Urban Survival Secrets

Shelter in Place

2008-09-11T12:22:00.001-07:00

With 9/11 upon us, lets take some time to think about all of the people who were directly and indirectly affected by terrorism. As time marches on, the memory will fade, but we should make the effort to remember that we are all vulnerable to attack! I was talking with an old timer the other day, and he reminded me that there were plane spotters all along the coasts looking for enemy planes during World War II.

I have borrowed this from our friends at the Federal Government. Please be sure that when taking care of windows, you place a big "X" on them with duct tape to prevent shattering.

What Shelter-in-Place Means:

One of the instructions you may be given in an emergency where hazardous materials may have been released into the atmosphere is to shelter-in-place. This is a precaution aimed to keep you safe while remaining indoors. (This is not the same thing as going to a shelter in case of a storm.) Shelter-in-place means selecting a small, interior room, with no or few windows, and taking refuge there. It does not mean sealing off your entire home or office building. If you are told to shelter-in-place, follow the instructions provided in this Fact Sheet.

Why You Might Need to Shelter-in-Place:
Chemical, biological, or radiological contaminants may be released accidentally or intentionally into the environment. Should this occur, information will be provided by local authorities on television and radio stations on how to protect you and your family. Because information will most likely be provided on television and radio, it is important to keep a TV or radio on, even during the workday. The important thing is for you to follow instructions of local authorities and know what to do if they advise you to shelter-in-place.

How to Shelter-in-Place

At Home:

* Close and lock all windows and exterior doors.
* If you are told there is danger of explosion, close the window shades, blinds, or curtains.
* Turn off all fans, heating and air conditioning systems.
* Close the fireplace damper.
* Get your family disaster supplies kit and make sure the radio is working.
* Go to an interior room without windows that's above ground level. In the case of a chemical threat, an above-ground location is preferable because some chemicals are heavier than air, and may seep into basements even if the windows are closed.
* Bring your pets with you, and be sure to bring additional food and water supplies for them.
* It is ideal to have a hard-wired telephone in the room you select. Call your emergency contact and have the phone available if you need to report a life-threatening condition. Cellular telephone equipment may be overwhelmed or damaged during an emergency.
* Use duct tape and plastic sheeting (heavier than food wrap) to seal all cracks around the door and any vents into the room.
* Keep listening to your radio or television until you are told all is safe or you are told to evacuate. Local officials may call for evacuation in specific areas at greatest risk in your community.

At Work:

* Close the business.
* If there are customers, clients, or visitors in the building, provide for their safety by asking them to stay – not leave. When authorities provide directions to shelter-in-place, they want everyone to take those steps now, where they are, and not drive or walk outdoors.
* Unless there is an imminent threat, ask employees, customers, clients, and visitors to call their emergency contact to let them know where they are and that they are safe.
* Turn on call-forwarding or alternative telephone answering systems or services. If the business has voice mail or an automated attendant, change the recording to indicate that the business is closed, and that staff and visitors are remaining in the building until authorities advise it is safe to leave.
* Close and lock all windows, exterior doors, and any other openings to the outside.
* If you are told there is danger of explosion, close the window shades, blinds, or curtains.
* Have employees familiar with your building’s mechanical systems turn off all fans, heating and air conditioning systems. Some systems automatically provide for exchange of inside air with outside air – these systems, in particular, need to be turned off, sealed, or disabled.
* Gather essential disaster supplies, such as nonperishable food, bottled water, battery-powered radios, first aid supplies, flashlights, batteries, duct tape, plastic sheeting, and plastic garbage bags.
* Select interior room(s) above the ground floor, with the fewest windows or vents. The room(s) should have adequate space for everyone to be able to sit in. Avoid overcrowding by selecting several rooms if necessary. Large storage closets, utility rooms, pantries, copy and conference rooms without exterior windows will work well. Avoid selecting a room with mechanical equipment like ventilation blowers or pipes, because this equipment may not be able to be sealed from the outdoors.
* It is ideal to have a hard-wired telephone in the room(s) you select. Call emergency contacts and have the phone available if you need to report a life-threatening condition. Cellular telephone equipment may be overwhelmed or damaged during an emergency.
* Use duct tape and plastic sheeting (heavier than food wrap) to seal all cracks around the door(s) and any vents into the room.
* Bring everyone into the room(s). Shut and lock the door(s).
* Write down the names of everyone in the room, and call your business’ designated emergency contact to report who is in the room with you, and their affiliation with your business (employee, visitor, client, customer.)
* Keep listening to the radio or television until you are told all is safe or you are told to evacuate. Local officials may call for evacuation in specific areas at greatest risk in your community.

