A basic emergency supply kit could include the following recommended items:

• Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
• Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
• Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Whistle to signal for help
• Dust mask to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
• Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
• Manual can opener for food
• Local maps
• Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger

 

Once you have gathered the supplies for a basic emergency kit, you may want to consider adding the following items:

• Prescription medications and glasses
• Infant formula and diapers
• Pet food and extra water for your pet
• Cash or traveler's checks and change
• Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container. You can use the Emergency Financial First Aid Kit (EFFAK) (PDF - 977Kb) developed by Operation Hope, FEMA and Citizen Corps to help you organize your information.
• Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or free information from this web site. (See Publications)
• Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Consider additional bedding if you live in a cold-weather climate.
• Complete change of clothing including a long sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes. Consider additional clothing if you live in a cold-weather climate.
• Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper – When diluted, nine parts water to one part bleach, bleach can be used as a disinfectant. Or in an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners.
• Fire extinguisher
• Matches in a waterproof container
• Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
• Mess kits, paper cups, plates, paper towels and plastic utensils
• Paper and pencil
• Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children

Source: http://www.ready.gov/basic-disaster-supplies-kit

It is better to send text messages than to call when natural disasters strike and networks get congested, a senior U.S. official said on Wednesday, also urging people to add battery-powered cell phone chargers to their storm emergency kits.

Craig Fugate, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, told reporters that forecasts for a "normal" Atlantic hurricane season should not keep those in potentially affected areas from getting ready for storms that could make landfall.

"There is no forecast yet that says where they are going to hit or not hit. So if you live along the Gulf Coast, the Atlantic, and as far inland as the folks in Vermont found out last year, you need to be prepared for this hurricane season," Fugate said at a White House news briefing.

The U.S. government is working to extend its public alert warning system beyond radio and television to mobile networks, Fugate said, noting that most new and upgraded cell phones have the capacity to receive such emergency notices.

Households without fixed-line phones should be ready to charge cell phones during power cuts, the FEMA administrator said, also calling on families to make alternative communication plans for when wireless networks are congested.

"When there's a big crisis, don't try to call people on your phones - text message. It's a lot faster and gets through. Use social media to update people ... and also be prepared when power outages occur how you're going to keep your electronic devices charged," Fugate said. "Add to your evacuation kits your cell phone chargers."

(Reporting by Laura MacInnis; Editing by Anthony Boadle) http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/31/uk-usa-weather-storms-idUSLNE84U01D20120531

Sometimes disaster strikes, despite your best efforts to prevent it. And that means you should always be ready for the unexpected.

The right emergency gear will help you protect your home and family, as well as deal with unpleasant realities like a post-storm power outage or broken windows.

Here are the most critical tools and products to have on hand when things go wrong.

Throughout the house

Place wireless water alarms under sinks, behind the fridge, anywhere that water would pool if there's a leak -- they'll sound off at the slightest hint of moisture. Zircon Leak Alert three-pack, $25; amazon.com

Keep a fire extinguisher on every floor of your home, and an extra one in the kitchen, where the majority of fires start (some insurance policies will give you a discount on your premium for having them). Get multipurpose A:B:C extinguishers that douse flames from three types of fires: ordinary combustibles, flammable liquids, and electrical. Opt for a five-pound fire extinguisher, which is light enough for most people to use easily. Check the pressure gauges periodically and have the extinguishers recharged when the pressure drops. Kidde Full Home fire extinguisher, $40; homedepot.com

Supplement hard-wired smoke detectors (if you have them) with at least one battery-powered model per floor, especially in the kitchen and near bedrooms. Go with a model with a sealed-in, 10-year lithium battery to spare you frequent battery replacement. Kidde Long-Life sealed battery smoke alarm, $20; walmart.com

For the best protection, opt for separate carbon monoxide alarms instead of combination smoke/CO detectors. Place one on every level of the home and outside each bedroom or sleeping area so that occupants will wake up if it goes off at night. Plug-in versions with battery backups are convenient and discreet. First Alert plug-in carbon monoxide detector, $33; amazon.com

Basement, laundry, and mechanical room

A sump pump alarm has a sensor wire and probe that detect rapidly rising water levels, tipping you off to a potential flood. Reliance Controls sump pump alarm, $15; homedepot.com

