Did you notice the second sentence in last week’s Advisory?  Here it is again: “So much of emergency preparedness is just getting smarter and more secure around the basics.” This week I was forced by my neighbors to take another look at one of those basics: making sure holiday decorations safety isn’t overlooked in the excitement of the season.

The reason I say “forced” is because our neighborhood sponsors an annual Holiday Decorating Contest.  The rules are simple: pretty much anything goes!  So outdoors we have strings of lights, plastic icicles, inflatable Santas, wire-sculpture reindeer, nativity scenes with the Star of Bethlehem. Through the windows we can see miniature villages with moving trains, Christmas trees of all sizes, and . . . burning candles!

Holiday Decorations Safety: A perfect theme for our December HOA meeting

Because of the decorating contest, we devoted some time at this week’s meeting to holiday safety. I hope this is all review for you. But in case you have new neighbors, new decorations or simply forgetful folks anywhere nearby, you may want to share some of this!

Our “educational display table” focused on extension cords.

We have found that people really do love to look at pictures and handle real examples. So we set out a simple display of things to watch out for. Here it is, nearly finished . . .

From left to right you can see:

• Image of broken and burned cord
• GFI (GFCI) outlet (with real example)
• How extension cords are sized (text)
• Comparing indoor and outdoor extension cords and plugs (with real examples)
• Image of cord showing “Indoor/Outdoor” label
• Image of dangerously over-loaded wall socket (purposefully exaggerated)
• Methods for keeping outdoor light plugs dry (plastic cover, baggie)

When people arrived, we had Emergency Response Team members staffing the table and making sure people got their questions answered.

An important benefit of building the display? We “experts” learned we weren’t so expert after all! How about you? Test your own level of extension-cord expertise with the 3 questions below!

(1) You need a really heavy-duty cord to run power tools for your construction project.  What gauge would you start looking at, a 10 gauge or a 16 gauge?
(2) Can you quickly name 3 common household appliances that should not be used with an extension cord?
(3) Your cord is marked with the letters SJTW.  What do they mean?

(You’ll find all the answers you need at this appropriately-named site: https://bethepro.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/extension-cords.pdf)

Next in the spotlight, a favorite hazard: candles!

You probably know this statistic from the NPFA: “On average, 20 home candle firs are reported per day, peaking in December and January.” Just about a year ago one of our neighbors lost her home as the result of a candle fire. We consistently warn about that danger here in our neighborhood, with a big emphasis on fire extinguishers.

One of our creative volunteers built a second display highlighting alternatives to candles!  Here’s a photo showing her different battery-operated, LED “candles.” The largest one actually flickers thanks to a clever floating “wick” mechanism. The main feature of these lights?  NO FLAME AND HARDLY ANY HEAT!  (Did you know that LEDs use less than 1/10 the energy of regular lights?)

We ended up giving away about a dozen small LED tea candles to people who had never actually seen them before!  (See what I mean about getting smarter and more secure about the basics? Everyone can learn more!)

And to sum up: “Tis the season for safety!” checklist as handout

Finally, we handed out a one-page holiday decorations safety checklist to everyone. It offered 16 tips for lighting safety as regards

• Candles – Avoid them!
• Lights and Trees (6 tips on how to buy, how to maintain)
• Cords and Outlets (Temporary use only! 9 tips for using the right size, when 3-prong plugs are required, what NOT to plug into an extension cord, etc.)

As always, we also created a version of our holiday decorations safety checklist in Chinese.

Some safety samples for your own use, or your educational display

If you think a display like ours might be useful, but you can’t rustle up examples of all the items we’ve mentioned, check out these items at Amazon. (Your purchase may give me a small commission that will keep me getting examples for my own trainings!)

General purpose outdoor extension cord

The important thing is to confirm that the cord is actually meant for outdoor use! The label may say “Indoor/Outdoor” and you may also see the letter “W” stamped on the cord itself. The longer the cord you need, the heavier gauge you should get, because current is lost over distance.

This general purpose 50 foot cord is heavy enough that it can be used to drive hand tools and gardening equipment – and of course it will work for holiday decorations.

Not sure about a GFI? (Ground Fault Interrupter) or GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter)? (They are the same thing!)

(I’m including this because I promised to dig ever deeper, remember?)  We had one of these in our tool shed that we pulled out for the display, but I had actually never really looked at it.  (Joe is the electrician around here.) You may have noticed one in your bathroom: they are required in kitchens and bathrooms to prevent shock in areas that may be damp.

This model has both a TEST button and a RESET button so you can have extra confidence that the circuit is working and is safe. (It glows red when it’s not working and/or needs to be replaced.)

Instructions say you can “install in 10 minutes.” I’d be sure to get an experienced installer!

Something altogether new for me: A waterproof cover for extension cord plugs!

If your decorations will be outside in the weather, you’ll want to keep the plugs dry.  (In warm climates, that includes keeping them out of the path of the irrigation.) Of course, you can use a baggie and tie it shut, but this simple plastic case would be a whole lot easier and more reliable. Just place the plug into the case, snap it shut, and voila. Easy, Dry. Safe! (This one comes 3 to a pack.)

Finally, some REALLY attractive and very safe LED candles!

I was given these candles as a present!  They are absolutely beautiful and since they’re made of wax when they are lit you can’t tell they aren’t real. (Two AA batteries in each, can be turned on and off with a switch on the bottom, or remotely using controller.)

The candles are 3 inches across, so not small. The image from the advertising shows their relative size.

OK, that’s it for today’s review of extension cords vs. holiday decorations. Perhaps I’ve treated some of this in a light-hearted fashion, but it’s a serious topic. Every year 770 house fires are caused by Christmas lights. Take just a few sensible steps so you can enjoy your own holiday lights without a tragedy.

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide team

P.S. If you would like a copy of our Holiday Decorations Checklist, click here to download the pdf. I’ve left space at the bottom of the checklist page so you can customize it to your own group before duplicating it.

It’s not too often that I add a new topic to our list of Advisories. So much of emergency preparedness is just getting smarter and more secure around the basics. This week, however, I have felt obliged to add a new threat for you to consider: a Smash and Grab incident!

Over the past few days of Black Friday shopping frenzy, a handful of major cities have experienced dozens of violent Smash and Grab incidents. Teams of people, clearly organized and prepared with crow bars and hammers, violently invade upscale stores, breaking windows and display cases, and making off with thousands of dollars of high-end merchandise. Within minutes, they are gone.

A security guard was shot and killed as he defended a video team filming the violence. So far, though while shoppers’ packages have been snatched by the mobs, no shoppers have been reported injured.

But it’s likely only a matter of time before a shopper or staff member is in the wrong place at the wrong time, or makes the wrong move. We don’t want that someone to be you!

Can I prevent a smash and grab incident?

It’s not clear that there is any way to prevent such an incident. Certainly, mall and store security has been beefed up. But the snatch and grab gangs swoop in and get out before law enforcement personnel can get there.

You might avoid being caught up in an incident by shopping during daylight hours.  And it would be a good idea to shop in smaller local stores rather in malls or big box stores.  (These thieves seem to be drawn by wide aisles, lots of merchandise, multiple ways out, and easy escape routes for their cars.)

Practice situational awareness all the time to help keep yourself out of harm’s way!

We’ve written before about situational awareness. Its simplest definition?  Being more aware of what’s going on around you!

The more complete definition of situational awareness for personal protection includes:

• Gather information about your environment.
• Understand what you see, feel, hear, etc.
• Predict what could happen and come up with options for how you could react. (Use your imagination!)
• Be ready to take action if you feel unsafe.

Now, this should all make sense to you, and you could probably follow all these steps if you knew in advance that you were heading into trouble.  The challenge is to maintain situational awareness ALL THE TIME! 

You can practice!  And the more you do, the easier it becomes.  (As I have mentioned before, Joe has had training in military intelligence. Situational awareness is built right into him!)

Shopping presents particular threats.

Even if you don’t get caught up in a smash-and-grab incident, you may be broadcasting an invitation to a thief. Are you guilty of any of these shopping-associated behaviors?

• You just bought that perfect and very expensive gift you’ve been looking for!  As you push your way through the crowd you are exchanging excited video calls with your girlfriends and telling them just what a great discount you got!
• You’re finished with your shopping. You pretty much stagger into the parking garage so loaded down with parcels and packages you can hardly  see over them. You don’t even notice who is coming toward you in the shadows. 
• Your shift is up. You’re the last person out of the store tonight, and you head into the nearly empty parking lot alone. All you can think about is getting home and getting out of those shoes.

In every case above, your lack of situational awareness has turned you into a potential victim!   

What if I happen to be in a store when a gang of smash-and-grabbers comes in?

I mentioned that Joe has had valuable experience in staying aware. His experience has been catching!

Every time I go into ANY building I always make the effort to identify ways to get out other than the way I came in. In a grocery store, that’s back through the loading area. In a retail store, I look for signs for restrooms and emergency exits. (Since we’re in California, I also automatically and continually look for places to shelter in an earthquake.)

In a smash-and-grab situation you may suddenly notice people pouring into the store. You may hear breaking glass. If you’ve already identified other exits, move away from the turmoil and toward those exits if you can!

If you can’t get away, try to remain unnoticed.  Stay out of the way. Don’t scream or fight. Let them take your packages if they want them. (If you paid by credit card you may get your money back thanks to “purchase protection!”  Check to see if your card has it!)

Remember, the smash-and-grab mob is not interested in you.  They want things — preferably expensive things like jewelry or electronics that can be resold over the internet. They also want to get their loot and get out quickly, so any person that gets in their way is likely to be fiercely attacked.

This holiday season is turning out to be unlike any other.

Over the past few months we have all witnessed more mass shootings, more bomb threats, more erratic driving, and more angry confrontations than I can ever remember.  The smash-and-grab incidents fall right into this wave of violence. So a refresher on situational awareness is timely.

I have a couple of recommendations for that refresher.

First, our own Mini-Book on Personal Safety devotes 4 of its 17 questions to situational awareness. Each one of the answers offers up some detailed ways you – and your kids — can practice getting better at it! 

(I got a nice email from an emergency management professional who said he was impressed to have “found new info” there about how to practice!)

Here’s the link to Personal Safety on Amazon. A perfect and inexpensive gift for every member of the family!

Second, as part of the research for today’s Advisory I discovered three videos on YouTube from Homeland Security. They are games to test just how accurately you see things!  Now, you may not do very well on #1, but by the time you’ve finished #3, you will have improved!  Going through them takes less than 15 minutes and it’s fun!

I have relied on news reports for much of this Advisory. If your local police offers tips for safe shopping, or a special press release on smash and grab incidents in your community, be sure to find out more. You may prefer to approach certain shopping areas with extra caution.

