BLOG
October 11, 2011 at 8:33 pm By Roz Potter
From Avian Flu Diary, the brilliant blog of Michael Coston, Link
Eleven days from now (on October 20th) California, Nevada, Guam, and British Columbia will hold annual earthquake preparedness drills which are promoted by the USGS and Shakeout.org .
These websites ask residents to register, and to take part in this annual earthquake exercise. There you’ll find plenty of suggestions on how to participate – at home, at work, or at school.
A number of radio & TV stations across the state will play audio and/or video earthquake simulations at precisely 10:20 am to add authenticity to the drill.
The Great California Shakeout is the oldest, and largest of these drills, and this year more than 8 million Californians have registered as participants.
As far as what to do DURING an earthquake, I’ll let the folks at ShakeOut.org explain (and no, it isn’t stand under a doorway):
Drop, Cover, and Hold On!
Federal, state, and local emergency management experts and other official preparedness organizations all agree that “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” is the appropriate action to reduce injury and death during earthquakes. The ShakeOut is our opportunity to practice how to protect ourselves during earthquakes. This page explains what to do– and what not to do.
(Continue . . . )
The USGS map below shows that most of the United State’s population lives in a seismically active region. While California has the reputation for being earthquake prone, the Midwest and the Eastern Seaboard are not immune.
One of the most vulnerable areas to earthquakes (and tsunamis) in North America is the Pacific Northwest, where just over 311 years ago an earthquake and tsunami – likely on par with this year’s disastrous quake in Japan – struck the coastline.
Posted in Earthquake Preparedness, Preparedness Ideas & Lessons | No Comments »
September 29, 2011 at 10:55 pm By Roz Potter
Preparedness. You’ve thought about it, and even bought a thing or two. Here’s your chance to get a big part of the job done.
In one day, for 6 hours, in one place, you’ll find an array of the supplies, equipment, instruction, demonstrations, and documents needed to get your household ready for serious emergencies.
Through live demonstrations you’ll learn how to store and disinfect water, handle utility emergencies, use safety, self-defense, and communication devices, and select worthwhile supplies and equipment for disaster essentials such as lighting, communications, and sanitation.
We’ll disassemble several ready-made “Go”Bags and first-aid kits so you can see the quality and contents for yourself. And, we’ll provide supply lists and and have basic contents available for 3-day “Go” Bags you can build for home, work, car and school, for yourself, family members and for gifts. A limited number of “Go” Bags will be available to purchase
Food, first-aid and hygiene packs, light sources, radios and other communication devices, water storage containers and water purification items, sanitation, self-defense and other equipment, along with carriers, will be on-hand
Put together your own disaster plan so you can easily contact and reunite family members, locate emergency services, communicate with advisers, turn off utilities, access critical records and items, and obtain safe medical care, when options are limited
Saturday, November 12, 2011, from 10 am to 4 pm, The John Muir Inn, Napa, CA
$60 fee includes 2.5 hours of disaster preparedness instruction, Defying Disaster’s preparedness documents including communication, reunification, utility emergency and pet plans, and emergency medical information forms, 3-day “Go” Bag supply lists for home, car, school and work, demonstrations, and a Defying Disaster Daypack
Advance reservations required. To reserve a space, send $30 deposit and contact information to Defying Disaster, P.O. Box 5927, Napa, CA 94581. For further information, please call 707.255.7146 or use the form on this website’s “Contact” page. Some partial scholarships are available
Space is limited. A second workshop will be held December 3, 10-4, also at the John Muir Inn
Posted in Community Preparedness, Disaster preparedness, Preparedness Ideas & Lessons | No Comments »
April 26, 2011 at 10:00 am By Roz Potter
If everyday activities like working, cooking, shopping, house- and garden-keeping, child rearing, socializing, worship, staying healthy, getting through the day, and other pursuits seem more urgent than disaster preparedness, you’ve got a lot of company.
In the absence of a disaster in your life, everyday pursuits are more compelling and many are a lot more fun. But if you find your preparedness conscience being pricked by world events, yet are truly limited in your ability to prepare due to the resources required (cost, time, health), there is a an alternative to full-blown disaster preparedness.
It’s Couch Potato or Incidental Preparedness. And these are the benefits.
First, you’ll have one emergency supply of water. That means survival. You can live without food, but not without water.
Second, you will have food that can be eaten under disaster conditions. Although food is not essential for short-term survival, you’ll be a lot happier, healthier and energetic if you’re able to eat a reasonable diet. For infants, the elderly, the ill and already malnourished, it’s a necessity for survival.
