Flee.

Plan with your family about how to escape the house in an emergency – whether fire or home invasion. Practice screaming out a command like “Patio!” or “Garage!” Family members should IMMEDIATELY escape the building through that exit, and not come running to your voice to see what’s going on!

Close yourself in a safe room.

A special interior room can be built as a safe room or “panic room” to protect you from intruders or from natural disasters. It typically has extra strong doors and locks and is stocked with emergency supplies along with emergency communications. If you have firearms, or expect shooting, be sure the safe room has bullet absorbing protection you can get behind, and consider where YOUR bullets would hit if you fire through the door or walls. (The costs of such a room vary widely, depending on location and purpose, and the room is best added during construction. But any bathroom or closet may be suitable for conversion to a safe room.)

Fight.

Even in the face of probable injury, you must consider fighting the invaders rather than just giving in. Obviously, if you have weapons readily available, use them.

Once your family is totally restrained and controlled, you are out of options. Do everything you can to avoid this.

Are home invasions increasing?

Again, statistics are indefinite.  But it makes sense that as the traditional targets for fast money (convenience stores, gas stations) continue to limit the amount of cash on hand, and to add more surveillance cameras and security alarms, determined criminals will turn to easier targets – homes.

At the risk of being more paranoid than we’d like, it seems that taking a good look at deterring a home invasion just makes sense. I’d be interested to hear your comments on this Advisory.

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

At our neighborhood CERT meeting yesterday, the question came up about the best emergency supplies kit.

Whatever kit you have is better than none.

If you are forced to leave home (or work) in a big hurry, you’ll only have time to grab “the kit,” and hopefully a bottle of water. Whatever is in the kit is what you’ll have to work with. You won’t have time to do any packing!

If you don’t have a kit, you’ll be worse than useless – you’ll be a burden on others.

Assume you have to manage your kit yourself.

Here in California nearly every trip I take is in my car, so I have several types of emergency stuff packed in the trunk. But what if roads are impassible, or the car is disabled, or we are asked to evacuate ON FOOT?

The only solution: ONE bag that I can carry myself.

Can you carry your kit?

At our meeting, several people stated flat out, “I can’t carry anything.” These were people who need a cane or a walker, who have back problems, or who are simply not very strong.

How many people in your family or your team at work would have trouble carrying a bag?

Which survival kit option would work best for you?

The best option . . .

for a survival kit is a backpack that will leave both your hands free.

When Joe and I decided to put together our kit  we looked for a backpack that was light, flexible and NOT TOO BIG. (Our build-it-yourself kit, shown in the image with its accompanying book, has sold out at Amazon.)

If you’re a hiker, you’ll be familiar with much larger and sturdier backpacks, with many more features. Maybe you even have one you can use for a survival kit. But we looked for a pack that the ordinary person could (1) afford and (2) be able to manage.

Because your backpack needs to be compact, you have to be deliberate in selecting what needs to be in it. It’s easy to lay out too much stuff!

Second best option . . .

in my opinion is a rolling cart. You can select something as sturdy as a rolling suitcase, but for emergency, infrequent use you likely will want something simpler, smaller and lighter. Here’s what looks like an excellent choice. This one’s called the  California Pak The Big Eazy 20 Inch, Navy Blue, One Size
and it comes in various sizes and colors.

Some things to consider about a rolling cart:

• Does the cart/bag have a handle so it can be carried by hand if necessary?
• Could you fit it on your lap in a bus?
• Does it zip up or otherwise close completely?
• Is the handle long enough for you?

Each person needs a kit, and each kit will be different.

What you think is important and are willing to carry is up to you. Your 10-year-old child, though, probably needs a few different items (including snack food!). And your 79-year-old grandmother needs other items altogether.

Action Item: Build a basic kit for each person, and then add those individual items to customize the kit to its owner.

Store the kit near the exit door, so you can grab it on the way out. You’ll only have minutes – but you’ll feel a lot more secure heading out if you have your survival kit in your hands.

It’s always back to basics, right?!

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

P.S. Your pet needs an evacuation kit, too. Here’s a link to more about your pet’s survival kit.

Have you been watching the news footage coming from Puerto Rico? Satellite images show how dark the island has become because of power outages. It’s a reminder to us all to revisit emergency lighting.

Always-ready ambient lighting . . .

If the power goes out in our community center, battery-powered emergency lighting goes on automatically. Why not have the same level of preparedness at home?

One model — wall mounted emergency lights.

I have written before about wall-mounted automatic emergency lights. They plug into a socket and normally do duty as night lights (good for kids, visitors and wakeful spouses). When there’s a power outage, they light up and can be pulled out and used as flashlights, too. Cost: $12-20 each.

In my estimation, Emergency Automatic Power Failure Lights are a basic piece of emergency equipment.

A new find — emergency light bulb.

And this week, I found another automatic light I want to make you aware of. I think it would be particularly appropriate for families with children or families with older people for whom not being able to see would be dangerous.

Why I like this 3-in-1 bulb.