An automatic shutoff valve for your water heater cuts off the supply to the device as soon as it senses a leak of any kind. FloodStop auto shutoff valve for water heaters, $115; safehomeproducts.com

If you forget to turn off the water supply to your washing machine when you're finished sudsing your duds, then this is the gizmo for you: a switch that automatically opens the valve as soon as you turn the machine on, and then closes it when the rinse cycle is over. Watts IntelliFlow automatic washing machine shutoff valve, about $200; amazon.com

Upstairs bedrooms

Place sturdy escape ladders in each bedroom near a window. Practice setting them up in case you have to do it quickly. First Alert three-story fire-escape ladder, $72; target.com

Collect all your gear in a waterproof plastic tub and stow it in an easy-to-access spot in your house.

1. Duct tape. Use it for on-the-fly repairs and temporary fixes. $3.50 per roll at home stores

2. Blanket. Mylar is warm and lightweight, and folds up small. $3.50; grainger.com

3. Multitool. Get one with a pair of pliers and a can opener. $55; leatherman.com

4. Radio/phone charger. A hand crank will allow you to juice up the battery. $20; amazon.com

5. Work gloves. Leather grips protect your mitts during poststorm cleanup. $48; ironclad.com

6. Nylon rope. Use it to secure heavy outdoor furniture or tie down a flapping door.$30 per 100 feet at home stores

7. Lantern. A battery-operated model is safer than candles. $40; coleman.com

And add these multitaskers:

8. Fishing line. Use it wherever rope is too thick to get the job done.

9. Vinyl tablecloth. Lay it down to create a clean zone in any area.

10. Baby wipes. They'll remove grime from your hands and practically any surface.

Make sure to include first-aid supplies, three days' worth of bottled water and nonperishable food, and a list of important phone numbers.

Source: CNNMoney http://tinyurl.com/7a5jyok

Disaster Resistant Community(DRC) is hosting the Evansville Earthquake Hazards Maps presentation.

 

I am inviting you to attendthe upcoming first public look at the new earthquake hazards maps of the Evansville-Henderson metro area. Please pass this invitation on to those you know who will be interested.

 

On Tuesday, February 7,from 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm, new earth quake hazards maps of the Evansville area will be unveiled to the public.  The event will take place at the SouthernIndiana Career & Technology Center, located at 1901 Lynch Road in Evansville, Ind.  The programis Free and open to the public.

 

There will be a special appearance by “Eliza Bryan”, who lived in New Madrid from 1780 until 1866.  She survived the 1811–1812 New Madridearthquakes and left detailed accounts of her experiences.  Eliza Bryan will share her recollections ofthe Mississippi River running backwards and upheavals of the earth’ssurface during those earthquakes. Phyllis Steckel, an earthquake geologist from Washington, Mo., will portray Eliza Bryan.

 

The Evansville AreaEarthquake Hazards Mapping Project is funded by the U.S. Geological Survey’sNational Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program. The Southwest Indiana Disaster Resistant Community Corporation; Purdue University; the Center for Earthquake Research and Information at the University of Memphis; the U.S. Geological Survey; and the state geologic surveys of Indiana and Kentucky are project leaders. The Central U.S. Earthquake Consortium and CUSEC State Geologists are also involved.

 

To register go to: eqworkshop2012@gmail.com - please note this is for the "evening presentation" and list the names ofthose who will be attending.

In less than three minutes, a house fire can become uncontrollable. In 1975, house fires tended to not become uncontrollable until an average of 17 minutes, according to a report by the National Institutes of Standards and Technology.

Despite better smoke alarms, home fires are spreading faster nowadays, studies show, so why are blazes spreading quicker?

Certain home furnishings may be one of the biggest culprits of home fires burning faster, some fire experts say. For example, upholstered furniture contains flammable polyurethane foam, which can potentially increase fire hazards. Also, fire experts note in an AOL Real Estate article, homes nowadays are constructed with more open floor plans and building materials, such as wallboard, that can contribute to faster spreading fires too.

Source: “Hot Stat: Today’s Homes Burn Faster Than Ever,” AOL Real Estate News (Nov. 7, 2011)

Posted by: Craig Fugate, Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency & Julius Genachowski, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission

Ask anyone who has lived through a significant disaster what that experience was like and – without a doubt – one of the things some people are likely to recall is how difficult it was to communicate from their mobile phones with friends, family and emergency services like 911 in the immediate aftermath.

