Available for immediate delivery from Amazon . . . just click on the link to get full details!

Below left, white drone, at around $1,000: DJI Phantom 2 Vision+ Quadcopter with FPV HD Video Camera and 3-Axis Gimbal.

Right, at around $50: Hubsan X4 H107C 2.4G 4CH RC Quadcopter With Camera RTF – Black/Red

Around $50

Why in the world would you want to spend a thousand dollars (or more) on a drone for your Emergency Response Team?

Around $1,000

Answer: If you have money to burn, or if you have a large geographic area to cover or high value properties to document.

Drones are looming big on the horizon. . .

and the Federal Aviation Agency is scrambling to write the rules of use. They are worried (and rightfully so) about the danger drones represent to civilian and commercial aircraft.

But the rules haven’t been written yet and civilian, non-commercial use is growing by leaps and bounds (no pun intended here).

Surveillance of Disaster Areas

One good use for First Responders is to survey the area following a major disaster. Drones can be directed over specific targets and provide excellent photographic records sent in real time to a laptop computer.

This use could shortcut the first responsibility of the Fire Department after a major event, which is to  do a “windshield check” before responding to any individual fires or disaster scenes. The check establishes the passability of roadways and sets priorities for their next steps.

Using drones according to a pre-established grid matrix can accelerate the First Responders’ task, gather more specific and accurate data and allow them to more quickly respond to individual sites.

Delivery of Emergency Equipment

The Neighborhood CERT can use a drone in a similar way, albeit for a specific neighborhood. It could be especially helpful in covering a rural area or a widespread neighborhood geography.

Drones can also be used to deliver emergency supplies, such as a defibrillator, two-way radios, etc. They can also be used in a security setting for surveillance or serve as a deterrent to incursion by strangers.

Weapons of Mini-Mass Destruction?

So much for positive benefits. There is a negative side to drones as well.

While retailers are experimenting with package delivery by drones, it’s probably just a matter of time before some deranged person (or actual terrorist, for that matter) decides to try delivering harmful chemicals or explosives by way of a drone. (Ballistic Drones?)

While it’s doubtful that drones readily available for public purchase can carry large payloads, they do lend themselves to use by individual actors on local targets. And if this seems unlikely – or even a remote likelihood – consider how much fear and potential public hysteria the even more remote threat the Ebola virus created.

If nothing else, it’s something that should give the survivalists something to think about.

Joe Krueger
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

Challenging the neighbors

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

PowerPoint presentation for group

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

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

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

And I got a response I wasn’t expecting.

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

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

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

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

Anyway, here’s a response that I received:

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

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

 My reaction  . . .

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

The meeting came and went.

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

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

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

So now, it’s your turn to comment.

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks in advance!

Virginia Nicols
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

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

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

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

Then reality set in.

First issue: “Pounds per Watt!”

Portable generator with wheels, handles

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

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

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

Second issue: Realistic output. 

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

Standby, or permanently installed, generator

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

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

Hence, managing run times and appliance combinations is required.

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

Third issue:  What fuel to choose?

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

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

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

You want to consider all three fuel options.

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

Some Guidelines to Help You Make Choices.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Joe Krueger
Your Emergency Plan Guide team

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

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

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

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

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

Just looking up at the smoke alarm tells me nothing.

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

Anyway, on with the test.

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

O.K., we know it’s working!

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

I always thought fire alarms were pretty straightforward.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Logically, the very best fire alarm combines both technologies!

And also, logically, the combination models cost more.

So what alarm technology do I have in my home?

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

Where does all this take us?

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

Let me know how your alarm testing goes!

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

What are the chances?

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

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

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

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

Over in five minutes or less.

Link to this video below.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Can such events be prevented?

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

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

Are there warnings?

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

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

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

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

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

Share the video!

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

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

Virginia 
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

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

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

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

The answer: “Questions for Survival!”

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

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

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

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

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

But, of course, we can’t stop.

Awareness is a perpetual mindset.

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

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

Questions for Survival – Series One

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

• At home.

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

• In a group.

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

• Forward to others.

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

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

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

Don’t miss any of them!

