Learn how to be prepared by making a plan for emergency & bug out bag
with tips and suggestions from an emergency plan
designed by a former Green Beret medic.”
An emergency preparedness plan created by Lance Jones, a former Green Beret medic, is described in his video above. He goes through the details of the plan he has implemented personally to assure that his family and loved ones have a plan for emergency in the event of a disaster.
This video covers a detailed plan of how to be prepared, including how to find loved ones that you may be separated from during a disaster. It’s quite possible that you may not be together with your immediate family when a disaster occurs and it is important to pre-designate a few meeting places and develop a system to communicate with each other in the event that your meeting place has become unsafe and it is now necessary to move to a new location.
One of the most common things to occur after a disaster is that phone lines and cell phone service often goes down and phone communication is lost. Very often local calls may be jammed, but outgoing calls to numbers out of the area can still be made. So be sure to have a contact person who lives out of the immediate area to assist in communicating to other family members.
Other means of communication you may want to use in an emergency situation are various types of radios. A ham radio is a good choice because ham radios use repeaters, or stations, which are located outside of the area and can broadcast in many different directions. One deterrent for a ham radio is that a license is required, which means you need to go through classes and learn how to operate them.
Most other radio types, such as a walkie-talkie, are based on a “line of sight” and cannot communicate if anything is obstructing the radio frequency, preventing a clear line of sight (for example a mountain).
A third option for a radio discussed in the video is a CB radio (or Citizen’s Band radio) which can be plugged into your car. A license is not required in order to use CB radios.
Both ham radios and CB radios provide access to up to date weather reports and disaster reports.
One helpful radio tip shared is that you should designate which radio frequency you will use and write that on each radio ahead of time so each family member will be tuned to the correct frequency/channel in order to communicate with each other.
Among the many emergency tips shared was where you can access water after a disaster, for example the water contained in your home’s water heater or inside the toilet tank (the upper tank portion before it dispenses into the toilet bowl).
Highlights of tips and examples on how to be prepared for a disaster can be found below:
Emergency Preparedness Plan
Written Plan
Make a written plan that should be kept inside your Bug Out Bag or To Go Bag. Be sure to keep this plan in a waterproof bag or container. If desired, have the list laminated to help protect it from water damage.
Your written plan should include the following:
Emergency Contact List
Write down your contact names and numbers in case your cell phone is lost or damaged.
Determine 3 Meeting Places In Case Separated After Emergency
Designate three locations for your family to meet after a disaster. Typically the first meeting place is your home. Two more locations are suggested because it’s possible a meeting place may be damaged or unsafe.
These meeting places should be within walking distance of each other because if a natural disaster has occurred roads may be inaccessible and you may have to walk.
Plan of Action Immediately After Disaster
Contact Family Members
Attempt to contact family members/loved ones in the event you are apart from each other by utilizing one of the methods below:
Cell Phone
Attempt to make contact via cell phone with your family.
Radio Communication
Previously determine which radio frequency you will use.
(Tip: Write the frequency to be used on the back of the radio.)
Immediately after a disaster, turn on your radio or walkie-talkie to the pre-determined frequency.
Leave your radio or walkie-talkie on for 2 hours, then conserve batteries by turning it on for a total of 10 minutes on the hour and half hour.
Go to Pre-Designated Meeting Place(s)
Note: If you are unable to drive to your meeting place remember to bring your bug out bag and car charger from the car.
Go to the first designated meeting place and stay as long as you can to wait for other family members to arrive.
If the first meeting place is damaged or unsafe, leave a message on the door for your loved ones to let them know you have been there and are proceeding to the next meeting place. Suggested ways of leaving a message at meeting places are: tying a color-coded ribbon (or plastic engineer’s tape), notepad, magic marker, or other means. These items are kept in the bug out bags; however, if you don’t have your backpack use your imagination and tear a sheet or towel and tie it somewhere prominent or find some way to communicate that you have been there and left for the next meeting place.