Many of us were reminded of this last month, when both a 5.8 magnitude earthquake and Hurricane Irene struck parts of the East Coast. People immediately reached for their phones to call loved ones or 911. Unfortunately, in some cases, loss of power made communication difficult.

The FCC and FEMA are doing everything we can to empower the public to be prepared for all emergencies (you can visit www.Ready.gov or www.Listo.gov to learn more). But one of the lessons learned from that August earthquake was that we can do more to educate the public about the most effective ways to communicate before, during and after a disaster.

Today, we are pleased to release a set of new, easy-to-follow tips to help all Americans prepare their homes and mobile phones for a disaster. These tips are practical things everyone can do to better preserve the ability to communicate effectively during – and immediately after – a disaster.

While we don’t have control over when or where the next disaster will strike, we do have control over what we do to prepare. Check out these tips and please, take one more step and share it with your networks. Use Twitter, Facebook, email or a good old-fashioned phone call to help us spread the word – and help more Americans get ready before the next disaster strikes.

And remember, if you have a question about your particular mobile phone device, contact your wireless provider or equipment manufacturer.

Before a Disaster: How to Prepare Your Home and Mobile Device

1. Maintain a list of emergency phone numbers in your cell phone and in or near your home phone.
2. Keep charged batteries and car-phone chargers available for back-up power for your cell phone.
3. If you have a traditional landline (non-broadband or VOIP) phone, keep at least one non-cordless phone in your home because if it will work even if you lose power.
4. Prepare a family contact sheet. This should include at least one out-of-town contact that may be better able to reach family members in an emergency.
5. Program “In Case of Emergency” (ICE) contacts into your cell phone so emergency personnel can contact those people for you if you are unable to use your phone. Let your ICE contacts know that they are programmed into your phone and inform them of any medical issues or other special needs you may have.
6. If you are evacuated and have call-forwarding on your home phone, forward your home phone number to your cell phone number.
7. If you do not have a cell phone, keep a prepaid phone card to use if needed during or after a disaster.
8. Have a battery-powered radio or television available (with spare batteries).
9. Subscribe to text alert services from local or state governments to receive alerts in the event of a disaster. Parents should sign up for their school district emergency alert system.

During and After a Disaster: How to Reach Friends, Loved Ones & Emergency Services

1. If you have a life-threatening emergency, call 9-1-1. Remember that you cannot currently text 9-1-1. If you are not experiencing an emergency, do not call 9-1-1. If your area offers 3-1-1 service or another information system, call that number for non-emergencies.
2. For non-emergency communications, use text messaging, e-mail, or social media instead of making voice calls on your cell phone to avoid tying up voice networks. Data-based services like texts and emails are less likely to experience network congestion. You can also use social media to post your status to let family and friends know you are okay. In addition to Facebook and Twitter, you can use resources such as the American Red Cross’s Safe and Well program (www.redcross.org/safeandwell).
3. Keep all phone calls brief. If you need to use a phone, try to convey only vital information to emergency personnel and/or family.
4. If you are unsuccessful in completing a call using your cell phone, wait ten seconds before redialing to help reduce network congestion.
5. Conserve your cell phone battery by reducing the brightness of your screen, placing your phone in airplane mode, and closing apps you are not using that draw power, unless you need to use the phone.
6. If you lose power, you can charge your cell phone in your car. Just be sure your car is in a well-ventilated place (remove it from the garage) and do not go to your car until any danger has passed. You can also listen to your car radio for important news alerts.
7. Tune into broadcast television and radio for important news alerts. If applicable, be sure that you know how to activate the closed captioning or video description on your television.
8. If you do not have a hands-free device in your car, stop driving or pull over to the side of the road before making a call. Do not text on a cell phone, talk, or “tweet” without a hands free device while driving.
9. Immediately following a disaster, resist using your mobile device to watch streaming videos, download music or videos, or play video games, all of which can add to network congestion. Limiting use of these services can help potentially life-saving emergency calls get through to 9-1-1.

Check http://paper.li/WilberforceDMR/disaster-emergency-management regularly to find other helpful tips for preparing for disasters and other emergencies.