Joe and Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

In earlier Advisories we’ve talked about how best to communicate during an emergency when the power is out. Here’s the likely drill:

1. First, try an old-fashioned landline; it may work when your rove-a-phone doesn’t.
2. Try your cellphone. But if lines are overloaded, you won’t get through there, either.
3. You’re down to option #3, a text message. Because it requires so little bandwidth, it may get through. But if cell towers are down, too? No luck.

So what’s the one phone that is most likely to ALWAYS get through?

You guessed it – a satellite phone!

The sat phone bypasses wires and towers altogether, shooting straight up to one of the satellite networks positioned 500 to 1,000 miles above the earth.  Given their position, the satellites are seldom affected by storms and thus won’t be impacted by whatever has hit your local community.

I thought I’d really only seen satellite phones in the movies. Typically, they were boxy and big, with an awkward antenna. And they seemed to appear mostly in the hands of the government, military or quasi-military, and usually on a ship somewhere.

Over the past few years, however . . .

sat phone technology has become refined and phones are now found in the hands of civilians around the world.  (So I may have seen one without realizing it!)

There are a number of companies offering the service, with phones that are now not much bigger than your cell phone. (You can see two of the most popular, the Inmarsat IsatPhone Pro Satellite Phone and the Iridium Extreme 9575 Satellite Phone at Amazon. Each looks to be about half-again as long as a typical cell phone, and to weigh about twice as much.)

Different services, high prices.

Although the different networks work differently, and have different coverage and quality, they do have one thing in common:  a relatively high price.

To buy the phone, expect to pay between $500 and $1500.  That’s just for the phone itself. You can pay more to get more features, like GPS, tracking, Bluetooth and WiFi capabilities. Most basic models allow you to send and receive text as well as email messages.

In addition, you need to pay for airtime.  You can prepay for the time or you can buy a monthly contract. Satellite airtime can be less expensive than cellular roaming rates, or a whole lot more (up to $10 a minute!), depending on which service you have. So, it’s back to knowing in advance just what you need the phone for!

Other things to keep in mind:

• A satellite phone won’t work inside a building. It needs access to the sky in order to “find” the satellite.
• The antenna needs to be extended, so you can’t put the phone in your pocket and expect to know when you’re receiving a call.
• Phone numbers seem to be more complicated. It reminds me of the work-arounds we used to see, where people dialed a local number to get to a trunk line and then another number to get to their desired party.
• There may be dead spots, depending on where you find yourself. Trees, jungles, buildings and mountains can block signals.
• Audio quality may not be as good as what you’re used to.

Even with all these imperfections, satellite phones have become standard equipment for business and for governments. A temporary rental (day, week or month) is easily managed over the internet, with the phone shipped right to you at home. Again, read carefully to be sure you get the accessories and the air-time bundle you need.

When it comes to emergency response, you may want a satellite phone for a particular period of time (say you’re going on a trip), for a season, or all the time.

It’s the ultimate in communications reliability.

As you consider your emergency communications needs, don’t overlook this technology. It could be the insurance you want. (Paying $6.50 for a minute of hearing your child’s voice – priceless!)

(My thanks to author Marc Weber Tobias, whose article in Forbes was the basis for much of what I have written here.)

Virginia

Your Emergency Plan Guide team

P.S. If you have used a satellite phone, let us know your experience!

Who takes top honors when it comes to emergency preparedness in the schools?

In September, Save the Children’s annual report card awarded Illinois the “most improved” title.

But Illinois only “won” because the state had experienced tornados – and the old plans for tornado safety didn’t work!

What Illinois schools learned from November 2013 tornados:

• The principal of Central Intermediate School in Washington, IL, said: “We had areas we thought were safe, but after the tornado, we looked at the debris and we thought, ‘No, we cannot put our kids in certain spaces.’”
• He also reported that cell phones and even texting worked only sporadically – while there were injured people needing professional help. (Now the school is getting portable radios.)
• At Washington Community High School, the assistant superintendent reported that “Hallways became wind tunnels, so now instead of shifting students into the hallways, we are moving them into interior rooms without windows.”

Where does your state stand?

The same Harris Poll that showed Illinois’ improvements showed that 21 states don’t even require schools and child care providers to have a basic emergency plan!