That’s it for this week. But the role of situational awareness doesn’t go away. Commit to improving your own skill!

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide team

P.S. Our personal safety book covers a lot more than mindset. If you’re considering self-defense systems, you’ll find questions about martial arts, weapons and deadly weapons, too. It all has to do with gaining more control over your personal safety.

After “The Big One,” what do we do about all the dead bodies?

Here in California we’ve been waiting for “The Big One” for years. Although we’ve had some warning quakes, the big one hasn’t hit yet. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean it’s somehow going away. In fact, the threat is increasing every day.

That’s why our neighborhood emergency response team schedules at least one “Earthquake Preparedness” session every year. We’re planning our next one right now. For many of us, it will be a refresher. But for people new to California, and to earthquakes, it can be quite a shocker. Dead bodies and body bags tend to capture their attention!

Answering basic questions about earthquakes.

Most people who haven’t really learned about earthquakes seem to have a vague notion of running out of their home when a quake hits. Experts say this is a terrible idea! Our upcoming Earthquake Fair will address just why that notion is so dangerous! And we’ll make an effort to address all the basic questions like those below. How well can YOU answer them?

• How many alerts exist to give us a warning BEFORE the quake hits? Do they actually work?
• What will happen in the first seconds and minutes?
• Are some places safer than others during the quake?
• What if I am in my car when the quake hits?
• What are the most common injuries associated with earthquakes?

Can we expect deaths?

A recent article I read stated that “The Big One” could “kill about 1,800 people and leave 50,000 or more with injuries.” Of course, the degree of destruction will depend on which fault breaks, where you are located along that fault, what kind of building you’re in, etc.

Still, we do have to assume there may be deaths, if only from heart attack.

And while we don’t dwell on how to manage dead bodies, we do need a plan for coping. Joe and I have received some professional training on this topic, so I’d like to share it here.

Dealing with dead bodies is a sensitive issue.

We have been told, over and over again, that a big earthquake will result in power outages, bridge collapse, etc., so we can expect to wait certainly hours and maybe days before we’re reached by emergency personnel. That means that deceased people and animals (who aren’t still buried under collapsed buildings and rubble) will be scattered about where they fall. Even while we survivors are busy supporting each other, we must manage any dead bodies — because after as little as 12 hours after death, they may no longer be recognizable.

Steps we may need to take to recover and manage dead bodies.

A municipal entity will have the final authority for managing bodies. But if there is a delay before authorities arrive, our local neighborhood group may have to step up.

Some of the considerations:

• Once the immediate danger has passed, and the living are being cared for, our goal is to move rapidly to find and identify the deceased.
• A team will be required to find the body, take appropriate PHOTOS (if possible, without moving the body), and hopefully identify the person. Throughout, the team needs to treat every body with utmost respect. As for identifying, in our case, our neighborhood directory will be invaluable for initial identification, but of course there may be strangers within the disaster area, too.
• Each body must be carefully LABELED — with a unique number, name if known, where and when found, etc.. If possible, the label will be protected from water or smearing, by being in a plastic cover.
• As bodies are found and labeled, information from each label must be carefully RECORDED for later use by officials and family. One team member should maintain the record.
• In the case of anticipated delay, the body can be placed in a BODY BAG or covered or wrapped by a sheet. The covering carries the same label mentioned above. Obviously, in this case the body will need to be handled. New photos of the face and any identifying marks may be appropriate. Workers should not worry about becoming infected, but should follow normal hygiene procedures, wearing boots and gloves and washing and/or disinfecting after touching the body, blood, feces, etc.

Here’s an example of two important forms necessary for managing dead bodies.

In a neighborhood setting, does it make sense to set up a morgue?

While we have body bags, our neighborhood group does not have the ability to transport bodies. Our first choice would be to leave them where they are found (in body bags) as long as they are sufficiently out of the way, protected from further damage, and, preferably, out of view. Only in the extreme conditions would we attempt to set up a morgue.

What about your neighborhood? Do you have what it would take to store bodies? Setting up some sort of morgue requires space, appropriate furniture, likely electricity for cooling, etc. That’s a topic for further discussion.

“Deal with it.”

Even well-staffed CERT groups often neglect this issue. Why? Because it’s a very negative situation to imagine or to dwell upon. And in reality, few people know how to deal with dead bodies in a disaster situation.

But it is part of preparing for a major disaster. Ignoring it will not make it go away. As with everything associated with preparedness, the more you know abut something, and how best to cope with it, the less upsetting it is.

Here’s what our neighborhood group has done in this regard.

We have a number of CERT graduates and a whole team of pretty sensible folks. At the same time, we’re a senior community. We know dealing with dead neighbors might become an issue.

We purchased a dozen body bags of various sizes, and at one of our training sessions we opened one up to test it. Our smallest female member climbed up on the table and crawled inside. We zipped her in and then tried lifting the bag. Surprise! Even 6 able-bodied group members had some trouble handling the weight!  (Mostly because the bag we were testing was soft-sided, not like a door or a box or a stretcher where there’s something to grab hold of.)

Yes, there were expressions of distaste as this training started. Lots of nervous laughter. But everything settled down quickly when it came to really handling the bag.

My recommendation for YOUR group? Don’t overlook this important preparation for a disaster.

Share this Advisory. Bring up the subject at a training meeting. And if at all possible, lay in a supply of body bags. They can be bought individually at a cost of $15 – $35 or so, depending on the size, thickness of the material, type of closure, how many handles, etc.

Below is what looks like an excellent choice, available at Amazon where we are Associates. I selected it because it is extra long, has 8 handles, and a central zipper. I include it here as a start for your shopping list, because you may wish to have a selection of bags of different qualities and sizes.

As I said, we haven’t experienced a major disaster here — yet. If you have experience with dead bodies and body bags that would be appropriate to share, please do.

In the meanwhile, please make plans to add this topic to your disaster preparedness planning.

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

Dear Friend,

Would you be willing to participate in an exploratory discussion about what it takes to build a better prepared community?

We all know that in an emergency, the real “first responders” are going to be the people right there next to us – our neighbors or our co-workers. The more they know, the better everyone’s chances of making it through!

In our experience, though, success in building a prepared community is the exception, rather than the rule. In fact, we’d estimate that only 1 in 10 communities succeed. Most fail not because of lack of effort, but because they’re missing key organization and communications skills.

(FEMA’s 2021 National Household Preparedness Survey supports our estimate when it reports that only 16% of individuals say they have been involved at the community level!)

Over the past 20 years Joe and I have had some success building a more prepared community. And we’ve talked to many other people working to get their neighbors or businesses involved in preparedness.

We believe we’ve identified some of what it takes. We want to share what we’ve learned and hear from you what YOU have learned!

Let’s start with a virtual meeting!

It could be the first of many, but let’s test it first, with these guidelines:

• Goal: Exchange ideas about how to build a more prepared community.
• Aimed at: People leading preparedness groups, or wanting to build a group around the topic.
• Format: 45 minutes of stories and discussion (To make sure we hear from everyone in the room, we’re looking for no more than 15 participants.)
• Date and time: Friday, November 19, 2021, 9 am (Pacific), 12 pm (Eastern)

Interested in joining us? Just let me know. I’ll send you the zoom link along with some advance questions to help us get started quickly.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide team

(Emergency Plan Guide stands out in the world of preparedness and survival for its emphasis on building community. The Emergency Whistle Give-Away is an example of an event aimed at awakening new interest and rebuilding enthusiasm among your neighbors!)

Months of shut-down due to Covid continues to have an impact here in our Southern California senior community. Two months ago we cautiously began the rebuilding of our emergency preparedness program – remember the Advisory about how we began to revive our group after months of inaction?

Our work is still hampered by uncertainty regarding just how closely we want to gather, whether masks should be required, and by a general wariness about making any long-range plans.

However, even with interruptions, I think we can already call our first “campaign” a success! I am excited to bring you the update on “The Emergency Whistle Give-Away.”

Our 2021 re-building process started with new inclusive positioning.

In the past, our group has been made up of volunteers who chose to join because they had an interest in preparedness, learning about emergency gear, etc. In marketing terms, a self-selecting audience. But what with normal attrition, aging out, moving away and isolation caused by COVID, our membership has shrunk dramatically over the past few years! 

So this year we were forced to came up with a whole new positioning. 

Starting now, everyone in our community is automatically a member of our group! Our emphasis will be on providing info and training to everyone, not just members of a self-selecting team.

How do we reach out to our community?

In our senior community of over 300 homes, the most successful social events pull a maximum of 80 people. This means that the majority of people never come to any given event.

We have to take our info and our programs to them. We have used various delivery methods. (Which have you used? With what results?)

1. Community-wide meetings (Fire Dept. is always the biggest draw.)
2. Division-level meetings (We have divided our community into 6 divisions for emergency planning.)
3. Face to face delivery of info, flyers, etc. within each Division
4. Printed newsletter going to everyone (Some neighbors don’t read English.)
5. Email notices (Limited number of people on this list.)
6. Reverse directory telephone call messages (Some people opt out.)
7. Zoom calls (Even more limited number of participants.)

As you can see, during the Covid shut-down, the first three delivery methods were unavailable!

The 2021 solution? Attract new interest by delivering a physical gift related to emergency preparedness to every single home!

One of our group members came up with the idea of an Emergency Whistle Give-Away. A whistle is a winner! Not expensive. Small and neat. FEMA recommends them. People already know what they are and how to make them work.

Together we developed a “gift package.” It included a bright orange flat plastic safety whistle in a black plastic baggie holding a blue instruction sheet. Simple, easy, appropriate for our audience.

Here’s the gift, and our process . . .

• Step 1: Order whistles and baggies. (See below for what we ordered.)
• Step 2. Draft and trim blue instruction sheet to fit the baggie. (We made a separate version in Mandarin.)
• Step 3. Stuff the baggies.
• Step 4. Draft and print a wrapper (A flyer introducing the Emergency Response group)  for each whistle package.
• Step 5. Roll and wrap and rubber band!
• Step 6. The last step is to deliver a wrapped whistle package into the “tube” at every single home in the neighborhood. (The tubes are a section of pvc pipe fastened to the mailbox post and owned by the HOA. Can’t use the US Mail boxes for a distribution like this!)

All this effort attracted stuffers who found rolling and stuffing and chatting a welcome hour away from home. The bonus — we met several neighbors who had never attended one of our meetings before!

Joe and I just finished delivering to our Division. Along the way we waved as we passed two other Division Leaders doing the same thing. All the whistles are scheduled to be in our neighbors’ hands by tomorrow noon!

The results of our rebuilding activities — so far?