Proceed to the second meeting place and do the same thing, leaving a message if you need to move on to the third location. In each location stay as long as you can and only leave if the meeting place is damaged or unsafe.
If you find it is necessary to go to a place that was not pre-designated leave a note informing your family members of the new location.
Bug Out Bag / To Go Bag
Make a “To Go Bag” to be kept in everyone’s car containing the following items:
Your written emergency plan in a waterproof bag or container
Emergency contact list with numbers for each family member/loved one,
Food & water supply for at least 3 days (snack bars, canned meats, etc.)
Photos of each loved one and pets to assist in locating each other
Walkie-Talkie / CB Radio / Ham Radio & Instructions on how to use the radio (place in waterproof bag or container)
Flashlights / Head Lamps
Glow sticks
Batteries and car chargers
Spare eyeglasses (if applicable)
Medications
Cash in small denominations (in case ATM’s, banks, or stores are inaccessible)
Pens, permanent markers, and paper (placed in a plastic bag)
Colored plastic ribbon / engineer’s tape (one color for each family member)
Terry cloth towels
Baseball cap or wide-brimmed hat
Dust masks
First aid kit
Latex or surgical gloves
Whistle
Spare clothing
Jacket
Sturdy shoes & socks
Work gloves
Nylon cord or rope
Waterproof matches
Space blanket
Plastic drop cloth
Toilet paper (in waterproof bag or container)
Toiletries
Reading book
Note: Be sure to keep items that may be damaged or ruined by water in waterproof bags or a waterproof container.
Adjust Bug Out Bag Items To Suit Your Needs
The above list of items are things Lance Jones included in his emergency kit. You’ll want to adjust bug out bag items to fit your particular needs.
Review Emergency Plan and Bug Out Bag Every 4 to 6 Months
Review your emergency preparedness plan as well as your backpack contents with all family members and loved ones every four to six months. This will help everyone to remember the plan. It’s also important to check expiration dates on food ad water items and replace as necessary.
Earthquake Proof Tower Is The Tallest Broadcasting Tower in The World
The country of Japan is well known for its share of earthquakes and they are equally well known for their emergency preparedness. In the NTD TV news video above, a Japanese architecture firm known for building earthquake resistant high rise buildings reveals its secret design for an earthquake proof tower that will stand over 630 meters high (approximately 2,066 feet), which is the tallest broadcasting tower in the world. To give you an idea of how high 630 meters is, a good comparison is found in the United States with the 110-story Willis Tower (previously known as the Sears Tower) in Chicago which is 1,729 feet tall.
Built to resist the strongest earthquakes in Japan, the Tokyo Sky Tree broadcasting tower will be open to the public by May 2012 and will no doubt be a popular landmark that will attract many visitors in Tokyo.
The earthquake proof design is based on a concept borrowed from the traditional Japanese wisdom utilized in the building of the ancient five-story pagodas. One of these pagodas, the Horyu-ji Temple in Nara Prefecture, was built in the 7th century is believed to be the longest standing pagoda in Japan.
To control the sway of a building during an earthquake, the Sky Tree architects developed a system of adding mass to the core of the structure, which allows the mass to act as a balancing weight to buildings.
In the middle of the Tokyo Sky Tree tower, an emergency staircase is located in the core of the tower and acts as the mass. The core column and surrounding steel frame are constructed separately so they will shake in different ways and repress the overall sway.
Additionally, six oil dampers have been installed in the space along the core. These act as cushions and will absorb the energy from an earthquake and will also absorb up to 50 percent of the swaying preventing the core column from hitting the inner part of the tower.
Two Major Earthquakes Hit Turkey Just Weeks Apart in 2011
Two major earthquakes in Turkey occurred less than 3 weeks apart. Turkey is situated above two major fault lines and is prone to frequent earthquakes. Hopefully knowing this fact will prompt people to be prepared with an emergency plan in place. The first quake was a magnitude 7.1 (initially reported as 7.2) on October 23, 2011 with the epicenter located 9 miles NNE of the city of Van.
