I got these questions on a handout from church a couple of weeks ago--See how you do or if there are areas you need work on. I had to ask sweet husband about a few of these . . . we still have work to do.
1. Has your family rehearsed fire escape routes from your home?
2. Does your family know what to do before, during and after an earthquake or other emergency?
3. Do you have heavy objects hanging over beds that can fall during an earthquake?
4. Do you have access to an operational flashlight in every occupied bedroom? (use of candles is not recommended unless you are sure there is no leaking gas)
5. Do you keep shoes near your bed to protect your feet against broken glass?
6. If a water line was ruptured during an earthquake, do you know how to shut off the main water line to your house?
7. Can this water valve be turned off by hand without the use of a tool? Do you have a tool if one is needed?
8. Do you know where the main gas shut-off valve to your house is located?
9. If you smell gas, do you know how and would you be able to shut off this valve?
10. Gas valves usually cannot be turned off by hand. Is there a tool near your valve?
11. Would you be able to safely restart your furnace when gas is safely available?
12. Do you have working smoke alarms in the proper places to warn you of fire? Carbon Monoxide alarms?
13. In case of a minor fire, do you have a fire extinguisher that you know how to operate?
14. Do you have duplicate keys and copies of important insurance and other papers stored outside your home?
15. Do you have a functional emergency radio to receive emergency information?
16. If you and your family had to evacuate your home, have you identified an outside meeting place?
If an emergency lasted for 3 days (72 hours) before help was available to you and your family . . .
17. Would you have sufficient food?
18. Would you have the means to cook food without gas and electricity?
19. Would you have sufficient water for drinking, cooking, and sanitary needs?
20. Do you have access to a 72-hour evacuation kit?
21. Would you be able to carry or transport these kits?
22. Have you established an out of state contact?
23. Do you have a first aid kit in your home and in each car?
24. Do you have work gloves and some tools for minor rescue and cleanup?
25. Do you have emergency cash on hand? (During emergencies banks and ATM machines are closed)
26. Without electricity and gas do you have means to heat at least part of your house? (Think of how to cover broken windows.)
27. If you need medications, do you have a month's supply on hand?
28. Do you have a plan for toilet facilities if there is an extended water shortage?
29. Do you have a supply of food, clothing, and fuel where appropriate: for 6 months? for a year?
Do not think that you are covered on any of these because your significant other knows the answer. My thinking is this: my husband is home on average only about 2/3 of each day, sometimes he's gone for 2-3 days at a time. And when he's not home, his job is such that he's usually out of cell range also. Therefore the liklehood of an emergency happening with him available to help is not very high. I need to know how to shut off my own water and gas and have the answers to these questions myself--just in case I'm the only adult around when something happens.
I've already put my order in with my husband for a "decorative" (and functional) outhouse in my back field :)
Monday, July 13, 2009
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7 comments:
What an great list! I did pretty good, but there's some areas where I could do better.
One area that I've thought about, that I never see anywhere else, is having a plan for if your family is separated during a disaster/event with no way to communicate. (ie. emp attack, cyber attack that takes out cell phones & electric, etc.).
Its important to decide BEFORE HAND, who will go to whom under what conditions. I'll have to post about that myself, I think.
I thought that was a good list, too.
As long as you can get water somewhere, you can flush the john. I got a bucket for my kids, so they could get water out of the pool at their apartment if the need arises.
Oh, man! It's like I have to start all over! I don't even know where all our food storage is yet. I do know where our 72 hour kits are though. I will be printing this off and we will work on it. Thanks, Angela. BTW, did you hear back about your appt? Email me and let me know!
This is excellent. :-) I'm going to use it as a checklist - I see areas where my family and I can definitely improve, and areas where we are "just fine". Great post!
Really good information. I live in hurricane territory and we are always looking for good survival advice.
Cia
Ilove this site!
Excellent point Paladin--Funny I just assume I'll be home-We'll have to have a discussion on that one.
Hermit--we live in a desert. It's a good hike downhill to the local creek and a better hike uphill w/full water buckets. I'll probably use my stored water for drinking :)
Sharla--Just tackle one thing at a time. Pretty soon you'll have the whole list done. Do prep family nights--the kids actually really enjoy the fire drill family nights :)
Melonie--yep, same here. Some parts good, other parts not so much. Working on it . . .
Cia--the list could easily be altered for whatever natural disaster you are most likely to encounter--no hurricanes here, but plenty of other disaster possibilities! Thanks for the visit!
Mimi--Thank you for coming by and for the kind words! :)
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