At School:

* Close the school. Activate the school’s emergency plan. Follow reverse evacuation procedures to bring students, faculty, and staff indoors.
* If there are visitors in the building, provide for their safety by asking them to stay – not leave. When authorities provide directions to shelter-in-place, they want everyone to take those steps now, where they are, and not drive or walk outdoors.
* Provide for answering telephone inquiries from concerned parents by having at least one telephone with the school’s listed telephone number available in the room selected to provide shelter for the school secretary, or person designated to answer these calls. This room should also be sealed. There should be a way to communicate among all rooms where people are sheltering-in-place in the school.
* Ideally, provide for a way to make announcements over the school-wide public address system from the room where the top school official takes shelter.
* If children have cell phones, allow them to use them to call a parent or guardian to let them know that they have been asked to remain in school until further notice, and that they are safe.
* If the school has voice mail or an automated attendant, change the recording to indicate that the school is closed, students and staff are remaining in the building until authorities advise that it is safe to leave.
* Provide directions to close and lock all windows, exterior doors, and any other openings to the outside.
* If you are told there is danger of explosion, direct that window shades, blinds, or curtains be closed.
* Have employees familiar with your building’s mechanical systems turn off all fans, heating and air conditioning systems. Some systems automatically provide for exchange of inside air with outside air – these systems, in particular, need to be turned off, sealed, or disabled.
* Gather essential disaster supplies, such as nonperishable food, bottled water, battery-powered radios, first aid supplies, flashlights, batteries, duct tape, plastic sheeting, and plastic garbage bags.
* Select interior room(s) above the ground floor, with the fewest windows or vents. The room(s) should have adequate space for everyone to be able to sit in. Avoid overcrowding by selecting several rooms if necessary. Classrooms may be used if there are no windows or the windows are sealed and can not be opened. Large storage closets, utility rooms, meeting rooms, and even a gymnasium without exterior windows will also work well.
* It is ideal to have a hard-wired telephone in the room(s) you select. Call emergency contacts and have the phone available if you need to report a life-threatening condition. Cellular telephone equipment may be overwhelmed or damaged during an emergency.
* Bring everyone into the room. Shut and lock the door.
* Use duct tape and plastic sheeting (heavier than food wrap) to seal all cracks around the door(s) and any vents into the room.
* Write down the names of everyone in the room, and call your schools’ designated emergency contact to report who is in the room with you.
* Listen for an official announcement from school officials via the public address system, and stay where you are until you are told all is safe or you are told to evacuate. Local officials may call for evacuation in specific areas at greatest risk in your community.

In Your Vehicle:

If you are driving a vehicle and hear advice to “shelter-in-place” on the radio, take these steps:

* If you are very close to home, your office, or a public building, go there immediately and go inside. Follow the shelter-in-place recommendations for the place you pick described above.
* If you are unable to get to a home or building quickly and safely, then pull over to the side of the road. Stop your vehicle in the safest place possible. If it is sunny outside, it is preferable to stop under a bridge or in a shady spot, to avoid being overheated.
* Turn off the engine. Close windows and vents.
* If possible, seal the heating/air conditioning vents with duct tape.
* Listen to the radio regularly for updated advice and instructions.
* Stay where you are until you are told it is safe to get back on the road. Be aware that some roads may be closed or traffic detoured. Follow the directions of law enforcement officials.

Local officials on the scene are the best source of information for your particular situation. Following their instructions during and after emergencies regarding sheltering, food, water, and clean up methods is your safest choice.

Remember that instructions to shelter-in-place are usually provided for durations of a few hours, not days or weeks. There is little danger that the room in which you are taking shelter will run out of oxygen and you will suffocate.
Technorati Tags: Urban Survival, WWII, World War II, Shelter in Place, 9/11, terrorism

Hurricane Gustav - 4 easy things to do to help!

2008-08-30T12:10:00.000-07:00

Hey all,

First off, my prayers are with those who may be in the path of Gustav - really sucks to say the least. I also want to tip my hat to Mayor Nagin who has ordered an evacuation and looks to be doing things right this time. I am still mad at him for his lack of response to Katrina, but at least he is responding this time!

With that, What can we do to help those in the Urban Survival Secrets community and their communities down in the Gulf??