I pulled these images to try to show how the bulb works. It’s designed to screw into a regular socket, so you can just put it into a table lamp, like in the picture, and use it like an ordinary bulb.  It’s a soft color, and because it’s LED technology, it doesn’t use much power and doesn’t get hot.

You leave it in all the time so it is always charged.

The cool this is that IF THE POWER GOES OUT, THE LAMP GOES ON!  Because it has a built in battery, it will burn for about 5 hours. (Ultimately its battery will run out, of course.)

Let’s say the power goes out. You can find your way directly to the lamp, and then you can REMOVE THE BULB and use it as a flashlight! What about having one of these bulbs with you when you travel?? Pop it into a hotel lamp, and if something happens during the night you’ll be able to see  (Just don’t forget it when you check out.)

This bulb costs less than $5 when you buy two. Check out full details and a video HERE before you buy.

But for powerful emergency lighting . . .

The lights described above don’t give off enough light to actually repair something or find and rescue somebody in trouble. For that, you need more power. After considerable research our CERT team invested in several very large spotlights. They have bright halogen bulbs – 18 million candle power!

These are too bulky to casually carry around. Rather, you’d turn one on and set it up to illuminate an entire scene.

One of the reasons we chose this model is because it can be plugged into a car battery to be recharged! (We’ll have plenty of cars available in our neighborhood.) The car battery (DC) adaptor comes with the lamp. Below is the link directly to Amazon. On the day I wrote this, prices varied from as low as $57 to as high as $97 for the same lamp! So shop carefully.
Cyclops C18MIL Thor X Colossus 18 Million Candle Power Rechargable Halogen Spotlight

Now you probably wouldn’t need something as big and powerful as the Cyclops to get you through a simple power outage. But if the outage continued for many hours – or for 14 days as happened to some people caught in Hurricane Sandy and now, in Puerto Rico – emergency lighting is going to play an important role.

Here’s a quick review of standard emergency lighting. Do you need to put some of these on your shopping list?

1. Ordinary battery-operated flashlight. Cheap ($3-$15), easy to operate. As long as the batteries work, you’ll have at least SOME light! I recommend getting at least 250 lumens. Of course, the beam is narrow, and you have to use one hand to hold the flashlight. Here’s a really good one: LED Tactical Flashlight,Wophain Super Bright 800 Lumens CREE XML T6 LED Outdoor Handheld Flashlight Adjustable Focus Zoom Flashlight With 5 light Modes, Ultra Bright, Zoomable,Water Resistant
2. Headlamp. Again, battery operated, but you’ll be SO much more efficient with two hands free! Tape one to your helmet, or wear one over a cap. Costs start as low as $7 and go up from there. Here’s a best-seller: LE LED Headlamp, 18 White LED and 2 Red LED, 4 Brightness Level Choice, LED Headlamps, 3 AAA Batteries Included
3. Battery-operated lantern. We’ve drafted an entire new Advisory about lanterns. Prices usually range from $10 – $30. Here’s one with an AM/FM radio built in: Northpoint 12-LED Lantern with 4-LED Flashlight and AM/FM Radio, Green (I have a lantern in nearly every room, particularly in the bathroom.)

One final note . . .

Having enough battery-operated lights, and a supply of extra batteries, will prevent you from reaching for candles until you are absolutely sure it’s safe.

Hope I’m not preaching to the choir on this topic, but it’s always worth a reminder!

Virginia Nicols
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

An Ongoing Threat

Where and how?

The March 26, 2015 massive explosion and fire in  New York’s  East Village caused the collapse of three buildings and fire damage to a fourth — a reminder that natural gas continues to be a threat, particularly where the gas lines are aging – as they all are!

At one of your Emergency Response Team meetings, I’m sure you’ve discussed the threat posed by natural gas. If you haven’t, or if it’s time for a review, here are some questions to start the conversation.

1. Where are gas lines located in our neighborhood and building?

Large-diameter transmission lines may run near or even through your neighborhood, with smaller-diameter distribution lines connecting to individual residences or buildings. You should be able to get from your gas company a map showing the transmission lines. Getting maps showing smaller distribution lines may be more difficult. (In our case, we were able to get original construction drawings from the city. They show the exact location and size of our gas distribution lines.)

2. Where are shut-off valves located?

The gas utility, gas system operator and/or property owner may not want to reveal exactly where shut-off valves are located, mostly because they don’t want to invite mischief or sabotage.

However, from a SAFETY standpoint it is imperative for First Responders to know how to shut the system down in an emergency. A strong neighborhood CERT group can get this information.

Shut-off valves may be located at the individual home, at the building, at the street, and in other places along the system.

We recently had a visit from the crew of our nearest fire station. It was a shock for us to learn that they did NOT know exactly where our gas main shut-offs are located!

3. How do our shut-off valves work?

As a neighborhood group, you may be limited to what you can really do in your community. However, to the extent that you do know where lines and valves are located, you should find out what it takes to shut the gas off.

Review the different types of shut-off valves in your vicinity.