Third, you’ll have medications and medical supplies to sustain you, your family and others, when there is no other supply.
Forth, if you choose to go that far, you’ll have hygiene, sanitation and comfort items, safety and communication, essential documents and cash. We’re not going there this time – that’s Part II of Couch Potato Preparedness Planning.
While the following preparedness activities do require someone to get off the couch, many people can accomplish them in the course of everyday or weekly activities. These activities are a starting, not an end point. The Couch Potato Plan takes some extra effort and cash, but then so does turning on the lights.
1. Purchase one 2.5 gallon bottle of water every week or every other week, until you have at least 5 gallons for each person in your house. Ten gallons per person is better, twenty is much better. Current cost, around $3.00 per 2.5 gallon container. Benefit, survival. You cannot live without water. Downside, one gallon per person per day is enough for drinking (for most people and conditions) and minimal cooking or hygiene but not both. One gallon containers are a better choice for the elderly, those with arthritis, and for convenience.
2. Once a week, transfer from your cupboard or purchase 2 extra cans or packages of food that your family likes to eat, for each person in your household. Preparedness foods should meet the following requirements: no need for cooking, refrigeration, or heating, under 400mg of salt per serving (if possible), uses little water, calorie-dense, familiar and liked by household members. Your list may include ready to eat cereal, canned soups, stews, meats and fish, canned fruits and vegetables, high calorie food bars, unsalted nuts, crackers, dehydrated milk and other beverages. Store food supplies in an insect and rodent impervious bin in a cool, dark, reasonably accessible place. Don’t forget a manual can opener.
3. Add one item to your medical kit each week. This could be extra medications, first aid supplies, a first aid and/or home medical care guide, a list of your prescription drugs including their name, dose and frequency, primary medical conditions, drug, latex and other allergies, and if available, blood type for each family member. I suggest you include face masks, gloves and over the counter medications for common ailments such as diarrhea, constipation, pain, allergic reactions, inflammation, colds, sleep, anxiety (plenty of that during disasters) and other needs.
On a couch potato day, someone could list current contents but don’t push it. This is incidental preparedness. If you make it too burdensome, there could be pushback so that instead of a beginning to preparedness, it’s the end.
If you’re more goal driven, you may want to first set a goal for each of the three categories, i.e. the number of days supply for each person in your family, a food supply that will meet particular calorie and nutritional criteria, or perhaps a full complement of medical supplies and medications needed for most eventualities. You might decide on a 3 day supply of food, water, medications and some contact/medical information. Or maybe a 10 or 20 day version, or just the food and water part. Or, just the contact/medical information part.
In Part II, we’ll take a look at other, above noted,categories of Couch Potato Preparedness including safety and communications, comfort items, hygiene and sanitation, shelter and tools, critical documents and cash. And, if you can bear it, the location and number of supply caches you may want to stock, if only in a rudimentary manner.
Posted in Disaster preparedness, Preparedness Ideas & Lessons, Uncategorized | No Comments »
October 21, 2010 at 12:40 am By Roz Potter
On Thursday morning, October 21st at 10:21 am (local time) millions of Californians will participate in a statewide earthquake drill called The Great California Shakeout. As of midnight on 10/20/10, 7.8 million people had registered to participate.
A number of radio & TV stations across the state will play audio and/or video earthquake simulations at precisely 10:21am to add authenticity to the drill.
You can also download a variety of presentations from the Shakeout.org website to play at 10:21, to provide information and atmosphere. If you don’t have time for anything else, here’s a 1 minute drill with realistic sound effects and some instruction. It’s well worth a listen link.
For earthquake risks in the SF Bay Area, particularly the Hayward Fault, and for response tips, please refer to a previous post, “Whose Fault Is It?”, here. For risks in other areas of California, see “Quick Links” on the left side of the Shakeout page, here. Select your area from the drop down menu, “Earthquake hazards in your area”.
It’s too easy to make bad decisions during an earthquake. For more information, visit the USGS website, or the Earthquake Country Alliance here.
Whether you’re a Californian or not, sometime today take a few moments to inform yourself. Earthquakes happen. Those unprepared for the expected “Big One”, will unfortunately pay a bigger price.
Posted in Earthquake Preparedness, Preparedness Ideas & Lessons | No Comments »
September 10, 2010 at 12:14 pm By Roz Potter
1906, a massive earthquake hit San Francisco. Much of the city was leveled, not by the earthquake but by fires that erupted in its aftermath. One pipeline that carried water from San Andreas Lake to San Francisco was broken, leaving little water to fight the fires.
