Disaster Preparation for the Elderly and Disabled

Disaster Preparation for the Elderly

When planning for large scale emergency situations, it's easy to forget that some segments of the population have special needs that go well beyond the average person, and require more than a survival kit and an evacuation plan. Many elderly and disabled persons have very specific medical needs that must be met, regardless of external happenings. Limited mobility, access to medication and weakness from pre-existing conditions are only a few of the many possible complications faced by the elderly and disabled in an emergency situation. These factors can be life-threatening, if left unattended and planned for.

Disaster Preparation for the Elderly and Disabled

As the percentage of elderly in our society grows, and increasing number of patients receive treatment in home care or nursing facilities, and it would be difficult to ensure that proper medical treatment would continue to be provided in a disaster scenario. Responsibility for the care of elderly members of society during fires, floods, hurricanes and earthquakes is divided between the family and friends of the elderly, the healthcare system, and the community as a whole.

There are a number of important precautions that can be taken to ensure that proper measures are taken to deliver the necessary care in a disaster scenario.  This starts with a disaster preparation plan.

Current and Pertinent Medical Information

In the event a disaster strikes and a family member with special medical needs is separated from his or her caregiver, it's important for them to be able to make others aware of their medical condition. Medical bracelets and other visible cues can help alert members of the public to individuals with medical needs in order that they can then help them get the necessary treatment for their specific condition. Another option is to keep documents with a list of medical conditions, prescriptions, and any other important medical information and medical history. Registering with special needs in your cities' registries can also help officials recognize individuals with special medical needs more quickly.

Designated Points of Contact

To make sure that individuals with special medical needs are taken care of in an emergency situation, a set of designated points of contact should be established who will be responsible for their assistance. These contacts could be family members, members of the community, or paid healthcare providers. Contacts can take responsibility for any number of duties, Including transportation, administration of essential medications, or general medical assistance and care.  Managing contacts makes clear who is responsible for this person and avoids situations where the elderly and disabled are disregarded and left to be someone else's problem.

Disaster Preparation Plans

Having a disaster preparation plan for the elderly or disabled gives individual agency staff, and a feeling of control over Their situation. This helps avoid the potential for feelings of helplessness and confusion in the event of an emergency.  Planning options should include dependable transportation, evacuation routes, and knowledge of nearby medical facilities. A special kit containing extra batteries, spare eye glasses and important medical equipment and current prescriptions should also be prepared in case the elderly or disabled person is isolated from medical facilities for an extended period of time.

These factors combined with an awareness of your regional emergency plan are the best safety measures to help ensure the well-being of elderly and disabled members of your family during an emergency situation.  A GREAT way to establish an emergency preparedness plan for your family, is to learn from the Family Survival Course.
The Family Survival Course - A Must Have

The Family Survival Course is the best plan of action out there.  I'm writing this article because of the impact this course has had on my life.  It has literally changed my life, how I think, and how I'm preparing for the inevitable economic crisis or natural disaster on the very near horizon. 
To generate the best results with your disaster preparation plan, you need to think of all possibilities, look at the resources you have to work with and put together a plan that is customized for you and your family.  The Family Survival Course can walk you through this, and prepare you for any future crisis.  Again, this course has changed my life, and I have more confidence now that I have a plan for my family.  Check it out, you'll be glad you did..

Emergency Preparedness for Your Pet

Include Your Pet in Your Emergency Planning

Having an emergency preparedness plan for pets is a necessity for any pet owner who is concerned about the survival of their family (and pets are family) during and after a disaster. You need to remember the one member of your family that is the most helpless: the family pet. Just as we would make special preparations for an infant, who is helpless and unable to communicate, we need to do the same for our furry and feathered friends that are entrusted with our care.

One of the things recommended for survival preparedness for people is the disaster preparedness kit or 72-hour survival kit, commonly known as a "bug out bag" or "go bag". Using this example, there are now disaster preparedness kits for pets that provide food, water, shelter and first aid.  These come in different sizes, and are designed specifically for either dogs or cats (you can also gear these towards birds). These are excellent kits to have in the closet or garage ready to pick up and toss in the car in the event of an evacuation ahead of a storm or other disaster.