• Automatic? Some valves, like seismic gas shut-off valves, operate automatically. However, such valves are not required and you probably don’t have any on your system.
• Appliance? Within the home, individual appliances may have their own shut-off valves.
• Entire home? In an emergency, shutting off the gas to the home likely means shutting it off at the meter. To do this, you’ll need a wrench and an understanding of the ON vs. the OFF position of the valve. (See earlier post.) Your turn-off may look like the one in the picture, or it may resemble a regular garden hose faucet handle.
• Gas main? When it comes to shutting off gas at a larger line, the shut-off may be a larger version of the wrench turn off, or it may operate with a large wheel and gear.

Are any of the valves locked?

Naturally, if a gas valve is locked, no one except the operator may be able to access it. In a widespread emergency (earthquake) this could be an added problem.

In the Northridge Quake of 1994, managers of an affected mobile home park saw that gas escaping through the streets was being ignited by cars of residents evacuating the park. Unfortunately, management was unable to break the lock to turn off the gas at the main so it continued to fuel these fires.

4. What procedures are in place for shutting off the gas?

In an emergency,

• Who is authorized to shut off the gas?
• Which valves are they authorized to shut off? Remember, the gas utility probably “owns” the system up to the meter; you, as property owner, own everything on the house side of the meter.
• What training do these authorized people receive?
• How likely is it that authorized and trained people will be on hand in an emergency, when immediate action may be required? In a widespread disaster, Fire fighters may not reach you immediately; representatives of the gas company may also be delayed, perhaps indefinitely.

In the deadly 2010 explosion and fire in San Bruno, California, it took the gas company over 60 minutes to get the gas shut off!

5. What exactly are the dangers associated with natural gas?

The gas distribution system has thousands of miles of pipeline that operate safely nearly all the time. However, when there is a failure, it can result in a dramatic explosion and fire. Failures result from the following:

• Pressure. The first concern of the system operator is to maintain the appropriate pressure in the system based on the size of the pipes and the number of connections to it. (The more connections, the more pressure needed to deliver the gas.) As communities grow, and more connections are added to the system, the Maximum Allowable Operating Pressure (MAOP) may need to be adjusted.
• Pipeline failure Leaks and breaks occur when old pipes fail due to corrosion, improper welds or joins, improperly installed equipment, too much pressure – or as the result of natural events such as an earthquake.
• Leaks Just because your system is old doesn’t necessarily mean it is in danger of failing. And just because a gas leak is detected doesn’t mean you are in imminent danger. However, when a leak is identified, you need to act quickly and decisively. What you need to be concerned about is a build-up of gas around a leak or as the result of gas “migrating” to an area where it gets trapped, such as in a basement, under a house, etc.

CERT Action item #1: Learn the signs of a gas leak and know how to respond. Start by reviewing this Emergency Plan Guide Advisory, and then research and distribute gas line safety bulletins that you can get from your own local gas utility.

CERT Action item #2: Find out how often and what kind of system testing (pressure, cracks, etc.) takes place in your area.

One of our most effective guest speakers was a representative from the Fire Department who talked about the various gas lines in our neighborhood. (We have the usual mains and feeder lines PLUS a high-octane aviation fuel line running beside our community.) See if you can set up a speaker from your own fire department or local utility.

Your invitation will cause that Fire Official to update his or her knowledge about your neighborhood, as well as remind your neighbors to be more alert. Every bit of knowledge helps!

Virginia Nicols
Your Emergency Plan Guide team

Looking for more information on gas lines? Check out these Emergency Plan Guide Advisories:

• How to recognize a gas leak and what to do when you find one.
• How to turn off the gas to your house.
• Find gas pipelines in your area.

Want to get a reminder once in a while to help you stay tuned in and up to speed on the latest preparedness issues? Sign up for our Advisories, below.  They are free.

Last week’s article about “extra” items for a first aid kit inspired me to use the topic for our monthly neighborhood emergency planning group meeting.

The meeting turned out to be . . .

Another good meeting idea!

Here’s how it went.

Procedure

1. First, I invited our neighbor Theresa, who is a Registered Nurse, as our featured guest. She brought along her own first aid bag as a “show and tell.”
2. Second, so we’d have something to compare it to, I bought a brand new first aid kit (cost around $10) at the hardware store down the street (photo).
3. Third, as a reference, I printed out the Red Cross’s list of “20 basic first aid items.” Everybody got a copy.

As Theresa pulled out an item from her bag, we checked it off the Red Cross list and then looked in the kit I’d bought to see if it was included.

Results of the Comparison

Number of items

The new kit had about 60% of the items suggested on the Red Cross list.

Quality

The bigger problem: nearly everything in the kit was in miniature! Packets were tiny (one squeeze, and the ointment would all be gone), gauze squares were tiny, gloves were tiny. We all laughed, in particular, at the roll of adhesive tape. Take a look at it in the photo, bottom right. Really, it’s about as big around as a quarter and weighs less!

