What's new

September is Emergency Preparedness Month

Juliestcyr

Juliestcyr

Grammar nerd and proud of it
Joined
Feb 17, 2015
Messages
1,238
After watching tragedy unfolding in Texas and South Asia, and feeling very nervous for the Caribbean and Florida, I decided I should take a few moments to refresh my emergency kit and make a few changes to our emergency plan. I had most of my flashlights stored in the farthest corner of the basement. Not a good spot if there's a blackout. I've moved them up to the front hallway, where they are in a box along with some candles, matches and a spare barbecue lighter. While most of what our family would need to survive for 72 hours is all in that emergency kit, I store in the front hallway closet. (It's a very spacious closet) there are a few things that aren't. For example, birth certificates and other key documents are in waterproof folders in my "home office", and there's key medication that we just keep in the medicine cupboard rather than the emergency kit. I've made a list of those extra things around the house I'd have to grab in an emergency, so I don't forget anything in a crisis.

For those of us not facing any imminent threats, it's a great time to do a little planning.
US Guide to emergency preparedness: https://www.ready.gov/september
Canadian Guide: https://www.getprepared.gc.ca/index-en.aspx
 
Thanks for this!

We had an underground fire in our front yard in a transformer box. Our home could have blown up because the burning mineral oil tank was basically next to our gas line. I grabbed my purse and the kids and that was it. Anyway, while our home didn't blow up (thank goodness) and even though we had an emergency plan in place, that experience jolted us to really assess all emergency issues. (For example:If I have to evacuate in literally 10 seconds, I do not take the time to grab the fire-resistant safe upstairs.)

An emergency plan "checkup" is always good, especially as your kids age and can start to handle certain info/tasks. We just went over fire safety with the kids, as well as just overall "what to do" stuff after Harvey. Seeing their former home flooded really jolted my kids.
 
@Tree City that is pretty scary! On both counts! I live 500 meters from the shore of the Ottawa River. We had flooding to the east, and on the other side of the river. Even though we were dry, watching pictures of my friends' houses, and some of our favourite places disappear under water was heartbreaking. I can't imagine what it's like to look at your former home under water.
 
Great reminder! We are currently surrounded by 75 wildfires! Montana, Idaho, Oregon & Washington are burning like crazy & shrouded in smoke (currently hazardous levels to be outside in our city!) We are in a relatively save area for fires- but have a plan on where to escape to if the need arises! I am just heartbroken to see what is going on in Montana right now- we were just vacationing there & it was beyond beautiful. I can't imagine what those mountains will look like after the fire rages through. When watching the news this morning and even flipping through it on my phone - not one national news outlet is even covering the fires in MT! I am in no way trying to take away from the seriousness and the devastation in TX- my heart breaks for those people too. And now with Hurricane Irma coming as well! But can't we give some attention to the tragedy happening in MT too? Millions of acres are burning throughout the northwest, people are losing their homes, their livestock, and their livelihoods- even our national parks are on fire.

This video I just saw this morning shows a fraction of the devastation: http://963theblaze.com/video-shows-2017-montana-fire-devastation-soundtrack-from-disturbed/

 
Such a great reminder!! My heart breaks for all those in the path of any devastation! And @amien1 it amazes me the lack of media coverage of all the fires! The only way I know anything about them is because of Facebook friends in those areas! You just never know where a disaster may strike and everyone should take a little time to get prepared, just in case!
 
Wow @amien1, I had no clue there were that many forest fires going on. I know in school we learned that forest fires are part of the forest life cycle, but the size of those fires is massive, and the loss of homes and farms is devestating. I know @bcnatty made a page about the fires near her this summer. I read today that over 1 million hectares burned in BC this summer.
 
Good reminder :-) Our city faces being cut off for weeks, potentially months, if a major quake blocks the main routes in and out so we are set up with water and food etc. Fortunately our house would probably come through OK, being wooden, on flat section and not directly on ones of the known faultlines that run through the city, but we have 'grab and go' bags as well just in case. My main concern would be remembering to grab the EHD :-)
 
Juliestcyr said:
Wow @amien1, I had no clue there were that many forest fires going on. I know in school we learned that forest fires are part of the forest life cycle, but the size of those fires is massive, and the loss of homes and farms is devestating. I know @bcnatty made a page about the fires near her this summer. I read today that over 1 million hectares burned in BC this summer.
Click to expand...

Yes! BC has had it bad too! I think a big part of why there are SO many fires is not being able to manage the forests appropriately! I won't get on that soapbox today ;)
 
Very good reminder! I'm saddened to hear of all the stories of nature and havoc for people. It's sad all the way around! :(
 
@amien1 That video made want to cry...I knew there were fires in MT, but I had NO idea they a year like that WOW!!