Pet Disaster Survival Kit

Pet Disaster Survival Kit

Here's a brief list of items that are commonly included in a pet disaster survival kit so that you can create your own pet "bug out bag" with items you may already have or can pick up at your local discount or dollar store.

Pet Disaster Survival Kit Ingredients:

• 6 cans of food
• 12 bottles of water
• 2 blankets
• 2 lightsticks
• 2 bowls
• 1 50 inch length of rope
• 1 collar
• 1 leash
• 6 poop bags
• 3 chew sticks
• 1 can opener
• 1 first aid kit
• 1 pet's individual information (records) in a zip lock bag
• 1 3-gallon plastic bucket with lid

These kits can range in price from $40.00 to $80.00. These are ready to go and convenient. However, if you have the time, you can create your own pet disaster survival kit specifically geared towards your own special pet.  For less than $20.00, you can create a complete do it yourself disaster survival kit for your pet. All it takes is a little time and a little money.  And most can be done at your local dollar store.  However, if you do not have the time or inclination to do it yourself, go ahead and purchase a ready-made pet disaster survival kit. The most important thing is not the money but what you do that is necessary to ensure the safety of your pet.

The Family Survival Course - A Must Have

The Family Survival Course is the best plan of action out there.  I'm writing this article because of the impact this course has had on my life.  It has literally changed my life, how I think, and how I'm preparing for the inevitable economic crisis or natural disaster on the very near horizon. 
To generate the best results with your emergency preparedness plan, you need to think of all possibilities, look at the resources you have to work with and put together a plan that is customized for you and your family.  The Family Survival Course can walk you through this, and prepare you for any future crisis.  Again, this course has changed my life, and I have more confidence now that I have a plan for my family.  Check it out, you'll be glad you did..

Earthquake Preparedness Kits

You Need to Be Prepared

If you live in a region of the world that is susceptible to earthquakes, then being prepared is a necessity, a fact of life.  It is better to be prepared as it could be the difference between life and death. Earthquake preparedness kits give you and your family time for rescue crews to reach you, if you're stuck in one location, and it gives you the proper supplies if you are able to leave and relocate for a specified time frame until it is safe to return to your home.

What Should Your Earthquake Preparedness Kit Contain?

Some of the basic staples for an earthquake preparedness kit include medicine, batteries, flashlights, matches, solar powered charger for USB devices (cell phones, iPads, etc.), first aid kits and plenty of non-perishable food. In addition, as much safe drinking water you can store and carry.  See the video below for more great kits ideas, and products available on Amazon.Com.

Earthquake Preparedness Kit

Your earthquake preparedness kit should also include a fire extinguisher, sharp cutting instruments and heavy gauge tape (I recommend duct tape).  You should make sure every member of your family is aware of where the emergency kits are located. It's a good idea to have more than one kit located around the house in strategic spots, in case you are separated from your family or part of your home is inaccessible after an earthquake.

Have a Plan - Know Where to Meet Up

Your family should also know exactly what to do when an earthquake hits. This is key in earthquake preparedness. If the home is too damaged to stay in, then you should have an alternate, known meeting location. Two-way radios are an essential item in case they are separated from the family and cell service is down.  

Periodically check expiration dates on canned foods in your kits.  Verify the expiration dates of medicines or over the counter remedies you've packed in your kits. Water should be replaced on a regularly basis as well.  Always make sure your earthquake preparedness kits are fully stocked and make sure everything is in working order, such as batteries, radios etc.  Hand cranked multi-function radios and lanterns are highly recommended, and don't require batteries.

Earthquakes happen all over the world and it is important you make sure that your family is prepared if you live in regions that are prone to earthquake activity. Earthquake preparedness kits help save lives. 

The Family Survival Course

To generate the best results with your earthquake preparedness kit, you need to think of all possibilities, look at the resources you have to work with and put together a plan that is customized for you and your family.  The Family Survival Course can walk you through this, and prepare you for any future crisis.  This course has changed my life, and I have more confidence now that I have a plan for my family.  Check it out, you'll be glad you did, and it will walk you through all your emergency preparedness plan requirements.  

Emergency Preparedness Plan - What is It?