Missing from both the list and the kit

Here are the items that Theresa had in her kit that were not in the kit AND were not on the Red Cross list:

1. Antihistamine ointment
2. Liquid skin
3. Duct tape
4. Flashlight
5. Plastic bags
6. Dust mask
7. Eyewash
8. Phone number of Poison Control center
9. Whistle
10. Sunscreen
11. List of medicines currently being taken

And finally, one last item that our group felt needed to be in there:

12. Extra eyeglasses

Shocking finale

Attendees had been invited to bring their own kits to the meeting, too. One guy had his neatly packed into a fishing tackle box. One neighbor shared her pet first aid kit.

What shocked me, however, were the people who admitted they didn’t have a kit in their car. And there were a couple of people who said they didn’t even have a kit in the house!

The reason it’s shocking is because this is our neighborhood emergency group, supposedly tuned in to being prepared!

Lessons learned

Emergency preparedness starts and continues with the basics.

• If you have a first aid kit, check on its contents and “top it off” with more supplies. Use the lists above for suggestions.
• If you are missing a kit, build one from scratch or buy an inexpensive one, like I did, and add more supplies.
• If extended family members don’t have kits, buy up a supply and hand them out for Father’s Day or Mother’s Day or Christmas! Or without any explanation other than, “You need to have this!”

I looked for a better kit. I found one at Amazon that looks pretty good as a starter. I like the way its clear pockets fold out to make things easy to find. It costs about twice as much as the one I bought at the hardware store ($19 instead of $9), but instead of “77 items” it advertises “121 items.” Again, you’ll want to add some extras, but this kit would be a good start, particularly for the car.

Here’s the direct link: AAA 121-Piece Road Trip First Aid Kit

Don’t let something as simple as not having a first aid kit turn an accident into a real emergency!

“Friendly but Forceful” Action item: Take care of your first aid kit/s right away!

Virginia Nicols
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

P.S. What first aid items haven’t been mentioned in this article?  Please share your recommendations in the comments box so we can all benefit.

You have three first-aid kits, don’t you? One in the house, one in the car, and one in your emergency backpack?

You can buy a reasonable pre-built kit for around $20. But, as always with pre-built collections,

Are your first-aid kits well-stocked?

• First, your kits should have high-quality items. I’ve read so many reviews that mention scissors that won’t cut or tweezers that don’t tweeze!
• Second, contents should match your own level of medical knowledge. For example, some pre-made kits contain actual surgical equipment – probably useless and even dangerous for the untrained.
• Third, your kit should have room for any specialty items that fit your family members, your climate and potential natural emergencies. For example, you may need to add sunscreen, water purification tablets or insect repellent, given where you live.

Extras that may make the difference.

Spend some time reading the list of items contained in several of the ready-made kits, and you may get some good ideas for extras. Here are a few to consider.

Liquid bandage

As the name suggests, this liquid can be applied to small cuts or wounds. It quickly dries, holding the cut together or covering the wound with a tough “skin” that protects the wound from dirt, is flexible and waterproof, and antiseptic to boot. (Won’t stick if applied to wet or bloody skin.) This pack has four bottles.

New-Skin Liquid Bandage, First Aid Liquid Antiseptic, 1-Ounce Bottles (Pack of 4)

Tampons and pads

If you have a cut that needs more than a band aid, a pad gives you something solid to apply pressure against. As for tampons, obviously they could be used to plug a puncture – and the string can serve as the wick for a long-lasting emergency light if you have oil as a fuel. Head to your local drugstore to pick up the sizes and style you want. If they aren’t packaged individually, you can always put a few into a plastic bag and then into your kit.  Be sure to use the unscented versions. 

Hand sanitizer wipes

We’ve all used “wipes” after eating messy food – and discovered that some are a lot better than others, and smell better, too! Still, in an emergency, probably any reasonable sanitizing wipe would be better than nothing. Individually packed wipes can be tucked right into your first aid kit. A small plastic bottle of hand sanitizer could work, too. I’ve used Purell and liked it.

Individually wrapped: PURELL Sanitizing Hand Wipes Individually Wrapped 100-ct. Box
Small, 2 oz. bottles: Purell Instant Hand Sanitizer, 2 Ounce (Pack of 12)

Ace bandage or “self-stick” bandage

In rough terrain, an ace bandage can keep your turned ankle functioning. A standard ace bandage needs safety pins or special clips to keep it secured; the “self-stick” version looks the same but sticks to itself just like cling wrap.

Standard bandage with clips: ACE Elastic Bandage with Hook Closure, 3 Inches (Pack of 2)
Self-stick version: ACE Self-Adhering Elastic Bandage, 2 Inches (Pack of 3)

Adhesive Tape

Taping gauze over a wound takes precision. If you mess up, drop a piece, etc., you can go through the provided supply very quickly. My recommendation – add another generous roll of 1 in. tape to your kit so you won’t run out.
Durapore Medical Tape, Silk Tape – 1 in. x 10 yards – Each Roll

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide team

P.S. While you’re thinking about First Aid kits, you may want to review this Advisory about the dangers of out-of-date medicines.

How safe is your local mall?

