2009/10/11

72 - Hours Kit for Emergency Preparedness


In Philippines - there is a great flood and land slide in most part of the country. Same in India, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia etc. Earthquake in Indonesia and Tsunami in Pacific and other parts of the world with natural calamities, rumors of war, famine, and other pandemic. I experienced the volcanic eruption in my life some of the people crying for losing family members, a house, car and other properties, some has respiratory and skin deceases. I experienced the longest night in my life. June 15, 1991 the major Mt. Pinatubo eruption, 7:00 am in like a twilight then 9:00 am it getting darker and like a night 'till 6:00 pm after much red lightnings and loud thunders, mudflows goes to our town and raining of small light rocks and sand with water cos it was accompanied by signal 1 - typhoon. The Lahar mudflows is like hot noodles or hot coffee in temperature. I experienced walking with it in Mac Arthur Highway in Bacolor Pampanga and while others swimming to survived, you can cook eggs in there. Some people spend couple of days on the top of the roof and people are united and helping each other in order to survive. Is like 3 - day of darkness (June 14 night, June 15 of 24 hours darkness and till dawn of June 16, 1991). We experienced the longest flood nearly 6 months and all houses has bamboos and lumber bridges to avoid the filthy and stagnant dark green water with dead animals and fishes. That cause athlete's foot and skin problems. Other people move on temporary staging areas of tents and bank houses. While some move to safe places renting comfortable house in other cities. People suffered till 1995 for the space of 5 years till Lahar flows hit the southeastern of San Fernando and that's the last major eruption of Mt. Pinatubo. Some being save by using helicopters. People are in unity and helping hands. In July 16, 1990 the Philippine-Luzon Earthquake with magnitude of 7.6 Richter Scale horrible shake of dribbling then cradle-like land shake. Birds flying simultaneously, people are running, screaming, kneeling and crying. Dogs keep on barking, insects like ants came out. And thousands are died in collapsed buildings, homes, landslides etc. 72 hours kit is important in our home and wherever we go take some water and food in our bag for emergency purposes. A man is being trapped he survived cos he had snacks in his bag till he is being rescued. He is lucky. "If your are prepared, you shall not fear" written in the holy scriptures.


Build a Kit (Courtesy of www.72hour.com)

After a major disaster the usual services we take for granted, such as running water, refrigeration, and telephones, may be unavailable. Experts recommend that you should be prepared to be self-sufficient for at least three days. Store your household disaster kit in an easily accessible location. Put contents in a large, watertight container (e.g. a large plastic garbage can with a lid and wheels) that you can move easily.

Your basic emergency kit should include:
  • Water – one gallon per person per day
  • Food – ready to eat or requiring minimal water
  • Manual can opener and other cooking supplies
  • Plates, utensils and other feeding supplies
  • First Aid kit & instructions
  • A copy of important documents & phone numbers
  • Warm clothes and rain gear for each family member.
  • Heavy work gloves
  • Disposable camera
  • Unscented liquid household bleach and an eyedropper for water purification
  • Personal hygiene items including toilet paper, feminine supplies, hand sanitizer and soap
  • Plastic sheeting, duct tape and utility knife for covering broken windows
  • Tools such as a crowbar, hammer & nails, staple gun, adjustable wrench and bungee cords.
  • Blanket or sleeping bag
  • Large heavy duty plastic bags and a plastic bucket for waste and sanitation
  • Any special-needs items for children, seniors or people with disabilities. Don’t forget water and supplies for your pets.
A component of your disaster kit is your Go-bag. Put the following items together in a backpack or another easy to carry container in case you must evacuate quickly. Prepare one Go-bag for each family member and make sure each has an I.D. tag. You may not be at home when an emergency strikes so keep some additional supplies in your car and at work, considering what you would need for your immediate safety.
  • Flashlight
  • Rope
  • Pocket mirror for daylight reflection
  • Radio – battery operated
  • Batteries
  • Whistle
  • Dust mask
  • Pocket knife
  • Emergency cash in small denominations and quarters for phone calls
  • Sturdy shoes, a change of clothes, and a warm hat
  • Local map
  • Some water and food
  • Permanent marker, paper and tape
  • Photos of family members and pets for re-identification purposes
  • List of emergency point-of -contact phone numbers
  • List of allergies to any drug (especially antibiotics) or food
  • Copy of health insurance and identification cards
  • Extra prescription eye glasses, hearing aid or other vital personal items
  • Prescription medications and first aid supplies
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste
  • Extra keys to your house and vehicle
  • Any special-needs items for children, seniors or people with disabilities. Don’t forget to make a Go-bag for your pets.
Emergencies can happen any day, anywhere, and at any time. Over and over on the news, we see individuals who are not prepared at all for emergencies. These people are in great danger, even for their lives, and have relied heavily on others to rescue them. The purpose of a 72 hour emergency kit is to fulfill our basic needs until further help arrives. Usually three days substance is sufficient for your emergency kit, to help you survive until other assistance can come. This article is to help you be prepared for unexpected emergencies that can and do come. I used my emergency kit not to long ago when I was stuck in Mexico. I had it in my car at the time, and it came in very handy. Read these steps in this article to help you know how to prepare a 72-hour kit for yourself. -see eHow

Photo courtesy of http://selfreliantsisters.blogspot.com/

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Have a great day!!!