What about where you live?

You can head to Save The Children’s website and click on the map of the U.S. to find out what your state requires. (Click on your state, then on the report card to the right.)

Here’s the link to the map:  http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.8777049/k.FE2A/Get_Ready_Get_Safe_US_Preparedness_Map.htm

(This is a very long link. If you can’t get there by clicking, go to www.savethechildren.org and simply type into the search box: “US Preparedness Map”)

Required or not, what can you do to improve your children’s chances?

If preparedness has been on your radar for a while, you are certainly aware of the various government websites that offer checklists and suggestions for family and business preparedness.

When it comes to school preparedness, your state department of education might have some resources, too.

As of today, my number one resource choice for teachers is . . .

DISASTER MASTER!

This quiz, available at Ready.gov, is fun to take and will be a great starter for a classroom conversation!

You pick the threat and go through a series of questions that train children how to respond.  (Of course, that’s why it’s my favorite. Knowledge is good; being ready to take action is a whole lot better.)

Hint: Be sure to save the secret password for each level to go on to the next.

Here’s the link: http://go.usa.gov/yqC5

As you can see from the illustration above, the quiz characters are modern and you’ll find the cartoon drawings themselves to be professional and compelling.

Please check this out for yourself, and forward this email to any teachers you know. Share it with your PTA or with your home schooling group.

We can never do too much to protect our children, and being charged with doing too little, when the information is readily available . . . well, that’s unthinkable.

Let me know how it works out!

Virginia

Your Emergency Plan Guide team

P.S. If you missed my earlier Advisory for parents, here is the link again:  https://emergencyplanguide.org/dear-parent/

. . . Goes Against Current Fashion

Every week survivalists and preppers spend millions of dollars on “survival gear” — including tents, flashlights, generators, radios, firearms and more. Do you ever think you should be doing this, too?

Your survival mentality?

But take a moment to consider this. If your efforts are all to prepare your family to “pull up the drawbridge” and “defend the castle,” you will be ignoring, if not actively alienating, the very group that will be in the best position to save you!

Who is that? It’s your immediate neighbors!

Remember Katrina, Superstorm Sandy, the earthquake and tsunami in Japan? It was hours or even days before official help got to many neighborhoods!

Lives were saved by neighbors helping neighbors.

Most lives are lost in the first 15-30 minutes.

Regardless of how prepared you are with emergency supplies, the first 15 to 30 minutes following a disaster are the most critical if you are trapped in a burning house, under fallen debris or in a mud flow.

And the only people on the scene capable of helping will be your immediate neighbors.

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) trainings that are available in many communities around the Country teach citizens how to best protect themselves and help their neighbors.

But in most cases – especially in more highly populated areas – the CERT training falls short of organizing trained members into functioning neighborhood units.

It’s up to you to organize your own neighborhood groups!

What about the aftermath?

Yes, you can store water, food and medicine to tide you over for the days or weeks it takes for the government and support organizations to recover.

But what good is it if your neighbors don’t do the same?

Are you prepared to fend off neighbors at gun point to protect your own supplies? Or are you going to stand by and watch them starve or die?

This is a terrible situation that you need to think long and hard about, because it could easily happen.

Once again, it’s up to you to remind your neighbors to build emergency supplies.

How to get your neighbors involved?  You can start by asking yourself, and then sharing with them, these important survival questions.

In an emergency, wouldn’t it be better if you knew . . .

• The neighbors on either side of you, across the hall or across the street?
• Are they families or individuals?
• How many children do they have?
• Where are family members normally during the day?
• Are there any disabled members of the family?
• What part of the house do people sleep in?
• If people are missing at night, where would you look for them?
• Do your neighbors know what part of your house you sleep in?
• Would they know where to look for you in the middle of the night following an earthquake or tornado?
• How long would it take them to find you?
• Would you still be alive when they do find you?

In an emergency, you are your neighbors’ keeper – and they are yours.

Our current American emphasis on rugged individualism, our concerns for privacy, our worries about interfering – these views must be re-examined in the face of preparing for a neighborhood disaster.