Where are the exits?

Today’s news is filled with threats of terrorist attacks on local, American, British and Canadian malls. These threats follow on the heels of the release of HBO’s amazing documentary, “Terror at the Mall,” showing one such attack.

If you are involved in security and counter-terrorism, you need to have seen this chilling story. If you are simply a parent, or even a shopper, you may want to take time to see it, too.

Security camera footage

Footage for the film was taken from the over 100 security cameras that continued to run while noontime shoppers visited the upscale WestGate Mall in Nairobi, Kenya on September 21, 2013. Again and again, the footage shows innocent and unsuspecting families and store personnel suddenly confronted by militants armed with automatic weapons.

These men entered the mall like any other shopper, moving steadily through the corridors and into stores and shooting down anyone who moved.

Over the course of four hours, over 60 people were killed, women, children and police. The floors ran with blood.

You may well ask, “Four hours?”

It was a classic example of a “soft target” attack combined with poor response by police and military. While the terrorists continued to move throughout the mall,, police and military forces, who took over 45 minutes to arrive,  milled around outside. One of their leaders is seen shouting, “Give us time to get organized!”

The gunmen were purportedly from Al-Qaida-linked al-Shabaab in Somalia. They were quoted as wanting “revenge” for the death of some of their brethren. Ultimately, after 4 days, a potion of the mall and the terrorists were destroyed by fire, purportedly the result of the army’s artillery “remote assault.”

Mandatory training

Viewing this chilling film should be mandatory training for anyone involved in security and counter-terrorism activities. It also reinforces the lessons taught in the “Run-Hide-Fight” active shooter video that was created by the City of Houston, Texas and the Department of Homeland Security. This film was reviewed by us last year. It has now had over three million views on YouTube.

As a matter of policy, at The Emergency Plan Guide we normally avoid publishing anything that smacks of “alarmist” publicity. Unfortunately, given the open threat from al-Shabaab, recent events in Paris and Copenhagen and warnings coming today out of Homeland Security, we can probably expect soft target attacks in the not-too-distant future. And, if ISIS gets its way, even the possibility of large-scale events cannot be overlooked.

“If you see something, say something.”

The Department of Homeland Security began a new campaign at the Superbowl, promoting awareness. It applies here, too.

If you feel that your lifestyle is such that you have higher than normal exposure, you would do well to view the Houston film (it’s only about 10 minutes) and even the HBO Documentary (60 minutes). It’s important to see how many people were able to get away and how others successfully hid from the attackers.

Finally, it makes good sense to always be aware of exit routes for any public structure. And, if you see something, say something!

Joseph Krueger
Your Emergency Plan Guide team

P.S. The Documentary is available to subscribers online at HBO. There are also a number of interviews, clips and trailers available on YouTube, but some have been apparently been “hijacked” by groups trying to take advantage of the title of the documentary. Caution is advised.

At Christmas, some of my neighbors bake cookies and deliver them to the local fire station. They are duly thanked. But last month, our fire department showed their appreciation in a whole different way.

They used our streets and houses for training!

Getting familiar with our community

Non-standard hydrant

First Responders always have to get used to our community. It has narrow streets and smaller-than-regulation fire hydrants, not to mention an impossible house numbering system.

So last month, when they had a recruit who needed training, they gave us a call.

Could our neighborhood CERT group host a training exercise?

Well, of course we could!

With only two days’ notice, we pulled together a team, sent out a flyer to everyone warning them to stay out of the way, and when the engines pulled in on a Friday morning, we were ready.

• Our CERT member posted at the gate saw them enter and notified the entire team via hand-held radio.
• Block by block, turn by turn, we tracked them and reported in.
• When they arrived at the “subject house,” our team members set up a traffic management system, meant to keep residents’ cars – and residents on foot — from getting tangled up in the hoses.

Traffic hazard

Things went well! The recruit passed his test (locating the hydrant, attaching the hoses, pulling hoses around the corner and across the street, etc.). Our traffic management proceeded without incident, and radio communications worked perfectly. (One of our members acted as Net Control, accompanying the Incident Commander in a golf cart.)

At the end of an 90 minutes, the fire department had rolled everything up and were gone.

Then, later that same day, they called to ask if they could come back the following week and do it again!

Benefits of working together

Working with our local fire station crew this way has so many benefits.

First, they learn more about the neighborhood and will obviously be able to respond more quickly and confidently to the next emergency.

Second, they got to see our CERT team in action – and they voiced their admiration for the way we were organized and for the help we gave them.

Finally, we got to know those crew members personally, and they got to know us. Nothing can substitute for this personal connection.

Plans for future training exercises

Now that we have had this experience, we will be inviting other stations to take advantage of our “training facility” when they can.

It’s a way to position our CERT group positively in the eyes of the First Responder community, and it gives us a way to reinforce our preparedness message to our neighbors, too. Not to mention the all-important radio practice!

Have you ever hosted a training in YOUR community?  Who initiated contact? How did it go? Let us readers know!

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

Don’t miss any of our “adventures!”  Sign up below to get all our Advisories.