We’ve been working on this, and holding stuffing parties, for several weeks. As you can imagine, the word got out.

People have already been asking:  “When will I get my whistle?”  “Can I take a couple extra for friends who are house bound?” “Did the property managers get whistles, too?” “Will the whistles scare away coyotes?”

To all questions the answer is YES!

After tomorrow, I expect more questions. We intend to bring the whistles into all our future planned discussions, starting early next year on reminders about earthquake preparedness.

In any case, even though the project isn’t completely finished, I think it’s safe to say our “Revival Campaign starring the Emergency Whistle Give-Away” has already been a big success. It has aroused interest. It attracted a handful of brand-new volunteers. And it is reaching everyone in our community.

If you’re looking for a fun activity to engage your own neighbors, consider an Emergency Whistle Give-Away!

What we purchased for our gifts.

Flat Orange Safety Whistle with Lanyard

We looked for a flat whistle because it’s convenient to tuck into a purse or pocket. The one we chose has a clip plus a lanyard to make wearing easier. Bright orange or red? Of course! And if it goes missing? Not a great loss.

The Black Mylar Gift Bag with See-through Window

This version of a gift bag comes in various sizes. The one you see in the illustration above is 4.7 x 7.9 in. The bags are resealable, and they came sealed. It took us a while to get the hang of opening them.

We have already had fun with this project. It has been perfect as a way to “get back into the swing of things” after our way-too-long hiatus. I hope you’ll consider something as simple and as effective to help rebuild YOUR group!

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide team

P.S. If you’d like a copy of what we wrote on the blue Instructions sheet, just drop me a note. I could send you the version in Mandarin, too!

You’ve seen our miscellaneous collection of emergency radios. We add to it from time to time, mostly when we see a new model that we just have to have!  But easy as it is to get a new radio (and you can never have too many), it’s harder to schedule in time for an emergency radio clean-up!

That time came last month. I was busy dusting and straightening (Guests were expected.) and came to our “radio shelf.” As I picked up one of our older radios I let out a yell — “Oh, YUCK!” 

The radio, one of my favorites, was all sticky!

I grabbed the next one. Same problem! Sticky, slimy, yukky!

So in true survivor fashion I went online for rescue. Here’s what I came up with – and what we did to solve the problem.

First question: Why the stickiness?

Apparently the vulcanized rubberized coating that is so popular on all kinds of gear – like radios, hand-held walkie-talkies, cameras, etc. – simply breaks down with age. That deterioration translates to a sticky, even slimy surface. (One comment I read suggested that manufacturers know this fact about deterioration. They just assume we will go through these devices so fast that we’ll never get to the slicky stage!)

The only solution to the problem? Clean the surface to remove the top sticky layer. Be aware that over time, as long as there is rubber left, the surface will get sticky again.

So then the second question: How do I get rid of that sticky layer?

Seems as though there are several ways to approach the problem. I tracked down stories about using common household cleaning products like Windex, Magic Eraser, Rubbing Alcohol, and Baking Soda.

We tried two of these methods as part of our emergency radio clean-up.

Test #1 – Clean radio using paste of baking soda and water

Below you can see the Voyager radio ready for its cleaning. Toothbrush, baking soda paste in brown dish.

I used a tooth brush to slather on the paste and get it into all the cracks and crevices.

Actually, I was a bit too generous with the paste, shown in left photo below! It got into the speaker holes. You can see me prying out the residue with a toothpick.

Result of baking soda paste?  Satisfactory. After dusting and wiping it off, the worst of the stickiness is gone. I am happy to pick up that radio again.

Test #2 – Clean radio using rubbing alcohol.

This was Joe’s test. He is much more precise than I am. He used a rag and a sponge with alcohol, rubbed and rubbed and rubbed. He even scraped some of the rubber off using one of his dental picks. (Why he has dental picks is another story, related not to dentistry but to his N-Scale railroad collection!)

The photo above shows not just the stickiness but the slimyness. See my fingerprints there?!

Result of rubbing alcohol for the emergency radio clean-up? Better than baking soda. But still, some residual stickiness. (We could work on it more, I guess.)

Test #3 – Avoid the problem altogether.

The best solution seems to be to find devices that have no rubber on them at all! Among our own radios, the surface of our Grundig (gold radio shown below) remains in perfect condition. (This radio is at least 12 years old, and has actually been discontinued by the manufacturer.) A couple of our other radios are fine, too, including our Bell & Howell Shortwave radio and our Kaito 5-way powered radio. (Not shown here. Click on the link to see current colors, prices, etc.)

But wait, there’s more to this emergency radio clean-up story.

Naturally, when you pick up a radio you may notice the slimyness but you still have to check to see if the radio actually works.

Well, the champion Grundig non-sticky radio looked and felt great, but when we opened it up . . .

Look closely, please. You may recognize a little bit of chemical leaking out of those batteries. Shameful for us professionals!

So, it was back to the baking soda for a thorough inside cleaning. (Joe has that down to a science.)

Moral of this story – schedule a radio clean-up.

Maybe you can add it to the twice a year time change, right along with checking your smoke alarms. Since November 7 is “Fall Back” day for 2021, that would be perfect as your first scheduled clean-up!

So let us know how it goes. If you have found better ways to clean up the stickiness from the rubber, let us know about that, too.

In any case, do check your radios and make sure they are in working order. You may need them at any moment!

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide team

P.S. We have updated our list of recommended radios to include some of the smaller ones. If you haven’t checked it lately, take another look at Best Emergency Radios.

If you exchange personal emails with family or friends and you live in any earthquake-prone corner of the world, you no doubt have heard various recommendations for surviving an earthquake. Let’s look at the three most popular. And let’s make sure you realize which ones are likely to hurt you, not help you survive!

(And if you are tempted to skip this Advisory, because you think you don’t really live in earthquake country, you may want to check out this Advisory. It talks about the risk in areas outside California.)

1.  Triangle of Life.

Doug Copp’s “Triangle of Life” method to survive an earthquake became popular, was questioned, then disproved. But still it lingers. You should know the story so you can make sure neighbors don’t try to sell you on this one!

For the reader who hasn’t been subjected to this idea – or the urban-legend discussions around it – the Triangle of Life (ToL) method for surviving an earthquake goes something like this. According to Copp, when an earthquake hits . . .

• Find a solid object to cozy up to, such as a piece of heavy furniture, an interior wall, staircase, etc.  That way, when the building collapses, there is a good chance that you will be in a triangular open space or void.
• Getting under a table, for example, actually puts you in more danger of getting crushed in a collapsing or pancaking structure.

Now there are a couple of serious problems with this theory. First, in a real shaker you will not be able to travel to a chosen place in the room or building. Rather, you will be thrown off your feet and will likely hurt yourself in the fall! Moreover, the piece of heavy furniture you are next to will to move — either away from or maybe right over on top of you. Second, Mr. Copp based his theory on data that he — ahem — “adjusted” to fit his solution. You can read more about this whole theory on Wikipedia.

The upshot — as a theory for how to survive an earthquake, the Triangle of Life just isn’t reliable.

2.  Get under a doorway.

In the “old” days, an exterior doorway in a brick or adobe building might have been the only place that was reinforced.  Today, that could still be the case — but you won’t really know. Moreover, there are fewer and fewer brick and adobe buildings being built. The entire frame of modern buildings, built to earthquake codes. is meant to withstand the shaking and trembling. (No guarantee that the building will actually be habitable afterwards, though.)

And frankly, if you’ve ever been in an earthquake (which I have), you discover that it’s really tough to move across a room to a doorway in the first place.  (Same problem as with Triangle of Life, above.) And if you do happen to be conveniently standing in a doorway when the quake hits, you will immediately discover that a swinging door may want to take the same spot you are in! (The door will win.)

3. DROP! COVER! HOLD ON!

Just last week a 4+ quake hit just south of Los Angeles. I personally didn’t feel it, but my ShakeAlert earthquake app did — and gave me a voice warning! (BREAKING NEWS: As of May, 2021 the entire U.S. west coast now has access to ShakeAlert earthquake early warning system! Find out more and get signed up.)

Some neighbors did feel the quake last week. Given social media, they naturally had to write about their experiences. One person wrote as follows: “I felt shaking and suddenly I couldn’t remember what to do! Drop, roll? Drop, cover? I was terrified!”

By now, you have come to the conclusion that the Drop! Cover! Hold on! advice is the advice I’m recommending as the best way to survive an earthquake. It comes in particular from the Earthquake Country Alliance. (Also from the American Red Cross, the U.S. Geological Survey, and others)

A powerful earthquake creates strong shaking — sudden, sharp, back and forth movement. If you try to stand, you will be knocked right off your feet. So the first action is to drop to your hands and knees. That way you are stable and can move as necessary.

Most injuries in earthquakes come not from the building collapsing, but from articles being thrown across the room! Imagine being bombarded by the TV, your computer screen, a bookshelf, a vase off the mantle, the microwave — even the refrigerator! You must cover yourself — and in particular your head — to protect from flying and falling objects! Hence action two: Cover. Best place is under a sturdy table, in the footwell of your desk, etc. away from windows. (If you can’t get onto your hands and knees — because you’re in a wheelchair, for example — protect your head with your arms as best you can.)

Then, because your “shelter” can move, hold on to it and move with it.

IN CONCLUSION . . . skip the controversy for the moment.

In a major calamity, we know that split-second decisions can make the difference between life and death. When a quake hits, you do not have time to look around to figure out a place to be. You are not likely to be able to even get there!

So, DROP, COVER and HOLD ON. Do it immediately, without trying to move to another place or another room. If you’re in a workplace setting, ignore your co-workers who are hesitant or embarrassed to crouch down under the desk. We’re talking about being safe, not being cool!

Action Item: Right this minute, raise your eyes from your device and take a quick look around. Look behind you, too. If the earthquake were to hit right now, where would be the safest place for you to get to, get covered, and hang on???

In any case, do be knowledgeable about these different recommendations. They provide a great centerpiece for discussions that will raise people’s awareness.  The discussion alone will save some people’s lives by getting them to think about the real dangers of earthquakes before they experience a serious one.

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide team

P.S. This post is about immediate response to an earthquake. Most of us want to think more strategically about managing in a earthquake — and that means doing some thinking and some planning and some preparing IN ADVANCE. That’s what our Q&A Mini-Series booklet can help with. “Prepare Your Home for Earthquake” covers.

• Toughing it out (supplies you need)
• Preparing the interior of your home
• Strengthening the basic structure
• Earthquake insurance
• Finding our about YOUR risk at YOUR location

 You can grab the new, Second Edition of our earthquake book right now at Amazon for only $3.99!