We don't have any kind of emergency kit put together...how dumb is that?!!? Guess we should get something put together, just in case. Though I'd be curious to know how many other Phoenicians haven't thought about having one either.
 
Thanks for this reminder. We have really slacked on the emergency planning. I'm so saddened by the devastation in Houston and now the possibility of it in Florida. And honestly you never know when the next moment will be the one that changes your life forever. Right now I am counting my blessings - but we definitely need to have some plans in place.
 
Half my state is burning (Oregon) and we're covered in ash and smoke in Portland (from a devastating fire started by a teenager with fireworks) so this is on my mind every night as I'm trying to fall asleep. I run through it over and over. It's hard to relax when you can smell fire even when logically you know your home is probably safe. :)

We don't have a bag, though - that would probably calm my obsessing. Good ideas!
 
I am so heartbroken about all of the fires, the hurricanes, the flooding. Super sad :(

I confess that despite living in a fairly tornado prone part of the country, we really aren't prepared for a disaster. Thanks for the reminder that we all need to have something ready in case of emergency. I am going to do it this weekend!
 
AllisonPennington said:
Half my state is burning (Oregon) and we're covered in ash and smoke in Portland (from a devastating fire started by a teenager with fireworks) so this is on my mind every night as I'm trying to fall asleep. I run through it over and over. It's hard to relax when you can smell fire even when logically you know your home is probably safe. :)

We don't have a bag, though - that would probably calm my obsessing. Good ideas!
Click to expand...

The raining ash is interesting huh!? I went through the car wash a few days ago- and it's already covered again in ash! So strange & gross!!!
 
amien1 said:
The raining ash is interesting huh!? I went through the car wash a few days ago- and it's already covered again in ash! So strange & gross!!!
Click to expand...

It's awful and it's everywhere! I've never seen anything like it (that I can remember - Mount St Helens blew right after I was born) and I'm definitely ready for it to stop. :)
 
Juliestcyr said:
Wow @amien1, I had no clue there were that many forest fires going on. I know in school we learned that forest fires are part of the forest life cycle, but the size of those fires is massive, and the loss of homes and farms is devestating. I know @bcnatty made a page about the fires near her this summer. I read today that over 1 million hectares burned in BC this summer.
Click to expand...
Yes, there was so much lost to forest fires...and they are still burning, although not near cities like it was in July. We actually just drove through some of the cities that were evacuated, and it was crazy how close the fires got to the highway!! You could see where it actually jumped the highway and started burning the other side...it was also crazy to see the forests and fields burned...and then, like some miracle a house, untouched, standing right in the middle of it all!! Those firefighters really are amazing!!
After some of the cities were evacuated I called my kids (who were down in California with their father) and asked them to send me a list of things that they couldn't live without. We went through and took note of items that we couldn't live without...just in case. Luckily, we never had to pack them and run...but it is a good idea to check some of those lists out, because there were definitely some items that I didn't even think about!!
I am so saddened to see how much is on fire this summer...and so mad to think that some of them were started by careless acts of people!!
My heart goes out to everyone who is being affected by the fires and the storms!
 
I used to have a few lists based on how much time I had to prepare - 10 min, a couple hours, a day. I should find them again! It's a good reminder to make sure I have a plan in place. You never know what disaster could befall you.

What makes me so sad is all the people posting about photos and memorabilia that are lost in these tragedies. I just want to shout on a rooftop to back up offsite! I know that homes, and people are more important. But for me, my home and belongings can be replaced. My photos can't. Well, some of them can because I've digitized them, but the rest are goners. My heart hurts for the sad posts about memories being gone.
 
So much heartache for so many, many people. Plus the animals. Breaks my heart.

Our state had a devastating fire a few years ago that we watched closely as it was up in the area our family loved to go camping at. Plus we lived up in that area for a while, too. That was hard to see happen. It started as one fire on June 18, 2002 and was called the Rodeo Fire, caused by an arsonist. A second fire called the Chediski Fire started on June 20th. It was accidental. On June 23rd the two fires met up and joined together. They combined the names of the fires and called it the Rodeo-Chediski Fire. It took until July 7th to get them under control. 468,638 acres burned before it was over. Then in May of 2011 a campfire caused the Wallow Fire. It was up in the same area only to the east and close to the town we had lived in. It eventually crossed over into New Mexico. It took them until July 8th to get that one under control and it burned 538,049 acres. 15,407 were on the New Mexico side. That one was Arizona's biggest fire ever.
 
Back
Top