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Natural Disasters Decline – Really?
December 18th, 2009I read the recent Reuters report stating that natural disasters were at a decade low this year. “The world this year suffered the fewest number of natural disasters in a decade, but floods, droughts and other extreme weather continued to account for most of the deaths and economic losses, according to a United Nations report released on Monday.” At first glance this sounds good to me.
However, reading a bit more carefully I see that 7,000 people died from weather-related incidents, billions of dollars in economic damage were caused and the impact of extreme weather will affect larger numbers of people, especially those living on the coast, in the future. Global warming may be one of the biggest reasons we see an increase in the number of coastal incidents.
You can read the Reuters article here. To view the International Disaster Database (EM-DAT) click here.
Seems to me that the best thing to do with the information from this report is to be thankful for the decline in 2009 and, like FEMA is reminding us, “Resolve to Be Ready” in 2010.
Can you avoid the flu while traveling this holiday season?
November 20th, 2009No one means to move about the country making other people sick, but it happens all the time. When we get on an airplane or other form of public transportation, we take our cold or flu with us. We also can pick up someone else’s, and literally, spread those cold and flu germs to people in another region of the country.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano spoke yesterday about holiday travel safety and specifically the spread of germs. She was joined by representatives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Together these federal agency super powers recommended that we practice good hygiene, get flu vaccines and stay at home if we are sick.
It all sounds a bit simplistic. But — it’s true. That is what it takes. Wash your hands, cough into your elbow and stay out of public places when you are sick.
I have explored the idea of selling pandemic flu gift boxes. My research shows that they might sell well, but I can’t see how they will really help people. We put hand sanitizer and tissues in our Ready Auto Gift Boxes because these are the two emergency essentials that everyone needs for multiple situations.
The idea behind the Ready Home, Ready Auto and Ready Dog Gift Boxes is to help you be prepared today and tomorrow for the many hazards that you may experience. Tissues and hand sanitizer just makes sense in so many circumstances. The cheap face masks and alcohol wipes, we see promoted in some e-commerce stores, just don’t.
My suggestion for holiday travel: try and have some fun, don’t panic if someone near you sneezes, and keep practicing good hygiene.
Change the clocks – Change the batteries
October 30th, 2009As the U.S. Fire Administration kicks off their Public Fire Safety Campaign, it seems an apt time to remind everyone to replace batteries in smoke detectors. We’ve all heard the “change the clocks, change the batteries” saying. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, when both smoke alarms and fire sprinklers are present in a home, the risk of dying in a fire is reduced by 82 percent, when compared to a residence without either.
The USFA offers a few helpful tips on smoke alarms and sprinklers:
• Place properly installed and maintained smoke alarms both inside and outside of sleeping areas and on every level of your home.
• Interconnected smoke alarms are best, because if one sounds, they all sound.
• The U.S. Fire Administration recommends that every residence and place where people sleep be equipped with both ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms or dual sensor smoke alarms, which contain both ionization and photoelectric smoke sensors.
• Test smoke alarms monthly and change alkaline batteries at least once every year, or as instructed by the manufacturer. You can use a date you already know, like your birthday or when you change your clocks as a reminder.
• If possible, install residential fire sprinklers in your home.
• Avoid painting or covering the fire sprinkler, because that will affect the sensitivity to heat.
So while you are running around on a sugar high this weekend, please take the time to change the batteries in your smoke detectors.
It’s also a great time for a conversation with your family about what to do if a fire occurs in the house. See my earlier blog post called We meet at the mailbox. Where do you meet?
Pandemic Flu – The Basics
October 27th, 2009I have the flu. It’s probably the pandemic flu. It’s not flu season. I’ve already had a seasonal flu shot. Plus, I know a lot of sick people who have been diagnosed with pandemic flu. Fortunately for me, I don’t have a severe case, and I don’t have any extenuating circumstances that would put me at higher risk.
However, I do have a two-year-old with asthma, and I am very concerned that he might get the pandemic flu. He tends to develop pneumonia when he gets sick.
How can I still be a “hands-on” mom and not let him get sick? I don’t have a magic answer. However, we aren’t sharing food or beverages, and I’m coughing into my elbow and washing my hands regularly. I’m doing what I can to keep my germs to myself and get better as fast as possible.
