The Great Utah Shakeout 2013!

Today in Utah was the statewide shakeout.  At 10:15 a.m. the entire state took cover for 1 minute in an earthquake practice scenario.  My four older children were at school during this time and my husband was at work, 45 minutes away. My 5 year old and I were at home and we practiced where we would go if we were upstairs and then again downstairs.

Can you see the little girl under the clothes?  We chose the closet to hide in upstairs.

 

We chose to hide under the kitchen desk downstairs during the Shake Out.

Do you all have a family emergency plan? I moved about 3 months ago and I realized that my family needs a new emergency preparedness plan.  

For my family's plan we need to:

• designate a new meeting place outside of our home
• designate a new meeting place outside of our neighborhood and make sure the whole family understands how they will get to the meeting place.
• create a new plan if a disaster happens during the day when only mom and the 5 year old are at home.  How will the kids get to the meeting place?  How will dad make it home?  
• Update all car kits.  My husband drives quite far for work and would have to walk up a canyon to get home.  Does he have what he needs in his vehicle and at work?
• Then we need to actually practice our plan during the daytime but we also need to have a run through when it's dark.
• I also need to replace the shoes and flashlights that I had under our beds in our old house.  This will proctect us during the night from glass and other fallen objects.

  Click HERE for more information on earthquake information and having an emergency plan.  

Earthquake Preparedness

Knowing what to do during an emergency takes some planning ahead. It would be very helpful to you and your family to have a family home evening on preparedness and learn what to do during an emergency. As a family, discuss the following guidelines for protecting yourself in an earthquake. You may want to role-play if you have younger children.

EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS:

1. Try to stay cool and calm. Think through what you should do. Try to reassure others.
2. If you are indoors, stay there. Protect yourself in one of the following ways and wait out the earthquake: Take cover under a heavy desk, bed, or table. This will plrotcet you from falling objects. Move into a strong doorway or sit or stand against as inside wall. If you are large enough, brace yourself in a doorway. A door from or the structural frame of a building are the building's strongest points.
3. It you are in a tall building, try to get under a desk. Do not dash for exits, since stairways may be broken and jammed with other people. Power for elevators may fail.
4. If you are in a crowded store, do not rush for a doorway since others may have the same idea. If you must leave the building, choose your exit carefully.
5. If you are outdoors, get away from buildings, tall objects, and electric wires.
6. If you are in a moving car, stop in an open area if possible. Don't stop on a high overpass, bridge, or where buildings can topple down on you. Stay inside the car until the shocks stop, even if the car shakes a great deal. A car is a fairly safe place to be.
7. Be prepared for additional after shocks. Although most of these are smaller, some may be large enough to cause more damage.

WHEN THE EARTHQUAKE STOPS:

1. Check your water line, gas line, and electrical lines. If there is a gas line into your home or building, turn off burners and pilot lights.Do not light candles, matches, or lighters until you determine there is no leak. Gas leaks can cause explosions. Report damage to the appropriate utility companies and follow their instructions.If there is a leak then stay out of the house. Do not flush toilets until you know that the sewer lines are unbroken. Eclectic lines can cause fires. Shut off all electrical power if there is damage to your house wiring. Do not operate electrical switches or appliances if you suspect a gas leak. They can cause a spark which can ignite gas from broken lines.
2. Check your house for injured members.
3. Check your neighborhood for injured people, who may need help.
4. Immediately clean up spilled medicines, drugs, and other potentially harmful substances.
5. Turn on your radio (battery or car). Listen for damage reports and instructions.
6. Don't tie up the telephone lines unless there is a real emergency to report.
7. Don't go outside to see the damage. The area will be cluttered enough and you may hamper rescue. Keep the streets clear for emergency vehicles.
8. Do not touch downed power lines or objects touched by the downed wires.
9. Stay away from damaged buildings. Aftershocks can collapse them.
10. If water is off, you can get emergency water from water heaters, toilet tanks, melted ice cubes, and canned vegetables.
11. Do not eat or drink anything from open containers near shattered glass. Strain liquids through a clean handkerchief or cloth if you think broken glass may be in them.
12. Respond to requests for help from police, fire fighters, civil defense, and relief organizations. But do not go into damaged areas unless your help has been requested. Cooperate fully with public safety officials.