Joseph Krueger
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

P.S. Share this post with your Neighborhood Emergency Response Team, to get their reaction.  And let us know how it is received!

Where’s the radio?

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

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

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

The best emergency radio of the bunch: Ambient Weather

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

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

There are a couple of newer, more powerful models.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide team

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

Today is September 1. Today, in Japan, hundreds of thousands of people are taking place in a disaster drill on the anniversary of the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake. And this year, they are being encouraged to stockpile toilet paper.

Japan’s disaster planning may have started in earnest in 1923, when 140,000 people were killed in Tokyo alone. And planning has intensified as a result of the 2011 Fukushima tsunami and resulting atomic power plant catastrophe.

But why a campaign to . . .

Stockpile toilet paper?

It turns out that some 40% of all toilet paper in Japan comes from one region – a region that is earthquake prone. According to government reports, within a month after the 2011 earthquake, toilet paper shortages began.

“Along with food and water, toilet paper was among the first items to disappear from store shelves,” said Toshiyuki Hashimoto, an industry ministry official in charge of paper products.

As part of this year’s campaign, paper manufacturers have come up with a special, 500 ft. roll of tightly compacted toilet paper. Price? Around $5 for a six-pack, that should last a family of four for a month.

No toilet paper in your house?

And in the U.S.? What do you do when you run out of toilet paper?

Most people reach for a tissue.

The problem? Kleenex, or tissue paper, is designed to hold together when wet – so it can block your toilet (if you are lucky enough in an emergency to have workable plumbing).

What about baby-wipes?

These are great for your baby, and for your emergency kit – soft, strong. But again, unless they are specifically labeled as “flushable,” they too will clog the system . . . and really mess up a septic tank.

And even the flushable variety is creating problems in many systems, because they take too long to disintegrate.

Anything else at hand?

We’ve heard of people using other items as toilet paper in an emergency: paper towels, newspaper, the Yellow Pages (Who has a phone directory anymore?), Sears and Roebuck catalog (stopped being published in 1993) and even corn husks.  (Corn husks?)

The point is, consider how much toilet paper (or wipes) your family would need in an emergency. Flatten rolls so they will take up less room. This is something you really don’t want to run out of.

If you’re interested in buying something specifically for your emergency supplies, try Amazon for “compact” toilet paper.

Oh, and to get back to the . . .

Three P’s of what to flush?

Whether it’s every day, or in an emergency, the answer is the same: pee, poop and (toilet) paper.  Period.

Your Emergency Plan Guide Team — Virginia Nicols

Dear Parent,

Welcome to another exciting school year. Before we allow your child to come to school, we need to know that s/he knows what to do in an emergency.

We don’t have time to fit this information into the regular school curriculum. So if your child is to have a good chance of survival, it’s up to you.

Please sign and return this note so we know your child is properly prepared.

Sincerely,  Your School Administrator

Wow! What if you got this letter from YOUR child’s school? How would you react?

I bet you’d have . . .

Questions for that “School Administrator!”

Here are a few of them:

1. What should my child know about responding to an emergency at school?

2. What emergencies are we talking about?

3. What plans does the school have for protecting my child?

4. Has my child’s teacher received disaster training?

5. What do you expect of me if an emergency happens during the school day?

The sad truth is, many parents do NOT know the answers to these questions. And I wonder, how many school administrators could answer for their school and their teachers?! it’s worth some effort to find out more.

I was inspired to write this post by three things.

• My friend Russell sent me a copy of a booklet passed out at his kids’ school. You’ll see it in the picture. It is packed with valuable information, pulled from a variety of sources. Because it IS so packed, though, no child would ever start reading it. Even a parent would be hard pressed to get through it. The booklet could answer questions 1 and 2 above.

• For the past six weeks, the LinkedIn Group that I participate in has been discussing disaster preparedness in the schools. These are professional trainers and consultants. Their reluctant conclusion? With rare exceptions, schools ignore basic survival skills for students. Some schools would be able to answer questions 3 & 4 above.

• Are schools required to be able to answer our questions? In June 2013 the White House released a guide  for developing emergency operations plans for elementary schools. The guide “incorporates lessons learned from recent incidents, and responds to the needs and concerns voiced by stakeholders following the recent shootings in Newtown and Oak Creek and the recent tornadoes in Oklahoma.”