Family Emergency Evacuation Plan - A Must Have

Preparing Your Family for a Emergency - Have a Plan

Does everyone in your household know what to do when a disaster strikes?  Have a family meeting to begin discussing why you need to prepare for a potential disaster scenario.  Explain the dangers of fire, severe weather, civil unrest and earthquakes to children.  Talk about which disasters would be most likely to happen where you live and explain what to do in each situation. Develop and routinely practice your emergency preparedness plan, because in an emergency situation, every minute counts. Again, it is imperative to have routine emergency preparedness drills to practice out your plan. Without practicing, your emergency preparedness plan will be less effective and possibly put you and your family in a dangerous situation which could have been avoided by quicker execution of your plan. Testing your plan through drills will also help you identify any areas needing improvement.

Emergency Preparedness Plan

Every plan should include the following:

• A Designated Meeting Place (or Muster Point) - A meeting place for all family members to meet in an emergency situation right outside your home (in case of sudden emergency, such as a fire),  Also, one meeting location nearby (in case all members of the family aren't there or can't return home)..

• Emergency Contact Phone Numbers - Make sure to include an out-of-state contact that all family members can call to give and receive updates. An out-of-state contact is especially important to have in case your family is not all in one place.  When disaster does strike, or if a family member is unable to reach the designated meeting place, this extra contact is vital.

• Evacuation or 'Bug Out' Plan - You need to discuss and plan for potential safety hazards to stay away from in preparation for and during an evacuation, as well as planning multiple evacuation routes.

• Supplies and Provisions - Provisions for at least a 72 hour period for each member of your family is vital during an emergency survival situation.  Emergency kits are available at Amazon.Com.  I've provided my picks below for you to check out.  To get an idea of what is in a typical emergency kit, read the descriptions of the product's contents..
  
  

• Personal Financial / Insurance / Identification Information: Make logs and videos of valuables for insurance info. Make copies of all your important documents and have then in a safe and accessible location.

Share your plan with your neighbors and community. Organizing a plan before a disaster can help avoid potential suffering and damage that will take place. Implement and practice in community emergency preparedness drills.  Help create awareness of the resources available in your area, identify potential risks, encourage preparedness in your community, and, again, practice so everyone knows what to do if an actual disaster were to strike.

The Family Survival Course - A Must Have

The Family Survival Course is the best plan of action out there.  I'm writing this article because of the impact this course has had on my life.  It has literally changed my life, how I think, and how I'm preparing for the inevitable economic crisis or natural disaster on the very near horizon. 

The Family Survival Course is the best plan of action out there.  I'm writing this article because of the impact this course has had on my life.  It has literally changed my life, how I think, and how I'm preparing for the inevitable economic crisis or natural disaster on the very near horizon. 
To generate the best results with your emergency preparedness plan, you need to think of all possibilities, look at the resources you have to work with and put together a plan that is customized for you and your family.  The Family Survival Course can walk you through this, and prepare you for any future crisis.  Again, this course has changed my life, and I have more confidence now that I have a plan for my family.  Check it out, you'll be glad you did..

Emergency Preparedness - Family Survival Course

Economic and Natural Disaster - Are You Prepared?

Most Americans face different challenges on a daily basis. Many people are called upon to face the challenge of surviving an economic or life threatening crisis on any given day. Being prepared can mean the difference between your survival or your death. Most have NO PLAN on emergency preparedness and are not "prepper minded".   Surveys reported on various news agencies determined that most, over 90 percent, of Americans are ill prepared financially and are without an emergency preparedness plan or the proper stocked supplies necessary to survive a crisis time window.   What makes the difference between success and failure during a crisis? Why do some succeed where others fail? How does someone wind up in the group that will succeed and survive? Having a plan, a course of action, is your best bet.

Family Survival Course

Having a guide, a road map to help you, is a primary factor in being prepared to execute all the necessary steps to survive and potentially thrive in trying times. It's easy once you learn and apply each of the steps before you begin. It starts with a mindset.  A plan. Then action.