FAMILY AND HOME PLANNING

*Create a family earthquake plan

*Know the safe spot in each room. Under sturdy tables, desks, or against inside walls.

*Know the danger spots. Windows, mirrors, hanging objects, fireplaces and tall furniture.

*Conduct practice drills. Physically place yourself and your children in safe spots.

*Learn first aid and CPR from your local Red cross or other organization.

*Decide where your family will reunite if separated.

*Keep a list of emergency phone numbers.

*Choose and out of state friend or relative whom family members can call after the quake to report your condition.

(fill out these papers and you will have all your info ready. Click HERE to print yours off)

Click HERE to view the Shake Out Emergency website. 

It is a new month and that means new goals for us. This month is all about oats and lighting. Watch the blog all month for recipes and ideas that involve oats. 

FEBRUARY STORAGE GOALS:

Food Storage Goal: OATS-20lbs per person. If you get yours from the cannery in #10 cans they will last 30+ years. They cost $8.15 for a 25lb bag or $13.25 for 6 #10 cans which equals 14.4lbs.

Non-Food Goal: Lighting is our goal this month. Gather matches, candles, flashlights (crank or battery operated), emergency candles, light sticks, solar powered flashlights or lanterns, etc. Find what works for your family and have these in your 72-hour kits and in your car kits and have a source of light by every bed in your home. The glow light sticks that activate by bending are great to hang as night lights and can easily fit in 72-hour kits.

Enjoy the journey!

Enjoy the blessings!

Feel the peace!

Preparedness 101

With all of the news coming from the disaster stricken Haiti, I am consumed with thinking "what if this had happened in our state?". The last 2 weeks I have pondered daily of how prepared my family is for an earthquake or other disaster. Having our 72-hour kits in order and in a place that is easily accessible and making sure we have plenty of water are top of the priority list for me.

I am pretty much begging all of you to store water. Money has no currency in Haiti, they only wanted water those first days after the earthquake. So I am pleading with all of you to have several sources of water in your home. Under the stairs, under your bed, in the car, a 55 gallon container, or any soda or juice bottle (that has been sanitized-click here to learn more) will work. This week you all need to store at least a couple of gallons per person.

Another great idea, that came out of the unthinkable situation where children were being claimed by the wrong parents, is to have ID cards with pictures in every one's 72-hour kits. You need to have one ID card with all your information and also a family photo that shows everyone together. This could also be copied and put in your child's school backpack. Your children may vary well be at school when an earthquake hits. Keep all the information in Zip lock bags to avoid getting wet. 

Click HERE to print out some great information sheets that the Pleasant Grove Ward has put together. You just need to print out one copy per person in your family. So now that all the work is done for you, what are you waiting for?




Get your 72-hour kits together today! The pictures to the right give 2 examples of a 72-hour kit in a backpack and in a 5 gallon bucket. Pick what works for you and make sure that the kit can be carried. Have a first aid kit, and shoes near your bed in case of an emergency at night, and have water stored.

Please don't delay any longer. The disaster in Haiti should have given us all a BIG wake up call as to what we could experience here in Utah. Click HERE to view information on earthquakes in Utah.

Click HERE to view a previous post on water and 72-hour kits.

January Self-Reliant Goals:

Powdered Milk 16lbs PP: Purchase milk at the LDS cannery for the best price. If you can only go down and buy the 25lb bags that is great, it is a start.

Non-Food Storage Goal: Bleach 1 gallon per person. This will be used for cleaning and water purification.

72-Hour Kit Goal: Gather a change of clothes including underwear and shoes for every family member. Include warm coats and boots or have them immediately accessible. Also put $20 in cash in small bills in your kits.

Enjoy the journey!

Enjoy the blessings!

Feel the peace!!