Here in California, other resources are available through the State Department of Education. As far as requirements, all I could find is that regular fire and earthquake drills are mandatory. Still, a school that takes advantage of the guides and resources mentioned would, in fact, be able to answer all the questions above.

So where does YOUR kid’s school fit? Which of the questions can your school answer? Which CAN’T it answer?

It’s September. Back to School Month PLUS National Preparedness Month. Could there be any better time to find out more?

Virginia Nicols
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

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

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

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

Imagine this scenario.

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

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

VOIP may mean they WILL get through!

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

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

Get set up before the emergency.

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

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

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

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

Virginia Nicols
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

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At about 4:30 p.m. last Saturday, with temperatures hovering around 92 degrees, I was working at my desk when WHAM!, the power went off.

Before I could even get up from the chair a few things happened:

• My computer battery back-up started beeping.
• Our home alarm system started beeping.
• All our emergency wall lights went on.  (See the photo!)

I went into Emergency Response mode.

Step One: Size up the situation

1. My home assessment: nothing damaged, no danger.
2. I checked on the neighborhood: outage in all directions for several blocks; community gates automatically locked in open position; some traffic lights blinking red, others out altogether. Sounds of sirens in the distance.
3. I tested: cell phones were working, but not all home phones. (If people answered the phone, we could talk, but if there was no answer I was unable to leave a message.)

Step Two: Shift to full Community Emergency Response Team mode

1. As Division Leader I got on the radio and maintained walkie-talkie contact with our other local CERT divisions, shifting to Central Command frequency to make reports.
2. I reported the outage to the power company on their automated phone system; later, we got an automated report on that same number.
3. Joe monitored official city emergency response on his HAM radio. (Four of us have HAM radio licenses and radios.)
4. We kept neighborhood CERT members up-dated.
5. We contacted neighbors with news and recommendations, by phone and by face-to-face visit.

As it turned out, a fire in an electrical substation took out power for some 27,000 residents. (The fire engines we heard were responding to the fire itself.) Power was restored in phases; we got ours back about 7:30 p.m., others got theirs as late as midnight.

So here’s what we learned from the outage.

Something as simple as a power outage creates excitement.

At first, people were annoyed because they missed their air conditioning.

Then, they realized that they shouldn’t be opening their refrigerator if power was going to be off for several hours.

Then, some figured the thing to do was to go out for dinner – not realizing that traffic was jammed in nearly every direction.

Finally, as evening fell, people realized they had better come up with a flashlight or lantern because after dark they’d have no way to get around! Some of these people then decided to get into the car and drive somewhere to find batteries . . .

So once again, an “incident” serves as a reminder that emergencies WILL happen. This one didn’t develop into any kind of a disaster, but. . .

If it had continued for 24 hours

. . . imagine what would have taken place!

• People would have spent a night in the dark.
• Food in refrigerators would have started to spoil; after 24 hours some food would have spoiled completely.
• Frozen food would likely have thawed and had to be thrown out.
• Most cell phones would have run out of battery.
• Most computers would have run out of battery. Internet would have been unavailable anyway, since home networks were all down.
• Motorized wheelchairs might have run out of battery power.
• Back-up plans would have to be implemented for people using breathing apparatus, sleeping machines or dialysis equipment.
• The water supply may have become compromised. (See last week’s blog post on Boil Water Alert.)

Our U.S. grid is aging (like everything else) and while attempts go on to get the right balance between public and private ownership, the grid is increasingly outdated and increasingly vulnerable. Ever-growing demand and climate change add even more stress to the system.

So power outages are not rare, and their frequency is growing. They can last for a few minutes or for days, depending on the cause. A serious solar flare episode could cause whole sections of the grid to fail and be down for 60 to 90 days!

Quick poll:

1. Have YOU experienced a power outage in the past 12 months?
2. How long did it last?
3. What was the cause?
4. What did you take away from the experience?

Let us know. We’re all in this together, so the more we know, the better off we’ll all be!

Virginia Nicols
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

Boil water alert! 

