Lessons Learned   

Sometimes we can watch the news with a certain impunity when a winter storm is pounding the northeast.  Then when the ice-laden power lines go down across someone’s new car it makes more great TV footage.  And the stories come in about power outages, people sitting in their cold living rooms with only their flashlights for lighting and stories of heroism on the part of linemen, police, fire and EMS personnel.  

That’s all well and good when we’re three thousand miles away on the balmy South Coast of Oregon.  But this past week a storm system dumped a load of snow in the Portland area causing traffic tie-ups, accidents, power outages and all manner of chaos on our north-state friends.  The Oregon State Police reports responding to over 600 weather-related traffic accidents since the storm began.  Sadly one person was killed on I-84 when the car in which the victim was riding lost control and struck a tree.  Stories of people spending the night in a Beaverton hotel because they couldn’t make it home to Gresham or others spending hours in their car along Interstate 5 bring the drama a bit closer to home.  Although when it’s YOU in your car in the ditch or YOU doing the motel-thing without your toothbrush, it’s more than drama, it’s a reality show and you’re the star!  Not exactly what you had in mind when you dreamed of stardom, now is it?     

It was a regular reader of this column that related the story of spending the night in the motel.  He had just begun carrying a kit in his car and was actually well-prepared for his night away from home.  (The motel supplied a toothbrush.) The point was, he had extra clothing, some snack food and his medication with him.  Needless to say, he is now a full-fledged believer.

The prepper’s mantra is Get A Kit, Make A Plan, Be Informed.  In the case of winter travelers, all three elements are useful.  That kit in your trunk gives you peace of mind and a bag full of useful items when needed.  Being informed of the weather forecast should aid in making travel plans.  Sometimes the smart thing to do is abort the mission once you learn what’s in store weatherwise. Pilots routinely alter their flight plans due to adverse weather.  In my view a smart traveler does the same thing.    

The next winter storm may decide to take a more southerly route.  Now is the time to Get A Kit, Make A Plan, Be Informed.

Disaster Prep Self-Test

This post is a repeat of one I put up several months ago.  If you took the test back then, you can re-take it now and self-rate your improvement.  Enjoy!

Would you know what to do in case of an emergency?  Most of us have never suffered the likes of Hurricane Katrina, the Thailand tsunami or the earthquake in Japan.  Many of us though have been inconvenienced by the loss of electricity or a snow storm that kept us from leaving our home.  What about an earthquake, fire or flood? Are you prepared? Just for fun, let's take this little test to see how we rate.

1.  Has your family rehearsed fire escape routes from your home?  Yes-No

2.  Does your family know what to do before, during and after an earthquake?  Yes-No

3.  Do you have heavy objects hanging over beds than can fall during an earthquake?  Yes-No

4.  Do you have access to an operational flashlight in every bedroom?  Yes-No

5.  Do you keep shoes near your bed to protect your feet from walking on broken glass?  Yes-No

6.  If a water line was ruptured during an earthquake, do you know how to shut off the main water line to your house?  Yes-No

7.  Can this water line be turned off by hand or is a tool required?  Yes-No

8.  If you have natural gas or propane, do you know where the main shut-off is located?  Yes-No

9.  If you smell gas, do you know how and would you be able to shut off this valve?  Yes-No

10.  Do you have working smoke alarms in the proper places to warn you in case of fire?

Yes-No

11. In case of a minor fire, do you have a fire extinguisher that you know how to use?  Yes-No

12. Do you have duplicate keys, copies of important papers or documents stored in a location outside your home?  Yes-No

13. Do you own a radio capable of receiving emergency information?  Yes-No

14. If your family had to evacuate your home, have you identified a meeting place?  Yes-No

If an emergency lasted for 72 hours before help was available:

15.  Would you have sufficient food?  Yes-No

16.  Would you have the means to cook without gas or electricity?  Yes-No

17.  Would you have sufficient water for cooking, drinking and sanitary needs?  Yes-No

18.  Do you have access to a 72 hour evacuation kit?  Yes-No

19.  Would you be able to carry or transport your kit?  Yes-No

20.  Have you established an out-of-state contact?  Yes-No

21.  Do you have a first aid kit in your home and in each car?  Yes-No

22.  Do you have work gloves and tools for minor rescue and clean-up?  Yes-No

23.  Do you have some emergency cash on hand?  Yes-No

24.  Do you have a means to heat your house other than the normal way?  Yes-No

25.  If you need medication, do you have a month’s supply on hand?  Yes-No

26.  Do you have a plan for toilet facilities if there is an extended water shortage?  Yes-No

Just to clarify, it is believed that if a major earthquake strikes off the Oregon coast, our region will be isolated from assistance for several weeks.  I recommend you prepare accordingly.

Now about the test, if you answered “no” to any of the questions, then I suggest you take another look at your preparations and make some adjustments.  As always email me with questions or comments at disasterprep.dave@gmail.com.