Earthquake Preparedness (April 2008)
Fellow Reno citizens, click here for helpful information and tips. (.doc format download)

LATEST TIPS

WARD EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN
I recently developed a plan for my ward. It is comprised of 3 documents: "Reno2ndWard_ERplan", "wardlist", and "R2_ER_Survey". My first step was to pass out the survey. Then, with that information, I populated the "wardlist" spreadsheet. We're still in the process of gathering all the surveys to complete the spreadsheet, but we're well on our way! Feel free to use these 3 documents located on this website to help your wards develop a plan. Good luck!

2008 MID-WEST POWER OUTAGE LEARNINGS
I have a good friend whose parents were affected by ice storms and were without electricity for 4 days. They provided me a list of things they had on hand that were valuable AND a list of things they wished they had but didn’t. Please take note:

THINGS THEY HAD ON HAND THAT WERE VALUABLE
1. Battery radio and extra batteries
2. Flashlights and extra batteries
3. Many candles
4. Food you can eat without cooking: ( tuna, bread, butter, honey, jam, peanut butter, bottled tomatoes, bottled applesauce, canned chicken)
5. Gas water heater
6. Gas fireplace (this needed no electricity)
7. Phone that was not cordless (Cordless phones need electricity)
8. Battery clocks

THINGS THEY WISH THEY HAD:
1. Means to cook and heat foods
2. Better light. We wanted lanterns. Candles and flashlights were helpful but we wanted more light
3. Generator

Your Car's Gas Tank. This is another facet of Emergency Preparedness. Please make sure that you monitor your gas tank and don't let it get below 1/2 tank. In an emergency where you may need to evacuate, you won't get very far if you don' t have enough gas.

Do you have a Fire Extinguisher? If you don't have one, get one! It takes only seconds for an accident to turn into an emergency situation when you aren't prepared.

HOME INVENTORY
One important item in emergency preparedness too often overlooked is home inventory. The company I work for recently conducted a survey that revealed almost 70% of Americans do not inventory their belongings, despite government and insurance agencies' recommendations and the catastrophic effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita last year.

It may seem overwhelming, but with the proper tools it can be done. Develop a home inventory method that works for you. Suggestions include:

- Identify all belongings, including estimated values
- Take pictures of those belongings
- Document that information in a notebook -or- purchase a software tool for tracking
- Keep a copy of your records (whether a notebook or computer CD) outside the home in a safe place
- Keep receipts of expensive purchases (i.e. furniture) to prove ownership and value

I am not in any way advocating a software tool, but they are available for a reasonable price. For example, Quicken Home Inventory Manager can be purchased for $30.00. This tool allows you to add photos and other documentation.

Please engage in this critical element of emergency preparedness.

IMPORTANT TIPS FOR 72-HOUR KITS
- Your kit should be in a portable container located near an exit of your home. Do not overload your kit - you may have to carry it long distances to reach safety or shelter. Consider a backpack on wheels.

- Each family member should have their own kit with food, clothing, and water. Distribute heavy items between kits.

- Enclose the extra clothing, matches, personal documents, and other items damageable by smoke or water in plastic to protect them.

- Clothing and blankets can take up a lot of room in your kit - consider using a vacuum-packed plastic bag. This reduces the size for an easier fit.

- Keep a light source in the top of your kit so you can find it quickly in the dark.

- Inspect your kit at least twice a year. Check expiration dates on batteries, light sticks, warm packs, food, and water. I recommend every General Conference.


HAND CRANK FLASHLIGHTS - ARE THEY AS GOOD AS WE THINK THEY ARE?
Hannes (a ward preparedness specialist in my Stake) did some interesting research on these flashlights. Please note:

A hand crank flashlight has a lithium ion battery, which is good for about 500 recharges. After that, you can crank for light, but the light will not stay on after you stop cranking.

Each time you hand crank, the charge is good for a maximum of 90 minutes. Best case: you'll get about 750 hours of use from the flashlight. If you use it in full light mode, you will get 30 minutes per charge for a life of 250 hours.

You have to recharge your flashlight every 3 months or it will lessen the battery life. So, you can't just put it away and not think about it for a year.

Overall, it would be better to have a standard LED flashlight with one or two extra sets of alkaline batteries put aside. This should give you more than 750 hours of use, and you can just get more batteries.

Another option is to use NiMH batteries for your flashlights. The new chargers can recharge in 15 minutes (chargers are $35 at WalMart) and can plug into your car cigarette lighter. So, if you can find a car, you can recharge your flashlight. The NiMH batteries hold more of a charge than alkaline batteries and can be recharged up to 500 times.

RESEARCH TOPICS (.doc format):
Portable Sanitation
Powdered Milk Information
Winter Travel Car Tips
Suggestions from Survivors

OTHER RESOURCES
www.providentliving.org
www.fema.gov
www.ready.gov
www.redcross.org
www.theideadoor.com/FoodStorage.html

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