Post instead of Page

In the world of the internet and WordPress, a post is a post and a page is a page. You just got a post from me when I meant to put up a page!

So now the secret is out!

I’m assembling a book of CERT Meeting Ideas for people who train neighborhood CERT groups.

Group leaders, particularly new ones, are always looking for good meeting ideas. After playing a leading role in our neighborhood group for over 5 years, I have planned and put on dozens of meetings! And since I’m me, I have kept notes on each one.

My upcoming book . . .

has about 30 meeting ideas, based on actual experience. There’s a page for each idea, with:

• a title
• objective
• procedure
• materials needed
• comments

As soon as the book is finished, I’ll be coming out with a grand announcement. In the meanwhile, if you would like to get on the list to get that announcement, you can do so by clicking here:

I want Ideas for CERT meetings!

Thanks for your understanding regarding the post/page foul-up!

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

The recent blizzard in the Northeast may not have been as bad for New Yorkers as anticipated, but it was bad enough to cause power outages to thousands.

When we hear power outage, we naturally think “generator.”

Here at Emergency Plan Guide, we have looked several times at the pros and cons of generators while we considered purchasing one for our own neighborhood. And we have told the story of what happened AFTER we purchased it, too!

Today, as we head into National Severe Weather Preparedness Week (February 3 – 7), it seems a good time to add one more piece of information to the discussion.

Generators can be dangerous!

Here are three things to keep in mind as you consider the purchase of a new generator and/or get ready to turn yours on.

1. Location. The most important safety alert has to do with where you place your generator. You know that the off-the-shelf, standard generator kicks out significant quantities of carbon monoxide (resulting from the burning of fuel). Too much CO in the air can render you unconscious and kill you. In fact, According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), unintentional CO poisoning claims more than 400 lives a year, and about half of those are due to generators.

To protect yourself from the dangers of CO, run your generator outside and place it at least 20 ft. from the building, further if there are any doors, windows or vents. In particular, never run your generator in the garage, even if you keep the door open.

2. Connection. When the generator is running, it can power a number of appliances (as long as its fuel lasts). Use a heavy-duty outdoor electrical cord (10 gauge or better) with grounded plug (the three-prong one) to run from the generator outside to the appliances inside. Adding a heavy-duty power strip at the end in the house will make it easier to plug in the appliances.

Do the math!  Add up the wattage of the appliances you intend to plug in to make sure the generator can support that load.

3. Protection. NEVER NEVER NEVER plug the generator into a wall socket in the house! First, a generator cannot power your whole house so from a power standpoint, that’s useless. Second, and more important, the power from the generator flows through the house and into the power grid. Workers working on repairs to the grid could be electrocuted because of YOUR generator!

For more about generators,

check out these Emergency Plan Guide posts:

•  Before you buy a generator . . .
•  The Best Generator for Emergencies
• When Less is More 

And if you are thinking “generator” you also need to be thinking “carbon monoxide alarm.”

Read our review questions before you purchase anything.

Carbon Monoxide Alarms and Detectors

You may not be anticipating any severe weather, but please forward this information to friends who are right in the path of these winter storms. Thanks.

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

“News Item–If you own or work for a small business the odds of it surviving a major earthquake or weather event are 50/50 at best.”

Ignoring reality?

Around our household we have an item that we brand as “the ecology.” It’s actually a “sanitized” word for the sometimes-yukky vegetable garbage destined for the compost pile.

In the world of business, similar sanitizing goes on around the mess that can occur after a major disaster.

The first sanitized term that comes to mind is “Business Continuity.” “Business Continuation” runs a close second. By and large, these expressions are unfamiliar to employees and may be only vaguely understood by owners. (“Something to do with insurance?”)

When a catastrophe can result from something as simple as a backhoe cutting communications lines, it makes no sense to ignore emergency preparedness!

“Sanitizing” the way we think or talk about survival is plain foolish.

A Major Flaw

Large corporations put a great deal of effort into plans to preserve data and – in theory – protect their employees and physical premises. Whether or not their cumbersome plans are even read by staff is questionable, and the subject of another article.

When it comes to small businesses, only about 35% have even a rudimentary plan for how to prepare for and recover from an emergency. (Employee surveys show that employees are aware of this lack.)

Even when a small business does have a Continuation or Continuity Plan, most totally overlook their major asset: their people.

The False Assumption

Business owners seem to be operating on the assumption that their employees and suppliers will continue to be available in an emergency.

“We’ll just pitch in, clean up and get back to business.”

The reality is that everyone impacted by a catastrophe will be preoccupied with their own priorities. The business will take second place and may not even come into focus for hours or days.

It’s no wonder that most small or local businesses simply never reopen their doors after an emergency, or shut them down permanently within a couple of years.

Plugging the Hole

While there is no silver bullet, there are ways to improve your chances of survival. One of the best ways is also often the least expensive. It’s called CERT.