According to www.ready.gov, “a pandemic is a global disease outbreak. An influenza pandemic occurs when a new influenza A virus emerges for which there is little or no immunity in the human population and the virus begins to cause serious illness and then spreads easily person-to-person worldwide.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) divides the threat and occurrence of a pandemic into six phases, shown in the graphic below.
When writing pandemic flu plans for businesses, we often break down preparedness steps and response steps to coincide with these six phases (really eight phases) of a pandemic. Similar to the way airport security visibly increases with increased homeland security threat levels. The level of preparedness and response can change with the phases of the pandemic.
During the first three phases of a pandemic, the average family can prepare by practicing good hygiene. The best things to do are cough into your elbow, wash your hands often, stay home if you’re sick, and avoid spending time with sick people. You may also want to keep hand sanitizer, tissues and over-the-counter medicines on hand.
During Phase Four, it makes sense to get a flu shot. If your doctor recommends it, get a seasonal flu shot and an H1N1 (swine flu) shot. Now is also the time to make sure you have a good supply of comfort items and other supplies to weather the flu.
We are currently in phase six of the pandemic; this is the time to get more information about the flu and the policies of your business and school. I recommend visiting websites such as www.ready.gov and www.flu.gov for an increased understanding of the flu. These sites are easy to navigate, and the information they provide is easy to follow. You might also ask some questions of your school or workplace. For instance, what is the policy on staying home to care for sick family members during a pandemic? How will your child be protected from the flu at school? Will the school close if lots of children become ill?
In addition to getting more information, you should stock some additional supplies. Staying home when you are sick will help you feel better and decrease the chance of infecting other people. Keep comfort foods for yourself and your child on hand.
I obviously don’t have the answer to staying healthy during a pandemic. Your co-workers may come to work sick. Children in your children’s schools may be sick. The person sitting next to you at the movies or on the bus may be sick. The flu is highly contagious, and avoiding it completely is unlikely.
During the post peak time of the pandemic, regroup. Clean your office or home with disinfectant, and restock any supplies you may have used. Remember, it really pays to stay prepared for a pandemic flu or any type of disaster.
We meet at the mailbox. Where do you meet?
October 21st, 2009If for some reason we need to eva
cuate our house, we meet at the mailbox. Our mailbox is at the end of our driveway. I chose this spot because first responders arriving to the house will see my kids if they are there. You don’t want to be in a situation where you are wondering where everyone is.
I’ve taught my oldest son several rules that he must abide by during a fire:
1. He may never hide. He can’t hide in the closet, under the bed or in the bathroom. All too often kids hide during a fire and can’t be found by firemen.
2. He must leave the house immediately. He may not grab even his most favorite possessions, whether that means his blanket, his hamster, or his toys.
3. He may NEVER go back into the house during the fire.
4. He must stay at the mailbox until I come get him or a policeman comes to get him.
Remember, you may need to evacuate your house for a number of reasons: fire, smoke, carbon monoxide warning, and wind or flood damage. Help your kids know how to get out of the house safely and where to go once they exit the house so they are safe. A little planning ahead can prevent danger and anxiety later.
Remember the Loma Prieta Earthquake?
October 20th, 2009
Even folks who weren’t in the Bay Area at the time probably remember because the Loma Prieta Earthquake was televised during the World Series. It was my very first experience of an earthquake. I was on the 10th floor of an office building in the San Francisco financial district. It was literally hard to stand up, and the noise of the building hitting adjacent buildings was tremendous.
Thinking back, what strikes me today as most interesting is that I wasn’t scared, and I had no idea what to do. I had only lived in San Francisco for about a month. I knew California had earthquakes, so I figured it was normal. However, the response from my co-workers screaming “we’re going to die” helped me quickly realize otherwise. Earthquakes can cause serious damage, and for some people, fear is the norm.
I have worked in emergency management for almost the whole twenty years since the Loma Prieta Earthquake. I now spend much of my days conducting risk assessments and determining mitigation and preparedness strategies. Basically, we play “what-if?” games. What if an earthquake occurs in San Francisco at 5p.m.? How will an earthquake impact the population, infrastructure and businesses?
We’ve all heard the phrase “knowledge is power.” It’s true in the case of disasters. It really pays to understand what hazards may impact you, your family and business. And it pays to know how to prepare and respond. Giving Preparedness is built on the belief that knowledge can save lives. Each of our emergency preparedness gift boxes comes with information and resources that you can use today. I encourage you to share this information with someone you care about.