Again, being prepared can mean the difference between your survival or your death. Are you willing to put together an emergency preparedness plan and follow it?  If you're serious, then you will want to understand what is important and what is a waste of time. Simply put, you should improve your knowledge first, then build your plan.  The Family Survival Course is the best plan of action out there.  I'm writing this article because of the impact this course has had on my life.  It has literally changed my life, how I think, and how I'm preparing for the inevitable economic crisis on the very near horizon.  Watch this life changing video, and if it isn't for you, don't proceed with it.  It's not for everybody.  It's for the planners, the pro-actives, parents with young families to protect who are prepper-minded.  And for some, who aren't news savvy, and aren't up to date with what's going on in our economy, our Congress, and the future of the U.S. dollar, this will be a life changing WAKE UP CALL.   The Family Survival Course, it changed my life, how I'm moving forward.   

For those who choose not to go with the Family Survival Course, I've listed below five helpful steps that you can implement in your life to increase your likelihood of succeeding during a crisis:

1. Take an inventory of your current food supply. Why do you need to do that? You need enough food to sustain you and your family for up to 6 months. The average person consumes roughly 2,000 calories per day. That is a safe target to shoot for. Any more and you are just wasting time and money.  Wise Company Food Kits are a good source for food supply (search this on Amazon).  You will need to supplement this food with multi-vitamins and mineral supplements, if you're in a long term scenario.

2. Make sure you have enough water or a source for water to provide at least a gallon per day to each family member. You need water to survive. You cannot survive without clean, purified water for more than 3 days. Good hygiene is also important to stay healthy, so additional water for cleansing needs to be added.

3. Alternative power sources. The reason behind this is you will need to power some lights, a cell phone and maybe a space heater. You may be without power for a long time. Keeping some sort of power capability is important. One more reason why this is advisable is if you are in a cold part of the country, staying warm will be essential for your survival.  Portable generators for more demanding power sources, and solar powered back up battery and chargers are good for cell phones, iPods and most USB powered devices.  

4. Have an alternative cooking source. You will want to be able to cook your food and boil water to cook and disinfect it. If you are storing freeze dried or dehydrated foods you will need to be able to boil water to clean it.

5. Have alternative shelter. Your home may be unlivable or unsafe to stay in. Angry mobs could potentially be going home to home looking for food and supplies. Having an alternative shelter in the mountains like land or a bunker may provide you this safe haven.  

To generate the best results with your emergency preparedness plan, you need to think of all possibilities, look at the resources you have to work with and put together a plan that is customized for you and your family.  The Family Survival Course can walk you through this, and prepare you for any future crisis.  Again, this course has changed my life, and I have more confidence now that I have a plan for my family.

Surviving a Natural Disaster - What We Learned

Totally Unprepared for Hurricane Katrina

Right in the Bullseye of Hurricane Katrina

My family and I moved to Mandeville, Louisiana back in June of 2005, as I was heading into a career change.. Little did I know what we were about to experience just a couple months later. Mandeville sits on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain, about 20 miles north east of New Orleans. In late August 2005, Hurricane Katrina was fast approaching the Mississippi/Louisiana coast, and we were totally unprepared for what was about to happen..  It reached a Category 5 level storm offshore, then hit the coast as a strong Category 4.

Following Neighbor's Advice

Neighbors of ours, who go through this every year in Louisiana (obviously, not to the level of Katrina, but have tropical storm and hurricane watches pretty regularly), let us know what they typically do to prepare for potential storms (they're emergency preparedness plan)..

• The very first thing they said to do was to get reservations inland at a hotel/motel a couple hours away from the coast. This was challenging with every storm we encountered since Katrina (have to book early, or you're out of luck getting a room, unless you know someone who lives inland, which we didn't). Have a place to evacuate to..
• Next, because we were in a low lying area, we needed to get sand bags to protect our house from potential flooding. So, we sand bagged all of our door entry areas on the outside of the house.
• Next, secure or stow all loose items on your property to reduce the potential for debris damage on your home and your neighbor's home.
• Next, if you had storm shutters on your house, which we did, make sure to close the storm shutters over your windows, to protect the windows from outside penetrating damage.
• Next, if you had an extra car which you weren't using to evacuate, make sure it's protected in the garage, which we had done.

This was basically all the advice we got, before Katrina hit (because everyone was in such a hurry, we got limited information). We didn't think beyond this, and got out of town as soon as possible, a day before the storm hit.

Learned A Lot More At the Hotel..