The minute water mains break anywhere, the water coming into your home stands the chance of being contaminated.  And mains break regularly. I did a quick search online and found multiple Boil Water Alerts listed over just a short two-week period – in locales as different as Portland (OR), New Brunswick (NJ) and Tampa (FL).

What are your sources of water in an emergency?

If you heard a Boil Water Alert, what sources of clean water would you turn to?

It goes without saying that water in bottles or properly-treated water from barrels would be your first choice. You wouldn’t even have to boil that water.

Rain water could also be a source if you could capture it directly from the sky.

But I’ve been asked . . .

What about using water from a swimming pool?

I’m not a chemist or a health worker, so I recommend you do your own research on this topic.  But this is what I have found out that seems to make sense.

Do not plan to use swimming pool water to drink or cook unless you are able to treat it.

In a long-term water outage, here are some guidelines:

1. Pool water could be used as is to wash feet and body; murky is better than nothing!
2. Do you have sunshine? Letting pool water sit in sunlight for a full day will cause chlorine to dissipate and the sun’s UV rays will kill organisms. At the end of its sunshine treatment that water will be cleaner than when you started.
3. Filter water (through layers of clean cloth) then boil it (one full minute after it reaches a rolling boil) for drinking and cooking.  (Boiling will kill bacteria and viruses. Chemicals and metals would not be removed.)

Only a commercial filter will remove all contaminants.

I asked the LifeStraw people specifically about swimming pool water, and they said that LifeStraw was NOT meant to handle pool water.

Then I went further, seeking out an expert in one of my LinkedIn groups.  Here’s info I got from Bob Hess of Tealbrook Supplies. The Outback portable filter is typically used in regions where there is no piped water supply. You pour water into the top bucket, it goes through four different filters, producing 100 gallons of pure water a day. This model costs less than $200. You can see more at www.tealbrook.com.

So in conclusion — yes, pool water may be useful for SOME things, but converting it to safe, pure water will take effort.

All this reinforces ongoing Emergency Plan Guide message – the most important item you can store for emergencies is water. The recommended amount: 1 gallon per person per day (plus more for pets) for at least 10 days!

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide team

P.S. Do you have more information about the topic of using pool water in an emergency? Please share it by leaving a comment below!

Macaroni and Cheese, American favorite

Following our own advice . . .

We recommend, “For emergencies, store food you normally eat, and rotate your supplies.” But some people ask me about buying “official commercially-prepared emergency food” from the various vendors, so I finally broke down and bought a couple of sample items to test.

Here’s my first taste test – between EasyMac (which I am sure most of you are familiar with, even if you don’t eat it regularly), and a package of Macaroni and Cheese from MyFoodStorage, located in Riverton, Utah.

Let me be clear. This was a TASTE test, and not an official comparison of preservatives, genetically modified ingredients, price per calorie, or recommended shelf life. Once you make a decision to purchase emergency food supplies, you can find detailed analyses of all these online.

Again, I was following my own advice, trying to find something I knew I would want to eat in an emergency, particularly for that key 10-day period after the disaster when life will be topsy-turvy and store shelves will be empty.

Here’s the taste test, step by step.

1. Follow directions. I made each bowl of macaroni following the instructions. EasyMac required the microwave. MyFoodStorage required (a lot of) boiling water. OK, I have to assume that the power will be off after the earthquake, but I DO have my camp stove, so boiling water is possible.

2. Time to cook. The EasyMac was done in four minutes. It took more like 15 minutes to make the MyFoodStorage macaroni. First I was worried that the clumps of flavoring wouldn’t break up, but by the end of the time, with constant stirring, they did.

Midway in the cooking process

3. End result. EasyMac was pale yellow, sticky and a little chewy — just how I like it. MyFoodStorage macaroni was orange and creamy.

4. Taste. EasyMac was what you expect: powdered cheese and macaroni. MyFoodStorage mac was – wow, flavorful! I checked – it has powdered carrots and tomatoes in there, and their flavor (and color) came through.