1989, a large earthquake centered in the Santa Cruz Mountains topled buildings in several counties, destroyed a section of the SF Bay Bridge and multiple sections of the Crypress Freeway in Oakland, and severely damaged many other highways, bridges, pipelines and connections to homes, sewer systems and other infrastructure. Massive fires erupted from broken gas lines in the Marina district of San Francisco, one of several areas where damage was severe, in this case due to soil liquifaction.
September 9, 2010, at 6 PM, just as many people were sitting down to dinner, a massive inferno erupted from a break in a 24 inch natural gas pipeline in the hills of San Bruno, California, just south of San Francisco. Scores of homes have been destroyed, at least 6 lives lost and dozens have suffered burn injuries, some critical.
These tragic incidents underscore our vulnerability to crumbling infrastructure and earthquakes which rupture underground pipes, large and small, including gas lines. The released gas can be ignited into a flash fire by any electrical or mechanical device that can generate sparks including light switches, motor vehicles and generators, among others. The strike of a match, the click of a lighter or a barbeque igniter, or the pilot light of a water heater or stove can result in an inferno.
A gas leak should be one of our first concerns after an earthquake, or anytime a blowing, hissing or roaring sound is heard, or a gas odor is detected in, around, or under a building. Any appreciable sound or odor should be cause for alarm and immediate action. An earthquake need not be severe to cause a significant gas leak, due to the age or condition of gas pipelines. If you detect a leak inside, open a window and quickly leave the building. If it is safe to do so, turn off the main valve outside. Call the gas company from a safe place. The events of yesterday will inform our actions about exterior gas leaks, at least in the short term. If in doubt, quickly gather your family and leave.
Unless you are certain there are no gas leaks, do not use open flames (lighters, matches, torches, grills, fireplaces, woodstoves, or operate any electrical or mechanical device that can generate sparks. As noted above, the latter includes light switches, generators, and motor vehicles. This means grabbing for flashlights and headlights, instead of light switches and informing your family and neighbors to do the same.
All gas leaks must be reported at once, whatever the cause. Please give due consideration to evacuating on your own, before official advisories are issued.
On Christmas Eve day in 2008, a natural gas explosion in Rancho Cordova, California, a suburb of Sacramento, killed one person and injured 5. It leveled one home and damaged several others. The leak originated from a 2 inch main line that runs under the driveway of the destroyed home, as well as the opposite corner. The same spot had been repaired just eighteen months earlier. One of two couplings used in the repair failed. See the ABC News 10 Sacramento story. At a briefing by the National Transportation Safety Board, neighbors voiced concern that there was no call for evacuation by officials. The NTSB investigator cited in the story, Karl Gunther, stated, “I would say the only thing that sticks out for me, is why it wasn’t evacuated. One neighbor who spoke described the gas smell as a “strong leak”.
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), which oversees the nation’s pipelines, reported 265 “significant” incidents in the US last year, resulting in 14 deaths, 63 injuries and more than 150 million in property damage, according to one of three related stories on pipeline safety published in the blog of The Washington Independent, an online news source.
According to the story, a 2002 law requires inspection of pipes in populated areas (“high consequence areas”), but “there are no federal laws or regulations to ensure that houses and commercial buildings are constructed a safe distance away from pipelines” – no setback requirement. It is the job of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to oversee the nation’s pipelines. But the story’s author, Andrew Restuccia, points out in the article that PHMSA has adopted a number of industry standards that were written by two powerful trade and lobbying groups, the American Petroleum Institute and the American Gas Association. These standards include critical safety issues including pipeline welding, evaluating the strength of corroded pipelines and testing of pipeline pressure.
The Pipeline Safety Trust, a non-profit group that advocates for safe fuel transportation, has set up a website with information about the San Bruno pipeline incident. Included is a map of PG&E’s natural gas pipelines in San Bruno and PG&E’s safety record. The latter does not include the Rancho Cordova incident described above as the utility company for Sacramento is not PG&E but SMUD, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District. Correction: PG&E is the gas supplier for Sacramento area and was held responsible for the 2008 Rancho Cordova gas explosion. Perhaps someone knows why the Rancho Cordova incident is not listed in the PG&E safety record posted on The Pipeline Safety Trust website?
Posted in Earthquake Preparedness, Fire Safety, Infrastructure Failure, Preparedness Ideas & Lessons | 2 Comments »
Of Note