1. Donate Blood - we are having a huge shortage. Drink lots of water the night before and it will make the donation go faster!

2. Donate $10 or $20 (or more) to the Red Cross CLICK HERE

3. Purchase an Eton Radio (see any of the posts below) ETON makes a cash donation for each radio sold.

4. Say a prayer or have a moment of silence for those in the path of Gustav!

We can all do a small part for those in need. The small acts mentioned will do a lot to help with any and all relief efforts.

Planning for Disaster

2008-08-19T21:29:00.000-07:00

With the changes that are going on due to Climate Change and other forces, we need to be prepared. We cannot expect for any reason that the government will come to our aid and help us in a timely manner, especially if there are several natural disasters at once. Lets look at a plausible situation: In the spring, it is tornado season in the Midwest. With the tornadoes come rain - lots of rain. Couple this with the potential of earthquakes out west - well maybe you can see something happening. I am not a gloom and doom kind of guy. Fact is, that there is a real potential. Having grown up a little over a mile and a half from the San Andreas fault south of San Francisco in San Mateo County, I know what it is like to live with earth quakes. My wife is from the Midwest (Kansas). Think I don't understand the gravity??

On my normal Blog Page Urban Survival Secrets at urbansurvivalsecrets.com I am discussing putting together a years supply. Yes, one year. The truth is, that even with a years supply, you may be using it to assist an elderly neighbor or other friend.

The plan is simple, provide information to get you ready for the worst and go from there. Ignorance is not bliss when it comes to emergencies. If you sign up for the newesletter, I am also providing a series on the first stages of getting ready so that you and your family can be prepared - it is simple, but takes time.

Let me ask you this:

If a disaster was to hit, could you shut off your utilities (do you even have the tools?)

Do you have enough water for a week for you and your family - do you know how much you need and how to treat it?

What about food? Do you know what to store and how much and when to rotate your storage? Do you know what food fatigue is?

Do you have enough fuel to keep you warm and able to heat water for warm meals.

Shelter: If you had to leave your home, where would you go?

Evacuation: If you had 10 minutes to evacuate, could you get out of town quickly with what you need so you can survive for a week or so?

How much cash should you have on hand at all times and in what denominations?

Did I hear someone say uncle? OK, enough for now. Hop on over and check out the website urbansurvivalsecrets.com and sign up. It is painless and I will not sell or give away your email!

What To Do In Case of Fire

2008-07-29T05:47:00.000-07:00

A friend recently sent this but did not give the source. Excellent advise

SOUND THE ALARM: Do not underestimate any fire. Sound the fire alarm and call the local fire department immediately if a fire breaks out. Choose a safe location to make the call. It will be helpful for emergency responders to know the size and location of the fire and the general hazards in the area (such as chemicals, compressed gases etc). Follow your own company’s procedures in responding to fires.

USE YOUR JUDGEMENT: When you see smoke or fire, you should use your own good judgment before you decide to extinguish the blaze. Attempt to fight the fire only if

1. You know the type of combustible material burning.

2. You have been trained to use the fire extinguisher correctly

3. The fire is still in the incipient (beginning) stage

4. The fire cannot bock your exit if you fail to put it out.

COMMUNICATE: Once you have decided to extinguish the blaze, make every reasonable attempt to tell at least one other person what you are doing. This person should report your activity to emergency responders when they arrive on the scene.

USE THE CORRECT EXTINGUISHER: Different fire extinguishers are recommended for each type of fire. NEVER use a water-type extinguisher on live electrical equipment. The electrical current following the water stream to your body can electrocute you instantly. NEVER throw a stream of water on a CLASS B fire. You can splatter flaming liquids over a wide area, spreading the fire out of control. Also be sure that the fire extinguisher is large enough to put out the entire fire. If the fire threatens your escape path, your extinguisher runs out of agent or is ineffective, or if the fire gets too large or out of control, evacuate immediately.

EVACUATION: Follow your company’s emergency action plan. This plan should include procedures to warn other building occupants, and designated locations to gather outside of the building so that ahead count can be taken. Make sure that the designated area is a safe distance from the fire. The last person out of the room with the fire should close, but not lock the door. Proceed to the exit using stairways instead of elevators. Remain available to give vital information to professional firefighters about location, size, occupants, and shut off valves.

PREVENTION: is the key when it comes to firefighting. Know where the general use fire extinguishers are throughout your facility or work area. Don’t hang your coat over them, or stack material in front of them. Extinguishers are never needed until they are needed NOW. Keeping them easily visible and easily accessible at all times helps ensure that when a fire emergency occurs, a fire extinguisher can be easily and quickly reached.