Bare hands won’t work.

Clearing roads, walkways and corridors, prying open locked or distorted doorways, freeing victims pinned beneath fallen debris — just a few of the scenarios you might experience in an emergency. You’ll want the right emergency tools in your hands — and you’ll want to protect those hands!

So the solution? Heavy, well-fitting gloves!

This is particularly important for women, because most off-the-shelf gloves — even those provided via a CERT class — are JUST TOO BIG. If you’ve been visiting here a while, you’ll have seen some of our gloves. They make for good photos, but the extra space across the palm and at the end of my fingers means I just can’t wear them. In the presence of tools they are just plain dangerous!

The image at the left shows some of the gloves I do like for myself. Heavy-duty construction. Leather. Separation between fingers. Elastic at wrist. And you can select SMALL.

Whatever size you wear, find good ones and get several pairs. In wet or heavy work, you can damage them or even just wear them out. Here’s the link to Amazon so you can take a look for yourself.

Essential emergency tools for turning off utilities.

Water shut-off.

In an earthquake or storm, you may face broken pipes — somewhere in the system or even inside your house. (Remember those terrible photos from the ice storm in Texas?) If you don’t know where or how to shut the water off, every minute increases the chance of damage or even danger.

Do you know where ALL THREE water supply shut-offs are located?

An Individual appliance may have its own shut-off valve. Check the water lines leading to the toilet, for example. Easy enough to shut off.

Turning off water to the whole house can keep water in your tank from becoming contaminated! Your home has a master shut-off valve. It’s usually in the basement, crawl space or maybe in the garage. It may be located outside by the foundation. These valves usually can be shut off by hand — just turn the faucet handle (clockwise) or the lever (until it’s crosswise to the pipe).

You may also want to turn off water at the street. This valve is probably buried in a concrete box some distance from the house. Use a big screw driver to pry off the cover. (Gloves, here!) Then use a special water shut-off tool that has a sort of hook at the bottom. (You may have used one for your irrigation system.)

Here’s an article with a number of illustrations that may be useful.

ACTION STEP: Plan a time for a family tour to find all your water shut-off valves! Do you need an emergency tool to turn any of them off? (See below for a suggestion.)

Natural gas shut-off.

Here where I live our scariest danger is fire after an earthquake. Fire fueled by gas leaking from broken gas lines! So on a regular basis our neighborhood group puts out information about where and how to turn off the gas if you smell that rotten egg smell!

Just like water, there are a variety of valves to shut off the gas. At the street (distribution pipe), in the neighborhood (smaller pipes) and directly to your home (low pressure pipe). Generally, you can only control the line that leads into your home.

You’ll need a sturdy wrench or specialty tool to turn off the gas! And you’ll need to know HOW to turn if off. (See below for a gas wrench suggestion.)

ACTION STEP: Find your gas shut-off valve. Store a gas shut-off wrench permanently near the valve.

DO NOT PRACTICE shutting off the gas! Once it’s off, you’ll need the gas company to come turn it on again! (All pilot lights will have gone out, remember . . .)

A convenient, all-in-one tool for shutting off water and gas.

Get at least one, have a permanent place for it so it doesn’t go missing. Know you’ll be ready when you need to use it!

Will you be able to use your power tools?

The image at the top of the page shows a standard power tool. But when you’re planning for an emergency, you have to assume that power will be out. So what are your options?

Battery-driven tools (power drills, chain saws) will have a limited useful life span if they can’t be re-charged. These days, many tools come with multiple change-out battery packs, which gives the tools a lot longer useful life span. And there are small Power Banks for small devices. Still, at some point, batteries will run out. So to be useful, they’ll have to be recharged.

What are your recharge options for emergency tools?

• Some people and businesses keep gasoline or butane-powered generators to supply emergency power. They can be really useful — but generally, they’re big, heavy and noisy. And they can be dangerous.
• If you live in the right location, and can afford it, you may want to consider using a solar system to charge your tools. Solar works well for small-ish devices and lighting, but it takes a big system to actually drive anything with a motor.
• Power inverters can take the output of a 12-volt battery and convert it to 110 volt AC, but in an emergency you’ll probably want more power than your inverter can give you. Still, worth another look.

Here’s an updated discussion of generators and inverters.

What about emergency lighting?

And let’s not overlook lights as emergency tools! Without them, you won’t be able to do much with the other tools you may have that still work!

Small flashlights are appropriate for getting around in the dark but may not provide adequate lighting for working in an emergency situation. Some newer flashlights offer more options, fortunately. Some have a side panel of lights, not just the main light. Some have magnets that can stabilize the light so you have both hands free. Flashlights are essential emergency tools — as long as their batteries hold out.

Lanterns can be even more useful, since you can set them down while you work. Low-level lighting is adequate for moving around in a space, and many lanterns adjust to meet that purpose. Other lanterns even have red or blinking emergency signals. From an emergency standpoint, it makes sense to have a couple of solar-powered lanterns, too, since batteries will ultimately fail.

Headlights from cars or trucks often suffice, but they may not be able to maneuver into position to be of help in all situations. There are large battery-operated candlepower spotlights available that can overcome this challenge, but most people don’t have these on hand. And again, they ultimately run out of juice.

Emergency lights keep getting better and better. Here’s our latest review of heavy duty lanterns. And for power tools that will last, take a look at this Advisory about solar-powered lights and tools.

What tools do you need to add to your emergency supplies?

ACTION STEP: Start now to put together an inventory of what emergency tools you have on hand, and what tools are available in the neighborhood.  Make sure you have the essentials. Consider whether an auxiliary power source will be required for tools to be effective.

Joe Krueger
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

Heat Illness Prevention for People Who Work Alone

Every week I figure out a topic for my blog post. I call them “Advisories” because they usually provide some recommendation or warning about potential emergencies. Often, picking the topic comes out of that week’s news. But this week so many disasters were unfolding at the same time that I was overwhelmed!

So, I took another look at what’s going on in my OWN life. And the top issue – heat.  Again!  Last year I wrote about my own bout with heat exhaustion. Just a month ago I wrote about the dangers of extreme heat for senior citizens.

Then just two weeks ago I attended the “back-to-school training” for school crossing guards in my own town here in Southern California. (I’ve been a crossing guard for 5 years now. Best job ever. There’s definitely a book in there but I haven’t started it yet!)

Anyway, our first meeting always includes some sort of training. For example, how to fill out the request for a day off. Traffic laws. Understanding bullying and harassment. This year, the training was – by now you have guessed it:  Heat Illness Prevention.

I thought I knew a lot about it. But this training added some important info. And I want to share.

This Advisory applies particularly to people like crossing guards who work alone.

What exactly is Heat Illness?

There seem to be five commonly accepted levels of heat illness. Each describes how your body responds to overheating.  The initial response can be mild; level 5 can be fatal.  The progression:

1. Heat rash
2. Heat cramps
3. Fainting
4. Heat exhaustion
5. Heat stroke

What factors are at play?

When you’re hot, you sweat. Your sweat evaporates and cools you off. Heat illness occurs when normal sweating and evaporation don’t work.

Naturally, the hotter the temperature, the more you have to sweat. At the same time, the higher the humidity (that is, the amount of moisture in the air), the harder it is to sweat. Hot temp, high humidity = the recipe for heat illness.

“Feels like . . .” The Heat Index

The National Weather Service reports on the “heat index,” which combines air temperature and humidity.  For example, an air temperature of 90° F and a relative humidity of 60% intersect at a heat index of 100°. In other words, the temperature would feel like 100° with this humidity/temperature combination. The index is what’s behind the label “ . . . feels like XX degrees.”  

What’s the heat index where you are right now???  What does it feel like? The NWA warns that when your index reaches 90, it’s time to pay attention.

What else contributes to heat illness?

Temperature and humidity are the key risk factors, as described above. Of course, there are other factors.

• Your environment also plays a role. For example, being in the bright sunlight, with no shade, can add as many as 15 points to your index.  Standing on hot concrete or asphalt adds a few more points, too. And, of course, the longer you are in that location, the greater the impact. Finally, heavy clothing or masks made add to your danger.
• Your own health helps determine your risk, of course. Age, medications, (salty) food and (alcoholic) drinks can all have a negative impact.
• Work requirements that don’t encourage or even allow for a rest can be deadly.
• Your attitude can be the game changer. That’s what got me into trouble the last time! This is what may apply to the man in the image above, too. (Or to your high-schooler trying out for a new sports team.)

When you are highly motivated to push through any discomfort, when you have a lot of confidence in your own level of fitness, and when you haven’t taken time to get used to a new activity . . . that’s when heat becomes dangerous.  

Advance planning can make a big difference.

• Drink water!  Drink water!  At least 4 cups per hour whether you are thirsty or not. Have water with you any time you expect to be out in the sun.
• Don’t strip down to bare skin. Radiation from the sun will have a direct path to your core. Rather, wear a light layer of light-colored clothing to reflect that heat, and a hat that’s breathable.
• Wear an old shirt, keep your shirt damp or wrap a damp or even wet cloth around your neck and chest. Pour water over your head and clothing (not your shoes!).
• Look for a shady place nearby where you can take a rest if you start to feel symptoms.

And if you are working or working out alone, follow this important advice that we got at our training:

If you feel ill (rash, cramps, dizzy, nausea, confusion) stop what you’re doing and get into the shade. Rest until you can recover.

Not recovering? Know you’re really in trouble? Call 911 or have someone else call 911 for you.

For people working alone: Write down exactly where you are and have those directions handy.

A stranger who stops to help may not know the streets or the block but with your directions can give emergency crews a huge boost.

I have taken my own advice when it comes to avoiding heat illness.

Here’s a photo of the “beat the heat” gear I have assembled and use when the afternoon shift temperature gets up over 90 degrees. If you look closely you’ll see the three items I wear when it’s hot. (And the 3 items I have with me every day, of course!

Every day:

• Stop Sign
• Water bottle
• Whistle

When it’s hot:

• Hat with brim that shades ears, neck
• Light-colored sports scarf (wet)
• Cool vest (black quilted, zip-up front)

Here’s more about my special gear for hot weather.

My latest purchase – a real hat for a real job

I’ve always worn a hat on the job — visor, baseball cap, whatever. But this year I had to get serious. I needed a hat big enough to protect ears and neck but that wasn’t so big that it blocked my vision. And it needed to stay on in the wind. (I have a small head and short hair and many hats don’t fit!) This one turned out to be just right. Pretty much water repellent, mesh sides for air flow, and an elastic cord for snug fit. (Of course, there are other colors but beige felt more “official.”)

I got my hat at Amazon. Here’s the image and a direct link.