Many cities in the U.S. have an emergency management department and many provide free Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training, in conjunction with FEMA. If your city doesn’t offer the training, it is on line at the FEMA site. (https://www.fema.gov/community-emergency-response-teams/about-community-emergency-response-team)

An astute business owner or senior manager recognizes the conflict of priorities between work and family. Supporting CERT training for employees has benefits for all:

• CERT training starts with security for the family. The sooner employees are confident that their families are O.K., the faster they can turn their attention back to work.
• The same survival skills learned in CERT work for neighborhood groups and work teams.
• A CERT-trained employee is likely to have honed communication and teamwork skills that benefit many areas of the business’s day-to-day operations.

Everybody Wins With CERT Training

Why are city and county governments so willing to put on this training for businesses and communities at little or no cost?

Simple. Trained citizens and prepared businesses have a 500% better chance of survival in a catastrophe.

That means less pressure on the First Responders and Disaster Recovery Operations in the aftermath. It means fewer deaths from “spontaneous” untrained volunteer efforts. And the big benefit is the continued tax revenues that support the community.

No matter how you look at it, Business Continuation Planning and CERT training for citizens and employees is a win-win situation. It should be a no brainer for any business owner.

Ready to start the conversation about emergency training in your own business?

We’ve put together a one-page pdf to get you started. It’s free.

Joe Krueger
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

. . . Give Us Pause for Concern.

Last week the British Intelligence MI-5 issued its warning about the renewed threat of terrorist attacks on so-called “soft targets.”

Classic Soft Target

This proclamation, against the backdrop of the savage attack by two minimally-trained terrorists with automatic weapons on the French tabloid Charlie Hebdo, got my attention . . . especially since it warned of growing risks of attacks in the U.S.

But, real as the terrorist threat may be, it is only one of many threats against soft targets!

So what are soft targets and should we really be worried?

Soft targets are basically any person or location that isn’t protected by armed guards or official security. The school at Sandy Hook, the two off-duty British soldiers and the school in Pakistan are all soft targets. Your grocery store, gas station, your church and even your own home are all soft targets by definition.

And, yes, we should be concerned and vigilant.

San Francisco rampage

In the U.S., widespread availability of assault weapons means that mentally-ill people are all capable of becoming potential “terrorists.”

On July 1, 1993 in San Francisco, California, Gian Luigi Ferri, a 55-year old therapist, burst into a law office at 101 California Street and began shooting with two automatic weapons, killing eight people including a receptionist and a secretary, and wounding several others.

I knew “John” Ferri. I actually met him on three occasions. One of these was to sever him from a counseling assignment with a young relative of mine who “didn’t feel comfortable” with him. Neither did I after a fifteen minute conversation.

But neither did I suspect that years later he would become a mass murderer.

A more recent threat

That series of events, together with a number of workplace killings, made me particularly concerned for the safety of one of my daughters, a senior human relations executive who has been tasked with laying off several dozen employees since the 2008 financial meltdown. I worry about disgruntled employees “snapping” and returning to their workplace to “get even.”

For every real terrorist event, we can expect half a dozen of these “domestic violence” events. Does the fact that they are to be expected make me feel any better? Not really.

More precautions, increased vigilance

With terrorist incidents likely to increase in the future, there’s every reason to take all normal precautionary measures while increasing our vigilance. If you work or live in a high-risk target area, a healthy dose of paranoia might even be in order.

So, what’s the bottom line? The more progress we make in containing terrorism on the various battlefields of the Middle East, the more we can expect isolated, one-off incidents of attacks by one or two would-be terrorist actors. MI-5’s Director, Andrew Parker, pointed to what he called “the growing gap between the increasingly challenging threat and the decreasing availability of capabilities to address it.”

Of course we here in the U.S. are less likely than countries in Europe to be hit this way, but only because we are not as close or accessible to the thousands of militants coming and going between a battlefield and an adjacent country.

In response to this threat, here at Emergency Plan Guide we’ll be taking another look at physical security devices and related protection equipment. You may want to follow these periodic reviews to see if any resonate with you.

Joe Krueger
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

Don’t miss our upcoming reviews of security equipment. Be sure to get on our Advisory mailing list.  Sign up below.

Two weeks ago I sent out a survey to my various Emergency Plan Guide subscribers.

Only two questions resulted in any real intelligence.

The first interesting question made me really pleased. The image shows the question and the result: 100% of the respondents trusted the information on the site “a great deal” or “a lot.”

The second interesting question was the very last one, where we asked people to let us know what they want more of in upcoming Advisories. Here the answers were totally diverse.

Some people wanted pure survival information.

Others were looking for ideas to help them organize CERT groups. (One CERT group was in a medical facility!)

So we fall back on our original assumptions regarding our audience, assumptions that have been upheld via comments we’ve received. And to continue with the questions . . .

Do you fit into one of these categories?