Keeping storage and working areas free of trash and placing oily rages in covered containers help prevent many fires from occurring. Help prevent flammable liquid fires by storing flammable liquids away from spark producing sources in tightly closed spill-proof containers. Use only what you need in a well ventilated area. Don’t refuel gasoline-powered equipment while it is hot and don’t refuel gasoline-powered equipment in a restricted area in the presence of an open flame such as a furnace, water heater, or lighted cigarette.

Help prevent electrical fires by looking for old wiring, worn insulation and broken electrical fittings and getting them repaired immediately. Investigate any appliance or electrical equipment that smells strange. Unusual odors can be the first sign of fire. Don’t overload wall outlets. Utility lights should always have some type of wire guard over them. Heat from an uncovered light bulb can easily ignite ordinary combustibles.

Water and Emergency Preparedness

2008-07-19T07:01:00.000-07:00

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During emergency situations, life can be challenging. People will typically forget to eat and drink. Our bodies are set up to shut down non-necessary organs to help preserve our lives. Unfortunately, when we forget to drink water (especially during emergencies)issues arise that could endanger our lives.

One of the symptoms of dehydration is confusion or lack of clear thought.

Now think about this: By the time our brains say "hey, your thirsty" you are in a water deficit and quite probably dehydrated!

So what should you be doing?

1. Drink Early, Drink Often! When I was mountain climbing and backpacking, we always started the morning by drinking a quart of water and then took drink breaks frequently.

2. Realize that you (and most of the general population) are in a dehydrated state as we speak. Keep a log of how much water you drink during the day and you will be shocked. Remember, if you drink a cup of coffee or soda, it takes twice the amount of water to rehydrate (for example: if you drink 1-12oz can of soda, you will need 24 oz of water to get you back to where you should be water wise!) I was reading an interview about a marathon runner several years back. He did the water log and determined he was not drinking enough. He made it a habit to drink water every time he passed a water fountain at work. After a few weeks of this, he realized that his performance increased (faster times)!

3. Avoid strait sports drinks (Gatorade, Powerade, etc.) These things have too much sugar/sucrose/sweeteners to start with. If you are using these drinks for electrolyte replacement, be sure to dilute them to 50% water 50% sports drink. They may not taste as good, but it is way better for you. Remember, the Manufacturers are pushing the flavor.

and

4. Make sure you have plenty of water to drink in storage. When you are planning for drinking water, plan for 1 gallon per person per day. Seems like a lot, but you also need to make sure to have water for hand washing, etc. The water needs to be clean and stored properly (a later blog). Also, you should have a water treatment plan so that you are ready in case your stored water gets a little funky!

Please, don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter by clicking here

A Game for the Kids

2008-07-13T09:16:00.001-07:00

This morning my Daughter woke me up early. Daddy, I want to play. Being early on a Sunday Morning I asked if we could go to her room and have Talk Time. I really want to do something else. That is when I came up with the idea of a new game.

What would you do if...?

I asked her what she would do if the roof of the house blew off in a storm at night. Her response, Go to her tow brothers rooms then to our room.

Then she asked me:

Daddy, what would you do if a knife fell off the counter and cut my foot off - a heady question for an 8 year old competitive dancer. I explained basic first aide and that we live close to the hospital (about 1 mile away.) She smiled and was relieved.

The cool thing about this game this morning was as her brothers woke up, they too participated in the game. We discussed stranger danger, nasty weather, fluke accidents and even what would happen if mom and dad died in an car crash - who would we live with, backup plans......

Take some time and discuss items like this with your kids. It will put them at ease that you are thinking of different things to keep them safe.

Chris
www.urbansurvivalsecrets.com - sign up for our newsletter and host of goodies today!

Review of the Eton FR150 Flashlight/Radio

2008-07-12T11:53:00.000-07:00

Well, here is a review on the Eton FR150 Hand Crank radio. I received this unit about 3 weeks ago right before scout camp - what a great time to test under somewhat difficult situations. At camp, we were in the white mountains of Arizona close to the New Mexico Border. First things first, the techncial specifications:

Solar-Powered, Self-Powered AM/FM/Weatherband Portable Radio with Flashlight and Cell Phone Charger

The Microlink brings together some of the most popular features of our Voicelink, in a more compact design. This ultra-portable device is ideal to have on hand when you’re roughing it. It also makes a great addition to any emergency-preparedness kit. No plugs or wires are required. Instead, turn the hand crank to power the Microlink, or capture the sun’s energy and run it on solar power. You’ll always know what’s going on, thanks to the AM, FM and weather bands. You can also tune in to the FCC and EAS public alert systems. Add the flashlight, the cell phone charger and you’ve got one versatile little device.