When we got to our hotel, a day before Katrina came ashore, we learned alot more about disaster preparedness from seasoned evacuees staying at the hotel.. These folks (many of them) had emergency preparedness kits, bottled water cases, and limited food supply travelling with them in their cars.. They talked about having gas and propane powered generators for their homes, meals-ready-to-eat (MREs), hand cranked flashlights and lanterns, plenty of available cash, and a host of other ideas. We realized then how unprepared we really were.

First, The Common Sense Stuff

Obviously, you'll need to make sure you have plenty of food, water and milk on hand to last you a good week (a minimum 72 hours), to weather out the storm and the post storm clean up and repair of roads, power lines and potential store closings.. Having plenty of ice on hand, with reusable cooler packs (the blue plastic and bag encased packs) already frozen and ready to throw in a cooler, are necessities in keeping your perishables cold.. Now, you want to look for coolers that are well insulated, that can keep things cold for about 5 days or so. Coleman has an Xtreme brand of insulated coolers that can do that. We bought the 100-Quart size after Katrina, and it has come in handy with other power outages we've encountered..

Survival Emergency Kits

Survival emergency kits are essential for surviving several days after a disaster or emergency occurrence.  These kits are loaded with survival gear designed to provide the basic essentials of surviving for several days after an event.  These kits include (vary from kit to kit):  radios, backpacks, ponchos, reflective sleeping bags, multi-tool knifes, whistles, masks, first aid kits, hygiene kits (toothbrushes, toothpaste, comb, washcloths, tissues, wet naps, shampoo, etc.), candles, food bars, body warmers, toilet paper, water pouches, pencils, sewing kits, and emergency guides.  These kits really amazed me with what they have inside them.

Hand Cranked Flashlights and Lanterns

Hand cranked flashlights and lanterns are essential during an extended power outage situation. They provide a continuous source of light, without the need for batteries or electricity. I highly recommend these for folks anywhere to have handy in case of an extended power outage. This came highly recommended by those seasoned evacuees, who've been there, done that. So, we have both a hand cranked flashlight and a hand cranked lantern in our storm supply bin. The hand cranked lantern we have provides a great source of light, which lights up an entire room and lasts for about an hour between cranks. I highly (highly) recommend a hand cranked lantern.

Portable Power Generators

Portable power generators are a common commodity for residents in the Gulf states.  These generators allow you to be able to plug in appliances (such as refrigerators and air conditioning units), during power outages.  This equipment is critical to maintaining a functioning household, like keeping food from spoiling and keeping air cool, during hot summer days and nights..  And believe me, after Hurricane Katrina, we didn't have power for 10 days (and we were lucky compared to other neighborhoods around us) and it was hotter than hell.

Meals Ready to Eat (MREs)

MREs were pretty foreign to us, outside of knowing the military used these during wartime. However, many folks living where we were had MREs stocked up, in case of emergency. So, after Hurricane Katrina, we stocked up on MREs, in case the inexplicable happened again.. These MREs are essential for short term survival, providing quality meals, with a surprising variety of choices, with good caloric value, and a flameless ration heater that heats up the food pack.  Typically, MREs last about 3 years in proper climate storage.  So, don't overbuy given the limited shelf life of these items.

Family Survival Course (HIGHLY Recommend This - Never Felt More Prepared for a Crisis)

Want to be prepared after a natural disaster or a Governmental financial collapse?  I found a course for you to check out.  It is truly an eye opener for what is about to come involving an economic collapse..  You're seeing it on the news right now.  I went into this course very skeptical. I've seen it all. But this one really surprised me. This course revealed some killer strategies I'd never seen anywhere. I finally feel prepared for ANYTHING.  Check it out, you'll be glad you did:  Family Survival Course.

Links to Other Informative Sites

• Food Storage and Emergency Preparedness
  Is America better prepared today to respond to a major disaster post Katrina? The talking heads are at it again with the events occurring in Haiti. A little quip this morning from someone in the mainstream...
• Earthquake preparation tips
  A mega-earthquake is certainly something one should prepare for, as such a disaster can cause inexplicable damage and harm. While one cannot completely be protected from natural disasters, there are things...
• Survival Kits: List of Supplies Needed for Emergency Preparedness - Items for Your Checklist
  List of supplies to have on hand in a disaster survival kit in case of an emergency and tips to help you prepare for the worst possible scenario.