A cooling towel — provided by my employer

Along with the Heat Illness training, we all received a “cooling towel.” I already had a couple of them. The concept is simple, and well-known to athletes. Just get the scarf wet and wrap it around your neck, shoulders or even head. Keep it wet, and evaporation will continue to work — while YOU are working!

The scarves I already have are plain colored. Here is a more stylish model from Amazon.

And saving the best for last — the Cool Vest

I discovered the cool vest several years ago when one of my motorcycle-riding women friends gave me the heads up. The vest is a special high-tech material (from Germany) that absorbs and holds water for hours. In my case, I soak the vest for about 10 minutes in the basin at home, pack it into a plastic bag, and then slip it on just before I start my shift. Yes, it feels cold and almost clammy at first! But then, the water evaporates slowly and keeps me cool for my whole shift!

There are a variety of cool vest styles. Some actually have pockets for inserting ice bags! The one below is similar to my own.

If you haven’t previously taken steps to avoid heat illness, now’s the time. We can only expect extreme heat days to increase due to climate change. This summer has already broken heat records – remember the “heat dome” that killed over 600 people in the Pacific Northwest? We’re going to experience more heatwaves that have higher temperatures and last longer.

So don’t wait to add Heat Illness to your list of potential emergencies. And add a hat to each of your Go-Bags, too.

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide team

P.S. What tricks and tips do YOU have for beating the heat? Please share!

Is getting batteries “on sale” a good idea?

Check out this article before you buy! Price isn’t the only factor. In the world of batteries, it seems you get what you pay for, and you’d better know in advance just what you need.

Some Background on Batteries (Skim if you already know all this!)

How batteries work

Batteries use a chemical reaction to do work. Alkaline batteries, the AA, C and D batteries we all know, typically depend on zinc interacting with manganese (through an alkaline electrolyte solution) to produce electricity.

Other batteries use different chemistries to achieve a higher “energy density” so they will last longer and perform better. Some of them: nickel–cadmium (NiCd), nickel–zinc (NiZn), nickel metal hydride (NiMH), and lithium (Li-ion),

In a regular alkaline battery, the reaction ultimately consumes the chemicals (leaving behind hydrogen gas as a “waste” product) and the battery dies.

When to recharge

While an alkaline battery can be recharged, the process is inefficient and dangerous because of the hydrogen gas buildup. Recharging non-rechargeable batteries can result in a leak or even an explosion.

Rechargeable batteries are designed differently. First, they use specific chemicals (most popular seems to be Lithium Ion, which is being used in Tesla batteries) that can undergo a “reverse chemical reaction” easily and efficiently. They contain a catalyst to keep hydrogen gas from forming. They have vents to prevent pressure from building up during recharging.

As you might expect, rechargeable batteries are more expensive because you have to buy that extra “charger.” However, studies suggest that you will save money over time using rechargeables, but they need electricity to work, so IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION you will probably want to have regular disposable batteries on hand, too.

Getting the most out of batteries

No matter where they are stored, all batteries will ultimately die. Eventually, the steel casing will corrode and rust and leak. (Heat like we’ve had over the past several weeks can speed up the deterioration!)

Still, there are things you can do to preserve the life of your device batteries.

• Don’t attempt to recharge non-rechargeable batteries.
• Remove batteries from a device that you won’t be using for a while.
• Replace all the batteries in a device at the same time. (Clean the contacts with a cloth before you install the new batteries).
• Don’t mix different kinds of batteries in the same device. Use the same manufacturer, same type, same manufacture date.
• Store batteries in a cool, dry place. (Your car, in the summer heat, is not so good for preserving the life of whatever battery-operated device you store in there.)
• Don’t mix loose batteries with metal objects – like in your pocket with change. They can short-circuit and burn or explode!

Oh, and that story about storing batteries in the refrigerator? Keep batteries cool, but there’s no need to refrigerate modern batteries.

My phone’s my most important survival tool! What’s the best solution for it?

The battery already in your phone or computer may have to be replaced as some point. If so, you’ll probably have to get whatever the manufacturer requires.

But, you’ll be recharging that device many times before you have to get a new battery! In an emergency, of course, electrical power for recharging may be out or you may be nowhere near a wall socket. One back-up option is a device that holds an extra charge, just ready for you to plug in to when you need it.

So let’s look at portable chargers or Power Banks.

If your goal is to extend the life of your electronic devices, consider a Power Bank,  otherwise known as a “mobile power supply,” mobile battery, external battery, spare battery, charging stick, or portable charger. These devices can keep you operating for days at a time!

If your time is worth anything, a power bank will be an inexpensive boost to your productivity and, in an emergency, to your peace of mind.

Power Banks are sized from something similar to a small flashlight to a device that resembles a small external storage drive. They all fit in a palm, pocket or purse, but may be a bit heavy to carry around all day. (Check the weight.)

As you compare them, look for:

• Capacity (measured in mAh, or milliampere hours). The higher the mAh, the more stored power.

  IS THE POWER BANK BIG ENOUGH TO DO THE JOB?  Some negative reviews come from people who expect a small battery to recharge a much larger device. Doesn’t work!

  You want enough juice to reload your phone or tablet completely, at least once and preferably more often than that! For example, one power bank model declares its 15,000 mAh are able to charge an iPhone 6 more than 5 times. To know how much capacity you need, get the specs on your device from the box it came in, or search online for “technical specs.”
• Output (measured in V, or volts). Generally, you want the power bank output to be the same as the input to your device. For example, your phone and Bluetooth headset probably each have 5V input.
• How many ports? Some of the chargers can “feed” as many as 4 devices at the same time. (You’ll need the right cord for each device.)
• What security against short circuits, over-charging or over heating?

The chart below will gives you a quick idea of features, options and prices. These models range from $20 – well over $100. Click on the image to go directly to more details on Amazon.

What are the best batteries for our other emergency devices?

Disposable batteries

Understanding all that basic information listed above, we have tested disposable batteries – Energizer, Duracell and Kirkland (Costco brand) — multiple times for our emergency radios. These radios are used once a month for our Emergency Response Team drill, and then very lightly, so we don’t go through the batteries quickly at all. We do automatically replace them regularly (usually twice a year at the time change.)

Re results of our testing? There doesn’t seem to be too much difference in manufacturers, although our current favorite is the Duracell Coppertop with Duralock.   You can get what you need at your local hardware or big box store, or add them to an Amazon order. Some packages have both AA and AAA sizes in one.

Rechargeable batteries

For multi-use devices, like our emergency radios, we prefer rechargeable batteries. We’ve found that rechargeables are often specified BY NAME by the manufacturer of the product. If specified, use ‘em. Other raters for rechargeables have consistently come up with Eneloop NiMH. These are made by Panasonic, and come in AAA and AA sizes.

Panasonic says these can be recharged 2,100 times!  For that reason alone I would try them!

Solar chargers

Finally, don’t overlook the small solar devices designed to recharge your phone and/or other devices. Some emergency radios have small solar panels, and can recharge a phone.

There are also small, handy solar panels you can attach to your backpack and recharge while you go! They cost somewhere between $20 and $40. Here’s an example – click on the picture to get full details.

Whew, this is a lot of info, but given the fact that we all seem to invest in batteries on a consistent basis, it’s worth it to get the right battery for the job. Oh, and buying on sale? A good idea if you know what you’re buying.

But buying just on price alone makes no sense.

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

If you’re part of a Neighborhood Emergency Response group, you’ll need a budget for batteries for your walkie-talkies. Here’s an article with some ideas about financing your group’s efforts.

Every year in August I think about school starting and ask, ”Do I really need to give parents a list of questions about school preparedness?” And every year, because things keep changing, the answer is YES. Lately my list has had to be updated more than once a year!

Here are updated school preparedness questions for Fall, 2021.

These questions are written primarily for elementary school parents, teachers, staff, security and healthcare providers. Of course, every school is unique – not to mention every student! – so we can’t provide guidelines for every single situation.

In particular, we can not address the situation with COVID-19 and public health that is front and center for school children this year.

But we can ask pertinent questions with the hope that all parents will make sure to get the answers that work for their family.

Preparedness questions to ask the school

Caution: School personnel may be hesitant to answer some of these questions. They may not want to share details. They may be uncomfortable with preparedness issues in general. Or given all the changes that are happening, they may simply not know the answers. But remember, if you feel good answers are not forthcoming, stick with it!

Also remember this, too. School staff members may not consider themselves “First Responders,” but when something happens, they are the first ones there. Their actions can keep an emergency from turning in to a disaster. School staff deserves and needs to have the right training and supplies — and support from the district and the community — to do this job.

1 – General school emergency policies.

1. Does the school have written emergency policies and plans? Have they been updated to account for the Coronavirus? For air quality or other emerging situations?
2. How do parents find out about the policies?
3. What about emergency contact forms for each child. How are they distributed? Where kept? How detailed? How often updated?
4. Who decides on the definition of “emergency?”
5. How will parents be notified in emergencies? Are all parents notified for each emergency?
6. What are student pick-up policies? What are alternative pick-up locations if school has been closed? Who can pick up your child if school is shut down? How will they be notified? How will they be identified before child is released? What if your child won’t go with them?

2 – Emergency drills.

1. Does the school face any particular threats because of its location? (near railroad tracks, busy traffic or airport, environmental hazards from neighboring businesses, potential for earthquake or tsunami, etc.)
2. How are teachers and students on site notified of an emergency? (site-wide PA system, internal phone system, cellphone app, etc.)
3. How can teachers advise the office of an emergency?
4. What emergencies does the school train for other than fire or storm? (Earthquake, tornado, wildfire, active shooter?)
5. Does the school train for evacuation as well as shelter in place?
6. What should parents know about how these drills are called and how conducted?
7. Who does the training and how often?
8. How are substitute teachers included in these drills?

3 – Emergency supplies and equipment.

1. What food and water supplies are maintained in the school?
2. Are supplies kept on school buses?
3. What food, water and hygiene supplies are in the classroom in case of extended lockdown? (Please see P.S.!)
4. Are first aid supplies available in each classroom?
5. What first aid training do staff members get? Do they get age-appropriate training? (For example, CPR for infants and children is different than for adults.)
6. Where is emergency equipment located? (fire extinguishers, AEDs, wheel chairs, etc.)
7. Who is trained in equipment use?

4 – Security features.

In recent years, many schools have made changes to their physical infrastructure to provide more security. Parents and students should know what to expect.

1. Have changes been made in the classroom or on the campus due to the threat of COVID?
2. Has the school made any changes to the way visitors are allowed onto the campus or into the buildings? What are the policies?
3. Does the school have security cameras? Are they monitored?
4. Does the school have a professional security force? How many officers with what credentials, what training and what weapons? Their role?