AM (520-1710 KHz)
FM (87-108MHz)
NOAA weather – all 7 channels
Built-in hand crank power generator recharges the internal rechargeable Ni-MH battery and cell phone batteries
Built-in 3 white LED light source
Can be powered from three different sources:
- From solar power
- From the built-in rechargeable Ni-MH battery that takes charge from the dynamo crank
- From the USB port (USB cord not included)
Built-in cell-phone charger
Earphone jack – 3.5 mm socket

Chris’ Discussion

As with every small radio, the sound qulaity is not of that in my truck with Bose Speakers! Getting that out of the way, the speaker was not too tinny and sounds pretty good. The radio can be powered by hand crank, solar or with an optional charger (not includes. I wish that they would include it so as that I do not have to purchase another charger for the unit!!) When cranking it up, a 45 second winding kept the radio and light going for a while - 30 plus minutes, but I was not using a stop watch.

Charging using the solar cells all day did a great job as well. I had several hours of usage from the radio as well as about 30 minutes of the light that night with little power loss. One night, after cranking the unit for 30 seconds, I left the LED light on because my son requested it - we were telling scarry stories around the campfire and he was a little spooked! Well we fell asleep around 10:30. I awoke at 3 due to some noisy coyotes and my blackberry buzzing like mad and found the light still on and working well enough that I could go outside and water a tree!

The radio tuning wheel is somewhat stiff, but will ensure that you will not lose a set radio station. As for the weather channels, there is a slide selector. I tested the slide in both the camp and 4 hours away in the Phoenix Metro area. The White mountains was channel 6 while Phoenix is Channel 7. In both locations, the recorded NOAA voice was clear and recognizable. The small antenna was really not needed for these stations, though when switching over to FM, it is recommended.

I only had one glitch during my testing - that was with the hand crank. I was turning it one night when the thing came off the attachment point. I was able to place it back on, but turning it became very troublesome. After inspection, it looks like there is some little spring like clip that holds the handle to the radio and it popped off. If this was an emergency, this could be troubling. However, my plan is to use some JB weld and permanently affix the handle. Nice thing abouth the handle is that it is plastic and does not have a shapr edge which can remove skin from your knuckles during cranking, thus causing the user to donate blood.

If I was to give a rating to this radio, I would give it an 8.5 out of 10. It is durable, reliable and multiple ways to power it up (right now I am using my USP port on my computer!) It is comfortable to use and cranks easily. It is light but rugged with the rubberized light bezel. Below is a link to purchase this light. Cool thing is that Eton makes a donation for every light purchased. Do yourself a favor, click on the link and buy one for your house - It is a great investment and you wont go wrong!. I am buying another for my office! Also, it comes in Black, Red and White.

Welcome

2008-07-12T10:45:00.000-07:00

Hey you all!

This blog is dedicated to all of you out there that are wanting to get yourself ready for disasters and other emergencies. You can go to my work in progress web site at www.urbansurvivalsecrets.com.

A funny thing happens during and after a major disater happens: there is a run on emergency supplies through all of the internet sales places and local stores. When this happens, you as the buyer end up paying much more than you should and you may not get everything that is needed!

A couple of years ago, a report came out from a government agency about the potential for a terrorist incident using a biological weapon. They agency recommended that you purchase tape and plastic film for your house so you could shelter in place. I was down a a local big box home center and could not find any film or tape as I was getting ready to paint my house. When I discussed this with the sales associate, he just shrugged his shoulders and could not understand why this was happening - the recommendation was not well publicized. None the less, a run on plastic and tape happened and folks were buying any tape they could get their hands on. Many of the people did not know that buying blue or green painters tape was not recommended.

That is why I am here! I have been responsible for safety of my employees at several companies since 9/11. I am not some stay at home person who reads and pukes the info back up while giving links to someone else's work. My goal for you is to be ready for emergencies. If you head on over to www.urbansurvivalsecrets.com and sign up for my newsletter, I will be sending out a multi part get prepared plan for you and your family. The plan will include items such as emergency planning, food storage, survival tips, what to do when.....

Be sure to check back frequently for updates!