More than 600 people were killed in this first earthquake with more than 4,000 people injured. At least 2,000 buildings were destroyed in this 7.1 quake and nearly 4,000 more were determined to be uninhabitable. Over 1,000 aftershocks resulted from this powerful quake. Locals have criticized the slowness of the government’s response.
A second earthquake measuring 5.6 (preliminary measurement was 5.7) took place just 17 days later on November 9, 2011. This second quake was not an aftershock but an entirely new plate movement which was centered 9 miles south of Van, Turkey on a new fault line. Although the epicenters of the two earthquakes were located on opposite sides of Van, the actual distance between the two epicenters are only approximately 25 miles apart.
As shown in the video above, rescue teams in Van, Turkey sprang back into action searching through rubble, responding to reports of voices calling for help after a second major earthquake struck the region causing two hotels and dozens of other buildings to collapse.
More than a week before the second quake, officials had told locals that it was safe to go back inside. This decision has been seen as a tragic misjudgment by some. Eyewitnesses had described seeing large cracks in the walls of a hotel in the center of Van which collapsed during the second quake. The hotel was reported to have had dozens of occupants, some of which have been able to be rescued alive.
Questions are being asked as to why a comprehensive assessment of the structure and safety of the remaining buildings were not made in a timely manner after the second quake. Turkish authorities stated that plans are in place to conduct these inspections following the Eid holidays.
Experienced rescue teams with heavy lifting equipment were on hand in Turkey in the region following the second quake.
Two separate earthquakes, two separate epicenters…
both on November 5, 2011!
Now when Oklahoma residents plan for emergency, they better prepare for dealing with earthquakes as well as tornadoes. Seismic activity has been on the rise over recent years in Oklahoma, although most of the quakes are too small to be felt. The exception to that recent pattern took place on the 5th of November in 2011 when two shakers were most definitely felt by all in the area.
The above NBC news video reports on the 5.6 magnitude earthquake which struck 50 miles outside of Oklahoma City, 4 miles east of Sparks, Oklahoma, at 10:53 p.m. on November 5, 2011. The 5.6 quake was felt throughout the midwest as far south as Texas and as far north as Illinois. Several homes and buildings suffered cracks and minor damage and part of US Highway 62 buckled under the quake.
The 5.6 earthquake followed a previous quake earlier the same day at 3:53 a.m., which measured 4.7 on the Richter Scale. The first quake hit about 70 miles east of Oklahoma City near Prague, Oklahoma. The epicenters of the two quakes were quite close in proximity as Sparks and Prague are located approximately 10 miles apart.
The 5.6 earthquake is the largest in Oklahoma’s history, breaking the record of a 1952 earthquake which measured 5.5 and occurred approximately 30 miles west of Oklahoma City in El Reno.
Learn what can be done to strengthen and protect your home against damages caused by natural disasters across the country every year. Of course, fortifying your home against major disasters automatically provides you with superior protection against damages caused by common occurrences throughout the year such as heavy thunderstorms and hail storms, which also take a toll on the pocketbook.
Using readily available and affordable construction materials and techniques, homes can be brought up to the home construction designations that build disaster protection into homes from the ground up. These upgrades often exceed what is required by local building codes. Additionally the disaster resistant home design includes landscaping upgrades that provide additional protection and help lessen the impact of a natural disaster.
Since the program began in 2000, fortified homes can be found in a number of states. These homes fall into a variety of price points, including fortified homes provided through Habitat For Humanity.
Through this program home builders and buyers make selections from a range of options which will meet the fortified standards and are able to stay within their own personal budget requirements.
The fortified home program uses various building techniques and does require the use of building techniques that meet standards suitable for the location of the home. Special attention is focused on strengthening the roof, foundation, walls, and openings of the home. Homes are also designed to keep moisture out and to elevate the home above flooding concerns. Protection is also added so that these homes are able to resist wildfire, severe winter weather, and earthquakes.