(By the way, a report from the National Center for Education Statistics can give you an idea of how your school stacks up compared to others when it comes to physical security and crime statistics. The report is updated every year.)

5- Getting back to business as usual.

Sometimes it’s easier to focus on immediate protective actions and overlook what it will take to recover once the event is over. A good school preparedness plan has procedures in place to help parents and students “get back to business as quickly as possible.” (Obviously, after a year of distance or hybrid learning, these procedures may be new for everyone.)

Depending on the age of the students, such activities might include

• professional and peer counseling
• student-aided clean-up
• building safety inspections
• memorials
• acknowledging First Responders, etc.

See what plans the school has for such activities and what role the parents are expected to play.

Next steps for parents.

First, share your list of school preparedness questions with other parents. You may want to take the time to expand it with details unique to your school. Next, approach teachers and administrators for answers.

Make sure the answers get out to everyone in the neighborhood! You may want to insist on special presentations on some topics. Guest speakers could be school staff and a member of the police or fire department. You yourself might volunteer to help design and put on parts of the presentation.

You may need to create materials in multiple languages.

Presentations could be held virtually, or on Back to School night, at a PTA meeting, and, of course, in the classroom. Have students videotape the presentation for later showing or showing online, as well.

Working together, schools, students, parents and other community members can keep emergencies from becoming disasters and do the best possible job of protecting students when disasters do occur.

Virginia
Your Emergency Preparedness Team that naturally includes children!

P.S. Does your school ask that you send an “emergency kit” to school with your student? If so, please read this companion Advisory, also newly updated for 2021: Emergency Kit for School.

Is your child missing an emergency kit for school?

The first time I did research for this Advisory, I was shocked to read comments like this:

“Wow, an emergency kit for school. What a good idea! I just thought the school would be taking care of this!”

These were comments from people reading articles online!  What about all the other parents who don’t have time to spend online?!

First things first. What emergency supplies does your school store?

A year or so ago I attended a training put on by the Earthquake Country Alliance, and sat next to a woman who works with schools. She told me about a school that called to ask her to inventory their emergency supplies shed. “How long has it been since you checked it?” she asked.  The answer was, “Uhhhh…”

When she opened the shed she discovered what she called “a hazmat situation.” The shed had leaked and everything inside was completely spoiled and contaminated!

That story should encourage you, when you go to your Back to School night, to ask not only what supplies are kept at school but also how often they are refreshed.

Next, what emergency supplies does the school want children to bring? Are they adequate?

In some schools in our area, each child is required to bring an “emergency kit for school” at the start of the school year. Reading the instructions closely, I discovered that the kit is to consist of a quart-sized resealable plastic bag with the child’s and teacher’s name on the outside, some snacks, and a personal note from the parent to the child.

This “kit” would sustain the kids I know for about 15 minutes.

Here’s another list from a school district in the mid west: ”A little food, some water, a space blanket or large plastic trash bag, a non-toxic light stick and a letter or photograph from home.”

As a parent, you need to find out about “required kits” at your school. The questions to ask:

• What goes in the kits?
• How are they stored?
• What about kids whose parents send nothing at all?

Third, what sort of PERSONAL emergency supplies make sense for YOUR child?

Here at Emergency Plan Guide we talk about survival kits frequently, so none of this should be new or different. In this section we’re not talking about the “required kit” that the school wants to collect and hold. Here, we’re talking about emergency supplies specifically for your child. A few things to consider:

1. Your child may need access to emergency supplies at any time! An emergency could happen on the way to school, or on the way home, not just while the child is in class. So, the best place to have supplies is in the kid’s bookbag or backpack.
2. Of course, this kit is meant for emergencies only. It’s not to be shared or talked about at recess. This means the kit has to be separated from the rest of the stuff in the bag.
3. Every kid’s personal emergency kit will be different. Your first-grader just won’t need or want the same stuff that your 6^th-grader wants! And, of course, that kit’s contents will have to change regularly.

Some suggestions from parents for customizing an emergency kit for school.

The kit needs its own pocket.

Pick a backpack or book bag or rolling cart with a zippered pocket for the emergency kit.  A bottom pocket would work, as well as an outside pocket of the right size.  You’ll have to shop for the right backpack based on your your kid’s size, sex and whatever is in fashion at the school! 

An older child may like a “tactical” bag with mesh and lots of pockets – as long as it has one pocket for the survival kit.

Find a sensible container for the personal emergency kit.

Depending on the size of your kid’s backpack, you will very likely be able to find an individual zippered toiletries bag or one in a set of organizers that will fit perfectly in the pocket or on the bottom of the bag. You might want to use a clear bag (meant for travelers) and a couple of sets of compressible “packing cubes.” If you’re packing a jacket or other emergency wear, being able to compress it would be a great space saver. ( Here’s the link to an Advisory with some handy packing tips and organizers.)

You may even be able to pack supplies in a tin box that will fit in a particular pocket.

In any case, the idea is to avoid your child having to paw past the kit to get to books and papers, etc.

What goes into the personal emergency kit for school?

If the student carries the bag every day, it can’t be too heavy. (That’s why a rolling cart is a good idea!) Still, the kit should include items from this list:

• Food – energy bars, non-perishable snacks. Hard candies. Get some protein bars and not just carbs!
• Water – if your child carries a water bottle every day anyway, that may suffice. Otherwise, consider packets of water.
• Warmth – Poncho, space blanket, extra jacket. Maybe hand warmers.
• Light – Pen with light; light stick.
• Emergency whistle – good quality. Cheap plastic whistles are hard to blow and may not give the sound quality your child needs.
• First aid items – Most children won’t be able to use a full first aid kit, but they certainly know and love band aids and maybe anti-bacterial cream.
• Face mask for emergency use.
• Wet wipes individually packaged.
• ID card with emergency contacts and family photo – protected from getting wet.
• Emergency phone if allowed and if the kid knows how to use it.
• Small toy, book or comfort item.

Warning: The emergency kit for school is NOT the place for medicines or drugs. Most schools have strict rules about how student prescriptions are to be handled. Be sure you find out about those rules.

Suggestions for parents whose kids walk home alone . . .

Phone Wristwatch.

The minute school lets out I have two young neighbor children who immediately call their parents using a phone wristwatch. Children aren’t allowed to have phones at school, but the watches are allowed. I’ve interviewed the parents, who REALLY like being able to check in via voice and talk with the kids as they head to their after-school care locations. Questions to have in mind:

1. Is the wristwatch phone limited to a particular carrier?
2. Can you connect the wristwatch phone via app to YOUR phone? (iOS or Android)
3. Does it monitor the child’s location via GPS? Can you set limits and get an alert when the child goes out of area?
4. How many phone numbers can be programmed into the wristwatch phone?
5. What sort of access to the internet (games!) is available through the phone?

The phone below is a good example. I was attracted because this phone limits calls to 10 known friends or family, and blocks all others. It also can block calls during class time. Naturally, I was looking for different colors, too! Click on the image or the link to check out all the details at Amazon.

Welcome-home doorbell Camera

By now we’ll all seen the home security cameras that can alert you when your kid steps through the front door. Again, parents whose kids arrive home to an empty house are really comforted by this technology. Of course, you’d want to get the kind that allows for two-way conversation.

We’ve written many times about front door security. New models are coming online all the time. The Ring model shown below does what I was looking for for parents wanting to know their child is home safely after school.

Special needs kid?

If you have a special needs kid, please take a look at my recent Advisory that describes a particularly powerful tracker for kids who need close supervision.

Let me know of other suggestions you have for items for kids, or what your school requires. I’d like to include that research next time!

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

Welcome to new readers! If you’d like more on the topic of kids and school, you may want to check out this Advisory with Preparedness Questions for Back to School.

Planning a neighborhood meeting? You need this Planner!

Our neighborhood emergency group has traditionally taken a break during the summer.  Last year, because of COVID, we were forced to. This year, after practically a whole year of break, we are ready to get back together. So, we’ve pulled out our Meeting Planner for help!

Building a neighborhood emergency group just won’t happen without a strong and consistent plan for regular meetings.  If you agree with this principle, you might want to hold one meeting just to plan a year’s full campaign! Give people a calendar and block out appropriate meetings based on time of year, local events, holidays, etc.

In the meanwhile, though, here are key steps we’ve found to be essential for a good meeting. The image above gives you an idea of how to start your planning.

Step 1: What’s the purpose for this particular meeting?

How many of us have gone to “regular monthly meetings” with that sinking feeling that this one will be just a repeat of last month’s meeting?  Before you even begin your meeting planning, ask some questions like these:

• What do we want to accomplish at this meeting?
• Could we accomplish it a different way – like with an email survey, or a written report?
• Who needs to be at this meeting?  Everybody, or just team leaders? Or maybe it’s for possible recruits? Or potential donors?
• Given the purpose, then what KIND of meeting will be best? For example, a simple social get-together? An expert as guest speaker? A series of talks or show-and-tells by members?
• What will be our measure of success?

Once you establish the purpose and the format, you can move to step two.

Step 2: What’s the best venue for this particular meeting?

Some of us will have little choice about where to hold a neighborhood meeting. Still, maybe it should be outside instead of in your usual meeting room? Or maybe at a member’s home?  Horror of all horrors – maybe this meeting could be accomplished with a Zoom call?

Wherever, you’ll need to consider:

• Size of the meeting place
• Table and chairs and how to set them up to meet your purposes
• Screen, electric hook-up for computers, projectors,  etc.
• Parking
• Location of fire alarms, extinguishers, etc.

Step 3: The challenging part. How to get people to our meeting?

If you did your homework on Step One, you know WHY you’re meeting. This means you can tell potential attendees just how they will benefit by coming!

The more reminders, the better. Use email to your list. If appropriate, post on Facebook and Nextdoor. Encourage your speaker to promote the meeting. Distribute and tack up flyers. If this meeting has public service interest, send out a press release.  Repeat!

Good advertising takes copywriting and design skills. Who can do this for your group? Maybe you can get the help of a kind professional?

Step 4: The show is on! What “extras” will help it be a success?

Here are a few things we’ve used over and over again because they work, over and over again!  Use whatever works for YOUR group.

• Refreshments.
• A meeting agenda with specific end time.
• Sign in and Name tags.
• Door prizes. (Our favorite “emergency preparedness supplies” door prize has been — wait for it – a can of sardines with mustard packet!  It turns out a lot of people really hate sardines, with or without mustard. So, we get a lot of laughs!)

Want more details?

If you’d like to download a full-sized pdf of the Meeting Planner (full size and readable, without the big red labels!), of course at no cost, grab it here . . .