1. Preppers – Make preparations to get through an emergency or a disaster (caused by weather, societal turmoil, etc.) by relying on their own stockpiled supplies and skills.
2. Survivalists – Prepare to survive a long-term, total breakdown of society, probably as a result of anarchy. Survivalists endorse and practice traditional wilderness survival skills including use of weapons, traps, emergency shelter, etc.
3. Homesteaders – Look to the land to be self-sufficient as a regular lifestyle. Homesteaders grow crops and preserve them; they may also craft their own materials and tools.
4. Professional Emergency Responders and Planners – Formally trained to respond to and manage emergencies of different types and intensities. These include First Responders (firefighters, police, emergency personnel), leaders within city or government agencies, and staff of the Big Daddy of them all, the Federal Emergency Management Association (since 2003, part of Homeland Security).

Where do we fit?

Over the years Joe and I have absorbed good info from all these groups!  (Actually, our interest in preparedness started when we were children. My parents were pioneers in Alaska in the 30s and I inherited their attitudes along with their stories. And Joe survived on urban streets by himself as a child – yet another skill set.)

At Emergency Plan Guide, we have ended up finding a niche that doesn’t seem to get a lot of sustained attention.

We are Team Builders.

We tend to like – and want to trust — people. We enjoy being part of a bigger team. And nearly every news story we hear makes it clear that in the case of a widespread emergency, it’s the people physically closest to you who will make the difference to your survival!

Yes, your “immediate survival team” will be made up of your neighbors or your co-workers.

We can’t count on strangers to have any particular skills or understanding. But we can and should count on neighbors and co-workers to have (1) basic knowledge, (2) some practiced responses and (3) a readiness to pitch in.

So let me ask you for a bit more follow-up.  Can you reply to this Advisory and let us know which group from those described above fits you the best? Or do you fit into another category altogether?

We look forward to hearing from you!

Joe Krueger and Virginia Nicols
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

If you get this in an email, you can contact us here to let us know more about who you are and what you want.

Your family may be prepared for common emergencies. But have you taken the time to think about these ten special hazards?

Checklist of Special Hazards

Tsunami Siren – New Zealand

1. Emergency siren

We’re all used to the weather alert sound that’s tested monthly on the radio. But what if you suddenly heard a siren going off outside? Would you know immediately what it meant, and what to do? In our part of the world, sirens are associated with just one thing: a leak at the nearby nuclear power plant. In Oklahoma, a siren might announce imminent threat of a tornado. In Asia, sirens are used to warn of giant waves or tsunamis. What sirens operate where you live or where you’re planning to travel?

2. Railroad crash

When the track doesn’t run right next to your house, you may not realize how many trains are traveling through your community. Although train accidents are infrequent, every year we hear of derailments, explosions, fires, traffic disruption, and evacuations. Where could a train crash happen in your local neighborhood? What cargo might that train be carrying?

3. Fire at sea

I’ve personally been through two ferry fires, both in the Mediterranean. Any time you’re aboard a ship, or even a boat, there’s danger from fire. Do you think about this possibility BEFORE you board? Do you think about how to respon

4. Airport/aircraft emergency

As a civilian, you’re not likely to be called upon to respond to an emergency at an airport but do you live or work near an airport?  In the flight path?  What do you know about emergency preparedness at the facility and how you would be impacted if there were a mishap?

5. Unusually heavy rain

Here in Southern California, rain (finally) fell on areas that a year ago had been burned by wildfires. The result: uncontrolled run-off of water and, unfortunately, mudslides. Could you become a victim of such a disaster?  Do you know how to protect your property (as best you can) using sandbags and K-rails?

6. Disabled residents

We’ve said it over and over again: many evacuation or disaster response plans overlook people with disabilities. How have you prepared to assist disabled family members, neighbors or co-workers in the case of an emergency?

7. Dam break

A wall of water from a broken dam is a favorite movie image. Reality might look a little different. (It might not be a flood; it might mean seepage or discharge and contamination of the water supply.) Is there a dam or water supply anywhere near you? Or a storage area for industrial liquid waste? It may be well camouflaged! How would you find out?

8. Explosions or release of toxins from industrial plants

We’re pretty aware of the dangers associated with oil refineries and fertilizer plants. What other industrial activities are underway near your community?  Do you actually work where you have identified hazards associated with the job?  OSHA is the agency where you can seek information and assistance regarding industrial hazards.

9. Dangerous animals

As populations expand, communities come ever more in contact with animals that used to be wild but which now exist nearby. We’ve all seen videos of bears wandering between houses, of coyotes chasing pets and even children, and, of course, snakes that have grown to become life-threatening. Do you and your children know how to recognize a dangerous animal and what to do if you encounter one?

10. Active shooter

Do you know what gunfire sounds like? If you heard it, would you know what to do? What about your children? Your parents? Where might you encounter a shooter? Immediate action could save your life; confusion or a delayed reaction could put you in increased danger.

There is emergency preparedness training available for each of these special circumstances. We’ve discussed some of them here at Emergency Plan Guide and will likely talk about them again.

If you’d like more info on any item in particular, or have personal experience to share, please leave a comment.

Virginia Nicols
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

Overlooked or Abandoned?

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

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

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

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

Some questions to ask:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Practice and planning do make a difference.

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

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

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

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

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