Inspections are conducted by an independent third party inspection company to ensure that building materials and techniques have been used and installed correctly.
An added benefit of this program is the peace of mind knowing that your home has been built or upgraded to a high level of resistance to damages incurred by the most common natural disasters in their area. Additionally, the fortified features added to homes are generally not visible so building a stronger, safer home does not take away from its beauty.
Another type of house design which may be of interest to those located in hurricane prone areas is the round house hurricane proof design. Testimonies by those who live in these homes provides evidence of how their homes withstood major hurricanes such as Katrina while their neighbors’ houses suffered extreme damage or were destroyed completely.
Round houses designed to be hurricane proof are shown and discussed in the video above. These beautiful homes are not only hurricane resistant but are also made to be energy efficient and are environmentally friendly green homes.
The homeowners in the video describe the area surrounding their homes providing a stark comparison of the destruction experienced by neighbors while their round houses withstood major hurricanes, including Hurricane Ivan and Hurricane Katrina.
Hurricanes have a life of their own, some are wind events, some water events, and some are a combination of the two. One circular house owner describes Hurricane Ivan as a combination of wind and water of which his home survived with extremely minimal damage.
Alvin and Faye, from Elberta, Alabama talked about their experience during Hurricane Ivan and Hurricane Katrina with flooding in their yard and downed trees. Their house stood solid and they never felt it move during the hurricane force winds.
Dale and Carolyn lived in a beautiful subdivision in a place they describe as “probably the best place on earth to live.” Some of their friends houses that had been there for 70 plus years were completely gone. Their circular house had a reinforced concrete entryway with a staircase that leads up to the living area of the house. This design provided elevation of the living quarters that will keep the living areas dry from flooding up to 14 feet.
Their home was located on the northeast side of Hurricane Katrina, which is the strongest part of a hurricane. It brought a 29 foot tidal surge and the water level rose to the second level of their three level circular home. Despite the flooding of their home and the 145 mph winds, all the windows held with only minor leakage in the areas that were submerged under flooding. The flooded belongings in their home was the majority of their loss, yet their home remained structurally intact.
Deltec Homes have been in business for almost 40 years and during that time their prefab homes have been put to the test time and time again and even homes hit by 20 to 30 foot tidal surges and winds of over 145 mph incurred no structural damage.
Another type of hurricane resistant home to consider is a fortified home that can be built from scratch or an existing home can be upgraded to meet building requirements established by the insurance industry to make homes resistant to various natural disasters including hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes, and more.
Access Weather Underground’s Interactive Tornado Map for current information on today’s storms, all storms, and historically significant storms in the U.S. This tornado map is updated hourly, based on data from more than 18,000 weather stations nationwide.
Once you’ve accessed the interactive map, select a category shown on the tabs above the map (Today’s Storms, All Storms, Historically Significant Storms) and then simply click on the symbols on the map for access to specific info, any photos that have been uploaded, and even radar showing current weather systems. Another feature of this interactive tornado map is the “Storm Search” feature in the right column where you can enter a location and find current or past tornado records for an exact location.
Tornadoes — what should you do when you need to seek shelter if you don’t have a basement or cellar. People take safety precautions everyday. When driving our cars we fasten our seatbelts, place our children in carseats and buckle them in; when riding motorcycles or bicycles we wear helmets, and we certainly wouldn’t want to experience a tornado without having a safe place to go.
Tornado Shelters
Many Northwestern Arkansas people are looking to buy storm shelters after recent tornado outbreaks. In the video above KFSM news reports on one company that produces steel tornado shelters, welded together, and strong enough to survive an EF-5 tornado. This manufacturer makes tornado shelters that can go inside, outside, underground, or above ground. American Storm Shelters even had to bring in extra crews to work around the clock to keep up with orders after the recent deadly tornado outbreak.