And if you’re really serious about planning meetings, make a $10 investment in yourself and get our BEST SELLER!

Emergency Preparedness Meeting Ideas. Over 100 full-sized pages, with 21 specific meeting descriptions – objective, procedure, materials, comments. There’s a Meeting Planner page for each one.

Plus, it has lots more ideas for meeting themes, diagrams of different room set-ups, how to get more of your volunteers to become a part of the planning team, etc.  Click here to go right to Amazon and order it so you will have it in your hands before your next meeting!

Here’s what Jodi, one of the book purchasers at Amazon said:

“Great value and just what I needed! Fantastic ideas!”

(Nice, eh?! Thanks, Jodi!)

Let me know if you have questions or suggestions for the NEXT volume of ideas. We’ll always need more!

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide team

P.S. Having a team sharing the responsibility for meetings can make the job a lot easier. Consider getting a couple of copies of Emergency Preparedness Meeting Ideas so volunteers can be working on more than one upcoming meeting at the same time. (Having a meeting “on the shelf” is a great idea, too.)

Packed and ready . . .

We recently asked readers what worried them the most. There was one clear winner (if that’s the right term for it):
“Not being prepared to evacuate.”

One person (Elizabeth!) had a very specific request regarding evacuation, and that’s what we’re addressing today.

“Can you please send us a SHORT list of what we need to have ready?” 

Here’s what goes into the . . .

Get Out The Door Bag.

This is the bag you need to have packed and available at all times, ready for that unexpected emergency.

This is the bag you grab when suddenly there’s a police officer banging at the door and yelling at you to get out, because . . . there’s been a train wreck, a chemical spill, some sort of terrorist attack, whatever. You have ONE MINUTE to get out! 

You pull this bag out from under the bed, scoop it out of the closet near the door, or maybe it’s already stored in the car when you scramble in.

And if it happens in the middle of the night, remember, you are in pajamas.

The Get Out The Door Bag is meant to get you to wherever you end up and give you a sense of confidence until the situation is straightened out, which may take minutes or hours.

This is not the 3-day or 72-hour kit that we talk about so often. Watch for THAT list later. It’s a longer list, so it doesn’t fit in this Advisory!

What 10 things go into the Get Out The Door Bag?

(If you look carefully, you’ll see all these in the image above!)

1. Sturdy shoes and socks
2. Long pants, long sleeved shirt (You might be in pajamas, remember?)
3. Jacket
4. Flashlight + extra batteries
5. Emergency radio
6. Cell phone and charger
7. List of emergency contact names and numbers
8. Toiletry kit including several days’ worth of medicines
9. Extra glasses, sunglasses, contacts
10. The one small thing you just can’t leave behind . . .

Everything 1-9 on the list will fit into an ordinary-sized backpack, depending on the size of your shoes! This was my list, and it all fit into my bag, with room left over!

As for that item #10 . . .

If you have extra room, or specific concerns, one or more of these might be your “one small thing you just can’t leave behind.”

• Cash
• Extra set of keys
• Memory stick/flash drive with copies of your important documents including website/account passwords
• Pocket knife or multi-tool
• Favorite photo, book, etc.
• Stuffed animal
• Mylar space blanket/sleeping bag

Because Joe and I are such fans of walkie-talkies, we’d probably each have a hand-held radio, too. You may also have noticed the hard candies in the image above. I always gotta have something sweet!

Some suggestions about how to pack your Get Out The Door Bag.

Line your backpack with a big plastic bag to help keep everything dry.

To make this really work, you will have to “build” a second toiletries kit, just for the Bag. Get a small toothbrush, small sized deodorant, wipes. Pack a supply of pills in small plastic bags. (Get in the habit of replacing pills with a new supply every other week or so.)

Use another plastic bag to build a minimal first aid kit and tuck it into the toiletries bag, too.

And as for phone and charging cables, if you always plug in at the same place, you’ll be able to scoop everything up as you head out the door. Have a plastic bag or see-through packing cube for them, too.

Keep reading for more about plastic bags!

Specific recommendations to consider for your Get Out The Door Bag.

The Packable Jacket

While I was waiting in one of the endless lines at the airport last summer, I watched a young woman dig into her suitcase and pull out a wadded up piece of clothing.

She straightened it up, slipped it on and everybody standing around nodded and smiled in approval! Turns out this is an actual fashion: the PACKABLE jacket. These jackets look like a very light-weight, close-fitting down jacket. Some, of course, are filled with material other than down. The outer material also varies; some are weather resistant. Some have hoods. But all of them are very light, very crushable and would be the perfect item to pack in your Get Out The Door bag and/or have in the car all the time!

Here are a couple of examples from Amazon: prices for packable jackets start as low as $25 (though most are more), so check out several different brands.  (Click on the images below to go directly to Amazon to start your comparison shopping.)

Plastic baggies

A second essential item for packing is something you may have at home, but maybe not – and that is a collection of different sized zip-lock or other plastic baggies! There’s nothing better for building that

• Streamlined toiletries kit
• A small first-aid kit
• A sewing kit
• Place to store your cell phone cords, charger, etc.
• Last summer I spent about $2 I think to buy individual pill baggies. They are tiny – and perfect to hold a daily supply of a half-dozen pills!

I saw this collection at Amazon and it looked very convenient, with six different sizes. Get a couple of packs so everyone will have the sizes they need.

You know what plastic bags look like. Click the link to see this collection:

ShipGuard 600 Ziplock Bags 6 Assorted Sizes Clear 2MIL baggies1.5×2 2×2 2×3 3×3 3×4 3×5

Packing cubes

Here’s yet another packing idea. This one you should consider if you travel AT ALL!

They’re called “packing cubes.” The cubes are soft-sided rectangular-shaped  zipper containers that you pack tightly (fold or roll) and then stack in your suitcase. Put underwear in one, socks in another. PJs in another. All your little “kits” – toiletries, sewing, first aid– in another. The idea is to not have to paw through everything to get to the bottom of the case where these socks are hiding.

Obviously, our Get Out Of The House bag won’t have multiples of many items, but still, organizing in layers simply makes sense. Here’s one set that is bright red. Click on the image to get details.)

Extra warmth

And finally, particularly for the Get Out The Door bag, pop in a couple of space blankets or even one of the space blanket mummy bags. These flexible sheets of Mylar aren’t too sturdy, but could add extra warmth in place of or even inside a sleeping bag. The shiny reflective side goes toward your body to capture heat, or turns outside to reflect the sun.

(I added  some duct tape to my kit. I could use it to tape my blanket into a bag.)

Bought singly they cost somewhere around $4-5 each; buy in bulk and you can get them for more like $1-2 each. We have space blankets in every survival kit we own.

Here’s another Mylar product that’s been turned into an instant “sleeping bag” with its own fabric case, perfect for emergency shelter and/or camping:

You don’t NEED any of these Amazon items to pack up your Get Out The Door bag. Still, having the right stuff will make the bag easier to pack, easier to carry and easier to manage when you need it.

Let me know when you’ve got YOURs all packed!

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide Team

Ready to get an emergency radio — or another one? Check out our radio reviews. One of these small radios will fit in your Get Out The Door bag, just like my black and red one does.

Last week I relayed the story of “What happened to Alice” during the pandemic shut-down. (If you missed it, please read it now.) I found Alice’s story disturbing. I’m confident, though, that anyone who could describe a 13-month lock-down as “$4k a month to be in jail” will be able to get back to a full and satisfying life!

While I was writing, I found myself with questions. How might Alice’s “stay” have been handled differently? What could the retirement facility have done? Did other seniors experience this same sort of lock-down? Answers started coming – so this week, here’s “What happened to Alice – Part Two.”

First, the difference between an “assisted living” facility and a “retirement community.”

Alice lives in an assisted living facility where meals are provided. She gets various levels of medical assistance, and social activities are offered (when it’s safe for people to get together). Assisted living apartments usually have emergency communications (a pull alarm or a wearable medical alert). And in an emergency like a wildfire or flood, facility staff manages an evacuation.

By contrast, I live in a 55+ retirement community where we are considered “independent.” We own our own homes, and property managers don’t come in. Meals and (most of) our activities are up to us. We get ourselves to the doctor or call 911 when necessary. In an emergency like a fire, we are responsible for our own evacuation – following police instructions, of course. (You can read our near-evacuation story, too, if you missed that!)

The important point: Retirement or assisted living communities are not nursing homes. The former are considered “residential” environments; nursing homes are considered “medical” environments. (Want more details on these definitions? Here’s a good resource.) This Advisory deals with senior residential living.

How did senior retirement communities respond to the pandemic shutdown?

Here are some examples of what went on in different communities. All this information comes from people I know – or heard about from readers.

Visitors.  

Alice’s facility closed its doors and residents’ doors and monitored all traffic. As already mentioned, no one died of COVID. (Editor’s note: Nationwide, 1 in 12 people in assisted living homes died of COVID.)

Where I live, visitors — including gardeners, housekeepers, etc. — came and went. People wore or didn’t wear masks. (Our clubhouse was closed.) We had a handful of COVID cases among neighbors, but no deaths that I know of.

Isolation.

Alice was alone in her room all day with her TV. Food was delivered at the door. Had she not picked up her food, staff would have noticed. (But it doesn’t sound as though anyone lingered to chat.)

My brother lives in a large (1,000 + people) retirement community in Arizona. Some people had meals delivered, but not all. To track their residents, that HOA set up a system of hanging a sign on the door knob. (Picture a “Do not disturb” sign on a hotel room door.) If you didn’t take the sign in in the morning, security personnel knocked and then came right in to check on you.

In our community of over 500 people, most people stayed home. We shopped during “senior hours.” Some people picked up food boxes via drive-thru, and food programs delivered meals. During these months at least 4 people living alone fell and were not found for hours or days. Three died on the floor and the other died later in hospital. There was no system for checking on everyone. (A particular challenge during our near-evacuation.)

Communications.

So many people report having “binge watched” old sitcoms, series, movies, etc. Alice had TV and probably did her share of watching. But she didn’t have internet access because she didn’t have her own computer. Joe and I have both TV and internet. My brother had the computer and internet and conquered Zoom so we were at least able to see each other’s smiles.

What could have been done to combat what Alice described as “being in jail?”

As long as people are still getting infected by the coronavirus, it has the chance to mutate again. More shut-downs are very likely. We might as well be ready. Here in “What happened to Alice – Part Two” are some ideas I’ve picked up.