5. Nutritional values. Now, being a normal consumer, I DO compare labels on a basic level. So, per the labels, one serving has the following:

EasyMac

• Calories – 230
• Fat – 4 grams
• Sodium – 540 mg.
• Carbohydrate – 42 g.
• Protein – 7 grams

MyFoodStorage

• Calories — 320
• Fat – 5 grams
• Sodium – 580 mg
• .Carbohydrate – 51 g.
• Protein – 8 grams

They look pretty similar to me.

Was there a winner? Well, it all depends.

If I had a crowd to feed, individual servings of EasyMac would be a real nuisance to have to cook. Cooking ANY individual servings would be a nuisance.

The big package of MyFoodStorage macaroni says it would feed 5 people. In my estimation it would feed even more than that. (I have leftovers in the fridge right now, enough for at least two more meals. I don’t think we’ll be able to use it all.)

If the test was on taste alone, MyFoodStorage was tastier. But would your kids eat it?

As for cost, it’s difficult to compare. I got the MyFoodStorage bucket (with six different meals) on a special trial offer online (just under $40).  I bought my EasyMac at discount superstore Costco. So you’d have to do your own shopping and cost comparisons.

What’s your take?

Ready to eat!

Here are some of my “conclusions.”  Do they make sense?

Remember, no microwave. So, my stores of popcorn, instant rice, etc. will be useless. I need to be sure I have plenty of food that doesn’t need to be cooked at all. Stove, pot, lid, potholder, water, dish soap, etc. — way too much trouble in a disaster setting!   It will be a heck of a lot easier to open a can and eat directly out of it!

This means, of course, that my canned food supplies must be tasty and sufficiently nutritious. Right now, for example, the bottom shelf of my pantry looks full thanks to a case of canned corn. I love corn, but it’s not going to be enough to carry me for 10-14 days. (I have other stuff too.)

Since I will be using my camp stove to do any heating of water or other cooking, I need to double check that I have fuel and a starter for my camping stove, plus appropriate pots and pans. My regular kitchen ware is way too heavy for the camping stove burners.

Finally, we get back to the most important item of all: water. Gotta have water for drinking, for cooking, and, in the case of dried emergency food, for washing up.

OK, that’s it for today. Rest assured, this isn’t the last you’ll hear about food supplies, because I have another sample to test (potato soup) plus I really want to try some freeze dried food.

Let’s hear from you! Do you have emergency food supplies? “Official” or regular menu items? Have you tested any emergency food products? With what results?

Let’s hear your story!

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

Real life emergency stories, from real people.

Setting: In the rental office, talking to the woman behind the desk.

“Do you have some food for if you were trapped here in the office in an emergency?”
“Well, no. I thought that was the job of the Red Cross.”

Setting: Talking to a featured speaker at my recent Las Vegas conference.

“You’re living on the beach in North Carolina, right? Do you have emergency food set aside for when the next hurricane hits?”
“Well, not exactly. But I did unplug the freezer so I don’t have to throw all the spoiled food out, like I did last time. That cost me $300!”
“But what about food supplies for after the storm?”
“We eat only healthy, fresh food, so there’s no way I can store anything . . .”

Setting: Video snippet from a recent training held here in our neighborhood. The TV camera is trained on a hysterical woman in New Jersey, after Sandy:

“Where’s the government!? We’ve been waiting three whole days . . .!”

What’s your survival kit story?

If you and I were to meet on the street, and I posed these questions to you, how would you respond?

• How many 3-day survival kits do you need for your family?
• Where does each kit need to be? At your home, in the car, at the office?
• How many kits have you actually put together?

As I’ve mentioned before, our local fire department has told us flat out:
“When the big one hits, you’re going to be way down on our list.”

All this points to our having to manage by ourselves for the first 72 hours.

You know that we have done a lot of research on pre-made kits, and generally find them lacking when it comes to quality and quantity.

Worse, having a pre-made kit may give you a false sense of security.

So our recommendation has been, and remains:

Build your own customized 3-day survival kit.

Here’s a link to an updated list of our favorite starter items : Top 10 Survival Kit Items

It may take you a few days to a week to assemble all the items for your kits. Turn kit-making into a family “pick and pack” activity!

Three days.

Easy enough to get through when you’ve got the basics: food, water, light, communications.

Really tough when you have nothing . . .

Virginia Nicols
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team