One mobile home resident living in this Arkansas tornado alley area, explains in this news interview how he purchased one of these storm shelters this year so he would have a safe and secure place to take shelter during a tornado. His storm shelter is anchored down with 3,000 pounds of concrete. As of the time of this report, the cost of the shelters start about $3,000 and go up to about $6,000 and this mobile home resident says the investment is definitely worth the price. In Arkansas, and certain other states, you can apply for a rebate program if you install a storm shelter/safe room.
Above Ground Tornado Shelter Inside Your Home
Storm shelters designed to fit inside your home are seen in the above Northwest Arkansas news report. Local reporter, Heather Lewis, investigates how an above ground shelter installed in one family’s garage might actually be safer than underground storm shelters.
The family researched storm rooms when they moved to Northwestern Arkansas where tornadoes are common. They chose a DuPont storm room which can be installed in almost any room in your home so you don’t have to go outside to enter the room during a storm.
This in-home storm room doesn’t look like an average storm shelter, yet it’s the only storm shelter room that FEMA has approved to withstand an EF-5 tornado. The strength of the DuPont storm rooms with Kevlar has been tested by an independent lab and can deflect a 12-foot two-by-four shot out of a cannon at the same speed and force of an EF-5 tornado.
It typically takes workers one day to install the layered storm room. The room meets FEMA standards and the walls are reinforced with Kevlar between the layers of wood, as well as a layer of foam to insulate against debris. The door of the DuPont storm shelter opens inward so if debris is blocking the area outside the exit of the shelter the occupants will not be trapped. The DuPont Kevlar Storm Shelter is designed to allow cell phone signals to work from inside the shelter, as long as cell phone towers outside remain in working order.
Kevlar is an organic fiber discovered by DuPont scientists in 1965 and is five times stronger than steel. It is interesting to note that there are a number of other applications for Kevlar such as use by law enforcement and military personnel in puncture resistant vests, helmets, and shields. It is also used in tires, industrial settings, aircraft, and spacecraft.
DuPont storm rooms range in size from 4X4 up to 12X12 and at the time of this newscast the average costs range from $6,000 to $15,000 and they can also be used as a safe room.
Demonstration Test Of A Tornado Shelter
This demonstration video tests a DuPont Kevlar storm room showing how it is strong enough to withstand an EF-5 tornado. A 2X4 beam is shot from a missile launcher at 100 mph simulating the speed and force of debris from a 250 mph tornado. The beam penetrates only the outer wood covering, but cannot penetrate the inner layer of Kevlar and foam insulation.
A dramatic comparison is seen when the same storm room test is conducted on an identical wall without the Kevlar reinforcement and the beam pierces through the wall almost as if it were made of paper. At the end of the video the door, also reinforced with Kevlar, successfully holds up under the same testing.
Tornadoes are a natural disaster that should be an essential consideration when making your plan for emergency. Understanding how a spiral, violent wind forms into a tornado, shattering anything in it’s path, will help you know what you need to be prepared for and what weather conditions precede a tornado.
Tornadoes, also known as twisters, are usually a by-product of strong thunderstorms, although not all thunderstorms have tornadoes. When a thunderstorm forms, the winds within the thunderstorm increase and change direction, a process called wind shear. Wind shear creates an invisible horizontal tunnel of air. If this horizontal tunnel of air, the wind shear, gets caught in the upward energy of the thunderstorm it begins to strengthen and speed up. This upward energy then tilts this rotating air from horizontal to vertical. As a result a funnel cloud is produced and it’s the rain and the hail from a thunderstorm that causes the funnel cloud to touch the ground and form a tornado.
In the AccuWeather.com video above, Expert Senior Meteorologist, Henry Margusity, explains that most tornadoes form in the late afternoon or early evening hours during the maximum heating of the day. The most powerful tornadoes measure two miles in width, can reach wind speeds of more than 300 miles per hour, and demolish the ground for dozens of miles.