1. Set up a one-on-one “Buddy Phone-Call” program. Within a week of the shut-down we had found volunteer telephone callers. They checked in daily with a handful or even a dozen neighbors up and down the block. (The program worked for about 3 months, then dwindled.)
2. Connect groups via conference calls. Many families set up weekly zoom calls, as did church groups. Our emergency preparedness group held zoom meetings with professional guest speakers. Our low vision support group set up a weekly telephone conference call. And a senior friend of mine attended a weekly “book club” zoom call. Everyone still read the book – via Kindle – and participated in the discussion. Only thing missing were refreshments!
3. Plan a daily activity – like delivering meals or the newspaper or picking up trash – to make it clear when people aren’t responding. (My brother reported that sure enough, some mornings he got a knock on the door because he’d forgotten to take in his door-hanger!)
4. Come up with a no-contact game.  At a retirement community not far from where I live, neighbors staged a “mailbox scavenger hunt.” Special stickers were placed on a couple dozen mailboxes sprinkled throughout the community. Neighbors taking their daily walks searched for and “found” the stickers. They noted the mailbox numbers and deposited their entry forms. Winners were chosen. This simple game got people safely out and about – social distanced — and gave everyone something to enjoy.
5. Combine some ideas! Our craft group was amazingly creative. First, they sewed and delivered over 700 hand-made masks (as in the image above)! Then they switched to working on a monthly craft project for people at home. Neighbors signed up to get the project pieces. A conference call later on delivery day helped explain how to assemble everything. Different group members took on planning, assembling the pieces, writing directions, boxing everything up, delivering boxes to that month’s participants, and conducting the conference call. Everything took place while members maintained proper “social distance.” (Now that we are open again, the monthly craft project delivery service is still going strong to about 25 home-bound seniors.)

Of special concern for seniors — internet access.

TV and internet access seem essential these days for entertainment and mental activity. But I am afraid many may be making inaccurate assumptions about internet usage by seniors.

Alice’s retirement home apparently had internet, but she hadn’t had time to get a computer before everything closed down. My brother’s community offers basic cable as part of the rent but charges extra for upgraded internet service. (They do have a “computer club” to help with computer literacy, but of course it was shut down during COVID.). In our community, you’re on your own to buy TV and internet service and to get the help you need to make everything work.

What we discovered during the evacuation scare last year is that at least a third of our senior neighbors have no internet access.

They don’t have it because they either can’t afford it or don’t have the necessary computer skills. Obviously their entertainment choices were limited during the shut-down. Worse, they missed emergency communications during the evacuation threat!

What have we learned from What happened to Alice – Part Two?

This Advisory is not a complete analysis of how seniors cope with isolation or how senior residential facilities provide “caring and supportive environments.” It’s just a collection of what I have learned and observed within my own circle of friends and acquaintances.

A couple of things stand out.

First, some communities had better chances of connecting. These were communities with active and creative neighborhood leaders. Setting up meetings, games, etc. took thought and time and the ability to organize things remotely.

Second, voice and video connections were essential to helping people combat loneliness and isolation. Hugs would have added, of course. Anyone heading for retirement living needs to find out about services and support for digital devices!

As I wrote at the beginning of telling Alice’s story, preparedness really means having some options and some extra supplies. It also takes some extra creativity. When it comes to coping with a pandemic shut-down, we need all three!

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide team

What are some things you did in your own community to keep people entertained and engaged during these long months? What can you add to our findings about “What happened to Alice — Part Two?” Please let us know.

Early in June 2021, when it appeared that COVID shut-downs were finally being lifted, I joined in the general wave of relief. I also joined what seemed to be a separate wave of people taking time to assess just how lives had been changed. I invited Emergency Plan Guide readers to share their experiences. One of the most compelling stories came from Clare in Maine. She gave me permission to share “What happened to Alice.” It’s a story of scarcity and resilience in a setting you ought to know more about. Clare wrote . . .

How does what happened to Alice apply to us?

• Do you know any seniors? Do they live in retirement homes or communities?
• Maybe you are thinking of moving into a retirement community yourself?
• Would you be prepared if you found yourself in a situation like Alice’s?

Next week, I’ll be sending out a follow-up to Alice’s story – because I believe it could have been different. Part Two of Alice’s story will feature some more stories, this time about what other retirement communities did to keep their residents safe and engaged.

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide team

As long as people are still getting infected by the virus, it has shown it will mutate. More shut-downs are very likely. We might as well be ready. Stay tuned for some ideas in Part Two of Alice’s story!

Ready to head back into society after the pandemic?

Planning an outing to a favorite shopping street for the first time in months? A big family picnic in the park for the 4^th of July? Looking forward to getting back to the office? If you’re like me, you probably are spending time just imagining how great it will be to be with people again! If you’re like me, you are also taking some time to think about personal safety in these crowd settings. In particular, you’re thinking about how you would respond to an active shooter.

The huge upsurge in shootings over the past year just can’t be ignored.

Can you prevent an active shooter event?  No.

Can you protect yourself from being a victim? Possibly. But only if you know WHAT TO DO and you DO IT IMMEDIATELY.

What’s the latest intel on active shooters?

I just attended two webinars on the topic of active shooter events, one from a commercial security firm and the other sponsored through FEMA. I looked at the latest statistics and reviewed the latest “best practices.” Interestingly enough, the people doing the shooting are pretty much the same: 98% men.

How police respond has changed dramatically. (As the security guy said, “The first officer to show up will be coming in running . . .”) Weapons have become more deadly. And the number of shootings is increasing.

How to protect yourself, though, hasn’t changed much. But that won’t do you any good if you haven’t prepared.

It’s time to prepare emotionally and review just how we would respond.

“I just lay there, waiting for my turn to die.”

I first read that statement after the events that took place at Virginia Tech way back in 2007.  You will remember that the shooter entered several classrooms and simply shot all the students one after another.  Then he came back and shot them again. The quote is from one of the girls who survived.

What is shocking is that this same quote has been repeated more than once in similar situations! Faced with an active shooter, some people seem to become like sheep! I was outraged and dismayed by the quote, and determined that Emergency Plan Guide readers would never respond this way!

So, what’s your plan?

Start now working on situational awareness.

In our Mini-book on Personal Safety, we describe a half-dozen “exercises” you can practice — alone or with your kids – that will up your readiness. The exercises almost all have to do with what’s called “situational awareness.” That is, noticing what other people are doing, noting where entrances, exits and potential hiding places are, and thinking and talking about “What would we do if . . .?”

Since Active shooter events are almost always over within 10 minutes – sometimes before the police even arrive — what counts is what you do within the first minutes or seconds. The faster you realize that something is wrong or out of place, the faster you’ll be able to act. Situational awareness is what gives you that edge.

Then, it’s good to know what to do to respond. Here are three resources I hope you’ll put to use starting immediately. Share them with your family, groups you belong to, and at work. You’ll come out with a better idea of how to respond if you encounter an active shooter.

Step One — Watch the video: Run – Hide – Fight

The original Run-Hide-Fight video was produced in 2012 by the City of Houston. We have shown the video multiple times to different audiences. They are always taken aback even though it’s a staged production. It lasts only 5 minutes but will generate important comments and questions. Here’s the link to YouTube: https://youtu.be/5VcSwejU2D0 (Be ready to skip the ads at the beginning.)

Step Two — Watch the video: Options for Consideration – Active Shooter Preparedness

The Department of Homeland Security produced this video in 2019. It’s about 7 minutes long. I didn’t find it as powerful as the Run-Hide-Fight, nor is the quality as good. What is good, though, is to observe how long it takes the people in the video to respond to the sound of gunfire! And it has some more good ideas about hiding. You could watch both videos at the same meeting.

Link to the DHS website where you can view the video: https://www.dhs.gov/cisa/options-consideration-active-shooter-preparedness-video

Step Three — Download: “Active Shooter – How to Respond”

This is a 13-page pdf from the Department of Homeland Security. You can use it in many different ways — as study material for a discussion, as a guide for a quiz, material for a flyer, etc. Since you’re here right now, though, here are some highlights taken from all three of these resources to get you started.

And now, some specifics.

RUN.

If you hear gunshots, don’t stop and ask, “Hey, do you think that’s gunshots? Maybe it’s just fireworks? Or is it a car backfiring?” If you see a shooter, or see people running, don’t just stand there looking for the source of the noise or action! You need to get away from the shooter and any stray bullets!

• Have two different escape routes figured out – at all times! First may be back the way you came in. But if that route is blocked, or the shooter has come in behind you, you need an escape route that takes you out another way. Maybe it’s through the kitchen of the restaurant, out the loading area of a grocery store, out a marked emergency exit. Always keep a lookout for alternative exits wherever you are.
• Leave your stuff behind – purse, backpack, computer, etc. You can’t run with your arms full of packages.
• Get out even if others don’t seem to want to. But don’t allow people to head INTO danger if you can help it.
• Call 911 when you can. Give as much information as you can to dispatch: who, where, how many, etc.

HIDE.

The shooter is in a hurry. He wants to injure or kill as many people as possible. He knows he will probably die before it’s all over. So he’s looking for easy targets. If you can hide, and he doesn’t know or suspect you are there, he’s likely to move on. So, how to hide?

• Get into a room with a door you can lock or block. Reinforce by pulling furniture in front of the door. (Remember that scene in the Capitol where furniture kept insurrectionists from breaking into the House Chamber?)
• Turn out lights. Pull blinds or otherwise block the view into your room. You don’t want to draw any attention to your hiding space.
• Get behind heavy furniture as protection from stray bullets.
• Be quiet – really quiet. That means turning off radios and computers, and SILENCING your phone, not just putting it on vibrate.

FIGHT.

If the shooter is so close to you that you can’t run or hide, your only option is to fight for your life! Yes, you may be injured. But you may also save many lives that otherwise would surely be lost.

• Attack means attack! Scream and yell aggressively and dramatically! Move rapidly!
• Create chaos! Throw stuff to hurt and disorient the shooter. Computers, chairs, lamps, a pot of coffee, your purse, books, a fire extinguisher. Anything can become an effective missile.
• Gang up and attack as a pack! Some people can go for the shooter’s legs, others for his body. The sheer weight of several people can overwhelm one individual. You may be able to hold him down until authorities arrive.
• Commit . . . and don’t quit.

And here’s one more exceedingly simple suggestion – When you get back to work or to school, take a look at the doors of the rooms you use. Can they be locked to keep out a shooter?

You may not be able to harden door frames or replace locks. But for sure you could make sure every inward-opening door is equipped with a simple rubber door stop! Shooters are looking for easy victims; if a door appears to be locked or is too hard to open they will go on to the next one.

I found this commercial door stop at Amazon. It’s meant to block doors with an up to 1 ½ inch gap.

At a cost of less than $5, I would buy one for every non-secure door in my building!

Be ready to take action. Train family members and neighbors, too. This is life-saving information.

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide team