7) Disaster Preparedness - When is the Best Time to Prepare for a Possible Disaster? by Connie Ragen Green (Posted: June 28, 2007) The best time to prepare for an emergency is immediately after surviving one. At that time the disaster is fresh in your mind and you are able to think about what items you should have close at hand. I was in Miami, Florida during Hurricane Andrew in August of 1992 and also in Northridge, California in January of 1993 during the Northridge earthquake. In both cases I found that my emergency preparedness was not as good as it should have been. After each incident I began to plan for what I should have available if the same type of event would occur again. Immediately after the hurricane in Miami I began making a list of what items I needed the most. The list grew over the following couple of weeks and included things such as waterproof matches, a generator, and baby wipes. During that time we were unable to get in or out of our neighborhood without the assistance of the National Guard. Credit cards were worthless because there was no electricity and my local bank was completely destroyed. Cash, especially in small denominations, became necessary to secure even the most common goods and services. Plastic containers were also valuable for digging through the rubble and scavenging small items from the soggy debris throughout my house. A manual can opener also made it to my list, as did plastic bags and a hand saw. After living through the Northridge earthquake my list included copper pipes to repair a hot water heater, bottles of water, a propane grill, and camping equipment. The camping equipment was handy to have in order to sleep outdoors if you were frightened by the frequent aftershocks. Hiking boots were important to have because of the broken glass that seemed to be evrywhere. In both disasters I found that having a bicycle with a basket made it easier to get around. Also, battery operated radios, flashlights, extra batteries and small, packaged snacks were also good to have available. Hopefully, I will never have to experience another disaster, but if I do I will be more prepared than I was previously. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Connie_Ragen_Green 6) Emergency Preparedness Plans by Alison Cole (Posted: June 15, 2007) Results of emergency situations can be very frustrating. This is why it is imperative to take a few moments to devise an emergency preparedness plan to relieve you when there are substantial lifestyle disruptions brought upon by emergencies. Important parts of emergency preparedness plan Your emergency preparedness plan should include several important aspects. One of these is to select a meeting place when a disaster occurs. In case of fire, you should make a plan to meet in front of your home or at the nearest fire exit. And in case of emergency that requires evacuation, you should meet at a specific place outside the neighborhood like a relative’s house or the neighborhood’s playground. Another important part is the role that each member of the family should play in an emergency. The children should be well-acquainted with the kinds of danger that the family may face and the types of disasters that may happen. This should be discussed to them in a way that won’t scare them but rather, make them feel prepared and empowered. Aside from these two, each family member should also know how to shut off utility services such as electricity, gas, and water. This should be a part of the plan since failure to shut these things off can pose greater danger. And lastly, your emergency preparedness plan should include keeping an emergency preparedness kit on hand. These kits should include batteries, a battery-powered radio, and flashlight. A first aid kit should also be nearby. In case of injuries, this can be used prior to the arrival of a medical team. Making an emergency preparedness plan will not only prepare you for the possible dangers that an emergency situation may bring but also help save your life or the life of a loved one. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alison_Cole 5) Disaster Preparedness: Remember These Flood Disaster Survival Tips by Lloyd Fridenburg (Posted: June 7, 2007) We hear the term disaster so much these days that the meaning seems to get watered down somewhat. To some anything that doesn’t go according to their schedule or plans is a disaster. On a personal level, a fire in our shed could be considered a disaster or even worse a fire in our house. However, it is important to understand the difference between a personal tragedy, an emergency, and a true disaster. This will allow you to keep things in perspective when making your own disaster preparedness plans. A house fire, even if nobody is injured is certainly a personal tragedy. I can’t begin to imagine the feeling of seeing your life go up in flames. But as tragic as it is at a personal level, help is usually close by and aside from an initial flurry of headlines your personal tragedy is soon forgotten by outsiders and rebuilding your life begins. Planning for tragedy of this nature is really limited to ensuring you have done everything possible to prevent it in the first place; being prepared to extinguish small fires before they spread; being prepared to ensure safe evacuation; and having the appropriate emergency supplies like thermal blankets and a quality first aid kit on hand. An emergency situation could include such things as a car accident, breakdown in a remote location, a school lock-down, localized weather events, and wilderness misadventures. Preparedness for this type of event is possible and practical. I have a personal motto that helps me envision potential emergency situations: “Expect the best, but prepare for the worst!” An emergency situation is not always predictable or avoidable and having the necessary supplies in the location where you need them can save your life. Hypothermia has claimed the lives of many stranded travelers that got stuck in blizzard conditions. Something as simple as a candle or thermal blanket could have been all that was necessary to save their life. A disaster is defined as an event causing great loss, hardship, or suffering to many people. When we think of this kind of event we usually think of catastrophic events like hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, and even man-made disasters. In situations like this help may be unavailable because rescuers may be in the same predicament that you are, and it could take a considerable length of time for outside help to arrive. Disaster preparedness is the sensible thing to do. It doesn’t need to be expensive; and it can save your life! In these situations we are not talking about loosing heat or power for a few hours we are talking about losing essential services, under extreme circumstances, for a prolonged period of time. Water, heat, shelter, and finally food are your main concern. After that things like light and communications, or at least a means of receiving information should be considered. Disaster planning is disaster preparedness; disaster preparedness is disaster survival! Taking the time to think about these things before a disaster occurs will go a long way towards ensuring your survival and the survival of your loved ones. © Lloyd Fridenburg, 2007 Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lloyd_Fridenburg 4) Essential Oils Combat CDC Threats by Tawne Bachus (Posted: June 4, 2007) Whoever said, "times, they are a changing," was absolutely correct. And, with these changing times, comes new threats created by new enemies. Some of these enemies are people, like you and me, but some are not. Some of these new threats are caused by new occupational hazards, new chemical pollutants, bio-terrorism, and even environmental changes resulting in shifting weather patterns. The number of threats has grown to such a large number that the United States Federal Government has created an agency assigned with the responsibility of monitoring and reporting on these threats in an effort to protect the health and safety of the American public. This agency is a branch of the United States Department of Health and Human Services based in Atlanta, Georgia. It is known as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The danger of these threats is so real that in 2006, the United States Federal Government budgeted $8.5 billion and dedicated 15,000 staff members to the CDC. Recognizing the wide range of possible threats, the CDC enlists an alphabet soup of staff members, including: behavioral scientists, biologists, chemists, computer scientists, economists , engineers, entomologists, epidemiologists, health care workers, health communicators, nurses, physicians, statisticians, toxicologists and veterinarians, to name a few. Unfortunately, some of these threats go undetected and other threats, though known and watched by the CDC, continue to exist. The CDC categorizes all threats in the following six groups: 1. Bio-terrorism Emergencies 2. Chemical Emergencies 3. Radiation Emergencies 4. Mass Casualties 5. Natural Disasters & Severe Weather 6. Recent Outbreaks & Incidents As the late, great Ben Franklin once said, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." One inexpensive way to get prepared is to begin stocking your medicine cabinet with Essential Oils. Quite simply, essential oils are oils extracted from plants. Once extracted, these oils contain an extremely rich blend compounds naturally found in the plant, from which they came. When buying essential oils, be absolutely certain that quality oil is being purchased. It is common for some essential oil companies to "cut" or dilute the oil before selling it. This process increases the profit to the company and decreases the therapeutic value to the end user. High quality essential oils have an amazing ability to combat bacteria, viruses and fungus. Each essential oil may contain 80 to over 400 different chemicals. Because of this chemical complexity, an essential oil may have the aggressive ability to destroy a virus, for example, on contact. Additionally, it is this natural complexity that makes it virtually impossible for bacteria and viruses to mutate into strains resistant to certain essential oils. After reviewing the CDC's list of categorical threats, it becomes apparent that a large number of them are driven by bacteria and viruses. Some common essential oils that may be used to fight these threats, are as follows: 1) Wild White Oregano contains anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-parasitic and anti-yeasts properties. 2) Tea Tree (Melaleuca Alternifolia) contains anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-parasitic, anti-yeast, anti-inflammatory, immune stimulant, and respiratory-assisting properties. 3) Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus Globulus & Eucalyptus Radiata) contains anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-parasitic, anti-spasmodic, decongestant, deodorant and respiratory-assisting properties. 4) Lavender (Lavendula Vera Officinalis) contains anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-depressant, anti-spasmodic, anti-toxic, deodorant and sedative properties. It may also be an excellent first aid oil, soothing cuts, bruises and insect bites. 5) Lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) contains anti-microbial, anti-viral, anti-fungal, and antioxidant properties. 6) Bergamont contains anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-parasitic, anti-depressant and anti-inflammatory properties. 7) Clove contains anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory and immune system stimulating properties. It should also be mentioned that essential oils may work on virtually any surface and through the air, attacking airborne threats as well. Some of them may even be swallowed to support a healthy body. Copyright © 2007 Tawne Bachus Disclaimer: This article has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The information in this article is not intended for use to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. 3) When an Emergency Strikes, Disaster Survival Gear Saves Lives by Chris Robertson (Posted: May 27, 2007) When it comes to emergency preparedness, it's easy to get lulled into a sense of complacency. It's difficult to face the reality that disaster could strike close to home, even though we've witnessed the devastation that comes from disasters like Hurricane Katrina, the Asian tsunami, the tornado that flattened a Kansas town, and terrorist attacks like those on 9/11. The unfortunate truth is that earthquake, fire, flood, and storms can cause injuries, death, and destruction. More importantly - and more hopefully - much of the unbearable heartache and loss associated with disasters can be avoided with the proper disaster survival gear. Emergency preparedness doesn't mean seeing the world through the eyes of doom and gloom. It doesn't mean that there is a disaster looming around every corner. Having the proper disaster survival gear simply means acknowledging that the world is an unpredictable place, and that it's best to be prepared. After all, when you buy a box of Band-Aids and tuck it away in a cupboard, you don't wake up each morning certain that a loved one will suffer a cut or scrape; it just means that you have Band-Aids on hand if a minor injury occurs. The same holds true for disaster survival gear. Once you have it, you don't have to worry about it. Hopefully, you'll never need to use it, but if the need arises, you'll be prepared. Survival Kits for Every Location When you consider purchasing disaster survival gear, it's important to remember that you don't know where you and your loved ones will be when an emergency strikes. Perhaps you'll be at home, but maybe you'll be at work or in the car, and your children may be at school. It's important to make sure that each location has the necessary disaster survival gear to improve the odds of making it through whatever natural or manmade emergency occurs. Home Disaster Survival Gear Your home emergency preparedness kit should contain enough food, water, shelter, sanitation, first aid, lighting and communication supplies necessary for the number of people in your family. Because a catastrophic event often means no running water or electricity, and because it can impact the livability of your home, it's important to have the supplies necessary to be self-sufficient. Critical supplies to include are food bars and water boxes for three days, thermal blankets designed to retain body heat, ponchos with hoods, tissue packs, work gloves, a tube tent, water purification tablets, dust masks, vinyl gloves, a solar radio and flashlight with generator, first aid kit, light sticks, can opener, nylon cord, contact cards, gas shut-off wrench, Swiss Army knife, waterproof matches, emergency candles, toilet bags and chemicals, duct tape, and whistle. When preparing your disaster survival gear, it's important not to forget your pets. Include a collar and leash, toys, food and water bowls, food and water, a thermal blanket, a pet first aid kit, and a decal that can alert rescue workers to the presence of a pet. DIY or Ready-Made? The reason many people hesitate to prepare for emergencies is that it's a hassle to put together your own disaster survival gear. The idea of having to go to different stores and pick up supplies makes it easy to procrastinate. Plus, there's the question of the shelf life of different items, particularly food and water. Many people opt to buy ready-made emergency preparedness kits. Not only is it less hassle, but the best ready-made kits have a five-year shelf life and come in a sealed bucket. Just like buying that box of Band-Aids, a ready-made kit of disaster survival gear is easy to buy and tuck away. Hopefully, you'll never have to use it, but you'll rest easier knowing that, if emergency does strike, it could save your life and the lives of those you love. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Robertson 2) Are You Prepared for a Natural Disaster? by Larry Zolna (Posted: May 27, 2007) Hardly a day goes by that we don't hear of some kind of natural disaster -- tornadoes, wildfires, hurricanes and floods. I have found myself sitting in front of my TV watching stories of people whose lives have suddenly been turned upside down and whose very survival is now threatened! However, there are many ways we can prepare ourselves to cope with disaster. I believe one of the most important ways is to have an Emergency Preparedness Kit ready. An Emergency Preparedness Kit can sustatin or save your life until assistance arrives. Our community in South Jersey was recently exposed to the threat of a wildfire and it made me realize "it can happen to anyone!" Having an Emergency Preparedness Kit ready can assure you of a 2-3 day supply of food, medicine, and important equipment you would need in the event of a disaster. Kits vary in content, but generally include such important items as batteries, flashlights, food bars, water, a radio, rescue blanket, scissors, utility knife and various medical supplies among other things. You can put your own kit together but the kits available on the market are very complete, organized, affordable and save you a lot of time. Please -- don't ever think it can't happen to you. Plan for an emergency! Get your family together and establish meeting places in the event you are separated in a disaster. Make plans for your pets. Make provisions for special needs of family members. Make sure important documents are in a safe place, and so on. There are many other tips that can help you but don't wait -- start putting together your emergency plan now -- begin with an Emergency Preparedness Kit. It could save your life! Don't be the next victim. Don't live in fear anymore -- get prepared for any disaster now! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Larry_Zolna 1) Food Storage Guidelines by Anne Clarke (Posted: May 27, 2007) Proper food storage will keep your food both fresher and safer. Most store-bought food today comes with certain guidelines to help you ensure that you are eating high quality, safe food. Make sure that you know what the guidelines on your packaging mean: Expiration Date – You should not consume any product after this date – it is when you should expect the food to go bad. Of course, realize that the date is relatively arbitrary – there is a chance that the food is just fine after this date. Nonetheless, to insure freshness and safety, you should throw out products that have passed the expiration date. Use-By-Date – This is the last day that your product is considered fresh and top quality. Again, it does not mean that the food product suddenly rots or molds after this date. It is just a good guideline to follow. Sell-By-Date – You can still consume products after this date. It is just the date that it is recommended that the store sells it by. You do not want to buy any products that are being sold after the sell-by-date, and you might want to inform the storekeeper if you find any (you might even be able to get a good deal on anything that is past the sell-by-date... if it is just a few days past, it is most likely still just fine). The sell-by-date is often on baked goods like breads. Pack Date – This tells you when the food was processed. This date does not tell you how long the food will be good! Also, different manufacturers stamp different codes on the bottoms of their cans or on their packages. Some are very understandable, and other ones are not. Because they all tend to use different codes, the codes can be tricky to learn. If you are curious about a certain product, call the manufacturer! Most manufacturers have a toll-free number printed on their product. Also, realize that the guidelines are not always completely accurate. There is a chance that your milk will taste bad long before the sell-by date. If you buy bread that has a tear in the packaging, it very likely might be stale when you buy it, too. Do not buy any food with packaging that has been damaged in any way – ripped, broken, dented, etc. If any food product that you buy changes in color, taste, or smell, it is time to discard it, regardless of the manufacturer’s recommended sell-by date, etc. Also, be aware that once you open a product, the date of lasting freshness may change – while it might have a shelf-life of over a year, once opened, it may only last for 2 weeks. So, as you may have been able to tell by this article, the dates printed on food products mean different things, but none of them are exact days of when your food will be bad. They are simply guidelines. If you are worried that a certain food has gone bad, don’t hesitate to throw it out. It is better to be safe than sorry. Also, the validity of the dates on the food products depends on whether or not you are storing your food properly. Food that is not stored properly may go bad long before the recommended use-by-date. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anne_Clarke